High Protein Smoothie Recipes from Diet and Fitness Experts

Choco Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

"I'm not the biggest fan of protein powders. Many protein drinks are loaded with artificial ingredients, sweeteners and fillers, so I prefer to get my protein for whole food sources. One of my favorite protein shakes is this choco-peanut butter-banana smoothie. It's great for weight loss and muscle building because it's loaded with natural sources of protein.

The #1 protein drink I recommend is chocolate milk, which has the ideal ratio of carbohydrates to protein (3:1) to help refuel and build muscle after a workout. Many studies have shown that individuals who drank chocolate milk within an hour after working out had higher muscle fuel stores, less body fat and a greater overall physiological response to exercise than those who recovered with water or a sports drink. Some other benefits of chocolate milk: It contains high-quality protein to help build and repair muscles, calcium to strengthen bones, vitamin D to enhance calcium absorption, plus sodium and potassium to help replace lost electrolytes and B vitamins."

Ingredients:

• 1 banana

• 2 Tbsp peanut butter

• 1 cup chocolate milk (if you're lactose intolerant, you can use chocolate almond milk;

• however, it will only provide 1 g protein)

• 1 Tbsp chia seeds

• 6 oz Chobani fat-free Greek yogurt (plain or vanilla)

• 1 handful spinach (optional)

Nutrition: 577 calories, 22 g fat (5 g saturated), 8 mg cholesterol, 364 mg sodium, 69 g carbs, 9 g fiber, 36 g protein