Naked Oats new Chocolate Peanut Butter, Banana Oats review

This post has been sponsored by Naked Nutrition. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I’ve realized healthy living is made one choice at a time.

In my home, my family eats lots of oatmeal, along with homegrown chicken eggs for breakfast (thanks to our lovely backyard hens). We’ll have toast, muffins, or protein smoothies as well, to help break up the monotony of oatmeal every morning.

Lately, I’ve been wanting to try more overnight oat recipes, and the universe has heard my request because Naked Nutrition Inc. just reached out to me and asked me to try one of their new products :0)

Discovering Naked Oats (I’d never tried them before!)

Over the last several months, I have begun to be a ‘mean mom’. Yes, it’s true, I had to put my foot down on cold cereal; it’s only allowed to be eaten now on the weekends in my house (Saturday and Sunday) and is no longer an option for busy school mornings.

I just couldn’t deal anymore with the ridiculous prices of milk and crazy amounts of unhealthy sugars/crap in most of the cereals my kids love. I had to switch my family to eating healthier, heartier, and cheaper breakfast options, hence the oatmeal and eggs I mentioned earlier. Maybe someday I’ll get even meaner and kick cereal into the bin completely, but I think I’d have a family revolt on my hands if did that :0)

Last week Naked Nutrition sent me a large container of their brand new ‘Naked Oats’ to try; a mixture of protein powder, rolled oats, and (sometimes) freeze-dried fruit. They have created three flavors of this mixture, Green Apple Cinnamon, Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana, and Cinnamon Roll-flavored oats. I chose the Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana flavor.

This special mixture of Naked Oats combines their high-quality protein powder with a delicious combination of rolled oats and natural flavors, which can be made overnight (in a container for overnight oats at breakfast time) or combined with water or your choice of milk in a blender to make a smoothie anytime!

This is quite a genius combination because I have tried mixing protein powder into my oatmeal for breakfast in the morning and the results were well…. not appealing. I was really excited to try these “Naked Oats” to see if they could make breakfast oatmeal actually taste good with protein powder in it. So how did it go? Read on to find out!

Why do people eat protein powder?

Consuming protein is best when it occurs naturally in the foods we eat. However, busy folks don’t always have time to sit down and eat a meal high in protein such as beans and meat, so they’ll turn to the convenience of protein powder; protein derived from food, concentrated, and processed into a powder that can be easily mixed with other ingredients for an on-the-go meal.

I’m NOT a certified nutritionist or health coach. I am a food researcher, writer, photographer, and a mom who wants to provide good food for herself and her family. Heck, I even make our family dog her own food because we love our dog Cookie and want her to have a happy healthy life too.

Protein from food vs. protein from powder

Protein is an essential part of a human’s diet. It does lots of helpful, even vital things for our bodies, like providing energy, repairing muscles, and bones and it helps regulate our hormones, just to name a few. So yeah, protein is essential.

In the United States, where we have the luxury of choosing very specific diets because we have such a diversity of food at our fingertips, we must ensure that we include great sources of protein in what we eat, no matter what ‘diet’ we choose to follow.

The discussion around protein is a hot topic in the health industry, especially with people who want to eat vegan or vegetarian, or folks who want to gain muscle. Seeking out ways to ensure your body has enough protein for your needs can lead to some creative solutions.

MedicalNewsToday.com states the following about the essential things we all need in our diets to be healthy:

The six essential nutrients are vitamins, minerals, protein, fats, water, and carbohydrates. People need to consume these nutrients from dietary sources for proper body function.

Jenna Fletcher, for Medical News Today

Naked Nutrition has tons of options for protein powder, whey-based (the liquid left over from making cheese), peas, rice, and many other forms for various fitness goals. Whether you want muscle growth, fat loss, weight gain, or simply supplement your diet, they have some great products and solutions for that. Check out their website for all their products.

The Benefits of Protein Powder

One of the top benefits of protein powder is its ability to aid in muscle growth and recovery. When combined with strength training, protein powder can help build and repair muscle tissue, which is really great for improving strength and endurance. Additionally, protein powder can actually help reduce muscle soreness after exercise as well, allowing for a quicker recovery time!

Another benefit of protein powder is its ability to promote weight loss. Protein is a ‘macronutrient’ (a type of food required in large amounts), that is known to increase feelings of fullness, which can help reduce calorie intake and promote weight loss.

Additionally, protein powder is a low-calorie, low-fat source of protein, making it an excellent option for those looking to lose weight while still meeting their protein needs. Sign me up; this is my personal reason for choosing to add protein powder to my breakfast!

Stimulating muscle growth by enhancing protein synthesis

When talking about protein powder, a lot of folks will think of it in terms of building muscle, and for good reason. It contains amino acids, which are the building blocks of muscle tissue. When added to your diet while you’re in the middle of resistance training, protein powder can help enhance muscle growth.

One study found that consuming protein powder after resistance training helped stimulate protein synthesis more effectively than consuming carbohydrates alone. (Hey, carbs ARE good sometimes!) This suggests that protein powder can help enhance muscle growth when consumed post-workout. That’s why most of the protein powders you’ll see at your local grocer are designed for working out.

Better workout recovery

In addition to stimulating protein synthesis, protein powder can also help support workout recovery. Resistance training can cause muscle damage, which can lead to soreness and decreased performance. Consuming protein powder after a workout can help reduce muscle damage and promote faster recovery.

One study found that consuming protein powder after exercise helped reduce muscle soreness and improve muscle function. This suggests that protein powder can be a useful tool for athletes and fitness enthusiasts looking to enhance their recovery and performance.

If you’re interested in learning more about eating healthy, you are awesome! There is so much info out there on the interwebs to dive into, don’t forget to talk to real humans too, like your doctor or a nutrition coach if you’re interested in making healthier changes to your daily food routine.

What makes Naked Oats different from other protein powders

Naked Nutrition’s new Naked Oats is different for lots of reasons! Naked Oats is a high-protein chocolate-flavored powder (made from grass-fed cows’ milk) that includes gluten-free rolled oats and real bananas to make a protein shake or oatmeal that will help fuel your day.

The Naked Difference:

• Crave-worthy smell and taste
• 20 grams of grass-fed whey protein
• No artificial sweeteners, flavors or colors
• 6 grams of fiber
• GMO-free and soy-free
• Certified gluten-free

Naked Oats states its powder is both high in protein, and fiber, which supports muscle and digestive health with premium ingredients that cut the clutter of other protein supplements. Their whey is sourced from grass-fed (free-range) cows that live in northern California and Idaho. (I’m especially excited about Idaho because that’s where I live. Maybe I’m looking at Naked Nutrition cows right now grazing across the valley from my window…)

My experience

I was delighted by the taste, ease, and versatility of Naked Oats. I’m a busy mom in the mornings trying to get my kids ready for the school bus. Overnight oats are a great way for me to save time and still get breakfast despite the morning chaos, so making a jar of Naked Oats overnight oats was a no-brainer for me.

When I have Naked Oats for lunch as a smoothie I don’t get that dreaded afternoon sleep coma that I do when I’ve eaten unhealthy; I have the energy to power thru the rest of my workday. In fact, I’m about to go make another smoothie right now. This Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana flavor is so delicious, I’d really like to try all three flavors!

I’ve made Naked Oats as a smoothie several times- I like to blend in a square of dark chocolate and a few ice cubes to make it extra cold and chocolatey. I love to use unsweetened almond milk in all my smoothies because it’s dairy-free and super low in calories compared to dairy milk.

I made a batch of homemade Greek yogurt a few days ago, and I tried a dollop of it on my Naked Oats overnight oats, along with a few frozen berries. It was super delicious! And there’s something about eating delicious food that you know is also great fuel for your body that just feels great. I want you to feel that way too. :0)

If you consume protein powder on a regular basis, this is definitely a product you’ll love. I have tried lots of protein powders and I’ll tell you, some of them taste flat-out gross. I don’t eat gross, sorry. I just eat tasty. And Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Naked Oats is very tasty indeed!

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