How to Buy the Best Protein Powder for Your Smoothie

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Adding a scoop of protein powder to your smoothie is one quick and easy way to boost your intake of the nutrient, which is essential for post-workout muscle repair, aiding fat burning, and keeping you fuller longer. But if the extensive grocery aisle is any indication of just how many options exist in today’s health market (whey?! egg white?! brown rice?!), it can be tough to land on the best protein powder for you that’s free of icky ingredients and a smart add to your pantry.

Whether you’re a meat-eating gal or devout vegan, there’s an option out there for you. We asked Health‘s resident nutrition pro, Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD, how to find the best match.

Know your protein numbers

Most women need no more than 15 to 25 grams of protein in a meal, which is roughly the amount you get from a 3-ounce cooked chicken breast. If your powder has more than that per serving, use less of it. And don’t assume that if you’re using a plant-based powder, there’s less protein per scoop.

Scope out the ingredients

Analyze the ingredient label with a sharp eye. If your protein is marketed as a specific type (whey, casein, or brown rice, for example), then it should be the first ingredient on the list. Skip products with added sugars, as well as artificial flavors and sweeteners. Certain brands may also contain caffeine, so double check the amount to avoid feeling too jittery (for reference, a cup of coffee has anywhere from 95 to 200 milligrams).

Lastly, be wary of powders marketed to bodybuilders: A 2010 Consumer Reports investigation found a number of brands contained low levels of heavy metals, including lead, arsenic, and mercury. (Yikes!)

Factor in your dietary restrictions

Whey protein is derived from dairy, which means it’s not an option for anybody who’s lactose intolerant or following a vegan diet. But there are plenty of non-whey options that pack protein. You can opt for powders derived from brown rice, pumpkin, quinoa, or other plant blends that have ingredients like kale and algae.

Go organic

If you prefer whey protein, choose one that’s both grass-fed and USDA-certified organic, which typically means it packs higher levels of heart healthy omega-3 fatty acids.

RELATED: 14 Best Vegan and Vegetarian Protein Sources

Our top protein-powder picks

To make your shopping even more of a cinch, we’ve rounded up four buys that fit the healthy powder profile above.

Whey

It’s the most popular, and often cheapest, type on the shelf. It’s also a fast-acting protein, which means it’s digested faster. If you’re looking to build and repair muscle, you may want to drink up a protein shake with whey shortly after your workout.

Our pick: Tera’s Plain Whey Protein ($22.53 for a 12-oz. bag, amazon.com)

Casein

Like whey, casein is isolated from cow’s milk. However, it metabolizes more slowly than whey, making it a great option for those looking to stave off hunger pangs for longer.

Our pick: NOW Foods Micellar Casein Protein ($28.59 for a 1.8-lb. container; amazon.com)

 

Hemp

Hemp protein comes from grinding hemp seeds, which are packed with vitamin E, fiber, iron and essential fatty acids (fats you must eat because your body needs them but can’t produce them on its own).

Our pick: Manitoba Harvest Hemp Pro 50 Protein ($12.50 for a 16-oz. container; amazon.com)

Brown rice

Don’t underestimate the power of this dairy-free, gluten-free option; a 2013 study in Nutrition Journal found that rice powder has just about the same benefit when it comes to post-workout recovery and exercise performance as whey. 

Our pick: Naked Organic Brown Rice Protein Powder ($65 for a 5-lb. bulk container; amazon.com)

Pea

Pea protein powder is a lactose- and gluten-free powder made from yellow split peas (plus, it’s Sass’s favorite!). Why is it so great? It helps control hunger: A 2011 study in Nutrition Journal showed pea protein can keep you fuller longer than an equal amount of a few other sources, including regular egg whites and whey protein. In addition to our pick below, Sass likes Whole 365 Everyday Value Organic Pea Protein, available at Whole Foods.

Our pick: NOW Foods Natural Unflavored Pea Protein ($19.14 for a 2-lb. container; amazon.com)

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New Reality Show Is ‘Most Extreme Weight Loss Experiment Ever’ — And That’s Bad

Photo: Fit to Fat to Fit, A&E

A&E’s new reality show Fit to Fat to Fit takes the idea of yo-yo dieting to a whole new level. In what the network is calling “the most extreme weight loss experiment ever,” fitness trainers agree to pack on pounds so they can slim down alongside their overweight clients.

The series, which premiered last night, is hosted by Drew Manning, the personal trainer who famously gained and then lost 75 pounds on purpose. (In the fall of 2014 he dramatically revealed his back-to-ripped body on Good Morning America to promote his book about the experience.) “Getting fit again was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but it made me a better man,” he says in the opening credits of Fit to Fat to Fit.

Inspired by Manning’s journey (or gimmick, depending on how you look at it), the show follows 10 trainers as they abandon their rigorous diets and exercise routines to intentionally gain as much weight as possible, under medical supervision, for four months. Then they work with their clients to get in shape together.

When we heard about the show our first thought was, How can this possibly be safe? After all, we’ve read time and again that both extreme weight gain and crash diets pose serious risks.

It turns out we weren’t the only ones to have that reaction. On Twitter, many people expressed concern that Fit to Fat to Fit was portraying something troubling at best and straight-up dangerous at worst.

The show fit to fat to fit is completely asinine. Who does that to themselves intentionally

— kaytee (@kt_murphyy) January 9, 2016

"fit to fat to fit" …. um WTF?! who would do this to themselves and why is it going to be on tv.. smh

— em ♡ (@emilytaingxo) January 7, 2016

Fit to Fat to Fit is an interesting tv show concept but really dangerous. But I like the premise. I'm all conflicted.

— Griselda Negro (@RandEm_) January 3, 2016

RELATED: How Crash Diets Harm Your Health and Heart

After watching the premiere, it’s hard not to be moved by the enormous personal sacrifice that the trainers make to better understand the challenges their clients face. And it’s interesting to watch their perspectives evolve. JJ Peterson, for example, starts out completely unsympathetic: “Who on earth wouldn’t want to be thinner, to be healthier, to have more energy?” he says. “Being healthy is a choice. If you’re not healthy, change.”

Meanwhile his client, Ray Stewart, articulates why changing is far easier said than done. “Oh, ‘Eat less and work out,”’ he says, mimicking the standard advice. “Wow, why didn’t I think about that? It is a little insulting. I doubt a trainer would really understand that emotional pull that food has.”

But after JJ doubles his caloric intake and puts on 61 pounds (prepare to feel a little sick as he stuffs himself with burgers, pizzas, and milkshakes) his outlook changes: “The more time passes in this experiment, the more empathy I’m gaining,” he says.

RELATED: 10 Exercise Cheats That Blow Your Calorie Burn

But is this too extreme?

While it’s heartwarming to witness the success of JJ and Ray (spoiler alert: they both lose a ton of weight), Fit to Fat to Fit is still an incredibly irresponsible “experiment.”

Putting on a few pounds isn’t necessarily harmful if you’re eating healthy fats, lean proteins, plenty of fruits and veggies, and staying physically active. But trouble starts when you pack on weight from a high-calorie diet that also includes a lot of saturated fat, as JJ appears to do on the show.

“Weight gain like this can increase your risk of diabetes, hypertension, and mortality in general,” says Bartolome Burguera, MD, PhD, an endocrinologist at the Cleveland Clinic and Director of Obesity Programs.

When you eat large amounts of fatty foods, deposits of fat get stored in your muscles and organs, especially your liver, explains Eneida O. Roldan, MD, an associate professor of pathology at Florida International University. “And a diet that’s heavy in saturated fat raises LDL cholesterol levels, causing plaque to build up in your arteries,” she says.

Then there’s JJ’s lack of physical activity while he’s trying to gain weight. The sedentary habits he adopts would make the damage he’s doing with his diet even worse. “What many people don’t realize is that a sedentary lifestyle in and of itself can cause cardiovascular problems, even if you’re thin,” Dr. Roldan says. “So eating a high-calorie diet and not exercising? That’s like a double-whammy for your health.”

RELATED: The Same 10 Weight Loss Mistakes All Women Make

After yo-yo dieting, can your health fully bounce back?

Fortunately for the trainers on the show, the answer is yes. “Acute, short-term physical changes are usually reversible,” says Dr. Roldan. “In this case, with someone who was previously physically fit and had healthy habits, it will be very quickly reversible.”

Dr. Burguera agrees: “Recent literature does not suggest that weight ‘cycling’ like this necessarily increases morbidity or mortality.”

But another big question remains: Does this whole experiment even make sense? Can two people really share the same weight loss journey?

Not exactly, as you might have guessed. A trainer who is most likely a thinner, healthier person would have a distinct advantage, says Dr. Burguera. “If a lean person gains weight, it will be relatively easy for them to lose it again, because their brain will be programmed to crave fewer calories,” he explains.

“In order to really understand what it ‘feels’ like to be an overweight person struggling to lose weight, a 160-pound person would have to actually lose 20 pounds for example.” Only then would they experience the intense hunger usually felt by an overweight person (whose brain is programmed to want more calories) on a diet.

RELATED: 13 Comfort Foods That Burn Fat

The bottom line?

The real problem with weight loss reality shows like this one, says Dr. Roldan, is that they don’t always address the long-term behavioral changes that are necessary to establish healthy habits. Weight loss can take years of effort, she points out. “As a doctor, I disagree with what they’re doing. Any change of structure takes a lifetime to establish. And it’s important to consult with a physician who understands weight loss and has seasoned skills in how to treat these conditions.”

People forget that obesity is a chronic disease, adds Dr. Burguera. “It’s not always as easy as simply eating less and exercising more,” he says. “The key to maintaining weight loss over a long period of time is making small changes you can stick to. Specifically, improving your diet, getting involved in an exercise program, getting enough quality sleep, and managing stress.”

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Small Study Sees Differences in Brains of Soldiers With PTSD

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 20, 2016 (HealthDay News) — New findings about how the brains of soldiers with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) respond to angry faces might help improve diagnosis of the condition, researchers report.

PTSD can be difficult to diagnose because its symptoms vary considerably, the researchers explained. And many of those symptoms — such as memory loss and attention problems — are similar to those of a concussion.

In the small study, the Canadian researchers said they found that over-connected brain circuits in soldiers with PTSD made them more attuned to angry faces than happy faces.

The findings were published Jan. 20 in the journal Heliyon.

“The heightened perception of anger in PTSD is driven by complicated brain circuitry where the mechanism of communication among a number of key regions that control fear and emotion is over-connected,” said lead author Dr. Benjamin Dunkley, from The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto.

The study included 20 Canadian soldiers with PTSD and 25 without the condition whose brain activity was monitored while they were shown pictures of angry and happy faces.

“Potentially, our new findings can tell us about the heightened threat perception people with PTSD experience — known as hyperarousal — and allow us to develop novel ways of assessing treatment and determining when a soldier is ready to return to deployment,” Dunkley said in a journal news release.

“We were surprised to find that all key brain circuits were over-connected in PTSD. This may be why emotional responses are so immediate and automatic, and why threatening faces are such a trigger. These findings emphasize the challenges of living with this PTSD and treating PTSD,” he said.

More information

The U.S. National Institute of Mental Health has more about post-traumatic stress disorder.

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Breast Concerns May Sideline Many Teen Girls From Sports

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 20, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Researchers in England have discovered a surprising reason why teen girls may not play sports — their breasts.

About half of all girls at British high schools may be avoiding sports due to breast-related concerns or problems, the study authors said.

“Previous studies of adult women have shown time and again that the same concerns are directly responsible for women no longer taking part in sport or exercise,” said study author Joanna Scurr. She leads the Research Group in Breast Health at the University of Portsmouth.

“What makes this worse is, as scientists, we know proper breast support reduces or even eliminates the problems associated with breast movement during sport. All that is needed is better education, preferably at puberty for all girls,” Scurr said in a university news release.

The study included surveys from more than 2,000 girls, aged 11 to 17, in the United Kingdom. The researchers found that three-quarters of the girls had at least one sports-related concern about their breasts, including pain or embarrassment. These concerns peaked at age 14, the findings showed.

More than half the girls said they never wore a sports bra, and only 10 percent wore a sports bra when exercising, the researchers found.

Few girls knew what sort of bra to wear or whether their bra was a good fit. And, nearly nine out of 10 girls said they wanted to know more about breast health and support, according to the study.

Fifteen percent of the girls thought their breasts were too big for exercise, and those with larger breasts (D-cup plus) were more likely to avoid exercise and sports than those with smaller breasts, the study found.

“Puberty is undoubtedly a difficult time for children of both sexes, but more girls than boys drop out of sport around this age. Even for those who overcome their physical embarrassment or awkwardness, the bra marketplace can be overwhelming and confusing,” Scurr said.

An estimated 90 percent of 14-year-old girls in Britain do not get the recommended amount of exercise, the researchers said in the news release.

The findings were published online Jan. 20 in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

More information

The U.S. Office on Women’s Health has more about girls and exercise.

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Anesthesia After 40 Not Linked to Mental Decline Later, Study Finds

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 20, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Receiving general anesthesia for surgery after age 40 doesn’t appear to raise the risk for mild thinking and memory problems later in life, a new study finds.

Mayo Clinic researchers followed more than 1,700 people in Minnesota, aged 70 to 89, who had normal mental function when the study began in 2004. About 85 percent of the participants had at least one surgery requiring general anesthesia after age 40. The study participants were evaluated every 15 months.

“The bottom line of our study is that we did not find an association between exposure to anesthesia for surgery and the development of mild cognitive [mental] impairment in these patients,” study senior author and anesthesiologist Dr. David Warner said in a Mayo news release.

Of the participants, 31 percent developed mild thinking and memory problems during the study period, but it was not associated with their anesthesia exposure, the researchers said.

The findings were published in the February issue of the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings.

A previous Mayo study found that older patients who receive anesthesia do not have an increased risk of dementia.

The investigators behind the new study are also examining how general anesthesia affects young children and have noted some associations between childhood anesthesia and learning and memory problems later in life.

“That by no means is established yet. Right now it’s just associations, and we and many other people are doing a lot of work to try to see if this really is a problem in children or not,” Warner said in the news release.

“Because of the associations that we’ve seen, there is more concern in the young than the old, and it will require quite a bit more research to find out what is happening with the children, and if there is a problem, how we can best address it,” he added.

More information

The American Society of Anesthesiologists has more about anesthesia.

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CDC Issues Zika-Virus Guidance for Docs With Pregnant Patients

By Steven Reinberg
HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 20, 2016 (HealthDay News) — U.S. health officials issued guidelines Tuesday to doctors whose pregnant patients may have traveled to countries — especially Brazil — where the mosquito-borne Zika virus has been linked to birth defects in babies.

The officials recommend that doctors ask all their pregnant patients about recent travel and certain symptoms — such as a sudden fever or a rash. If Zika virus infection is possible, doctors should have their patients tested for Zika virus disease, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

If testing shows signs of Zika virus infection, ultrasounds should be considered to monitor the fetus’ development. And a referral to a maternal-fetal medicine or infectious-disease specialist with expertise in pregnancy management also is recommended, the agency said.

Last Friday, the CDC issued a travel warning for 14 countries and territories exposed to the Zika virus, which has been linked to a torrent of birth defects in Brazil.

The travel alert targets pregnant women and those who want to become pregnant and follows reports that thousands of babies in Brazil were born last year with microcephaly, a brain disorder experts associate with Zika exposure. Babies with the condition have abnormally small heads, resulting in developmental issues and in some cases death.

The CDC alert listed the following countries and regions in Central and South America and the Caribbean: Brazil, Colombia, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Martinique, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Suriname, Venezuela, and Puerto Rico.

The alert recommends that women who are pregnant postpone travel to those areas, and that women wanting to become pregnant consult their doctors before setting out on any trip to those areas. In all cases, the alert said, women should take steps to avoid mosquito bites.

“We believe this is a fairly serious problem,” Dr. Lyle Petersen, director of the CDC’s Division of Vector Borne Infectious Diseases, said during an evening press conference Friday.

“The virus is spreading fairly rapidly throughout the Americas and a large percentage of the population may become infected,” he said. “Because of the growing evidence that there is a link between Zika virus and microcephaly, we thought it was very important to warn people as soon as possible.”

Also Friday, the first case of Zika virus-linked brain damage in the United States was reported by health officials in Hawaii.

The Hawaii State Health Department said a baby born in an Oahu hospital with microcephaly had been infected with the virus. The CDC confirmed the presence of the virus.

The infant’s mother had lived in Brazil last May and probably was bitten by a mosquito then, when she was early in her pregnancy, the health department said.

There have been no confirmed cases of Zika virus transmission within Hawaii or elsewhere in the United States.

Petersen said he had no idea when the travel advisory might be lifted, noting it would probably still be in effect when the Summer Olympics begin in Brazil in August.

Although new test results provide new evidence of a link between Zika and microcephaly, it isn’t known if Zika alone is responsible or if other risk factors might be involved, Petersen said, adding more studies are planned to examine the link.

Between 2007 and 2014, 14 cases of Zika virus were confirmed among travelers returning to the United States from South America, Petersen said. In 2015 and so far in 2016, 12 cases have been diagnosed, he added.

The U.S. government action follows reports that at least 3,500 cases of microcephaly appeared in Brazil between October 2015 and January 2016, the CDC said.

Dr. Marc Siegel, an associate professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City, thinks a travel warning is wise, but said people shouldn’t assume they will get infected if they visit Brazil.

“It’s extremely rare, but it’s not impossible for a pregnant woman to get Zika on a trip to Brazil,” he noted in comments made before the alert was issued.

Meanwhile, the World Health Organization is reportedly conducting research to determine how Zika affects fetuses. Brazilian health officials think the greatest risk of microcephaly and malformations happens during the first trimester of pregnancy.

The Zika virus is spread by the Aedes mosquito — the same one that carries other diseases that infect humans, including yellow fever, West Nile, chikungunya and dengue.

The virus typically causes relatively mild symptoms — fever, headache, skin rash, red eyes and muscle aches, according to the CDC. Symptoms usually clear up within a few days. There is no vaccine or specific drug to treat this virus.

Besides South America and Puerto Rico, outbreaks of Zika virus have been reported in the past in Africa and Southeast Asia.

More information

For more on Zika virus, visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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Most U.S. Restaurant Meals Exceed Recommended Calories: Study

By Alan Mozes
HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 20, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Calorie-counters beware: A new study reports that more than nine in 10 U.S. restaurants are serving meals that exceed the recommended calorie limit for a single meal.

And that’s just the entree. Drinks, appetizers and desserts weren’t included.

“We feel the results are extremely important because there is a general perception out there that fast food is the problem,” said study author Susan Roberts.

“What this study shows is that all restaurants are terrible when it comes to providing excessive portions that overfeed people. It’s not just fast food but virtually all of them,” said Roberts. She is director of the Energy Metabolism Laboratory at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston.

What’s more, Roberts said, the awareness plate is literally stacked against the consumer. “Even if you have a Ph.D. in nutrition, as I do, it’s almost impossible to make an accurate guess of what is on your plate because there are so many hidden calories.”

The study was based on an analysis of 364 American, Chinese, Greek, Indian, Italian, Japanese, Mexican, Thai and Vietnamese meals offered at restaurants in Boston, San Francisco and Little Rock, Ark., between 2011 and 2014.

Sampled establishments were both local and from large chains. But that made little difference. In fact, non-chain meals were found to be just as heavy on the belly as chain restaurant offerings. Which is to say, they averaged in the neighborhood of 1,200 calories a meal. That’s more than double the 570 calories experts recommend that the average adult woman consume at lunch or dinner, the researchers said.

“I feel like women get a particularly bad deal with these excessive portions,” Roberts said, given that their caloric needs are, on average, substantially less than a man’s.

Fans of American, Chinese and Italian fare may be particularly dismayed by the study findings. These foods topped the list with an average 1,495 calories per meal. The researchers noted that the average woman in the United States needs about 2,000 calories a day, and the average U.S. man, about 2,500 calories.

Roberts said the situation requires a radical restaurant rethink.

“What I think would work to help people eat less, and would be wildly popular with consumers, would be laws — passed at the federal or state or local level — that would give customers the right to buy proportional portions for a proportional price,” she said. “So, let’s say that I, as a small woman, want to buy one-third of an entree plate. I could do that and pay one-third of the price. Oh my God, I would love that.

“The restaurants wouldn’t love it, of course,” Roberts acknowledged. “But all restaurants would be in the same boat [and] it would take away the incentive they have today to overfeed people.”

Lona Sandon is a registered dietitian and assistant professor of clinical nutrition at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. She reviewed the study’s findings and reacted with little surprise.

“Consumer demand must change for restaurants to make changes in what they are serving,” she said. But barring that, she offered a few pointers for coping with the current eating-out environment.

“Eat out less often or never,” she said. “Try cooking at home. Or order the kids meal instead,” which she noted is easy to do in a drive-through setting.

More tips from Sandon: Share a meal among three people. Or order a soup and side salad, or something from the side menu. “I do this all the time. I love a baked potato with a side of broccoli and a little cheese, or a bowl of beans and rice with a side of fried plantains. I rarely order an entree,” she said.

Smaller and non-chain restaurants may be more willing to customize menu items for you, Sandon said. Still, she added: “Speak up and ask for what you want rather than just taking what is on the menu. Take charge of your health.”

The study findings appear in the Jan. 20 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

More information

There’s more on healthy eating and food portions at the U.S. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

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Vegetarian protein picks

Make your vegetarian lifestyle easy with these foods ideas.

Eating out

At a vego buffet, add more tofu, beans and nuts into meals like stir-fries, salads and soups for extra protein.

The alternatives

Look for modified versions of your favourite meals. In the era of mainstream meat-freeism, resorts and retreats are responding with vego takes on meaty faves – think sushi hand rolls made with water chestnuts, lasagne made with chopped mushrooms and eggplant strips in lieu of antipasto meats.

Non-vegan options

Assuming you’re not vegan, seek out vego options with animal products – quiches and frittatas loaded with vegies are well balanced with ample protein and fibre for fullness and muscle retention. Lentil burgers are good too.

Spice up your life

Seek out options seasoned with spices; flavoured food will provide interest and stop you thinking about the meat you’re missing. Try cuisines from different cultures – Greek, Indian, Turkish, and Moroccan.

NEXT: Follow our 10 step guide to clean eating to kick start your journey.

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Red velvet cake fudge protein bar

 

Ditch the sugary treats for this decadent homemade protein bar.

 

What you'll need (makes 10 bars)

• 165 g (2⁄3 cup) roasted beetroot puree* (see instructions below)
• 128 g (½ cup) raw almond butter
• 135 g (½ cup + 1 tbsp) unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 1 tbsp natural butter flavour
• 1½ tsp vanilla crème-flavoured liquid stevia extract
• 210 g (12⁄3 cups, lightly packed) chocolate brown rice protein powder
• 80 g (2⁄3 cup) oat flour
• ¼ tsp salt

Chocolate Coating:

• 170 g bittersweet chocolate (70% cacao), melted

What you'll do

For the roasted beetroot puree:
Preheat your oven to 180°C. Rinse and gently scrub two fist-sized beets, then wrap them completely in foil. Place the beets in a 22 x 22 cm brownie pan and bake for about 1½ hours, or until a fork pierces the beets with ease.
Remove the beets from the oven, carefully unwrap the foil and let sit until it’s cool enough to handle. Use a knife to scrape off the beet skins (they will fall off easily).
Chop the beetroots into chunks and place in a food processor. Puree until completely smooth.

*Using canned or prepackaged cooked beets will not provide the same vibrant red color as using freshly roasted beets…the bars will turn out brown. For the best results, use freshly roasted beetroot puree!

For the protein bars:
Line a 20 x 20 cm brownie pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
In an electric stand mixer bowl fitted with a beater attachment, add the beet puree, almond butter, almond milk, butter flavor and stevia extract. Mix on low speed while you prepare the dry ingredients.
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the protein powder, oat flour and salt. Turn off the stand mixer and dump in the dry ingredients. Return mixer to low speed and mix until the dry ingredients are fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary. Mixture should be thick and fudgy, like cookie dough.
Scoop the mixture into the prepared brownie pan and flatten. Tightly cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Once set, lift the mixture out of the pan. Slice into 10 bars.

For the chocolate coating:
With a large spoon, ladle the melted chocolate over the protein bars. Try to encase the entire protein bar with chocolate, but it doesn’t have to be perfect.
Refrigerate until firm (about 1 hour). Individually wrap the protein bars in plastic sandwich baggies and refrigerate to store (keeps for 1 week).

Recipe by Jessica Stier featured in DIY Protein Bars.

NEXT: Up for more interesting sweet treats? Try the coconut bliss balls for an easy bite on-the-go.

 

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Irregular Heart Beat May Pose Bigger Threat to Women

By Dennis Thompson
HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, Jan. 19, 2016 (HealthDay News) — The world’s most common type of abnormal heart rhythm appears to pose a greater health threat to women than men, a new review suggests.

Atrial fibrillation is a stronger risk factor for stroke, heart disease, heart failure and death in women than it is in men, according to an analysis published online Jan. 19 in the BMJ.

Atrial fibrillation occurs when rapid, disorganized electrical signals cause the heart’s two upper chambers — the atria — to contract in a herky-jerky manner, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health.

The condition is most often associated with an increased risk of stroke, because the irregular rhythm allows blood to pool and clot in the atria.

But women with atrial fibrillation are twice as likely to suffer a stroke than men with the condition are, researchers concluded after reviewing evidence from 30 studies involving 4.3 million patients.

Women with atrial fibrillation also are 93 percent more likely to die from a heart condition, 55 percent more likely to suffer a heart attack, 16 percent more likely to develop heart failure and 12 percent more likely to die from any cause, when compared to men, the investigators found.

“This study adds to a growing body of literature showing that women may experience cardiovascular diseases and risk factors differently than men,” said review author Connor Emdin, a doctoral student in cardiovascular epidemiology at the University of Oxford’s George Institute for Global Health, in England.

Atrial fibrillation is a leading cause of heart disease and stroke worldwide, with an estimated 33.5 million people affected in 2010, the researchers pointed out.

Women may do worse with atrial fibrillation because their symptoms aren’t as apparent as those in men, said Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, director of women’s heart health for the Heart and Vascular Institute at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.

“It’s reasonable to consider that it’s diagnosed later, or it’s not as recognized or that the symptoms are not the same,” Steinbaum said.

Women might wave off symptoms like fatigue or shortness of breath, chalking them up to stress or feeling tired rather than seeing them as warning signs for heart disease, she said.

Dr. Christopher Granger, a cardiologist at Duke University in Durham, N.C., agreed that atrial fibrillation might not be as easy to recognize in women as in men.

However, Granger added that a worse problem is a lack of proper treatment for both women and men with atrial fibrillation.

“Most of them should be on an anticoagulant [anti-clotting drugs] to prevent stroke, and many of them are not,” Granger said. “That’s even more of a concern in women than in men because, as this study shows, they are at higher risk for dangerous and even deadly complications.”

Emdin said that another explanation might be that “atrial fibrillation in women may be more severe than atrial fibrillation in men, on average, and thereby cause death and cardiovascular disease at a higher rate.”

The association could also be a coincidence, since the studies reviewed were not clinical trials and so couldn’t draw a direct cause-and-effect link, Emdin added.

“It may be that the associations we report are not causal, and that women with atrial fibrillation are more likely to have comorbidities [co-existing medical conditions] in addition to atrial fibrillation that cause death and cardiovascular disease,” he said.

In any case, all three experts recommended that women with atrial fibrillation should focus on improving their health by exercising, eating right, managing their stress and controlling their blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

“Recent research has demonstrated that lifestyle modification can reduce the severity of atrial fibrillation,” Emdin said. “And if they have not already done so, women should consult with their physician about use of anticoagulant therapy.”

More information

For more on atrial fibrillation, visit the U.S. National Institutes of Health.

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