Hello beauties!

Today I want to share my favorite protein bars recipe with you! Even though we all try to be good with the foods we choose to nourish our body, skin, and hair with, the sweet tooth temps us all at times. That is what a handy repertoire of recipes is for. This one will satiate your sweet cravings without leaving you without a guilty conscious. One of the main culprits that contribute to numerous health problems, including skin emergencies, is sugar. We all know the mini freak-out that happens when we see a blemish coming.

 The Sugar Villain

Naturally occurring sugars in fruit are okay when consumed in moderation. For example, I have a protein smoothie every morning with a banana, which has roughly 15g of sugar in it depending on the size, but later in the day, I consume very little sugar. (Usually my lunch consists of a Matcha tea with a salad, while my dinner is some sort of protein and vegetable combo, no desserts except on extra-special occasions [See my article about the health benefits of drinking Matcha tea in: “Matcha- What’s the Big Deal!?”]) The point is to balance out your day with thoughtful choices.

The sugar culprit that is worrying health experts left and right, however, are sugars that are being over-consumed from sources of processed foods and soft drinks, diet soda included. Just because the label says 0g sugar on that diet soda can, doesn’t mean that sugar-substitute is okay to ingest on a daily basis.

Worst contenders for artificial sugar sweeteners include:
1. Sweet’n Low,
2. NutraSweet or
3. Equal
Less harmful substitutes to recommend in moderation:
1. honey
2. agave nectar
3. Truvia
4. Splenda (sucralose)

There are a number of sound research studies that correlate artificial sweeteners with weight gain over time as well as other frightening long-term effects. Claims of that nature naturally lead us to second-guess not only which ones we buy, but also how much we consume. In 2008, Researchers published a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association explaining the strange trend of weight gain with low-calorie sweeteners saying, “Some scientists speculate low-calorie sugar substitutes lower the energy density of beverages and foods creating a disconnect between sweetness and energy. This could increase appetite for sweet foods, promote overeating, and lead to weight gain.”* In other words, your body doesn’t process the artificial sweeteners the same way it processes other naturally-occurring sugars, so your body doesn’t feel as satiated or energized in the same way.

Aided by the media, the public has recently become more aware of the dangers of sugar over-consumption. And beauties, they add sugar to almost all processed foods these days, even foods you wouldn’t have guessed– Gatorade, Vitamin Water by coca cola, tomato sauce, salad dressings, BBQ sauce, many products that say “low-fat,” and flavored yogurts, for example. Remember, the label is not going to say, “cane sugar” most of the time. It will be disguised as their chemical counterpart, names that few in the public would recognize.

Sugar Plays a Role on your Looks Too

Other than the devastating that are being seen now in our country, such as a skyrocketing obesity rate and rising health care costs, sugar isn’t good for your skin ,beauties, and it makes it hard for your body to absorb and process the vitamins and nutrients that are good for your skin and hair.

 What We Can Do About It

In addition to trying to limit your daily sugar intake, especially high-risk ones, use products that actively nourish your skin and hair. Areas such as your lashes, brows, and hair will eat up the vitamins and minerals in our RapidLash®, RapidBrow®, or RapidHair™ products. I talk to people on the phone all day who tell me they love the products and want to know how to get more. Daily diet-based nourishing in addition to potent topical nourishing moisturizers and serums will boost your beautiful skin and hair to the healthiest it has ever been!

So finally, here is the link for my weekly “banana bread” protein bars that will make you feel great, inside and out.

Check out the link below for the recipe!
http://www.italktofood.com/2012/08/banana-protein-bars.html?m=1

I’m giving you the link so that you get to see the cool pictures, can read the tips sections, and so that the wonderful girl who writes the blog gets the credit!
Without alterations, it tastes like banana bread! Add cocoa powder to make them taste like brownies. Add blueberries for a different flavor. Top with anything you like. When I’m being bad, I put dark chocolate bites on top!

Even, my picky, Italian boyfriend even likes these, so, there’s that.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Cook for 24 minutes, not 12. Repeat: double the bake time to cook through all the way.

Disclaimer:
This recipe contains eggs. Add nuts if you like (pecans are a great choice). Use either vanilla, chocolate-flavored protein powder. I don’t even know what it would taste like with strawberry-flavored or unflavored-protein powder, so keep that in mind. My next alteration attempt will be to add Matcha powder (another recent obsession of mine, see my article about Matcha Powder!

Enjoy, and bon appetite.
Catherine@rocasuba.com
C.C.

*Hampton, Tracy. “Sugar Substitutes Linked To Weight Gain.” JAMA: Journal Of The American Medical Association299.18 (2008): 2137-2138. Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition. Web. 26 June 2015.