Busy Moms On the Run…. Do you know exactly what is in your shaker bottle?

As a busy Mom myself, I am well aware of the never-ending scooping syndrome. My ever-disappearing 10-pound tub of powdered protein that I rely on for instant energy can easily be my hero, saving me from the dreaded blood-sugar drops that can sabotage my daily quest for fired-up efficiency. For me, the outstanding nutritional benefits, as well as pure convenience of getting quick calories in my body between teaching classes, training clients and simply being on-the-go, has become a habit that I simply cannot break.

Now imagine knowing that the "nutritious" formulation you have been adding to your fresh fruit and vitamin boosters may be highly contaminated with deadly ingredients…Not so good! With the recent, disturbing news that many protein powders available in the market today are highly contaminated with arsenic and other dangerous chemicals, it is crucial that you are aware of where your protein powder is coming from.

According to Consumer Reports, who tested 15 well-known protein powders for arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury, it was concluded that with just three servings a day, many of these proteins exceeded the USP limits for ingesting these dangerous chemicals.

NAVIGATING THE MARKET: HOW TO PICK THE PERFECT PROTEIN

Read, read, read! Chances are, if you choose a protein powder with clean ingredients, you can bet that the processing of the product is legitimate. The information is right in front of you. The reputable companies not only tell you what’s inside your tub, but will also explain their production process, as well.

LOOK for these terms when choosing the right protein powder:

No artificial flavors

No artificial colors

No artificial sweeteners

Aspartame-free

Steroid Free/ Hormone-free dairy sources

Grass-fed dairy sources

Naturally sweetened with stevia

Gluten-free

Cold-processed extraction process

Micro-filtered

PH-Buffered

AVOID products that contain the may contain the following ingredients:

Fructose
Glucose
Glucose polymers
Maltodextrin
Msg
Aspartame
Sucralose
High fructose corn syrup
…and of course, SUGAR!