PHILA

Protein Shakes

Make your own. Know what you’re drinking.

Live well · Eat well · Move well

DRAFT — Starter Edition

Contents

1. What a protein shake is (and isn’t)

2. Make your own — five Phila recipes

2.1 A quick word about sugar

2.2 The Phila Power Shake (everyday)

2.3 The Builder (weight gain / after exercise)

2.4 The Lean Shake (weight loss)

2.5 The Maas Smoothie (probiotic)

2.6 The Egg & Oats Shake (no peanut butter)

2.7 Recipe sugar comparison

3. Drinking a shake for breakfast

3.1 The benefits

3.2 The downsides

3.3 How to do it well

4. Shop-bought powders — what to look for

4.1 The freeze-dried / “just add water” shakes

4.2 Low-kJ shakes — reading the label

4.3 When a powder makes sense

5. Safety — when to be careful

1. What a protein shake is (and isn’t)

A protein shake is a drink built around foods that are high in protein — milk, eggs, peanut butter, beans, or a powdered protein from milk (whey) or plants (soya, pea).

A good shake gives you protein in a form your body can use quickly. That’s helpful for three things: feeling full, building or keeping muscle, and getting good nutrition into someone who doesn’t feel like eating a whole meal.

It is NOT magic. It is NOT a weight-loss potion. It is NOT a complete meal on its own — most shakes are short on fibre, vitamins from vegetables, and the slow-burning carbs you get from real food.

The simple truth

A homemade shake made from real food is almost always better than a shop-bought powder.

Cheaper, fresher, and you know exactly what’s in it.

Use powders when they make life easier — not because the tin promises miracles.

2. Make your own — five Phila recipes

All five recipes use ingredients you can find at any spaza or supermarket. A blender helps but isn’t needed — a fork and a bottle with a tight lid can do the job.

Each recipe lists a rough kilojoule count and the sugar inside it. Mix and match — swap milk for maas, leave out the honey, add cinnamon, change the fruit.

Protein content shown is approximate. Bigger people may need more protein per shake; smaller people, less.

2.1 A quick word about sugar

If you read section 4 of this guide first, you saw the rule about keeping a shop-bought shake under 5 g of sugar per serving. Most of these recipes have more than 5 g — sometimes a lot more. Here’s why that’s not a contradiction.

There are two kinds of sugar:

• Added sugar — sugar, honey, syrup, fruit juice concentrate, or sweetener that has been added to a food or shake. This is the kind to watch. Empty energy. Spikes blood sugar fast.

• Natural sugar — sugar that is already inside whole foods like milk (lactose) and fruit (fructose). It comes packaged with protein, fat, fibre, vitamins and minerals. Your body handles it differently — slower, gentler, more filling.

The World Health Organization and the South African Heart and Stroke Foundation set their daily sugar limits using only added sugar — not the natural sugar in plain milk and whole fruit.

So a Phila Power Shake with 30 g of total sugar (most of it from the banana and milk) is not the same as a fizzy drink with 30 g of pure sugar. The shake gives you 20 g of protein, fibre, calcium and potassium with it. The fizzy drink gives you nothing.

Two things to watch

If you have diabetes or pre-diabetes: total sugar still matters, because everything eventually becomes glucose in the blood. Choose the Lean Shake or Maas Smoothie. Use half a banana instead of a whole one. Skip the honey.

If a recipe asks for honey, dates, syrup, or table sugar: that’s the added sugar to watch. The recipes here cap the optional honey at 1 teaspoon (about 6 g). More than that and you’re drinking a milkshake, not a protein shake.

2.2–2.6 The five recipes

The Phila Power Shake (everyday)

Roughly 2 000 kJ per serving

Sugar: \~30 g total · 6 g (honey, optional) added

Ingredients

• 1 ripe banana

• 1 cup full-cream milk (or maas / amasi)

• 2 tablespoons peanut butter

• 2 tablespoons oats

• 1 teaspoon honey (optional — leave out to drop added sugar to 0 g)

How to make it

Blend everything for 30 seconds. No blender? Mash the banana well, whisk with the milk and peanut butter, stir in the oats. About 20 g of protein and a good dose of fibre.

The Builder (for weight gain / after exercise)

Roughly 3 000 kJ per serving

Sugar: \~35 g total · 6 g (honey) added

Ingredients

• 1 cup full-cream milk

• 1/2 cup oats

• 2 tablespoons peanut butter

• 1 ripe banana

• 1 raw or boiled egg (optional, for extra protein)

• 1 teaspoon honey

How to make it

Blend until smooth. If using a raw egg, make sure the egg is fresh and the shake is drunk immediately. Around 25–30 g of protein. Best in the hour after exercise.

The Lean Shake (for weight loss)

Roughly 900 kJ per serving

Sugar: \~15 g total · 0 g added

Ingredients

• 1 cup low-fat milk OR half milk, half water

• 1/2 banana (or 5 frozen strawberries)

• 1 tablespoon peanut butter

• 1 tablespoon oats

• Cinnamon to taste, no added sugar

How to make it

Blend everything. Stays under 900 kJ and gives you about 12–15 g of protein and enough volume to feel full. Drink slowly.

The Maas Smoothie (probiotic)

Roughly 1 500 kJ per serving

Sugar: \~18 g total · 0 g added

Ingredients

• 1 cup maas (amasi) — naturally high in protein

• 1/2 banana

• 1 tablespoon peanut butter

• 1 tablespoon oats

• A pinch of salt

How to make it

Whisk or blend. Maas is fermented, so this shake also brings good bacteria for the gut. Around 15 g of protein.

The Egg & Oats Shake (no peanut butter)

Roughly 1 700 kJ per serving

Sugar: \~23 g total · 0 g added

Ingredients

• 1 cup full-cream milk

• 1/2 cup cooked oats (cold)

• 1 small banana

• 1 boiled egg, peeled

• Cinnamon, vanilla, or cocoa to taste

How to make it

Blend until completely smooth. Around 20 g of protein. Good option for people with peanut allergies.

2.7 Recipe sugar comparison

At a glance — total sugar and added sugar per serving. Use this to pick the shake that fits your day.

Recipe Energy Total sugar Added sugar

The Lean Shake 900 kJ \~15 g 0 g The Maas Smoothie 1 500 kJ \~18 g 0 g The Egg & Oats Shake 1 700 kJ \~23 g 0 g The Phila Power Shake 2 000 kJ \~30 g 6 g (skip honey for 0 g) The Builder 3 000 kJ \~35 g 6 g

Tools and tips

No blender? A jar with a tight lid + a fork to mash the banana works fine.

Frozen banana = thicker, colder shake. Peel and freeze ripe bananas before they go bad.

Make the night before — keep in the fridge, shake again in the morning.

Add ice cubes for a colder, more filling drink.

Cinnamon, cocoa powder, vanilla, or a pinch of salt turn a basic shake into something you’ll actually want to drink — without adding sugar.

3. Drinking a shake for breakfast

Lots of people swap their morning meal for a shake. Sometimes it’s because they don’t feel hungry early. Sometimes it’s about saving time. Sometimes it’s a weight-loss plan. Here’s an honest look at both sides.

3.1 The benefits

• Quick to make and drink — five minutes from start to out the door.

• Easy on a small appetite. Some people just can’t face solid food first thing.

• Protein keeps you full for longer than sugary cereal or white bread. The same amount of energy from protein satisfies hunger more than the same energy from carbs alone.

• Easier to control the kilojoules. You measure the milk and peanut butter — you’re less likely to over-eat than with bread and spread.

• Good after morning exercise. Drinking 15–25 g of protein in the hour after a workout helps the body recover and build muscle.

• Easier to swallow if you’re recovering from illness, or after dental work, or have trouble chewing.

3.2 The downsides

• A shake is not a complete meal. It is usually short on fibre, vitamins, and the variety of nutrients you’d get from a proper plate.

• Drinking your food skips the chewing-and-tasting part of eating. Many people don’t feel as satisfied afterwards, and end up snacking sooner.

• If a shake replaces breakfast every single day for months, your diet can become very narrow. Variety matters.

• Some shop-bought shakes are mostly sugar and flavouring with a little protein on top. Always check the label.

• Powders cost money. A daily store-bought shake can cost more than a week of real-food breakfasts.

• Children, pregnant or breastfeeding women, and older people on multiple medications shouldn’t use shakes as meal replacements without a clinic check.

3.3 How to do it well

• Aim for at least 15 g of protein in a breakfast shake (more if you’re trying to gain or recovering from exercise).

• Add a real piece of fruit and a spoon of oats or chia seeds. That fixes most of the fibre and vitamin problems.

• Don’t replace EVERY meal with a shake. One a day is more than enough for most people.

• Eat a real lunch and dinner. Vegetables, beans, eggs, fish, meat, fruit — the things a shake doesn’t cover.

• Drink a glass of water with the shake. Liquids leave the stomach fast and you may feel thirsty again soon.

A quick rule of thumb

Solid breakfast on most days; shake on the days when you really need the speed or the appetite isn’t there.

Shake AFTER exercise > shake instead of breakfast > sugary cereal.

4. Shop-bought powders — what to look for

If you buy a powder, you’re buying convenience. The trade-off is cost and (sometimes) added sugar, flavours, or sweeteners. There are three broad types on South African shelves.

4.1 The freeze-dried / “just add water” shakes

These are powders where the protein and other ingredients have had the water removed. You add water (or milk) when you drink it. They come in two main styles:

Protein-only powders

Plain protein, usually whey (from milk) or soya. Mixes thin with water. Designed for people who already eat well and just want extra protein. Typical serving is 25–30 g of protein for 400–600 kJ. The cheapest powders per gram of protein.

Meal-replacement shakes

More complete than plain protein. Add carbs, fibre, vitamins, and minerals — basically a meal in a sachet. Designed to replace one meal (usually breakfast or lunch). Typical serving: 800–1 000 kJ, 15–25 g of protein, vitamins and minerals to match about a quarter of a day’s needs. More expensive than plain protein.

4.2 Low-kJ shakes — reading the label

“Low-kJ” means the shake gives you protein with not much energy. Useful for weight loss. Here’s how to spot a real one on the shelf without trusting the front of the box:

What to check on the label What to look for

Energy (kJ) per serving Under 800 kJ for a low-kJ shake. Under 500 kJ for a plain protein shake. Protein per serving At least 15 g; 20+ g is better. Added sugar per serving Under 5 g, ideally. (See note below — this rule is about ADDED sugar, not the natural sugar that ends up there when you mix the powder with milk.) Fibre per serving At least 3 g if it’s a meal replacement. Vitamins & minerals Listed on the label if it’s a meal replacement. None if it’s a plain protein. Servings per tub Divide the price by servings to get the real cost per shake. Sweeteners Stevia and erythritol are common. Sucralose and aspartame are also used. None are dangerous in normal amounts, but a few people react to them.

Added sugar vs. total sugar — on the label

South African labels show TOTAL sugar (per serving). The 5 g rule is a rough guide for what they secretly add.

If the powder is mixed with water, total sugar on the label = added sugar.

If you mix with a cup of milk, you’re adding about 12 g of natural lactose on top — that’s normal and not a problem.

What to avoid is a powder that already shows more than 5–8 g of sugar BEFORE you add anything to it. That’s the sugar the maker put in.

Don’t trust the front of the box

Words like “lean”, “diet”, “lite”, “slim”, “fit” and “ultra” have no legal meaning. Anyone can put them on a box.

The numbers on the back — kJ, protein, sugar — those are regulated. Read those.

4.3 When a powder makes sense

• You exercise regularly and need more protein than you can comfortably eat.

• You travel a lot or work long shifts and miss meals.

• You’re actively trying to lose weight and want a measured, controlled breakfast or lunch a few days a week.

• You’re recovering from illness or surgery and a clinic has recommended one.

When a powder is probably a waste of money

• You already eat eggs, beans, milk, meat, or fish most days. You’re likely getting enough protein from food.

• You want to lose weight but keep the rest of your day as it is. Replacing one meal with a shake while eating bigger portions later doesn’t help.

• You bought it because of a social-media post. Check the label first.

5. Safety — when to be careful

Protein is food. Most adults can drink one shake a day with no problem. A few situations are different.

Speak to a clinic before regular shakes

• Kidney problems — your kidneys filter the waste from protein. Too much can make things worse.

• Diabetes — even “low-kJ” shakes can affect blood sugar. Total sugar (not just added sugar) is what matters here. Choose the lowest-sugar recipes (Lean Shake, Maas Smoothie).

• Pregnant or breastfeeding — most powders aren’t tested in pregnancy. Stick to food-based shakes (the recipes in section 2) unless a clinic says otherwise.

• Children — kids under 18 generally don’t need protein powders. Real food and milk is enough.

• On medication for blood pressure, heart, or kidney conditions — some powders interact.

Storage and hygiene

• Drink homemade shakes within an hour, or keep them cold in the fridge for up to a day.

• If a shake separates, smells sour, or looks slimy, throw it out.

• Wash blender jugs and bottles in hot soapy water after every use — milk leftovers grow bacteria fast.

• Keep powder tins sealed and dry. They last for months, but check the use-by date.

If you don’t feel right

Stop and check with a clinic if a shake gives you stomach cramps, diarrhoea, a rash, or makes you feel dizzy. Lactose intolerance is common — switch from milk-based to plant-based protein, or add the shake to oats and eat it instead.

Quick takeaway

Real food first. Shakes second.

Homemade beats most store-bought.

Watch ADDED sugar, not natural sugar — except if you’re diabetic, then watch both.

Read the back of the box, not the front.

One shake a day is plenty. Stop and ask a clinic if you’re unsure.