Back Back

How to Use UCAN Energy & Protein Powders

How to Use UCAN Energy & Protein Powders
UCAN got its start in sports nutrition with Energy Powders. Originally created for a child with a life threatening blood sugar disorder, our patented LIVSTEADY carbohydrate forms the foundation of all UCAN Energy and Protein + Energy powders and holds amazing benefits for athletes and active people. This unique, steady-release carbohydrate allows you to sustain energy without the spike & crash of sugar and simple carbs by maintaining stable blood sugar levels. Read more to find out how to use UCAN Energy and Protein powders to fuel your personal best in your workouts and throughout the day.

Why Use UCAN to Fuel Your Training

Steady blood sugar is the key to energy, focus and performance in any sport, from running to CrossFit and anything in between. Many gym-goers and endurance athletes make the mistake of not fueling properly for their workouts, either by not fueling at all or by using sugar or caffeine because they want a “jolt” of energy. Traditional sugary sports drinks are intended to give you rapid energy, but require repeated re-dosing during exercise to maintain blood sugar and avoid a crash.

Energy drinks with caffeine stimulate the brain and can give you a mental edge, but they don't give your muscles the fuel they need to power through a workout. If you’re an athlete, what you eat leading up to your event and training is important. The best way to make sure you have a consistent energy supply is to choose carbohydrates that are consistent in their supply and easy on the stomach.

“When we talk about a 'pre-workout' drink with athletes, they think about hyper-stimulating drinks that might jazz them up or make them jittery and many times that’s not what they are looking for,” says Julie Burns, a SportFuel® integrative sports dietitian and the Chicago Blackhawks team nutritionist. “UCAN has the unique ability to fuel sport and activity and the brain with essential carb fuel without spiking insulin and causing a crash and burn.”

Former NFL star quarterback Alex Smith noticed a big difference in his performance when he made the switch to UCAN Energy powders with LIVSTEADY and moved away from sugar. “Before I learned about UCAN, there was really nothing that helped me sustain both a physical and mental high. All that was available in an NFL locker room was sugar. Once I tried UCAN, how good I felt and the sustained energy were huge, but for me the tipping point was how much focus I was able to retain through the end of the game. I haven’t tried anything that can even compete with it and I continue to use it in retirement anytime I’m doing any type of physical activity or workout.”

 

How to Use UCAN to Fuel Your Workouts

UCAN Energy powders are available with and without added protein. Both products can be used around your workouts to achieve peak performance and feel good doing it.

Energy Powder

UCAN Energy delivers stomach-friendly, stable fuel for your muscles and mind when taken before a workout, whether you're strength training or going for a long run. Using it is easy! Simply mix a scoop full of UCAN Energy Powder with 8-12 ounces of water in our blender bottle (or with an immersion blender, if you have one). Give it a good shake and then drink it about 30 minutes before heading to the gym. If your workout will last longer than an hour, you can always mix two servings and bring the bottle with you to sip on throughout your session. To use UCAN’s Energy Powders for endurance training, you have to account for the length of your workout. Every athlete can start with one or two scoops of the Energy Powder 30 minutes before your workout. After 60-90 minutes, we recommend another serving. You can stash a bottle along your route or carry it with you in a hydration pack or on your bike for easy access.

Energy + Protein Powder

Energy + Protein contains 15g of our LIVSTEADY carb and 20g protein per serving. It's available with both whey and pea protein and is a great option for post-workout recovery to sustain energy and repair muscle. It also makes a great base for a smoothie blended with other healthy ingredients (nut butter, greens, fruit), or can be consumed with water or milk as healthy snack to get you from one meal to the next. Energy + Protein mixed with water is also a perfect pre-workout solution for those who want to fuel for their strength workouts or CrossFit WODs without breaking down muscle protein stores.  

How to Use UCAN for Daily Energy

LIVSTEADY is the ultimate sports nutrition ingredient, but it can also become part of the foundation for healthy daily nutrition. “Sugar and processed carbohydrates have the largest effect on blood sugar,” says Burns. When you eat too many processed carbs, your pancreas pumps out an increased amount of insulin to move the glucose from your blood into your cells. In the short term, that can cause your energy to surge and then crash.

Certain foods or combinations of foods are especially good at keeping your blood sugar steady. They’re also more likely to leave you feeling fuller—so you’ll be less likely to reach for a sweet or salty snack. "LIVSTEADY provides a slower energy burn or energy release," says Bob Seebohar, former U.S. Olympic sports dietitian, "so that's going to keep you satiated longer anyway, but the additional protein allows people to be satiated for at least a couple hours minimum after they take the Energy + Protein powder."

 

 

Here are a few of our favorite ways to include UCAN Energy Powders into your daily diet:

A Morning Smoothie

LIVSTEADY works as a perfect foundation for your healthy morning routine and smoothie. We recommend your favorite flavor of Energy + Protein blended up with a half a cup of frozen fruit, a scoop of Almond Butter, and your milk of choice - couldn’t be easier! “I often find it hard to get my breakfast in those weekday mornings when I am throwing 3 lunches together and wrangling 3 teenage boys out the door on time," says Lisa, a marathoner, professional photographer, and mom of 3. "Whipping up a shake with some Vanilla UCAN Energy + Protein, raw cacao, hemp seeds, an avocado, a couple dates, some coconut water with some ice cubes makes an amazing morning shake.”

A 3pm Snack

We’ve all been there: you’re at work, getting through your daily to-do list, when that dreaded wave of fatigue hits you. Suddenly, all you can focus on is the clock ticking down and you find it hard to get work done. By including UCAN Energy in your daily routine, your post-lunch energy crash will feel a lot more manageable.

A Sweet Treat

We all have sweet cravings that hit us now and then. If you feel yourself reaching for chocolate or ice cream in the hours before bedtime and you want to choose a healthier option, blend up some UCAN Energy + Protein with a bit of water or milk and a few ice cubes. Pop it in the freezer for 10-15 minutes to firm up and you’ve got yourself a frosty (healthy!) dessert.
Back to Blog