Rootana prides itself on avoiding the use of artificial sweeteners, artificial preservatives, artificial colours, and GMO products.
Rootana is also soy-free, lactose-free, and uses non-irradiated ingredients. But enough of what Rootana doesn’t contain, here is a list of the main ingredients that it does contain.
Oat Flour
There are so many benefits to oat flour powder that it’s hard to limit them to this section. While it has many health benefits (more on that in a second), oat flour is also excellent for improving the taste and consistency of your meal replacement shake.
Oat flour is highly sustainable and is ecologically friendly. It is also an inexpensive source of carbohydrates, fibre, fats, and protein, helping to keep the cost per meal nice and low.
The fibre in oat flour comes from beta-glucan, and there are many health benefits associated with it. Beta-glucan has been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, lower cholesterol levels, and it may help to reduce the risk of certain cancers and type II diabetes.
Studies have found that beta-glucan can be an effective tool for weight loss, a 1990 study in the International Journal of Obesity found that increasing dietary fibre can help to enhance weight loss and reduce feelings of hunger [1].
Beta-glucan has also been found to protect your immune system, improve your mood [2], and improve blood sugar control.
But it isn’t just beta-glucan, oats have many other nutrients that have health benefits. They contain high levels of manganese, phosphorus, copper, zinc, and magnesium. Oats also contain antioxidants [3], and may offer an anti-inflammatory benefit.
They can help to deliver a slow release of energy over time, and they can increase satiety, making it easier to stay within a calorie deficit and lose weight (if that is your goal).
Pea Protein Isolate
Pea protein isolate is one of the few complete plant-based proteins, meaning that it contains all nine essential amino acids. It is also very high in branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs). Complete proteins have many health benefits, they can:
- Increase your metabolic rate
- Build and repair muscle tissue
- Increase satiety, making it easier to diet
- Preserve muscle mass during a diet
Increasing your daily protein intake is highly effective for weight loss, high-protein diets have been shown to increase fat loss in two ways:
“first, proteins have a markedly higher DIT than carbohydrates and fats. Second, protein intake prevents a decrease in FFM, which helps maintain resting energy expenditure despite weight loss. In conclusion, HPD is an effective and safe tool for weight reduction that can prevent obesity and obesity-related diseases” [4]
Protein’s ability to increase satiety should also be considered, a lower-calorie meal that happens to be high in protein may fill you up in the same way that a higher-calorie meal that is mostly carbs and fats would. Allowing you to consume fewer calories while still feeling full.
Golden Milled Flaxseed
Flaxseed is an excellent source of alpha-linoleic acid (ALA), an essential fatty acid that is a precursor to omega-3 fatty acids. It is one of the few plant-based sources of omega-3 fatty acids, and is ideal for vegans (or anyone who doesn’t eat many fatty fish).
Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to have many health benefits, they can reduce cholesterol levels, remove plaque from arteries, helping to lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. A 2021 study in the Lancet found that a diet high in omega-3 fatty acids was associated with a lower mortality risk from cardiovascular diseases [5].
But it isn’t just the omega-3 content that makes flaxseeds so healthy, they are also an excellent source of fibre, and a source of lignans. These have been shown to reduce your risk of cancer [6].
Sunflower Seed Oil
An excellent source of omega-6 and omega-9 fatty acids. Sunflower oil has been shown to have many health benefits:
“The health benefits of sunflower include blood pressure and diabetic control, skin protection, and lowering cholesterol and other functions.” [7]
Replacing unhealthy fat sources with oils rich in oleic acid (such as sunflower seed oil) has been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and several other health conditions [8]
Coconut Sugar
Coconut sugar comes from the sap of a coconut tree, which is naturally dried out in the sun until all moisture is removed and then turned into a powder. It is similar to regular sugar, but has a lower GI score, meaning that your blood sugar won’t spike when consumed.
Coconut sugar also contains more nutrients and even contains trace amounts of fibre. Rootana uses coconut sugar instead of regular sugar or artificial sweeteners. Ensuring that the shake is completely natural.
Sunflower Lecithin
A healthy fat that is used to increase the stability of Rootana and its mixing ability. Sunflower lecithin also has some minor health benefits and may be effective at boosting cognition [9].
