The first thing that you should keep in mind before making any changes is the calories and the macros. Served with water, a typical serving of Original Rootana contains:
- 400 calories
- 16 grams of fat
- 44 grams of carbohydrates
- 7.1 grams of fibre
- 21 grams of protein
Adding anything to these shakes will increase the number of calories and alter the macros. You can find a full breakdown of the ingredients here.
If you used 500 ml of semi-skimmed milk instead of water, you would increase the number of calories by 258. You would also increase the amount of protein from 21 grams to 38 grams, increase fat from 16 grams to 26 grams, and increase carbohydrates from 44 grams to 68 grams.
The same thing goes if you add peanut butter or some fruit. This is no bad thing, and if you are aiming to maintain or even gain weight, this could help. But if you are trying to lose weight and your calorie target is low, you should keep this in mind.
Tip #1 Add Ice
This is one of the simplest ways to transform your Rootana shake; adding ice cubes to your shaker will help lower the temperature and aerate the shake, changing the consistency slightly. The best way to add ice is to pour your Rootana and water into the shaker, add the tray and then place the ice on top of it. Leave the shake for a couple of minutes, and then shake.
Tip #2 Add Milk
Adding milk or a non-dairy alternative such as almond milk or oat milk can completely transform the taste and consistency. It also increases the calories (see above) and can boost the number of nutrients. This is particularly useful if you are trying to build muscle and need to create a calorie surplus.
Experiment with different types of milk, full-fat, low-fat, oat milk, almond milk, soy milk etc. You can also experiment with a combination of milk and water.
Just remember to adjust the calorie totals of your shake to reflect the higher-calorie options you have added.
Tip #3 Blend Instead of Shake
If you own a blender, then mixing your Rootana shake by blending it will provide a much smoother experience. This is particularly useful if you prefer a frothier consistency to your shakes. It is also necessary if you are planning on adding other ingredients to your shake (see below).
Tip #4 Add Fruit
This is a smart move for several reasons. Adding fruit can change the flavour, giving you much more variety; it can also help improve your nutrition. Fruit is an excellent source of antioxidants, vitamins, fibre, and phytochemicals. Fruit is also a natural sweetener, something that we here at Rootana are big fans of. You can change your daily shake constantly with different fruits:
- Original Rootana with mango
- Original Rootana on its own
- Original Rootana with raspberries
- Original Rootana with mixed berries
- Original Rootana with banana
That’s just with one flavour; you can also do all of these combinations with original and cacao. You can also mix them all and create a fruit salad.
Tip #5 Add Honey
As you know, Rootana does not use artificial sweeteners in its formula, and it instead relies on natural coconut sugars to provide a sweet taste. But, you can always add in some natural organic honey to sweeten your shakes even further.
Tip #6 Add Maple Syrup
Another natural food sweetener that can help to transform the taste of your Rootana meal replacement shake. This goes well with the original flavour Rootana.
Tip #7 Add Vegetables
Adding fruit makes a lot of sense because fruit is healthy, and the flavours gel well with Rootana. Vegetables are more nutritious still, yet you have to be careful that their taste does not overpower the Rootana or ruin it. Adding vegetables such as kale, carrot, or spinach is advisable as they are highly nutrient-dense but are also relatively neutral tasting.
Combining these neutral-tasting vegetables with intensely flavoured fruits can help to improve the overall taste of your Rootana shake.
Tip #8 Spice Things Up
While adding chillies to your Rootana shake may not be the best idea, other spices such as nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, and ginger can complement the taste of Rootana and provide specific health benefits. Spices such as turmeric may not affect the flavour but provide many health benefits such as:
Tip #9 Try Some Mint
Adding herbs such as mint leaves is another great way to improve your Rootana shake’s taste and health benefits. Mint is a natural sweetener, but it is also an excellent source of nutrients. Mint is high in vitamin A [4] and is rich in antioxidants.
Tip #10 Add Some Nuts
Adding nut butters such as peanuts or almonds to your Rootana is a great way to add some healthy fats and create some delicious shakes. You will need a good quality blender to do this, and you might also want to add in some milk (or non-dairy alternative) to prevent the shake from being too thick. Unless you attempt to gain weight, don’t add too much, as nut butter is very calorie-dense.
