Love Almond Joy? Try This Protein Shake Instead
Coconut lovers rejoice! There is now a way to get the delicious flavour of an Almond Joy bar without the guilt. By keeping a few items on hand, you can satisfy that candy craving by indulging in an almond joy protein shake that is equal parts delightful and nourishing.
What’s in an Almond Joy Bar?
If you’ve never had the pleasure of enjoying an Almond Joy bar, you are surely missing out. Any lover of chocolate and coconut will tell you, there’s nothing quite like it.
Picture sweetened and shredded coconut topped with a few whole almonds and dipped in a rich milk chocolate coating. Almond Joy has been a Hershey’s classic since 1946.
It contains a slightly different recipe from their popular Mounds bar, which was released 26 years prior, and is identical except Mounds bars lack the whole almonds on top.
Almond Joy was created to replace the discontinued Dream Bar. This bar contained the same ingredients as an Almond Joy but it consisted of diced almonds instead of whole ones.
Almond Joy Nutrition Facts
Like any candy bar, Almond Joy is not known for being a healthy treat, but rather a delightful indulgence recommended in moderation. Its famous shredded coconut filling is not only high in fat but is also heavy in calories.
A standard 1.61-ounce candy bar contains 220 calories and 13 grams of fat, including 8 grams of saturated fat. A diet high in saturated fats can raise your LDL cholesterol levels and increase your risk of developing heart disease and stroke.
According to the American Heart Association, only 5-6% of your total calories should come from saturated fats. If you are consuming 2,000 calories a day, that’s about 13 grams of saturated fat per day [1].
Almond Joy also contains a whopping 21 grams of sugar, including 19 grams of added sugars and only 2 grams of protein, and 2 grams of fibre per serving. Like saturated fats, it’s recommended to consume foods with high amounts of added sugars in moderation.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends consuming less than 10% of your calories from added sugars (about 12 teaspoons). A diet high in added sugars can put you at risk for weight gain, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease [2].
A Healthier Alternative
Although indulging in the occasional Almond Joy is completely acceptable, it can be hard for some to moderate their intake when these candy bars are calling. Never fear, there is a healthier option on the market that will give you all the Almond Joy feels.
Meet Naked Nutrition’s chocolate coconut almond protein powder. A new flavour added to their already popular line of products, Naked Nutrition’s Naked Shakes are packed with protein and only a fraction of the sugar.
A 2-scoop serving of Naked Shake protein powder contains 140 calories, 3.5 grams of fat, 20 grams of protein, and only 3 grams of sugar. What’s not to like about that?
Try the Almond Joy Protein Shake
Although Naked Nutrition’s Naked Shake in chocolate coconut almond gives plenty of Almond Joy vibes on its own, it can also be dressed up for a more indulgent shake with a lighter nutrition profile. If this piques your interest, check out the Almond Joy protein shake recipe below.
Almond Joy Protein Shake
Ingredients
- 2- scoops chocolate coconut almond Naked Shake
- 8-10 ounces of unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- 2 tbsp raw almonds
- 2 tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut (plus extra to top)
- 1 cup ice
- ½ tbsp Hershey’s cocoa powder (unsweetened)
- Cacao nibs to taste
Directions
- Combine all ingredients except cacao nibs in a blender or use a hand blender to mix until well combined. Use more or less liquid to achieve the desired thickness.
- Top with cacao nibs and unsweetened shredded coconut.
- Enjoy!
