Protein flapjacks deliver a host of benefits and are perfect as a post-workout snack or healthy lunchbox addition. Opting for a protein flapjack can also be a great on-the-go breakfast that ensures you are kick starting your day with the perfect protein source!
What is protein and why is it essential for athletes?
Our muscles contain hundreds of proteins that all perform a variety of functions that are essential to everyday life and of course, exercise performance. Different proteins help the body perform different functions e.g. “contractile” proteins are responsible for making our muscles produce force, the “structural” proteins provide structure to our muscles and the “enzymatic” proteins help provide the action molecules that can break down carbohydrate and fat to produce energy.
Simply protein is key to muscle growth which makes it an essential dietary requirement for everyone, but especially for athletes who are looking to maintain and increase their strength and to increase muscle mass.
During exercise our muscles start to produce and break proteins down (called protein degradation) so we have to replenish the body with protein in order for the muscles to fully recover and ultimately grow stronger post-workout.
When should you eat protein for optimal exercise adaption?
When fuelling for your workout aim for that fuel to include some source of protein. If just doing a short workout then eating protein during the workout is not really necessary as long as you have fuelled appropriately. However, if performing an extended workout, you should try to take on both extra carbohydrate and protein to aid your performance in that session or competition. After finishing the workout it is then very important to nourish your body with protein to aid its recovery. The sooner you can take on post-workout protein the better, and ideally within a 1 hour window.
How much protein should I be consuming?
Maintaining your protein intake is essential as it can help regulate and strengthen your immune system. The recommended dietary reference for protein intake is 0.8g per kilogram of body weight. This means that if you weigh 75 kilograms, you should be consuming 60 kilograms of protein per day.
The recommended daily protein intake increases for athletes as they exert more energy and require quicker muscle recovery to perform. Protein is what keeps your body healthy under the strain of a workout and can accelerate muscle growth while speeding up recovery. The recovery process is accelerated when the correct amount of protein is consumed, as it works to repair damaged muscles and tissue.
At Oatopia, we created the protein flapjack for ultra-runner and Oatopia-lover Dan Lawson when he competed in a 400 km race across the Gobi Desert. Nicknamed the 'Dan Bar', our protein flapjack is made with oats, fresh banana, peanut butter and vegan protein powder. The addition of these ingredients results in a fantastic 13g of protein per 180g flapjack, so these flapjacks are not only delicious, but also are packed with protein, providing recovery for your muscles after a difficult workout!
How can I add protein to my flapjacks?
Flapjacks can be considered an already protein-dense snack. Oats have a unique protein composition and a high protein content of 11-15% making them one of the best grains to increase protein intake. If you want to increase the protein in your flapjacks further, it’s easy! Adding nuts, yogurt, or selected fruits can boost your daily protein consumption and make flapjacks an essential addition to your workout.
If you need a 1-ingredient solution, you can opt for protein powder to increase the amount of protein in your flapjacks. There are a range of protein powders now available to purchase, including vegan alternatives. At Oatopia, we use a mixture of pea and hemp protein in our protein flapjacks. Pea protein provides a good source of amino acid and arginine while Hemp protein contains essential fatty acids, creating the perfect balance.
Bake your own protein flapjacks by following the recipe below! Don’t have the ingredients or need protein flapjacks now? Order our protein flapjack online by clicking here.
Protein Flapjacks Recipe
Ingredients;
- 250g of Mornflake oats
- 150g of unflavoured Protein powder
- 200g of peanut butter
- 100g of butter/vegan margarine
- 90g of brown sugar
- 150-200ml of coconut milk
- 1-2 bananas, ripe
- 100g of dark chocolate chunks or 75g of cocoa powder
Method
- Prepare a baking tray by lining it with baking paper
- Combine your oats and protein powder
- Separately combine the coconut milk, butter (melted), sugar and peanut butter.
- Add the oats and protein powder. If the flapjack mix seems dry, gradually add more milk until the ingredients combine. Ensure the mixture is not too wet, however in should have a doughy texture.
- Evenly spread the flapjack mixture into your baking tray.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, slice into rectangles and leave to cool.
- Enjoy once cooled!