By: Matt Weik
When the temperatures rise, many people are looking for some sweet treats to cool them down in the summer months. What better way to do this than with popsicles? Not just any popsicles though, I’m talking about BCAA + EAA popsicles.
Essentially, with BCAA + EAA popsicles, you're killing two birds with one stone. You have your delicious and cooling treat while also getting the amino acid benefits from your popsicle. It's for that reason I enjoy keeping these in my freezer during the summer months to snack on when I want something "bad" like ice cream or a frozen dessert of some sort.
Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) and essential amino acids (EAAs) have been a hot button for years in the supplement industry. People have been using amino acids not only as an intra-workout product but also as an “anytime” type of product due to the nature of amino acids and their anti-catabolic properties – not to mention their ability to help improve and speed up recovery, aid in muscle-building, and assist with maintaining lean muscle tissue.
Below, I’m going to break down how you can make your very own BCAA + EAA popsicles along with what benefits can come along with including these popsicles into your summer snacking regimen.
In the summer is when most people are trying to slim down, reduce body fat, and head out into the sun either at home or on vacation to show off all of their hard work in the gym over the last year. Unfortunately, those who put themselves in a caloric deficit could risk losing some of the hard-earned lean muscle mass they added in the colder months.
A great way to help maintain that lean muscle tissue is by supplementing with amino acids (BCAAs and EAAs). But simply sipping on an amino acid drink from a shaker cup during the summer months can be boring – hence why you should be creative and make BCAA + EAA popsicles.
Here are some of the benefits of BCAA + EAA popsicles:
The great thing about BCAA and EAA powders is that they are low in not only fat and carbs but also sugar. When you make yourself some delicious BCAA + EAA popsicles, you don’t have to worry about the energy rollercoaster ride you’ll be on where the sugars fuel you and then at the end there’s an almost instantaneous drop and stop in energy, leaving you feeling like you hit a wall while doing 100mph.
You don’t need to feel guilty after eating BCAA + EAA popsicles. Unlike many other frozen desserts, these popsicles aren’t full of calories. Regardless of if you are cutting or on a diet, you can easily throw these treats into your daily nutrition plan without having to worry about completely throwing off your macros or caloric intake for the day.
Amino acids have been shown to aid in speeding up the recovery process following intense bouts of exercise. Workouts cause muscle fiber damage which needs to be repaired. This is the process of hypertrophy where the muscles are broken down and then provided the necessary nutrients to help build those fibers back up to be bigger and stronger than before. Amino acids play a key role in this process.
The combination of BCAAs and EAAs can create an anabolic response that may lead to the growth of muscle tissue when combined with resistance training. Additionally, when in a caloric deficit (such as when trying to lose weight or body fat), you risk lean muscle tissue being broken down to be used as fuel. Through supplementing with BCAAs and EAAs, you can prevent this catabolic process and help keep your body in an anabolic state.
Adults, kids, men, women, boys, girls, everyone loves treats and desserts. Making BCAA + EAA popsicles is fun for the whole family and is something you can feel good about eating and giving to your kids. Allow your children to be a part of making the BCAA + EAA popsicles so they can appreciate their hard work while they munch away at their frozen treat when you pull them out of the freezer. Now, your entire family can enjoy the nice weather outdoors while consuming a cool dessert without all of the sugar and calories.
Here’s a little secret between the two of us… it’s so simple to make these BCAA + EAA popsicles that a monkey could probably do it. But let your family and friends think you slaved over making them taste so good while also being good for you. Below is everything you need to know so you can make these frozen treats.
You Need:
Instructions:
But Wait… There’s More!
If you want an even easier way to enjoy some frozen amino acids, you could also mix up your BCAA and EAA powder with water and pour it into ice cube trays if you wished to simply add these flavored amino acid ice cubes to your water to add a little extra flavor and zest to it so it isn’t so boring.
Ok, so there’s a little play on words if you got a chuckle from it. BCAAs + EAAs can help you put on size… You can try the popsicles I’m about to tell you about… Get it? I’m horrible at jokes.
That being said, something I’m not going to joke about is how good these popsicles come out when you use MPA PharmGrade EAA powder to make these treats. It’s as if they read my mind when it came to flavors to be specifically used for the purpose of this article.
The flavors come in a Tangerine Crush as well as a Jolly Watermelon. To say that these are anything short of amazing would be a lie. If you want to try some of the best tasting BCAA + EAA popsicles out there, you absolutely should try this powder with them. As a standalone the powder tastes great but when you turn it into a frozen popsicle it will blow your mind (IMHO).
Author Bio:
Matt Weik, the owner of Weik Fitness, LLC, is a well-respected fitness expert/author with a global following. His work has been featured all over the globe as well as having published numerous books. He is a certified strength and conditioning specialist, personal trainer, and sports nutritionist. Find out more at www.weikfitness.com or on social media @weikfitness.
