and btw, regarding protein drinks - although proteins are important and should be provided in pregnancy more than usually, there's a certain misconception on how much protein in food we actually do need.
proteins are not a main source of energy at all. the main source of energy for animals and humans are fat and carbs/sugar.
proteins are molecular machines and building blocks for our bodies, not an energy source. it's like mistaking bricks and excavators for fuel. fuel provides energy needed for the body, bricks and excavators use it to build.
that said, proteins CAN be used by catabolic pathways of our bodies as an energy source in extreme situations such as disease, extreme physical requirements and so on (just remember how your leg muscles feel after running a high fever for a week)... but they provide way less energy than fat and carbs, at higher metabolic expense (slower degradation, takes more to process).
there's a misconception on how much protein we need in western culture as the media is pushing so hard on it, and even more misinformation on foods containing them - every unprocessed food has them. simply because plant and animal cells are made mainly of proteins and water (even the adipocytes contain protens!!). meaning if you eat an apple or have a smoothie alone, it already contains proteins.
fat is labeled as bad by the media when what actually makes you gain weight and messes up your metabolism are simple sugars, that raise your glucose blood levels quickly and make them drop as quickly so you feel a rush and then hungry again.
also, the main fat available through a typical western diet is animal one, which is saturated and tougher to process fully than the plant one. so yes, you do get coronary diseases if you overdo with saturated fats. but you actually benefit from those unsaturated and poli-unsaturated way more than you'd benefit from a protein.
our bodies are made to demolish and use mainly fat (when they can get to use it, since we overload them with sugars which then get the priority), not protein.
but the medicine & the media of today would rather splatter people with supplements and adds here and there making you feel you absolutely need this and that so that you end up buying their products, rather than just say: hey, if you just eat a ton of fruit and veggies and avoid processed sugars, it will do.
all this biochemistry assay to say that smoothies rock and rock as well as without additional supplements in there.
