ENERGY BALLS: THE MASTER FORMULA!
Updated: Feb 2, 2022
Energy balls are by far the easiest, healthiest and quickest treat to include in your diet
Energy Balls are by far one of the easiest and healthiest treats to make, they only need a handful of ingredients to make them deliciously nutritious and best of all they can easily be customised to your own specific dietary needs.
Energy Balls are the perfect healthy snack that you can grab on the go or keep in your fridge at home or even at the office. They are also great as a quick pre-work out snack, eat one or two about half hour before your work out to be adequately fuelled for your gym session. Energy Balls are also an effective post work out snack too that will help with your recovery!
Energy Balls can Improve Physical Performance, Mental Focus, Sleep & your Mood!
We have put together this simple, fool proof formula to help you master the art of making energy balls at home, we'll take you through the different components and ingredients you need!
What you'll need!
The main components for successful energy balls to not only look good but taste great are:
CREAMY (such as nut butter)
SWEET (such as raw honey)
MODIFIER (such as protein powder)
BINDING (such as oats)
CREAMY
To give your energy that delicious creamy taste you'll need to invest in a good quality nut butter, either peanut, almond or cashew (or seed butter such as pumpkin or sunflower seeds if you have an allergy to nuts). Nuts and seeds are packed with heart-healthy unsaturated fats, energising protein and satiating fibre. They have also been found to help with weight loss and lower levels of bad LDL cholesterol in the body. The better the quality and preferably organic, the more wholesome and clean the ingredients will be. Don’t limit yourself to just one type if you don't have a favourite then include a variety of nut butters and/or seed butters as each one boasts its own unique colour, flavour and texture.
SWEET
Yes, make it sweet but don't be tempted to add an artificial sweetener. Artificial sweeteners are synthetic sugar substitutes that have been linked to cancer and increased weight gain! They disrupt the delicate mechanism in regulating insulin levels! Also avoid any products that contain High Fructose Corn Syrup as these are equally destructive to health. Therefore, choose from Mother Nature's options, raw honey or organic maple syrup!
MODIFIER
A modifier is typically a protein. Choose a plant-based protein such as Hemp protein over milk-based protein such as Whey because hemp does not make the mixture too wet. We prefer to use Hemp because it is gentle on the digestive system and does not cause bloating or cramps. Hemp protein is also high in omega 3, 6 and 9, and contains all the fatty acids which make up your recommended daily allowance (RDA). Whey protein can cause bloating and cramps because it is much harder to digest. It also contains cholesterol and saturated fats but no fatty acids. Whey protein is not suitable for vegans because it is derived from milk.
BINDING
Rolled oats are the perfect binding ingredient for your energy balls because not only are they gluten free but they are the healthiest grains on earth providing a host of superb health benefits including weight management, protects the heart against disease and lowers cholesterol. Oats are also the champion binder because they are filling, inexpensive and versatile.
The Optional Extras
This is where the customisation begins. We like a combination of superfood extras, such as dried fruits, flaxseeds, chia seeds, cinnamon or turmeric and for a truly indulgent but healthy variation we use dark organic chocolate (must have at least 70% cocoa):
STICKY (such as dried fruit)
TEXTURE (such as flaxseed or chia seeds)
SPICES (such as cinnamon, ground ginger, turmeric and/or cocoa)
STICKY
Dried fruit such as dates, apricots, goji berries and raisins (the list is pretty extensive) all offer great variety in flavour and stickiness! Dried fruit is highly nutritious and loaded with fibre and antioxidants. One piece of dried fruit contains about the same amount of nutrients as the fresh fruit but condensed in a much smaller pa