Let’s get straight to the point. Athletes at every level benefit from supplementing with branched chain amino acids, commonly referred to as BCAA's.

I adore the catchy workout memes monopolizing my social media streams. “Abs are built in the kitchen!”. How about, “You can’t out-train a bad diet!” or my favourite, “30% gym 70% diet!”. These are painstakingly true!

Training takes passion, heart and ambition. Eating meals according to one's goals can be challenging, even to the most driven athlete. Allergies, sensitivities, social engagements and failing to prep all hinder health and fitness goals. KAHA's BCAA's are one supplement suited to all those caught between navigating an active on-the-go lifestyle and goals.

What are BCAA's? Branched chain amino acids are made up of leucine, isoleucine and valine, three essential amino acids the body continually requires.

Leucine is linked to muscle protein synthesis while helping burn fat. Isoleucine plays a significant role in blood sugar maintenance along with helping break down glucose into usable energy. Valine is tied to endurance.

KAHA's BCAA's equal enhanced performance.Supplementing daily with one scoop ensures a steady supply. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. Protein is essential to muscle growth, repair and recovery.

Yes, it’s completely possible to obtain all 9 essential and 11 non-essential amino acids from food. Animal foods contain the highest concentration. Essential amino acids are just that. Everyone at every level requires. Yes, amino acids are also found throughout the plant-based kingdom. It can be a tad tricky meal planning if veganism is new. Obtaining all the amino acids is directly correlated to food combining. Quinoa and hemp are the only two complete plant-based proteins. If your diet lacks variety, issues arise. It's quite common for plant-based meals to be missing key amino acids, resulting in deficiencies.

KAHA's BCAA's provide athletes with the ideal 2:1:1 ratio required to support high-intensity training sessions.

BCAA's help with fat loss. It's that simple. While body fat drops, BCAA's make it still possible to build lean muscle. Preventing muscle wasting helps maintain gains while training. Preventing fatigue is another notable advantage. Entering training sessions with endless energy provides a solid foundation to focus. Mental clarity is easily maintained with a scoop of BCAA's. Mixing 10 grams of KAHA's vegan BCAA's into any liquid means massive gains.

Let’s recap:

BCAA's preserve your back up supply of stored energy known as glycogen. Stored glycogen spares the body from breaking down valuable protein as a source of usable energy.

BCAA's aid in muscle protein synthesis followed by repair in the recovery time. BCAA's reduce fatigue, helping extend training sessions. BCAA's enable you to focus, making it easier to push hard during every training session. One scoop of fermented, yes KAHA's BCAA's are fermented. Hello gut health! Good bacteria supports great digestive health. By simply adding one scoop of BCAA’s to your favourite KAHA protein shake, juice or water, you easily boost your workout, recovery and aid digestive health!

Vanilla almond protein shake

• 1 scoop KAHA's vanilla grass-fed New Zealand protein powder
• 1 cup milk or alternative ( I used unsweetened almond milk) beverage
• 1 scoop KAHA's BCAA's
• 1 tbsp raw almond butter

Blend all ingredients. Add ice or water to reach desired consistency.

Sources:

1. Bernadot, Dan, PhD, RDN, FACSM, Advanced Sports Nutrition: Fine-tune your food and fluid intake for optimal training and performance 2^nd edition. United States: Human Kinetics, 2012.
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21297567(accessed November 25, 2018)
3. https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1550-2783-6-S1-P1 (accessed November 25, 2018)