Before starting today’s post I thought I’d give a little update on my “elimination diet”. I had a few people ask me how I would know which foods were giving me troubles if I was just going to go ahead and give up a bunch of foods. For starters, I’m not doing the elimination diet 100%, by any means. The week after my elimination diet I only added two things each day. I noticed the increase in dairy at night, and my addition of popcorn at night, both gave me some troubles in the morning. This is why I have cut out popcorn and reduced my late night dairy intake (mainly ice cream….). Who knows, maybe I’ll actually have to go back on the diet 100% and slowly add foods back in the right way in order to find out the real problem foods. If it comes down to that I will do it, but I’m already feeling better so I think I’m on the right track.
Ok, so now onto today’s post!
Protein powders are a topic of interest for many of my readers and many customers with whom I talk at work. This article really shed some light on the problem with protein powders and pretty much summed up many of the reasons why I do not use them. Like many dietary supplements there is an industry need for protein powders, but not everyone should be using them.
Who May Benefit From a Protein Powder?
– Vegans may benefit from protein powders. Powders made from soy, hemp, quinoa, and pea proteins are just some of the options for vegans, since they do not contain animal products. To view some words which may signify dairy in a protein supplement, check out this website.
– Vegetarians or people who just don’t eat a lot of meat, poultry, and/or fish may benefit from protein powders because it’s an easy way to add high-quality protein to their diet.
– People trying to increase muscle mass? This depends. I often recommend consuming whey protein after a workout for muscle growth, but milk is a better source of whey protein, in my opinion. Paying for a protein supplement is just a waste of money when you can have a glass of milk for half the price. Not only that, but you know what’s in the milk. The same is not true with all protein powders. There is also evidence out there that suggests too much protein can actually cause your muscles to atrophy. If you want to put on muscle mass, eat more calories and increase your workout intensity. If you don’t have enough time to eat all of those calories, a protein powder may actually be beneficial.
If you’re stuck on protein powders for their “convenience” and you truly believe they are making a difference in the way you look and/or feel, please be sure to do the following;
– Drink plenty of fluid throughout the day. Consuming too much protein can cause dehydration.
– Make sure your kidneys are healthy before beginning a protein powder regimen, as too much protein can cause kidney damage. This is especially important if you are diabetic.
– Be sure to choose a protein supplement that you trust, and that has been third party tested (look for GMP or USP labels).
– Watch out for “proprietary blends” on ingredient lists. This is just another way of saying “we have created a special mix of ingredients that we do not want to disclose!”
Question: What are your thoughts on protein powders?
