Are protein shakes considered supplements?
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Maybe it should be called a substitute or replacement because basically, it's taken as a meal replacement as opposed to eating that much food right? At least it seems like most people use it as a meal replacement for the convenience and nutritional benefits. Aside from the caffeinated, hormonal, performance enhancing or unnatural preservatives and additives that some contain. I guess it's hard to get all the nutritional value too so it does have supplemental vitamins and nutrients we all don't normally eat to obtain. That's a good thing.
My protein powders I've used are about 100 calories each serving. That isn't in any way shape or form a meal replacement.0 -
Gallowmere1984 wrote: »Christine_72 wrote: »I wouldn't call protein powder a supplement. Taking it doesn't 'enhance' anything for me, it simply helps me reach my protein goal everyday.
So you "supplement" your protein goal with protein powder, but protein powder isn't a supplement?
verb
ˈsʌplɪmɛnt,sʌplɪˈmɛnt/
1.
add an extra element or amount to.
"she took the protein powder to supplement her protein intake"
synonyms: augment, increase, add to, boost, swell, amplify, enlarge, make larger/bigger/greater; top up, round off, complete; widen, broaden, expand.
Protein powder when taken for dietary reasons, and not to paint the garden fence with, is a dietary supplement.
By this definition, so is chicken, and broccoli, and potatoes, and well, anything else you put in your face. Hence, the whole thing is pointless.
It's all semantics of course, but I'd say they were the core dietary items that are being supplemented with the protein powder.
I buy protein powder to supplement the core items of my diet, so the protein powder supplements the chicken, potatoes, broccoli etc.
However, I'm sure if your core dietary component was protein powder and you had a chicken breast or two a day, it'd be the chicken breast in the role of supplement.
But in most cases I'd wager protein powder is being used to supplement other things.
I like to fit protein shakes or bars into my daily calories as part of my meals (just like chicken or broccoli) or as a dessert. Some shakes and bars taste so good that I can cut out actual sweets without feeling deprived and still meet calories goals. As a bonus I get protein.2 -
Maybe it should be called a substitute or replacement because basically, it's taken as a meal replacement as opposed to eating that much food right? At least it seems like most people use it as a meal replacement for the convenience and nutritional benefits. Aside from the caffeinated, hormonal, performance enhancing or unnatural preservatives and additives that some contain. I guess it's hard to get all the nutritional value too so it does have supplemental vitamins and nutrients we all don't normally eat to obtain. That's a good thing.
nope,I dont use it as a meal replacement I use it to help get extra protein in because there is only so much meat and other protein foods I can eat per day.Im not a big meat/bean eater4 -
VintageFeline wrote: »I mean. Most people use it to supplement their protein needs in an easy convenient way. Especially if your calorie and protein needs are high, pretty easy to just chug down a shake.
But I wouldn't put it in the same class as say creatine or BCAAs.
Most protein powders have some element of BCAA's in them. And it's promoted on the labels as BCAA's are found in most protein sources i.e. chicken, beef, protein wheys, etc.
Curious - can you point to any specific protein shake that doesn't have leucine, isoleucine and valine in it?
This is the one I'm trying and it looks natural to me...
The nutritional information about the protein power you're going to take is titled "Supplement Facts" in big bold black letters, but you want to argue that it's not a supplement...
Do you think it means that the facts are supplementary to the other facts already provided?0 -
VintageFeline wrote: »I mean. Most people use it to supplement their protein needs in an easy convenient way. Especially if your calorie and protein needs are high, pretty easy to just chug down a shake.
But I wouldn't put it in the same class as say creatine or BCAAs.
Most protein powders have some element of BCAA's in them. And it's promoted on the labels as BCAA's are found in most protein sources i.e. chicken, beef, protein wheys, etc.
Curious - can you point to any specific protein shake that doesn't have leucine, isoleucine and valine in it?
This is the one I'm trying and it looks natural to me...
The nutritional information about the protein power you're going to take is titled "Supplement Facts" in big bold black letters, but you want to argue that it's not a supplement...
Do you think it means that the facts are supplementary to the other facts already provided?
Who's arguing? I wasn't sure and I've been going back and forth on whether it is or isn't like others. I've reached my own conclusion with all the different contributions here.0 -
Did you conclude that it was a supplement because the manufacturer sells and markets it as a supplement, in accordance with FDA guidelines?1
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I would consider it a supplement as it is generally used to supplement protein intake to hit loftier targets. Just as I would consider fish oil to be a supplement for someone who doesn't eat a lot of fish or is vegan, etc. I'm vitamin D deficient and I supplement with vitamin D to rectify that
I don't think supplementation always means that it's something inherently unnatural...supplements are used for things you are deficient in in many cases...they are also used as performance enhancers in other cases and there's a pretty wide net over the term supplement.
I would definitely consider protein powder to be a dietary supplement.5 -
@VintageFeline what protein powder do you use that's 100 cal? Is it flavored?1
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veronicav0502 wrote: »@VintageFeline what protein powder do you use that's 100 cal? Is it flavored?
I've only used two but if there's nothing added then they're all much of a muchness as far as I know calories wise. I'm also in the UK so the second one may not be available where you are. I have used MyProtein (vanilla) and Muscle Food (cappuccino and a chocolate one).1 -
I had the Chai today and I loved it! I haven't had a protein shake in over 3 years so I'm really impressed how far they have come!
https://livevegansmart.com/complete-nutrition-vegansmart/1 -
veronicav0502 wrote: »@VintageFeline what protein powder do you use that's 100 cal? Is it flavored?
Not vintagefeline, but I use Myprotein whey impact isolate which is 86 calories per 25g and 20g Protein, tastes bloody good too! I have the chocolate peanut butter flavour.1 -
I use an organic sprouted brown rice protein powder from Nutribiotic. It has all the amino acids I need and 1 rounded TBS is 60 cals, 2g carbs and 11g protein. I add the other things I want and need such as spinach, chia, flax, coconut water, blueberries and plain greek yogurt and it gets me through an early morning workout at about 235 calories. I don't consider it a supplement...........just liquid food!1
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VintageFeline wrote: »I mean. Most people use it to supplement their protein needs in an easy convenient way. Especially if your calorie and protein needs are high, pretty easy to just chug down a shake.
But I wouldn't put it in the same class as say creatine or BCAAs.
Most protein powders have some element of BCAA's in them. And it's promoted on the labels as BCAA's are found in most protein sources i.e. chicken, beef, protein wheys, etc.
Curious - can you point to any specific protein shake that doesn't have leucine, isoleucine and valine in it?
This is the one I'm trying and it looks natural to me...
The ingredients look good, but I've tried similar products in the past and they tasted like sadness
If I'm going to fork out big $$$ for protein powders then they have to taste good and be enjoyable to eat/drink too.
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Christine_72 wrote: »VintageFeline wrote: »I mean. Most people use it to supplement their protein needs in an easy convenient way. Especially if your calorie and protein needs are high, pretty easy to just chug down a shake.
But I wouldn't put it in the same class as say creatine or BCAAs.
Most protein powders have some element of BCAA's in them. And it's promoted on the labels as BCAA's are found in most protein sources i.e. chicken, beef, protein wheys, etc.
Curious - can you point to any specific protein shake that doesn't have leucine, isoleucine and valine in it?
This is the one I'm trying and it looks natural to me...
The ingredients look good, but I've tried similar products in the past and they tasted like sadness
If I'm going to fork out big $$$ for protein powders then they have to taste good and be enjoyable to eat/drink too.
I tried the Chai and Berry so far and I loved them! I just mixed them with water to taste test and I was impressed!! This is coming from someone who hasn't had a protein shake in over 3 years and I remember I didn't like any of them back then. They have come a long way since then!!1 -
Christine_72 wrote: »VintageFeline wrote: »I mean. Most people use it to supplement their protein needs in an easy convenient way. Especially if your calorie and protein needs are high, pretty easy to just chug down a shake.
But I wouldn't put it in the same class as say creatine or BCAAs.
Most protein powders have some element of BCAA's in them. And it's promoted on the labels as BCAA's are found in most protein sources i.e. chicken, beef, protein wheys, etc.
Curious - can you point to any specific protein shake that doesn't have leucine, isoleucine and valine in it?
This is the one I'm trying and it looks natural to me...
The ingredients look good, but I've tried similar products in the past and they tasted like sadness
If I'm going to fork out big $$$ for protein powders then they have to taste good and be enjoyable to eat/drink too.
I tried the Chai and Berry so far and I loved them! I just mixed them with water to taste test and I was impressed!! This is coming from someone who hasn't had a protein shake in over 3 years and I remember I didn't like any of them back then. They have come a long way since then!!
That's great
And there's no need to tell your pals that you're using it, it's 100% your business! No need to open yourself up to judgy Mcjudgersons. 0 -
VintageFeline wrote: »Maybe it should be called a substitute or replacement because basically, it's taken as a meal replacement as opposed to eating that much food right? At least it seems like most people use it as a meal replacement for the convenience and nutritional benefits. Aside from the caffeinated, hormonal, performance enhancing or unnatural preservatives and additives that some contain. I guess it's hard to get all the nutritional value too so it does have supplemental vitamins and nutrients we all don't normally eat to obtain. That's a good thing.
My protein powders I've used are about 100 calories each serving. That isn't in any way shape or form a meal replacement.
*rolls eyes*0 -
It's a simple distinction for me. If it's isolated/purified/packaged in capsules...etc specifically for supplementation purposes, it's a supplement. Protein powder falls under that category. It doesn't need to have specific unnatural performance enhancing properties to be called a supplement. Plants are not a supplement, they're food, but fiber specifically isolated or manufactured for supplementation purposes is a supplement. Green tea is a drink, but green tea capsules are a supplement. Acai berry is a berry, but its encapsulated extract is a supplement. Turmeric is a spice, but curcumin in supplement form is a supplement. Fish is food, fish oil specifically extracted for supplementation purposes is a supplement while olive oil is not because it's not specifically extracted to be a supplement...etc.
Some supplements work for their purpose (like protein powders, which help you reach your protein goal), others are hooey. I personally keep supplementation to a minimum on a "need-to" basis, and sometimes I do need to supplement my protein due to my food preferences other times I don't. Nothing is wrong with that.
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I'd just say this: can one just use protein powder to attain their protein goals without bloating or bathroom issues?
Can the same be said if the protein was from chicken, beef, or fish?
I can eat protein with no issues, but I've done 3 protein shakes a day and man....
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