Protein Powder?
Soopatt
Posts: 563 Member
What is with putting protein powder in everything? I have been visiting a lot of websites, including the MFP blog, looking for new recipes ideas, particularly for breakfast and I notice tons of protein powder added to regular food. Even in the so called "clean eating" sites, protein powder abounds. It is in overnight oats, in cookies, in smoothies, in soups...
Why not add, you know.. actual protein?
As snarky as this sounds I am starting to wonder what I am missing out on. Is it delicious? Is it better that eating actual bacon, eggs, cheese, chia seeds or steak?
For folks that panic about flour and sugar being evil and unnatural (on the sort of websites I visited), I don't understand why the surely massively processed protein powder gets a pass?
For the record, I am not trying to stick to Low Carb or Clean (but if you want to thats fine), just looking to make my recipe selection more interesting and wondering if protein powder - which is certainly expensive over here - is worth the hassle and why.
Why not add, you know.. actual protein?
As snarky as this sounds I am starting to wonder what I am missing out on. Is it delicious? Is it better that eating actual bacon, eggs, cheese, chia seeds or steak?
For folks that panic about flour and sugar being evil and unnatural (on the sort of websites I visited), I don't understand why the surely massively processed protein powder gets a pass?
For the record, I am not trying to stick to Low Carb or Clean (but if you want to thats fine), just looking to make my recipe selection more interesting and wondering if protein powder - which is certainly expensive over here - is worth the hassle and why.
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Replies
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:huh:
Because steak doesn't bake well in cakes.0 -
eggs are awesome in cakes. How were cakes baked before protein powder existed?0
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What is with putting protein powder in everything? I have been visiting a lot of websites, including the MFP blog, looking for new recipes ideas, particularly for breakfast and I notice tons of protein powder added to regular food. Even in the so called "clean eating" sites, protein powder abounds. It is in overnight oats, in cookies, in smoothies, in soups...
Why not add, you know.. actual protein?
As snarky as this sounds I am starting to wonder what I am missing out on. Is it delicious? Is it better that eating actual bacon, eggs, cheese, chia seeds or steak?
For folks that panic about flour and sugar being evil and unnatural (on the sort of websites I visited), I don't understand why the surely massively processed protein powder gets a pass?
For the record, I am not trying to stick to Low Carb or Clean (but if you want to thats fine), just looking to make my recipe selection more interesting and wondering if protein powder - which is certainly expensive over here - is worth the hassle and why.
Protein powder is actual protein. It's just a food source.
If you are happily meeting your daily protein requirements from other food sources then don't use it.
For me, it is a cheap and convenient way to get more protein into my diet without adding more carbs & fats (which I get plenty of from other sources), as well as making a very quick and easy breakfast.0 -
It's convenience really.0
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People want to add protein to their diets in the quickest, most calorie efficient way.. in many cases this is the best option0
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Maybe the big difference is that it seems to be inexpensive in other countries. Here it is expensive, quite the luxury item, which you have to go to a gym or a specialty store to buy. It would be like paying 4 times as much for an imitation steak, instead of an actual steak for much cheaper.
This is not about clean eating, for those getting sensitive - I am not judging your beloved protein powder, just trying to understand why it has become so popular and pretty much a staple in the weight management world.
Does it help with binding cookies and things? Like flour?
Just trying to get my head around it.
I could certainly do with easy protein sources as I keep my protein contribution high, but it really has to earn its living to justify the expense, over say, using an egg in the same recipe, which is also low calorie.0 -
In some recipes protein powder could be used as a replacement for flours, thus altering the macronutrient balance of the recipe. In things like a cake, it would generally be used in addition to the egg, not in place of it.
But the cost would depend where in the world you are. Where I am, it is one of the cheapest (per gram) forms of protein, aside from perhaps canned tuna, greek yoghurt and low grade turkey. It is also easily available online or in supermarkets.0 -
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Some foods are mainly carb dominant (such as oats/porridge). By adding protein powder you can have a more balanced meal hitting several macro requirements quick and easily. Porridge (for example) is a great tasty breakfast with slow digesting carbs (energy), but poor for protein requirement. Adding a scoop of protein powder (I recommend Vannila) can give you a 25g hit of protein for very few extra cals (about 110). Sugar is also pretty low on most decent protein powders.0
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I sometimes add them to my smoothies because on workout days, I eat way under healthy amounts of food. Since I'm medically required to eat high protein, low carb, and gluten-free, it's easier to add my 25g protein to some berries instead of struggle to eat 200 grams of poached chicken. My smoothies also mean that I can add fiber into my diet, which is very hard when eating as low carb as I can.0
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The protein powder I use has just enough sweetness to it that, when baking, I can usually use it to replace up to three quarters of the flour and about half the sugar that the recipe calls for. I like to use it when I make zucchini muffins and chocolate chip cookies
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slideaway1 wrote: »Some foods are mainly carb dominant (such as oats/porridge). By adding protein powder you can have a more balanced meal hitting several macro requirements quick and easily. Porridge (for example) is a great tasty breakfast with slow digesting carbs (energy), but poor for protein requirement. Adding a scoop of protein powder (I recommend Vannila) can give you a 25g hit of protein for very few extra cals (about 110). Sugar is also pretty low on most decent protein powders.
This. I add it to oatmeal and greek yogurt on a daily basis. In addition to protein, it provides a good amount of flavor.
If you can name a convenient, inexpensive and tasty "whole food" source with a comparable nutritional profile, I'm all ears.0 -
Like others have said, it is just a low carb, low fat way to get a decent amount of protein in one shot. Convenience, affordability, flavor, and texture are also factors.
However, there is quite a huge marketing component, pushing the health agenda of these products. Your skepticism for how people are "relying" on protein powder to hit their protein goal isn't completely unfounded. People should learn how to compose a rational diet based on whole food sources, first-and-foremost.If you can name a convenient, inexpensive and tasty "whole food" source with a comparable nutritional profile, I'm all ears.
Many people don't consider this, but protein powder is actually a processed, fast food. If McDonald's sold it first, we would all think it was unhealthy.0 -
For me personally, I am trying to increase my protein intake but I really struggle to hit the 90g I've set myself - more like 30g! So powder is convenient and meals I don't have to feel stuffed all the time, or eat foods I'm not comfortable with But this isn't a long-term solution for me, "real" food is definitely preferable. I feel there is a lot of marketing going on too, it's definitely becoming a fad and will get the diet industry a whole load of money... 0
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This is not about clean eating, for those getting sensitive - I am not judging your beloved protein powder, just trying to understand why it has become so popular and pretty much a staple in the weight management world.
I use it in my oatmeal, when I have oatmeal instead of eggs for breakfast.
Why? Because I really like oatmeal, but find it's not as filling as I'd like (even though it's steel cut oats and I also eat it with berries and some vegetables on the side) unless I add some protein. Beyond that, it's easier to meet my protein macro if I have a good amount of protein at breakfast (my usual breakfast is a vegetable omelet with either smoked salmon or greek yogurt/cottage cheese on the side). And an added bonus is that I really like the way the oatmeal tastes with my current favorite vanilla protein powder and berries. (Chocolate with banana is good too.)
A lot of the protein powder uses I've seen (in smoothies, in pancakes) are for breakfast foods and I assume for similar reasons.
Why not make chicken or something? I could, but if I enjoy the protein powder why not use it? I don't always feel like meat in the morning (except for my beloved smoked salmon).
I don't substitute it for egg, but the benefit vs. egg (and why I eat the protein powder vs. making a couple of eggs) is that the eggs are higher fat so you get more protein with fewer calories with the powder. Oatmeal AND eggs plus the veggies and berries would be more calories than I like for breakfast.0 -
I've never added my whey supplement to any food, I just drink my shake. a lot of people are simply trying to up their protein intake with a supplement..perhaps many don't like just having a shake and prefer to add it to other things, IDK....
It certainly isn't necessary to even supplement if you can hit your targets...most people trying to lose weight have higher protein targets than they otherwise would. Also, more active individuals need more protein in their diets as well...and sometimes in this fast paced world, a little convenience is going to trump a chicken breast.
Personally, I try to get as much protein as I can with just my food...but I usually do supplement with one shake per day in the afternoon...I drink it while I'm eating my nectarine.0 -
Yeah, I agree with what everyone else has said. Many different people use it for many different reasons but ultimately it's a relatively cheap, convienient way of hitting protein requirements that also happens to mix well with certain other foods. On a side note, I have noticed that because I drink a Chocolate shake everyday, it has dramatically cut any cravings for real chocolate and puddings/cakes etc which don't really offer me much nutritionally wise. Shakes are also pretty filling too for fairly low calories compared to some food sources. However, it should only really be used to "supplement" a healthy/balanced diet.0
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I could certainly do with easy protein sources as I keep my protein contribution high, but it really has to earn its living to justify the expense, over say, using an egg in the same recipe, which is also low calorie.
I'm not sure how using egg whites would compare, but some protein powders will give you 30 grams in 120-150 cal. I think the amount of whites you'd have to add would change the outcome of the recipe more.0 -
If people have a hard time hitting their protein macro, putting protein powder in can really help. I however have no issue hitting my protein macro, so I have a protein powder pretty much collecting dust in my kitchen because I'm too cheap to throw it away.0
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What is with putting protein powder in everything? I have been visiting a lot of websites, including the MFP blog, looking for new recipes ideas, particularly for breakfast and I notice tons of protein powder added to regular food. Even in the so called "clean eating" sites, protein powder abounds. It is in overnight oats, in cookies, in smoothies, in soups...
Why not add, you know.. actual protein?
As snarky as this sounds I am starting to wonder what I am missing out on. Is it delicious? Is it better that eating actual bacon, eggs, cheese, chia seeds or steak?
For folks that panic about flour and sugar being evil and unnatural (on the sort of websites I visited), I don't understand why the surely massively processed protein powder gets a pass?
For the record, I am not trying to stick to Low Carb or Clean (but if you want to thats fine), just looking to make my recipe selection more interesting and wondering if protein powder - which is certainly expensive over here - is worth the hassle and why.
Because I like sweet things and it's a nice way to reach my protein goal with some extra flavor in yogurt, oatmeal, or pancakes (which is where I use it at this point).
I consider chia seeds an abomination, and I like bacon, eggs, cheese, and steak, but don't necessarily want the extra fat and calories that come with them.0 -
I'm happy, when at the end of my day, I've reached my protein goal!! If I haven't, i grudgingly go to the cabinet for a scoop! I don't like it, and I don't want to ruin any of my food with it. So I just mix it with a little water and down it.
Purely just a supplement for me, if I have t reached my goal.0 -
Thanks for the information everyone, it does make sense. I find myself often racking my brain to make my macros balance.. today is one of those days. If I get my fiber right (tons of veggies for dinner is what I would prefer), my protein is not going to be where I want it to be and that is because I had a very delicious breakfast of greek yoghurt, fresh pear and honey this morning, which left me behind on my protein. Instead of what I feel like, I am going to cut some of those veggies and add protein.
I often skip veggies because I need all my calories for protein.0 -
Thanks for the information everyone, it does make sense. I find myself often racking my brain to make my macros balance.. today is one of those days. If I get my fiber right (tons of veggies for dinner is what I would prefer), my protein is not going to be where I want it to be and that is because I had a very delicious breakfast of greek yoghurt, fresh pear and honey this morning, which left me behind on my protein. Instead of what I feel like, I am going to cut some of those veggies and add protein.
I often skip veggies because I need all my calories for protein.
Mistake because a lot of veggies are actually a great source protein.0 -
This is what my day ended up like, which gets me into my comfort zone, protein wise. Have a look at my diary for the macro and calorie breakdown. I am pre-logging my dinner as it is still a few hours till I eat it so when I weigh tonight, the veg and meat might go up or down by 5 or 10g. Not a terrible day, but not the best one either.
I am not sure how I could have got veggies to make up for the protein in the chicken at dinner @Franc127, based on the veggies I have at home. I only have butternut in my fridge in addition to the spinach and sweet potato. I also have some Walnuts and tried to work out a dinner with just walnuts and veggies but could not get near my protein target without blowing out my calories, so added some of the chicken I am cooking for my partner.
Your Food Diary For:
Friday, August 21, 2015
Breakfast
Instant Coffee With 50ml Full Cream Milk, 1 cup
Fruit - Pear Bartlett - Raw - Medium, 165 gram
Really Raw Honey - Honey, 7 g
Woolworths - Double Cream Greek Style Plain Yoghurt, 109 g
Lunch
Instant Coffee With 50ml Full Cream Milk, 1 cup
Woolworths (Sa) - Chicken Curry Roti, 1 roti
Dinner
Instant Coffee With 50ml Full Cream Milk, 1 cup
Woolworths Food - Crumbed Chicken Schnitzel, 150 g
Woolworths - Fresh Creamed Spinach, 80 g
Woolworths - Sweet Potato, 80 g
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First you're blowing a lot of calories on cream in your coffee. Second, ditch the chicken dishes (I don't know what they are, but they don't have enough protein for the calories) and buy plain chicken, you'll get way more protein for the calories.
Spinach is actually a great source of protein, but creamed... not so much. But obviously you have to make do with what's in your pantry... but things like plain chicken and canned tuna will give you much more protein for the calories.0 -
As a long term vegetarian that would live on raw veggies (with a little cheese and a few pulses) if given a choice and made myself ill following that diet . Whey isolate is the only way I can get anywhere near my protein goal, especially on a cycling day. Only soy and whey are complete proteins (contain all the required BCCAs for muscle recovery and repair) As a note, red meat, fish, pulses, legumes, nuts and chicken aren't complete proteins so you have to have at least one meat and one plant source plus add milk to your diet anyway. I consider it less unhealthy than eating lots of soya or dairy, especially since I live in Singapore where the hawker food is full of sugar, salt and msg and getting to a supermarket when I'm not tired, rushed and hungry is almost impossible.
Yes, it's a processed food but it's cheap (<$1 SGD a serving, though I envy what Americans pay), its easy to carry with me for work, it's convenient and it fits in with my crazy work and exercise schedule so I can live with it as my main protein source0 -
I appreciate the tips and I did ask for them, but coffee with milk in is one of the joys of my life. Not giving that up. (I actually use low fat milk and bank the extra calories as 50mls is an estimate).
Yep, I can improve my eating habits and there are many days I aspire to do so, but I don't have any need to be a paragon of virtue, hell, there are days where I just eat macdonalds and skip my other meals.
Leaning in to continuously eating better over time, but not about to get fanatical.
I have come very far in four months and am proud of myself.0 -
I appreciate the tips and I did ask for them, but coffee with milk in is one of the joys of my life. Not giving that up. (I actually use low fat milk and bank the extra calories as 50mls is an estimate).
Yep, I can improve my eating habits and there are many days I aspire to do so, but I don't have any need to be a paragon of virtue, hell, there are days where I just eat macdonalds and skip my other meals.
Leaning in to continuously eating better over time, but not about to get fanatical.
I have come very far in four months and am proud of myself.
Sounds like you've got a great approach to this and are making gradual, sustainable changes. No need to give up the things that you love.
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I appreciate the tips and I did ask for them, but coffee with milk in is one of the joys of my life. Not giving that up. (I actually use low fat milk and bank the extra calories as 50mls is an estimate).
Yep, I can improve my eating habits and there are many days I aspire to do so, but I don't have any need to be a paragon of virtue, hell, there are days where I just eat macdonalds and skip my other meals.
Leaning in to continuously eating better over time, but not about to get fanatical.
I have come very far in four months and am proud of myself.
I wasn't criticizing, just trying to get tips on how to increase your protein and trying to explain why skipping veggies for protein isn't always the best thing to do, when there are other things you could skip instead.laurabolyard wrote: »I'm happy, when at the end of my day, I've reached my protein goal!! If I haven't, i grudgingly go to the cabinet for a scoop! I don't like it, and I don't want to ruin any of my food with it. So I just mix it with a little water and down it.
Purely just a supplement for me, if I have t reached my goal.
Yeah now that's something I would never do... eat something I don't like just to reach my protein goal. Rather save the 100 calories for something I actually like, even if I end up low on protein that day.0
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