292612 Thu Apr 24 00:47:37 -0700 2003 18 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 1597574 it's hard being a chowhound and also trying to force down some of the nasty protein supplements that are out on the market...but, i've found a couple that i really like... for protein shakes, the best-tasting i've come across is designer whey protein, by next proteins...the chocolate is good, but the strawberry is better...i mix in a blender the strawberry powder with a banana, some ice, water and a little sugar...after a nice workout, my body really craves it... for bars, i really like balance bars...i haven't tried too many varieties, but that's because i already have a couple of favorites...yogurt honey peanut and chocolate raspberry...they are 40-30-30 bars -- great nourishment to keep the metabolism fired up between proper meals... if anybody knows any other products or techniques that help make supplementation amenable to chowhoundish sensibilities, i'd love to hear them... dominick Thu Apr 24 00:47:37 -0700 2003 0 astoriaboy 1 1597575 You put sugar in? Anyway, try a bit of cinnamon in there, or frozen raspberries. If you need extra protein, couldn't you just eat more meat? Protein supplements are just food, not magic, and meat tastes soooo much better Thu Apr 24 00:58:18 -0700 2003 1597574 0 Linkdown 2 1597576 "You put sugar in?" linkdown yeah...just a little...gotta replenish those glycogen levels...that's my excuse, anyways :) cinnamon...hmm...that must make the chocolate taste great...raspberries, i thought of...but, i'm afraid the seeds will drive me nuts...i'll probably try it, though... and, about the meat vs supplements question...while i usually enjoy a porterhouse over protein smoothies, after a tough workout, i'll take the shake...that low-fat protein really hits the spot... thanks for the interesting recs... dominick Thu Apr 24 01:37:50 -0700 2003 1597575 0 astoriaboy 3 1597836 Cinnamon is indeed very good with chocolate whey. I just got a 5lb of banana whey and this stuff is really bad. I hope the cinnamon works on banana, or I am going to be speed sculling a lot of shakes for the next few weeks. If you don't mind the calories, heavy cream makes everything sit together nicely. I wouldn't do this if you are trying to cut up though :) one more thing, the chocolate flavours of many whey have less protein per scoop than other flavours because they use cocoa instead of super magic chemicals. Sun Apr 27 23:36:40 -0700 2003 1597576 0 linkdown 2 1597590 It also depends on the regimen you're working. For example, Scott Connely's (sp?) regimen requires much more protein than the USDA # of grams. Shakes are a good way to replace protein w/o eating 3 steaks a day, or a steak and two chicken breasts. Use them as a supplement and they help. At least for me. And I agree, a shake after a workout is good. I'm usually not hungry just afterwards, I just want water and a thick shake to start. I like Optimum brand's 100% Whey Protein. You can buy bulk fairly cheap (I use bodybuilding.com b/c it's around $60 shipped for 10 lbs). I mix the chocolate powder in a blender with skim milk and it's very filling and I actually like the taste now. Then an hour or so later I eat a chicken breast or steak, or whatever. I don't follow his plan too closely b/c I'm not anal enough (and I like beer). But been working out with his exercise and somewhere close to his diet regimen for six months and lost 10 lbs AND gained some muscle bulk. Well, maybe bulk is the wrong word ... gained some muscle is closer to the truth. Dax Thu Apr 24 10:11:21 -0700 2003 1597575 0 Dax 1 1597580 I always enjoy the Kashi shakes, especially the chocalate. They have real ingredients in them. It is scary to see some of the multiple syllable stuff in a lot of the other supplements. Also they are gluten-free unlike many others. Gluten is often a hidden source of carbs. Thu Apr 24 07:52:24 -0700 2003 1597574 0 baruch 1 1597585 My fave is to mix protein powder with nonfat yogurt, fruit juice and some flaxseed oil. With that basic recipe, you get a complete 40-30-30 meal and there's tons of combos to make. Be careful though- not for the lactose intolerant. I've researched price, cost, and flavor of meal replacement/protein bars and Balance (especially the Gold variety) comes out tops. You can get more protein with other bars, but you lose flavor or have to pay significantly more... Re: "Why not eat more meat?" It's easier for the body to process these protein supplements as they are essentially streamlined for absorption. Also, and perhaps more importantly, those who seek out supplements generally pass on dessert (god forbid an insulin rush or saturated fats). Often, these are the only "sweets" we allow ourselves- a nice treat after beating ourselves up at the gym. Thu Apr 24 09:24:38 -0700 2003 1597574 0 Kevin 1 1597670 Luna bars are the way to go. Oh... and Odwalla bars. Both have great textures and flavors. I don't go for these bars to increase my protein intake. They're good compact travel food in my opinion. More vitamins than a granola bar. I'm a pretty small female, so when I'm biking, I only eat half a Luna bar in the beginning, and half in the middle of the bike ride. Other than that, I can't stand any of the protein shakes I've tried... store made or homemade. I'm all for the eat more meat approach :) Thu Apr 24 20:47:12 -0700 2003 1597574 0 starflyer 2 1597706 Aren't Luna and Odwalla geared towards women? I'd hate for Dominick to grow breasts when all he really wanted was firm pecs. :) Fri Apr 25 10:56:31 -0700 2003 1597670 0 Kevin 3 1597718 Luna is "geared toward women," which means it has calcium and folate added. Luna is good if you want to have something sweet and dessert-like. My co-hound eats 'em without embarrassment or hormonal changes, though he prefers Balance Gold (the more like candy the better, to him) or Zone Perfect, which are also a 30-30-40 formula and sweet/crunchy. Fri Apr 25 12:07:15 -0700 2003 1597706 0 Caitlin McGrath 1 1597694 yogurt, raspberries, cinnamon, luna, odwalla, optimum whey...i'm taking notes...thanks guys! dominick Fri Apr 25 08:07:34 -0700 2003 1597574 0 astoriaboy 1 1597766 if you like balance bars (yogurt honey peanut is my favorite too), give the mocha chip or the chocolate peanut butter a shot. i haven't tried most of the newer, fancier flavors, but some of them are good. there are a lot of decent-tasting bars out there, but i guess its always a balancing act btw taste and nutritional punch. clif, kashi, and odwalla all taste really good, but i think they have more carbs, less protein. i'm personally not a huge fan of luna, zone, or balance oasis bars. they all have a slightly off metallic taste, plus i also just prefer bars with a chewier, denser texture. but if you like bars that are lighter (these all have a similar base of toasted rice, usually coated w/ yogurt or chocolate or something, you might like these). for extra protein, i like the protein plus powerbars (most flavors) and the eas low-carb protein bars (chocolate peanut butter and chocolate chip brownie). in general i steer clear of fruit flavors, which usually taste nasty. and (gasp!) i actually think power bars taste good. i used to be a fan of the met-rx protein plus bars, but some reason whenever i see them now in stores my instinct is to stay away. balance bars really are some of the best - i just wish they had a bit more fiber and protein. i'd also like to hear more about other people's favorite bars. there are a lot of brands that i haven't tried b/c they're not cheap and i don't want to end up with a $3 block of cardboard. Sat Apr 26 14:05:02 -0700 2003 1597574 0 hh 1 1598280 I really like Genisoy protein bars - especially the Ultimate Chocolate Fudge Brownie and Cafe Mocha Fudge flavors. They have 14g of soy protein - 33g carbs, 4.5 g fat (3 saturated) and 230 calories - but they are filling and they taste GOOD. Better than candy bars because they are just the right amount of sweet... Thu May 01 08:30:30 -0700 2003 1597574 0 sarahoc 2 1598341 I like the Genisoy bars too (they have a newish one that has a bunch of nuts and granola in it - that one's good) I also like Luna bars and Clif bars. I haven't liked any other bars that I've tried. for shakes, I'll mix up my own with soymilk, frozen fruit (or fresh, of course. I always have frozen fruit, and it gives it a nice icy/shakey texture) and various other things - soy protein powder, ground flaxseed, psyllium fiber powder Thu May 01 15:50:20 -0700 2003 1598280 0 SC 3 1598364 i've never heard of genisoy...sounds like a good bar to try... and, i like the idea of a homemade shake...but, i wonder if soy is best for weight-training...from what i've read, whey is the most complete protein available...yet, soy is so popular...is it all about the vegan thing or does soy have something else over whey? dominick Thu May 01 16:55:38 -0700 2003 1598341 0 astoriaboy 4 1598387 Soy protein is high is isoflavones - supposedly they reduce risks of cancer and osteoporosis. Here's a link to the Genisoy page - with nutrition information, health info about soy, and ordering info. Link: http://www.genisoy.com Thu May 01 18:37:33 -0700 2003 1598364 0 sarahoc 1 3654436 I get the Designer Protein in Vanilla. I use fresh OJ, 1/4 cup of frozen pineapple, 1 Tbsp of Udo's choice 3-6-9 omega oil. Blend up. great for breakfast. My husband is VERY (one side of the pantry is supplements) into sports nutrition and he states that large amount of soy protein is not good for men because of the phytoestrogens. It is good for women for the same reasons, but men don't need estrogen. Sat May 03 22:49:57 -0700 2008 1597574 69496 septocaine_queen 2 3678257 Even when I was near contest weight my trainer preferred meat over protein shakes. About a month pre-contest I just had whey isolate with no sugar (that rather defeats the object!!) or anything else added. Hardly tasty but at that stage of the diet I am hardly thinking about taste! It also depends in which part of the world you live in. When I started training seriously about 6 years ago I was living in Italy and it was hard to get any supplements at all, let alone compare one type with another. The only plus with protein shakes is they are portable and easy and whey is fast-uptake but otherwise I think they are just gimmicky, moreso all the supplements, not to mention VERY expensive if you take a lot of them and different types. I am sure primeval man had plenty of muscles and was low on body fat:) Mon May 12 04:33:27 -0700 2008 3654436 184945 benhalterci 3 3679499 Yup, real food is always better than synthetic powders. Cheaper also. Shocking isn't it? :-) Mon May 12 11:16:36 -0700 2008 3678257 11583 ipsedixit