 What's hiding in your powder Mike Honore
If your goal is physique improvement you probably know that you need to eat six protein focussed meals per day - using a meal replacement or protein powder makes achieving this easy. If you do use either how is your progress? If you feel you're not 100% or aren't getting there as quickly as you want to be then it's time to take a close look at what's inside your protein supplement.
There's a lot of choice out there today, unfortunately though after spending your well earned dollar you may find that what's inside the latest and greatest formula might not be what it's cracked up to be - in fact it can be slowing your progress, not helping it! Ingredients in some formulas really are borderline and at worst have actually been shown to cause you a great deal of harm. Here are some ingredients and manufacturing techniques to be on the alert for.
First off, Protein. Have you suffered the ill effects of cheap protein? A stomach in knots? A fast exit to the bathroom? Or maybe your progress is just going nowhere? If so it's possible you have fallen victim to the oldest scam in the supplement manufacturers handbook, called 'The Protein Blend'.
A protein blend is a crafty way for a manufacturer to cheapen the raw materials price of their product - simply they combine a bunch of cheap low grade proteins in a blend, then wave a small amount of whey protein on top - in actual fact because the bulk of the protein is low grade you get far less bang for your buck than you would from a single high quality whey source, even though it may say 45 grams of protein per serve in the nutrition panel, the effect will be watered down. It's like comparing hi octane petrol to low octane, it's still the same amount of gas in the tank it just doesn't provide anywhere near the same amount of go! And you can bet that the manufacturers cost savings are not passed on to you - instead they tout their magic blend as a benefit - don't be taken for a ride!
In the ingredients list you may find whey protein (the most expensive and considered by experts to be the most effective protein form we can eat) listed first within a blend - but it's unlikely whey protein is their first or main ingredient - instead the cheap grade proteins make up the bulk of these formulations and there may be little of the higher quality and more expensive whey protein. I have recently seen a New Zealand product called whey protein on the front of the label but when you take a close look at the ingredients you will find it includes cheaper Calcium Caseinate blended with the whey protein - in this case the buyer is being seriously misled!!!
For maximum results you need the most effective protein available, and that is whey protein concentrate - not a sprinkling of whey diluted amongst a sea of inferior low grade substitutes.
Let's look at some of the most interesting protein 'fillers' you may find in your meal replacement or protein powder:
Suspicious Soy Protein: When I was told Soy protein was fed to horses as a form of contraception (to make them infertile) I had to take a closer look... the alarm bells have been ringing surrounding the use of Soy for years, Soy in human nutrition is not acceptable. Apart from being an incomplete protein source Soy is one of the biggest nutritional health disasters we will ever come across - some side effects are major hormonal interference including severe thyroid disturbances. Avoid Soy protein AT ALL COSTS. No matter what the label says Soy is only included because it is very cheap and in the real world it leads to many dangerous side effects. The scary thing is supplement and food manufacturers are well aware of these dangers but choose to ignore them at the risk of your health - they pump these soy laced products out by the container load! To find out more about the dangers of Soy I have included a couple of articles in this issue, or you can visit this website: http://www.soyonlineservice.co.nz
Cheap Calcium Caseinate and Casein: Are very allergenic and low grade, BEWARE you may spend more time in the bathroom than in the gym! Evidence from studies indicate that casein, may promote some forms of cancer. At Cornell University, for example, Dr. T. Colin Campbell and his colleagues have found that casein is a strong promoter of tumor growth. Other studies have shown that casein helps promote the growth of coronary artery blockages in animals. Whenever you come across controversy like this for the sake of your health just SAY NO.
Mediocre Milk protein: Cheap protein, this is what you will find in every day milk, the most likely to cause allergic responses.
And now, Carbohydrates: Does your meal replacement or protein powder contain nightmare sugars like maltodextrin, sucrose, corn syrup or fructose? These sugars are empty of nutritional value and offer only negative effects on your insulin - very damaging to all your hardwork and to your body. Out of these Maltodextrin is the most widely used, it is simply a blend of the sugars maltose and dextrose from corn starch. Maltodextrin has a frighteningly high glycemic index (the rate your insulin levels raise in response to sugar intake), a HUGE 158. (For those of you who aren't aware plain table sugar comes in at a much lower 80!) The results of ingredients like these are rollercoaster energy levels, out of control cravings, and fat gaining rather than fat burning.
Sweeteners, a sour deal: Today manufacturers use an array of sweeteners to satisfy our sweet tooth and keep calories down. A couple of artificial sweeteners, Aspartame and Acesulphame-K, have raised a lot of health concerns over the years. The best advice I can offer you is to avoid these two - the good thing is a few wise manufacturers have cottoned on to the potential risks and are now using alternatives.
Well there is my brief summary of some ingredients to be aware of - as you can see the ingredients in our health products are sometimes not healthy at all - in fact they can be downright harmful - Keep a close eye on those ingredients panels, and spend your hard earned money wisely!
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