Monthly Archives: August 2017

Lifetime Life’s Basics sells a protein called VeganMax.

Most of the reviews for this protein powder brand I found online were pretty good.

However …

This was surprising after I analyzed their ingredients and discovered some of the junk they put in their products!

In this article, I will share those findings with you.

*Disclaimer: I sell a protein powder. So naturally, I am a bit biased. But I keep my reviews as unbiased as possible by focusing on two objective pieces of information: the nutrition facts and ingredients list. The facts don’t lie, as you’re about to see.

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Lifetime Life’s Basics and VeganMax Plant-Based Protein Powders

Lifetime sells several different types of vegan protein powders:

1. Peak Performance VeganMax Protein (available in Vanilla, Chocolate, and Chocolate Mint)
2. Life’s Basics Plant Protein (available in Vanilla, Chocolate, Greens, and Unsweetened)
3. Life’s Basics Organic Plant Protein (available in Vanilla, Chocolate, and Unsweetened)
4. Life’s Basics Pea Protein (available in Vanilla and Chocolate)
5. Life’s Basics Lean Plantein
6. Life’s Basics 5-Fruit Blend Plant Protein
7. Life’s Basics Meal Replacement

Let’s look at nutrition information and ingredients lists for each …

Nutrition Facts and Ingredients Analysis

Quick Tip: You’ll see I noted “red flag” ingredients for each product below. There’s a detailed explanation of why I flagged the ingredient if you scroll down past the images to the section called “Red Flag Ingredients in Lifetime Plant Proteins”.

Here goes …

VeganMax Protein

Vanilla

Chocolate

Chocolate Mint

Life’s Basics Plant Protein

Vanilla

Chocolate

Greens

Unsweetened

Life’s Basics Organic Plant Protein

Vanilla

Chocolate

Unsweetened

Life’s Basics Pea Protein

Vanilla

Chocolate

 

Life’s Basics Lean Plantein

Life’s Basics 5-Fruit Blend Plant Protein

Life’s Basics Meal Replacement

Red Flag Ingredients in Lifetime Vegan Protein

Now I’ll tell you why you should care about each of those red flag ingredients.

Natural Flavors

Here’s what scientists at the Environmental Working Group (EWG) say about these so-called “natural” flavors:

The truth is that when you see the word “flavor” on a food label, you have almost no clue what chemicals may have been added to the food under the umbrella of this vague term. In addition to the flavor-adding chemicals themselves, flavor mixtures often contain natural or artificial emulsifiers, solvents and preservatives that are called “incidental additives,” which means the manufacturer does not have to disclose their presence on food labels. Flavoring mixtures added to food are complex and can contain more than 100 distinct substances. The non-flavor chemicals that have other functional properties often make up 80 to 90 percent of the mixture.

Added Sugars (Fructose, Cane Sugar, Cane Juice)

Lifetime seems to be a big fan of adding sugar to its protein powders (fructose, cane sugar, and cane juice).

And it’s true your body needs sugar before and after a tough workout.

However, the average American consumes almost 20 teaspoons (82 grams!) of added sugar every day. The World Health Organization recommends less than 25 grams, to put this number in perspective.

In other words, there’s no need for extra sugar in your protein shake, other than to make it taste better.

That extra sugar may be doing you more harm than good though, because most people get more than enough added sugar from their daily diet already.

Get your sugar from real food like fruits and vegetables instead.

Sugar Alcohols

Sugar alcohols are types of carbohydrate that are widely used as sweeteners. Most are produced industrially, where they are processed from other sugars (usually corn sugar).

Lifetime uses a popular sugar alcohol called xylitol in many of its plant proteins. Xylitol can have a laxative effect and has been shown to alter the gut flora in animal studies.

If you have any GI issues, avoid products with sugar alcohols.

Gums

Lifetime uses guar and xanthan gums, which are popular food additives used to thicken processed foods.

Xanthan gum, in particular, can cause some side effects such as gas and bloating. People who are exposed to xanthan gum powder might also experience flu-like symptoms, nose and throat irritation, and lung problems.

One Final Red Flag to Note

All of the non-organic Lifetime plant proteins concern me because there’s a high likelihood all of those ingredients are sprayed with pesticides and other chemicals.

If want to read what scientists have to say about how these can impact your health, check out this study.

Bottom Line: Are VeganMax and Life’s Basic Protein Shakes Worth the Cost?

That’s up to you to decide.

But in my (slightly biased) opinion, you can get an organic plant protein powder with probiotics and none of the added sugars, fillers, gums, and “flavors” for the same price.

In this article, I’m going to give you my (mostly*) unbiased review of Almased Wellness Protein Powder.

I’ll tell you what Almased is, analyze the ingredients and nutrition facts in it, and show you some potential side effects of those ingredients so you can determine for yourself if it’s right for your health needs.

Let’s get started …

*Disclaimer: I sell a protein powder. But I keep my reviews as unbiased as possible by focusing on two objective pieces of info in every review I write: the nutrition facts and ingredients list.

What is the Almased Diet Plan?

The Almased diet plan has four phases. Here’s a description of each, according to Almased’s website:

1. STARTING PHASE

You begin your Almased Diet with the Starting Phase, also known as the Fasting Phase, during which you will have three Almased shakes per day, plus home-made vegetable broth or 100% vegetable juice (ideally low in sodium). In addition, you should drink at least 64 oz of (preferably mineral-rich) water per day. You can stay on this phase from three up to fourteen days. It has been shown that a good initial weight loss at the beginning of a diet is the best prerequisite for success.

2. REDUCTION PHASE

This phase will lead to a healthy, steady weight reduction. You will have two Almased shakes per day and one solid meal, preferably for lunch. If it is more convenient to have your meal for dinner, you can, but be mindful of your carbohydrates. Please limit snacks in between meals and consume fruit in moderation, either as part of your breakfast shake or your lunch meal. This phase can be extended until you reach your desired weight loss goal.

3. STABILITY PHASE

This phase will help your body maintain its new weight long-term as you continue to lose weight at a slower pace in order to avoid the yo-yo effect. For several weeks, have two meals plus one Almased shake (ideally for breakfast or dinner to see best results).

4. LIFE PHASE

Three delicious meals plus one Almased shake (as part of your breakfast or dinner). Sustain the activity level of your metabolism after completing the three Almased weight loss phases. You will feel more motivated to be physically active, approaching your daily tasks with renewed vitality.

My Take:

The marketing team over at Almased is clearly focusing on folks who want to lose weight. Thing is though, any calorie-restricted diet will help you drop a few pounds.

In other words, it’s not the Almased that’s necessarily causing the weight loss … it’s the reduction of calories.

Anyways, I have a much larger concern than the long-term efficacy of Almased’s weight loss plan: the stuff they put in their product. 

Here’s a look at the nutrition and ingredients panels. I’ll tell you about the 3 big red flags I see here below … see if you can spot them:

Almased Protein Powder Ingredients and Nutrition Facts

 

Red Flag #1: High Sugar Content

Almased has 12 grams of sugar per serving.

Now, they claim that because they use honey, which has a lower glycemic index, this high sugar content doesn’t matter.

However, sugar is sugar.

Doesn’t matter if it comes from all-natural honey or highly-processed high fructose corn syrup … they produce the same metabolic responses in your body.

Don’t get me wrong, I love indulging in a little raw honey once in a while. And I know that in its raw form, it has nutrients you can’t get from these other processed sweeteners.

But the amount of sugar from “powdered honey” in Almased protein shakes is half a day’s worth if you’re a woman and a third of a day’s worth if you’re a man.

Red Flag #2: Protein Sources

You know why Almased is so cheap?

Because they use two of the cheapest sources of protein you can find: soy protein isolate and skim milk yogurt powder.

Skim milk yogurt powder can cause digestive distress for the 65 percent of people who are lactose intolerant. 

Soy may actually have some benefits for post-menopausal women. However, soy is also one of the “Major 8” food allergens and may have inflammatory properties. And if it’s not organic (which Almased is not), you can bet it comes from GMO soybeans that have been bathed in pesticides and other chemicals. 

Which leads to my final red flag …

Red Flag #3: No Organic Ingredients

If you’re using a protein powder that doesn’t have organic ingredients, there’s a high likelihood all of those plant-based ingredients are sprayed with pesticides and other chemicals.

If you’re in the dark about how these pesticides can impact your health, read what scientists have to say.

Bottom Line: Is Almased Safe?

Almased shakes are cheap.

I just don’t trust these ingredients though because 1. The protein sources are highly inflammatory for too many people, 2. Not a single ingredient is organic, and 3. There’s just way too much sugar per serving.

In my opinion, the potential price you’ll pay down the road is not worth the risk when it comes to protein powders like this.

If you’re looking for a cleaner, healthier, safer alternative, then check out Pure Food instead.

First, let’s get this out of the way …

We sell a protein powder.

So we may be slightly biased.

But we keep our reviews as unbiased as possible … because we focus on two objective pieces of info: the nutrition facts and ingredients list.

The ingredients panel reveals any food product’s true colors.

MissFit Protein Powders’ ingredients are among the worst we’ve seen.

In this article, I’m going to show you why.

Let’s jump right in …

First, here’s what I look for in a protein powder:

• Organic, plant-based, real food ingredients
• No added sugars or artificial sweeteners used
• Free of soy, corn, dairy, gluten, and wheat
• No flavors (so-called “natural” or artificial) or gums

With that in mind, let’s take a deeper dive into the nutrition/ingredients…

FitMiss Protein Powder Nutrition Facts and Ingredients

FitMiss doesn’t appear too bad if you give a quick glance at the nutrition label. 90 calories, 16 grams of protein, and just 1 gram of sugar per serving … what’s not to like?

[cue dramatic music]
Unfortunately, the ingredients list tells a different kind of story. Here are the full nutrition facts and ingredient panels for their three flavors (Vanilla Chai, Chocolate, and Cappucino). Let’s see if you can spot the red flags, which I’ll tell you more about below:

Red Flag #1: Artificial Sweeteners

All FitMiss protein powders contain two potentially dangerous artificial sweeteners: acesulfame potassium and sucralose.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest puts both acesulfame potassium and sucralose on their Chemical Cuisine “Avoid” list. They say this about the former:

FDA should require manufacturers to conduct high-quality, modern-day studies of acesulfame potassium or withdraw its approval of it.

But that’s nothing compared to sucralose, which was shown to cause cancer in animal studies …

In 2016 an independent Italian laboratory published a large study on mice. The study found that sucralose caused leukemia and related blood cancers in male mice that were exposed to it throughout their lives starting from before birth.

And then there’s the negative gut health effects associated with sucralose …

Several researchers contend that sucralose negatively impacts the gut, including changes in the microbiome and enzymes. That could have a range of consequences, including effects on blood sugar, regulation of body weight, inflammatory bowel disease, and how drugs and other chemicals are absorbed and metabolized by the body.

Long story short, probably a good idea to avoid products that have this type of stuff. There’s just no reason for it (other than corporate greed), when there are much better, safer sweetener sources available.

Red Flag #2: Artificial and “Natural” Flavors, Fillers, and Additives

David Andrews, Senior Scientist at the Environmental Working Group (EWG) said this about flavors (now the fourth most common ingredient on food labels):

Natural and artificial flavors really aren’t that different. And those “natural flavors” can actually contain synthetic chemicals! You’re right to be skeptical of the word “natural” – it’s often thrown around loosely.

Read more about natural flavors here if you’re interested in learning more.

All FitMiss Delight Protein Powder flavors also contain an ingredient called cellulose gum. It’s safe for consumption … but it’s nothing more than ground wood pulp designed by food manufacturers as a cheap way to make processed foods mix better. This is just an assumption, but it seems to me ground wood pulp wouldn’t be the best thing for those with sensitive guts.

Red Flag #3: No Organic Ingredients

I actually like that FitMiss uses a fruit and vegetable blend in their powders; however, these and all of their other ingredients are not organic. This means there’s a high certainty most of them are sprayed with pesticides and other chemicals you don’t want to be ingesting.

The problem with these chemicals is that their effects haven’t been widely studied on everyday folks like us. Most studies of the health effects of pesticides have focused on occupationally exposed people, like farm workers and pesticide applicators. For these people, studies show that:

Pesticide exposure was associated with respiratory problems, memory disorders, skin conditions, depression, miscarriage, birth defects, cancer and neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease.

It’s safe to say eating foods grown with the use of pesticides isn’t safe, despite what the industry-influenced FDA tells you.

Red Flag #5: Protein Sources

All FitMiss protein powders use a combination of several types of whey, casein, and egg protein.

While these may be effective sources for building lean body mass, they can have serious side effects for people with GI and/or dairy sensitivities.

Red Flag #6: FitMiss Warning

Then there’s this warning listed for the product:

This product is only intended for use by healthy adults over 18 years of age. Consult your physician before using this product if you are taking any prescription or over the counter medications or supplements. Do not use this product if you are pregnant, expect to become pregnant or are nursing. KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN.

If a protein powder isn’t safe for pregnant women and kids, that’s a huge red flag.

Red Flag #7: Weight Loss Hype

FitMiss and their manufacturer, MusclePharm, include an ingredient called Solathin, which they claim is “the newest weight-loss innovation that helps with making you feel full faster“.

This “new innovation” was actually released in 2011 and doesn’t have a single peer reviewed clinical trial to back its supposed effectiveness.

FitMiss Protein Shake Review Summed Up

I was looking at some FitMiss Protein reviews on Amazon and stumbled across this statement from their product description:

FitMiss Delight also delivers a full day’s essential nutrients with quality calories.

Uh, sorry. NO protein powder delivers a full day’s worth of essential nutrients and calories.

That’s absurd (and that’s coming from a guy who sells a protein powder).

To get a full day’s worth of nutrients and calories, you need to eat real food. Protein powders are supplements–not substitutes. 

This is the stuff that bothers me, you guys.

Large BroScience (or “B.S.” for short) supplement companies like MusclePharm have been selling garbage products like FitMiss Delight for too long.

FitMiss is cheap now but is the potential price you’ll pay down the road really worth it?

If you’re looking for a cleaner, healthier, safer alternative, then check out Pure Food instead.