There’s something about those magical, mystical green plants that produces amazing results. And there’s plenty of science to back that up for you skeptics out there.
Enter green smoothies … the easiest way to get your daily dose of greens, all in one (sometimes) delicious dose.
But parsley and kale juice can get old fast. Sometimes you just want your green smoothie to have a little more substance. In those cases, adding a scoop of plant-based protein powder can help your green juice or smoothie pack a more powerful punch.
Why Do You Need Protein in Your Green Smoothie?
You don’t. But here’s why I add some once in a while … because the benefits of protein are well documented in clinical studies. Protein has been shown to:
Most adults get enough protein. But older adults and those who exercise may find it hard to eat enough to maintain lean muscle mass … especially those who follow a plant-focused diet.
That’s where a good protein powder comes in.
Protein powder can complement your green juice or smoothie by helping improve the flavor and adding a boost of muscle and bone boosting (or preserving) goodness.
However …
Not All Protein Powders Are Created Equal
Many powders have added sugars, additives, and fillers. There are various side effects associated with each. Kinda defeats the whole purpose of drinking a healthy green smoothie, if you ask me.
Now, I am admittedly biased because I created my own protein powder … but Pure Food is the only plant-based protein powder with 100% plant-based, organic, real food ingredients + probiotics.
That’s why it’s the absolute best protein powder to use with those green smoothie recipes … because you’re adding real food ingredients instead of a bunch of fillers, gums, and natural flavors.
But I digress.
Let’s get to the recipe already!
Ingredients: Green Smoothie Recipe with Protein Powder
1 tsp. spirulina (optional … spirulina is an awesome superfood but definitely makes it more “green” tasting)
Water (depends on how thick you want it … see below for my recommendation)
**I recommend using all organic ingredients. Especially organic pears and celery, both of which show up on the Environmental Working Group’s “Dirty Dozen” list of foods most contaminated with pesticides.
How to Make My Green Smoothie Recipe
Wash all vegetables and rip the leaves off the kale.
Toss everything in a blender or juicer, fill with water to the 24 oz. line, and blend on high.
Add ice cubes to taste.
Here’s what the final product looks like:
The nutrition stats are pretty solid. This recipe is bursting with vitamins and minerals!
Nutrition
Calories: 201
Carbs: 38 grams (8 grams of fiber)
Protein: 14 grams
Fat: 2 grams
Final Thoughts
You can substitute the pear for most fruits. Understand that some fruits (pineapple and mango, for example) will be on the sweeter side. I know it’s sugar from fruit, which is obviously better than added sugar … but I recommend limiting your sugar content to maintain optimal body composition.
If you like a little more sweetness, add a little organic stevia … or raw honey if you’re splurging. Just not too much, because it is sugar! 😉
Even mentioning the words protein powder can stir up heated debates among doctors, nutritionists, athletes, vegan/vegetarians, and everyone in between.
In this article, I’ll dispel the myths and misconceptions … and break down the latest and greatest science of protein powder. I’ll answer your most common questions I get on the topic, such as:
What exactly is protein powder?
How is it made?
What are the different types of protein powders?
How much protein do you need?
How/when should you consume protein powders for optimal health?
What are the risks and benefits plant based protein powder vs. animal protein powders like whey, collagen, etc.?
How do you choose the best one for you?
Without further ado, let us begin …
What Is Protein Powder?
Proteins are organic molecules made up of amino acids (the building blocks of life). Protein helps build, maintain, and replace the tissues in your body. Your muscles, organs, and immune system are made up mostly of protein.
Protein powder is a powdered form of protein made from plant-based or animal sources.
What Happens When You Eat Protein
When you eat protein, your stomach uses its acid and enzymes to break it down into those “building blocks” we talked about (amino acids).
The most important of the amino acids for building lean muscle and losing fat are called BCAAs, or Branched Chain Amino Acids.
Together, the three BCAAs (leucine, isoleucine, and valine) account for as much as 33% of muscle tissue. Here’s a brief overview of each:
Leucine is a branched chain amino acid that helps your body synthesize protein.
Isoleucine is a BCAA that can help your body regulate blood sugar levels and ensure your muscle cells are metabolizing sugar (instead of fat cells).
Valine is the least important BCAA for body composition (it’s also the least-studied).
Protein powders can come from plant or animal sources, each having a different make-up of amino acids.
Different Types of Protein Powders (and Their Benefits and Risks)
There’s some intriguing science about the most common types of protein powder sources that we’ll explore a bit further …
Benefits and Risks of Whey Protein Powder
As mentioned, whey protein has been studied more than any other protein powder. A quick search of “whey protein powder” on PubMed brings up close to 600 studies to date.
While you can certainly find studies like this one that showed no link between whey protein and body composition, the overall body of evidence seems to suggest that whey works for building muscle.
A meta analysis (a review of a group of studies) published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition looked at 14 clinical studies including a total of 626 adults and concluded that whey protein powder has favorable effects on body composition (and is even more effective when combined with resistance training).
However, there are some side effects associated with whey protein, particularly on kidney and liver function and for those with sensitivities and allergies to dairy.
Benefits and Risks of Casein Protein
Casein is a slower digesting form of milk-based protein. T
When it comes to the effectiveness of casein vs whey protein, one study showed that casein did not have any noticeable differences on body composition, strength, and power and agility compared to whey.
Casein has a few flaws as a protein source too. One study found that it promotes the growth of prostate cancer cells. And since it’s milk-based, it’s not a good choice if you’re sensitive to dairy.
Benefits and Risks of Brown Rice Protein Powder
Rice protein is a plant-based protein powder used by vegans, vegetarians, and people who can’t tolerate dairy products like whey and casein. In one study published in the journal Nutrition, researchers found that rice protein had similar effects on body composition as whey.
In other words, there was no difference between the group of subjects that took rice protein and the one that took whey protein; both experienced positive body composition changes.
One of the main complaints you’ll hear about rice protein is it’s high in potentially toxic heavy metals like arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury.
While it’s true consuming high amounts of some of these metals can lead to negative health effects, heavy metals are in all plants that grow in soil. Here’s a quote from Jon Barron’s research article on the topic:
In summary, don’t have a knee jerk reaction to the label “heavy metals.” (Both calcium and iron are technically heavy metals.) Yes, obviously, when it comes to “toxic” heavy metals, less is better than more. But the issue is far more nuanced than a simple label–or even numbers on a chart for that matter. You have to factor in whether or not the element actually has any “proven” toxicity (tungsten has no demonstrated toxicity), whether it’s organic or inorganic (organic arsenic is virtually ignored by the body), and whether it’s bound or unbound (bound cadmium has only 2-6% absorbability).
That’s why it’s up to you as the consumer to ask the manufacturer of your protein powder what their heavy metal contents are, especially if they use rice protein (if they won’t share those numbers, it’s a big red flag).
And choose a rice protein from organic brown rice sourced outside of China to avoid ingesting potential chemical pesticides and herbicides.
Benefits and Risks of Pea Protein
Pea protein is another popular plant-based source of protein. It’s becoming increasingly prevalent in vegetarian / vegan / dairy free powders for several reasons:
Pea protein powder is among the most hypoallergenic of all protein powders, as it contains no gluten or dairy.
It’s easy on the gut and doesn’t cause bloating, a common side effect of many other protein powders from animal sources.
It has been shown in small studies to have similar effects to whey protein on body composition.
Pea protein has a PDCAA (digestible indispensable amino acid score) of .89 (whey is 1). When combined with rice, hemp, and/or soy in certain combinations, you can get this number to 1.0–the same as whey!
While pea protein hasn’t been studied as much as whey or soy, it is a promising protein source for those looking for alternatives to dairy proteins. Again, organic pea protein is always a safer choice because you’re ingesting less pesticides.
Benefits and Risks of Soy Protein Powder
Soy protein is another popular plant-based protein powder. Most men should avoid it because it contains isoflavones and phytoestrogens that share similarities with estrogen.
However, according to several studies, soy protein may have body composition benefits for older women.
One study showed that a daily supplement of soy protein prevented increases in subcutaneous and total abdominal fat in older women. Another showed soy protein had a mild effect on body composition in elderly women.
One caveat: whey has been shown to be more effective than soy for improving lean body mass when combined with resistance training. So if lean body mass is your goal, you may want to consider other protein sources than soy if you’re using a protein powder.
How Is Protein Powder Made?
Protein powder processing methods depend on the type of protein and the company making it.
Whey Protein Processing
Most commercial whey protein powders are made using a high-heat, acid-flushed, “ion exchange” process to separate the whey from the cow’s milk. This can strip away vital nutrients.
So why do companies use it?
Because processing protein with acids is cheaper, of course.
If you decide a whey protein supplement is best for you, I recommend choosing one that’s from grass-fed cows, cold processed, and has zero sugar and as few ingredients as possible.
What if you can’t tolerate milk-based products or prefer plant-based protein powders though?
Plant Based Protein Processing
Many of the supposedly-healthy plant proteins used in supplements and packaged foods today are processed using hexane, a petroleum-basedneurotoxin. Using hexane is an efficient and highly profitable way for food manufacturers to remove oil from plants and separate the protein.
If you decide a plant protein powder is a better option for you, look for plant-based protein powders that are organic and “enzymatically sprouted,” which means all-natural enzymes are used rather than chemicals to separate the protein from the plant.
Also, sprouting grains used in plant-based powders (e.g., rice, pea, amaranth) increases many of the plants’ key nutrients, including B vitamins, vitamin C, folate, fiber, and essential amino acids often lacking in grains, such as lysine. Sprouted grains may also be less allergenic to those with grain sensitivities.
Who Should Take Protein Powder?
Protein powders are not just for gym rats. In fact, most people could stand to get more protein in their diets. Here’s why:
Adding protein powders to your daily regimen is an easy way to get more protein in your diet.
So How Much Protein Do You Need to Achieve Maximum Benefits?
It depends on several factors:
How much muscle you currently have. The more muscular you are, the more amino acids your body needs to maintain your current body composition. If you don’t know your body composition and want to make real, measurable improvements to your health, go see a personal trainer who offers body composition analysis so you can get a “baseline” of where you’re currently at.
Your hormones. If your body has high levels of growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), it will use protein more efficiently than someone with low levels. These hormones decrease as you age, which is one of the reasons why older adults need more protein.
So back to the original question: how much protein do you need?
The current recommendation for protein intake is 0.8 grams per kilogram (or around 0.36 grams per pound) of body mass in generally healthy adults.
However, this protein intake recommendation is only to prevent protein deficiency and maintain nitrogen balance in the body (a negative nitrogen balance indicates that muscle is being broken down and used for energy).
It’s not necessarily optimal.
Studies show that athletes, active people, and older individuals may require even more protein (1.4 – 2.0 g/kg of body weight).
In a study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, researchers compared muscle development in three groups of athletes on the same exercise routine but with different protein intake levels.
One group was given 1.4g/kg of body weight, the second group received 1.8g/kg of body weight, and the third group got 2.0g/kg of body weight.
The researchers found that 1.8 grams per kilogram of body weight was sufficient to see favorable changes in body composition in athletes.
When Should I Take Protein Powder for the Most Benefit–Before or After a Workout?
If your goal is to lose body fat and increase lean body mass (muscle), then the answer is both.
In a study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, researchers concluded the following:
High-quality protein dosed at 0.4–0.5 g/kg of LBM at both pre- and post-exercise is a simple, relatively fail-safe general guideline that reflects the current evidence showing a maximal acute anabolic effect of 20–40 g
That’s 27-34 grams of protein both before and after a workout for a 150-pound adult.
Couple other interesting things the study authors noted:
Despite claims that you need to take protein immediately (within 1 hour) after a workout to maximize gains, evidence-based support for such an “anabolic window of opportunity” is far from definitive.
Even minimal-to-moderate pre-exercise high-quality protein taken immediately before resistance training is capable of sustaining amino acid delivery into the post-exercise period. In other words, eating protein before your workout may have more impact.
Long story short, eat a little protein before and after a workout if building muscle and/or losing body fat is your goal.
What Is the Best Protein Powder?
“Best” is an ambiguous term. The best protein supplement for you depends on your age, your health goals, and a number of other factors.
Here are a few common things to consider:
What protein powders get absorbed by your body best?
What protein powders do not cause digestive distress (gas, bloating, etc.) when you take them?
What type of protein is best for your unique health needs (losing muscle, building fat, etc.)?
I personally make a big shake with a variety of protein powders (80-100 grams total) and will split it up into two or three shakes that I’ll drink at various points throughout the day.
The criteria I use to select protein powders is quite simple:
Natural, USA-sourced ingredients I can pronounce
No added sugar or other junk
Reasonable cost per gram of protein
Pure Food is one of the few powders that meets these standards.
Choosing a protein powder is a highly personal decision though.
For most people, the potential benefits of protein powder outweigh the risks if your diet is lacking in protein and/or you want to improve your body composition.
b) There is no single best protein powder for women.
Stay with me though …
Because there are certain objective criteria you can look at and questions you can ask to evaluate protein powders to find the best one for you (whether you’re a woman or a man).
In this post I’ll share those insights with you.
Plus, I’ll show you supposedly all-natural ingredients to avoid based on my 15+ years as a science writer/researcher in the health and wellness industry and founder of my own small nutrition company.
We’ll begin by looking at several types of protein.
Whey Protein
You may have heard that whey protein is the best type of protein powder for women.
That may not be the case though.
Here’s why …
Whey is derived from dairy and while it doesn’t contain as much lactose as milk, it does still contain a small amount, which can be problematic for anyone sensitive to dairy-based products.
According to the National Institutes of Health, 65 percent of adults have a reduced ability to digest dairy (this is called lactose intolerance).
Lactose intolerance can cause any number of the following:
Aside from these inflammatory responses lactose intolerance may leads to, whey is also hyper-insulinogenic. This means your body secretes a lot of insulin when you eat it.
Hyperinsulinemia is associated with hypertension, obesity, dyslipidemia, and glucose intolerance (collectively known as metabolic syndrome).
Can whey protein help if you’re a woman looking to gain lean body mass / improve body composition? It appears so.
But the potential side effects may outweigh the benefits for those with a lactose sensitivity. Some manufacturers add the digestive enzyme lactase to effectively “cancel out” the lactose in their products.
A report published by the DHHS Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Effects of Soy on Health Outcomes, concluded that there was “little evidence to support a beneficial role of soy and soy isoflavones in bone health, cancer, reproductive health, neurocognitive function, and other health parameters.”
Also, most non-organic soy protein is derived from GMO crops.
Rice Protein
Whey protein is commonly thought of as a superior protein source for women looking to improve body composition (lose fat, increase muscle) compared to plant-based protein powders.
However, when one group of researchers studied whey vs. rice protein head to head, they found that both whey and rice offered similar post-exercise body composition benefits … there were no statistically significant differences between the two groups.
Another study found that leucine, the key amino acid to activate muscle building, was absorbed faster from rice protein than leucine from whey protein. The study also found that amino acids in brown rice protein are highly bioavailable and are non-statistically different from whey protein in trained athletes, despite claims from whey proponents claiming superior digestibility and “bioavailability.”
However, certain brands of rice protein have tested high for heavy metals like arsenic, which has made rice protein the source of much debate as well.
If you’re going to use a rice protein powder, make sure you ask the manufacturer for the heavy metal counts.
Finally, rice protein may be more beneficial when combined with other plant sources …
Pea Protein
Pea protein is one of the best plant-based sources of protein if you’re looking to replace body fat with lean muscle. It may also help you:
Pea protein has an impressive amino acid profile that may be complementary with other plant-based sources like rice and hemp.
Hemp Protein
Hemp protein is generally made of about 50% protein and 50% fiber. Because of this, some critics knock it as a protein source.
But hemp is one of the only vegan protein sources that contains all nine essential amino acids.
And hemp protein provides the essential fatty acids Omega-3 and Omega-6 in a well balanced 3:1 ratio.
Consuming hemp is safe, healthy and legal (no, it won’t get you high). On top of that, hemp protein powder may help improve heart health, decrease osteoporosis risk, reduce sugar cravings and boost your immune system.
When combined with other plant proteins it offers a powerful plant-based complement.
Other Plant Based Proteins Powders
There are plenty of other plant-based protein sources on the market (pumpkin seed, sacha inchi, flax, chia, barley, and algae, to name a few).
Not many of them have been studied in humans yet though.
This doesn’t make them bad options. Just stick with ones that are a) organic and b) processed using low heat methods (otherwise, vital nutrients can get destroyed).
What’s the Best Protein Powder for Weight Loss?
Most protein powders can help you lose weight as long as you create a calorie deficit.
Unfortunately, many of the protein products out there are marketed as weight loss supplements with “all-natural ingredients.” I’ll talk about the latter point in a minute, but the truth is, there’s no such thing as a “weight loss protein powder”.
Supplement companies use this data to their advantage and market their products to supposedly help women lose weight.
Check out this report from the National Institutes of Health for more info about common ingredients touted for their weight loss benefits (spoiler alert: most don’t have a strong body of evidence to support their supposed efficacy).
There are actually certain ingredients protein powder manufacturers put in their products that may do more harm than good for some women … even though they’re marketed as all natural and clean.
Here are a few, in particular, to think twice about …
Protein Powder Ingredients Women Should Avoid
Red Flag Ingredient #1: Sugar
I’ve reviewed many protein powders that contain 10 grams or more of added sugar per serving.
That’s roughly half a day’s worth if you’re a woman and a third of a day’s worth if you’re a man.
Sugar is one of the biggest causes of weight gain, type 2 diabetes, and obesity.
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.
And artificial sweeteners like sucralose and sugar alcohols like xylitol may be worse.
Red Flag Ingredient #2: Natural Flavors
The FDA allows food companies to use the term “natural flavors” to describe any food additive that originated in nature. They’re now the 4th most common ingredient on food labels.
In a fascinating 2011 interview that aired on 60 Minutes, scientists from Givaudan, one of the largest companies in the $24 billion flavor market, admitted their number one goal when creating flavors was to make them addictive!
One of my biggest beefs with these “all natural” flavors is protein powder manufacturers don’t have to tell you what’s in them.
David Andrews, Senior Scientist at the Environmental Working Group (EWG), has this to say about 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. For people who have uncommon food allergies or are on restricted diets, this can be a serious concern. [Natural flavors] will often have some solvent and preservatives—and that makes up 80 to 90 percent of the volume. In the end product, it’s a small amount, but it still has artificial ingredients.
Here’s my final red flag …
Red Flag Ingredient #3: Fillers, Gums, Emulsifiers
We talked about potential allergens and additives in flavors. But there are some other common ingredients to be wary of when you see them on the ingredients list of protein powders.
Food manufacturers love these fillers because they have unique properties that add desirable texture and/or shelf life to processed foods.
But they may come at a price: many have been shown to cause digestive distress and gut imbalances and/or raise your glycemic load, which can lead to a whole other set of issues.
If you’re using a protein powder, particularly a plant-based one, that doesn’t have organic ingredients, there’s a high likelihood all of those ingredients are sprayed with pesticides and other chemicals.
Summary: What’s the Best All Natural Protein Powder for Women?
Let’s not sugarcoat it: most women humans buy nutritional supplements like protein powders because they want to look better and/or feel better.
But what if looking and feeling better comes with a price?
Many protein powders have ingredients that cause inflammation, change your gut flora, raise your blood sugar, or worse.
Even most of the ones marketed as “all natural” have some type of highly-processed pseudo-food like gums, fillers, and other additives.
Most of them are deemed safe for consumption by the FDA … but “natural” has quickly become an ambiguous and over-marketed term in the protein powder business.
At the end of the day, to find the best all-natural protein powders for you, start with the ingredients: do you only see ingredients you recognize as real food on the label or are they pseudo-foods that contain added sugar, fillers, additives, and other junk?
In most cases it’s the latter, unfortunately. In my opinion, the potential price you’ll pay down the road is not worth the risk when it comes to protein powders that contain these types of ingredients.
The best protein powder for you depends largely on your health and fitness goals too.
Are you trying to lose body fat? Gain muscle mass? Eat cleaner, more natural foods?
Again, the ingredients and nutrition facts are really the only objective source of truth you should be using to evaluate your protein powder. If you have further questions/comments, reply at the bottom!
With a name like Women’s Best Protein Powder, you can bet my expectations were quite high when reviewing this product.
First, I’m going to assume your definition of “best” is similar to mine: high quality ingredients and superior nutrition.
One thing I can tell you with 100% certainty is this:
The ingredients in Women’s Best Proteins are definitely not the highest quality.
In fact, some may be quite detrimental to your health.
I’ll explain why in this review …
Researching Plant Protein Powders?
CLICK HERE to get our FREE Google Sheet comparing 25+ brands by nutrition, ingredients, and cost.
What Is Women’s Best?
Here’s the first red flag: I couldn’t find any information about this company.
Their website is registered in Austria and they claim “Fast Shipping to USA” on their site … so it doesn’t appear as if Women’s Best is a U.S. company (which I don’t have a problem with, for the record … just pointing it out because I found it odd there wasn’t any information about the company available on the site).
Anyways, Women’s Best sells a whole bunch of products. I’m going to focus my reviews on their protein powders, including:
Vegan Protein
Slim Body Shake
Superfood Smoothies,
Whey Protein
Let’s get to it …
Women’s Best Protein Powder Nutrition Facts and Ingredients Analysis
1. Vegan Protein
Vanilla
Nice protein blend … but then they add “natural” flavors and the artificial sweetener sucralose. Find out why you should avoid these below …
Chocolate
Same junk as the vanilla vegan product.
Strawberry
I’m starting to sound like a broken record …
Banana
Cookies N Cream
Latte Macchiato
Salted Caramel
This one also has “caramel powder,” which you can be sure has some additives Women’s Best isn’t listing on the label.
Raspberry Vanilla
Unflavored
Heck, even the “Unflavored” has sucralose and stevia? Why??
2. Slim Body Shake
Vanilla
The “Slim Body” formula is garbage. It’s loaded with corn- and soy-based fillers and additives.
3. Superfood Smoothies
All Green Superfood Smoothie
Lot of good ingredients but unfortunately, they’re not organic. Plus you have gums/synthetic fibers as the #2 ingredient and sucralose!
All Red Superfood Smoothie
More of the same for the Red Superfood Smoothie.
All Black Superfood Smoothie
Same junk as the other smoothie products. Coconut milk powder always contains excipients (fillers) because of its high fat content (or else it clumps together). If it’s not listed on the label, it’s usually GMO corn-based maltodextrin!
4. Whey Protein
I’m not even going to waste your time reviewing all the whey flavors. They ALL contain junk-filled “aromas” (aka, natural flavors), thickening agents, fillers (lecithin) and the artificial sweetener sucralose.
Red Flag Ingredients
Here’s a little deeper dive into some of those ingredients I flagged above …
Natural Flavors
Other than salt, water, and sugar, natural flavors are the fourth most common ingredient on food labels today.
The FDA allows food companies to use the term “natural flavors” to describe any food additive that originated in nature. However, it’s not the source ingredient I have a problem with … it’s all the other junk they’re allowed to add.
According to David Andrews, Senior Scientist at the Environmental Working Group:
[Natural flavors] will often have some solvent and preservatives—and that makes up 80 to 90 percent of the volume. In the end product, it’s a small amount, but it still has artificial ingredients.
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.
Sucralose
Sucralose is an artificial sweetener that is the cause of much controversy. Several researchers contend that sucralose negatively impacts the gut. Studies have showed it can induce negative changes in the microbiome and enzymes. And some animal studies have shown that it may cause cancer.
Although the cancer study has been challenged by the European Food Safety Agency (a group that has strong food industry ties), I will side with the unbiased Center for Science in the Public Interest on this one. They say:
Our bottom-line advice to consumers, especially children and pregnant women, is that they continue to avoid sucralose and aspartame, as well as the artificial sweeteners acesulfame-potassium and saccharin. The potential cancer risk to humans is small, but there is no reason to accept any cancer risk from these products.
Gums and Lecithin
WB uses gums and lecithins, which are popular food additives used to thicken processed foods.
These ingredients can cause major side effects for anyone who suffers from GI issues. Plus, if they’re not organic, they’re usually sourced from GMO soy and/or corn.
Non-Organic Ingredients
All Women’s Best protein powders contain ingredients that are not organic. While there are certainly products with organic ingredients that are bad for you, non-organic ingredients means there’s a good chance you’re ingesting pesticides and other chemicals with your protein shake.
Women’s Best Reviews Summed Up
Because of ingredients like sucralose, “natural” flavors, and gums/fillers, I recommend avoiding all Women’s Best protein powder products.
If you’re looking for a clean, plant-based protein with no additives, fillers, and artificial sweeteners, try Pure Food Protein instead.
In this review, I’m going to tell you why you may want to think twice about buying Usana protein shakes and powders.
While I do sell a protein powder of my own, my reviews of Usana proteins are as unbiased as possible because I evaluated all their protein products using two objective criteria: 1.) Ingredients, 2.) Nutrition Facts Labels.
No company can hide behind these two pieces of information.
Long story short, for Usana they revealed some pretty shady stuff.
Let’s get started …
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What Is Usana?
According to their website:
USANA manufactures the highest-rated, most effective nutritional supplements and health care products in the world. Our products are the best money can buy.
Usana sells their products through a process they call “direct selling.” It’s also known as MLM (Multi-Level Marketing) or a “pyramid scheme.” This is the same model companies like Beachbody (who sells Shakeology), Isagenix, Arbonne, and Herbalife use. You sign up as a rep and then get a commission for selling Usana protein powders and other products to your family and friends.
The reason I bring this up is not to knock on MLM companies (there are some decent ones out there) but to point out that most Usana protein reviews you see online have a vested interest in selling Usana products.
In this analysis I’ll be focusing on Usana protein powder products.
These include Usana NutriMeal and MySmart Shakes. Usana sells a lot of other products. Some of them look perfectly fine from a nutrition standpoint.
Unfortunately I can’t say the same about their proteins, as you’re about to see …
Usana NutriMeal and MySmart Protein Shakes Review
Here’s how my reviews work …
First I’ll show you the nutrition facts labels and ingredients for each product. You’ll see “red flags” highlighted for each.
Then I’ll go into detail about each of these ingredients below the images.
Let’s have a look …
Nutrition Facts and Ingredients Analysis
NutriMeal Nutrition Facts / Ingredients
Chocolate
17 grams of sugar per serving plus all types of gut-disrupting fillers, “flavors”, and additives. More on this below…
Vanilla
More sugar, more junk.
Strawberry
MySmart Shakes Nutrition Facts / Ingredients
MySmart Plant-based Shake
More gums, fillers, and flavors. Don’t let the “plant-based” moniker fool you.
MySmart Soy Protein
Soy protein has some major flaws … more on this below.
MySmart Whey Protein
More additives, thickeners, and fillers.
MySmart Dark Strawberry Flavor Optimizer
Erythritol is a sugar alcohol that can cause severe GI distress. Usana adds 7 grams of the stuff to two of their “flavor optimizers”.
MySmart Dark Chocolate Flavor Optimizer
MySmart Milk Chocolate Flavor Optimizer
The Milk Chocolate flavor optimizer skips the sugar alcohols and just adds plain ‘ole sugar in the form of evaporated cane juice.
MySmart Whey Protein Plus
Even Usana’s “pure” whey protein has a highly processed filler ingredient (sunflower lecithin).
Red Flag Ingredients
Protein sources: Most of Usana’s protein products contain whey protein and/or soy protein. Dairy-based protein powders have been shown to have negative side effects for many people. If you can tolerate whey, great. Soy protein may have some beneficial properties for older women. It’s not a good choice for men, however, because it’s high in phytoestrogens, plant compounds that have estrogen-like structures. Soy is also one of the “Big 8” allergens, so it may cause inflammation, a precursor to most diseases, if you’re sensitive to soy. And it’s almost always sourced from GMO soybeans unless it’s organic.
Sugars and sugar alcohols: NutriMeal has between 17 and 18 grams of sugar, depending on the flavor. This is 75% of the amount of added sugar most people are supposed to eat in an entire day. Two of the MySmart Flavor Enhancers I reviewed use the sugar alcohol erythritol. The problems with sugar alcohols are 1.) your body cannot absorb them and 2.) they can cause major gas and bloating and other GI issues.
Natural flavors: Like most flavored protein powders, Usana uses “natural” flavors. Natural flavors are made of 80-90% solvents and preservatives, according to the Environmental Working Group (EWG). Despite their innocent-sounding name, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) says natural flavors “may trigger an acute, allergic reaction, intolerance, or other problems.”
Gums/Fillers/Thickeners: Usana uses a lot of different additives and fillers in its products, many of which can be disruptive to gut health. These include soy or sunflower lecithin, guar gum, xanthan gum, gum arabic, and cellulose gum (aka wood pulp).
Bottom Line: Are Usana Protein Powders Good for You?
Despite Usana’s claims of selling “the best products money can buy,” the fact is Usana’s protein products are:
Not organic, which means most of their ingredients are likely sprayed with chemical pesticides and herbicides.
Have too much sugar (some, not all).
Are loaded with additives, fillers, and “natural” flavors, which are definitely not real food.
There are definitely worse protein powders you can buy, but based on my reviews and ingredients and nutrition analysis for NutriMeal and MySmart proteins, I recommend sticking with a product with 100% real food, organic ingredients instead.
The makers of Progenex protein powders talk a big game on their website…
Where most companies’ proteins end, ours is just beginning. Most companies only concentrate their protein to a lower-grade concentrate; we isolate ours, and then we keep going. Our whey protein isolates are then enzymatically hydrolyzed. This hydrolyzation process breaks the isolated proteins down into peptides, including di- and tri-peptides, which are more rapidly digested and absorbed. Before we get to a finished product, the previously isolated growth factors are reintroduced into our whey protein.
In this review, you’ll find out why most of their “superior science” claims like this are just overhyped marketing. I’m also going to analyze the nutrition facts and ingredients lists (the real sources of truth) in the following Progenex protein powders: Recovery, More Muscle, and Cocoon.
To find out more, read on …
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Progenex Lawsuits, and Fraudulent Labels Claims
Progenex is pretty popular among CrossFitters. However, in 2015, CrossFit swiftly yanked its affiliation and sponsorship deal they had in place with Progenex and made a clear move to distance its brand from the supplement company.
Based on verified sources, including lab tests and legal documents:
Progenex contains the same exact protein as many other brands. Optimum Nutrition and BSN, for example, are owned by the company who sells protein to Progenex. No argument can be made that Progenex contains anything not available from either of those two companies.
Based on #1, Progenex is charging 2-3x more, for the same protein as we can find in other products. Also based on #1, their advertising claim that the product contains a “proprietary whey” is false.
The company has a background and history that most of us do not wish to support, including but not limited to a criminal background for most of the executives (fraud, etc…) and a currently ongoing lawsuit for fraud and another for patent infringement, plus a lawsuit by the original founder against one of their lawyers.
We’ve seen documents indicating that the “support” they had at their first Crossfit Games was as a direct result of paying off SMEs behind the scenes to wear their shirt and endorse their products.
It is still somewhat unsettled to some, but generally there is a belief that they don’t respect us or our community.
Similar or better products can be had through other vendors.
The study we saw passed around the community when Progenex first came on the scene, was based on a whey protein hydrolysate that is no longer found in the product. When Dr. Scott Connelly left the company, that protein went with him, and they replaced it with a generic whey hydrolysate.
Progenex Protein Powder and Meal Replacement Nutrition Facts and Ingredients Analysis
Like I say in all my reviews, we have access to two pieces of information that help us determine if these Progenex marketing claims are really true: the nutrition facts and ingredients.
I’ll be analyzing each of these for Progenex More Muscle, Recovery, and Cocoon.
Let’s get to it …
More Muscle
According to Progenex:
More Muscle is one of the most advanced and unique whey protein supplements on the market today. It is specifically formulated for fast absorption and maximum uptake. It is manufactured in a two-stage process. The first stage isolates growth factors that can be found in early-stage cow’s milk, extracting and concentrating them using a unique proprietary process. The second stage microfilters and ultrafilters the cold-processed whey into high quality whey protein isolate.
The other ingredients in the product tell quite a different story though …
2nd ingredient added sugar, “natural” flavors, and the artificial sweetener sucralose? Not starting out so well here. This flavor also has GMO soy-based lecithin, a cheap, processed, highly inflammatory filler.
Recovery
Recovery is Progenex’s post-workout powder. Here’s a look at the ingredients/nutrition for each flavor…
Same crap as the More Muscle powders …
Cocoon
Cocoon is their “nighttime” protein powder that supposedly helps you sleep better.
More of the same … except Cocoon has dextrose, along with corn-based maltodextrin. Don’t think those ingredients are a recipe for a good night’s sleep!
Now let’s a take a deeper dive into those ingredients I flagged…
Red Flag Ingredients
Added Sugar (“Natural” and Artificial)
Most Progenex proteins have between 5 and 9 grams of sugar per serving, from various sources (fructose, dextrose, and table sugar, or sucrose).
Progenex defends its addition of sugar by saying your body needs sugar after a workout.
Yes, that’s true.
But the average person eats 82 grams of it every day … so there’s no reason for it to be added to your protein powder.
Then there’s the artificial sweetener they use, 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.
There are also 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.
If this stuff causes cancer in animals, do you really want to be eating it?
“Natural” Flavors
The FDA allows food companies to use the term “natural flavors” to describe any food additive that originated in nature.
The Environmental Working Group found in its research of 80,000 food products that only salt, water and sugar are listed more often than “natural” flavors on food labels.
According to David Andrews, Senior Scientist at the Environmental Working Group (EWG):
[Natural flavors] will often have some solvent and preservatives—and that makes up 80 to 90 percent of the volume. In the end product, it’s a small amount, but it still has artificial ingredients.
Problem is, we don’t really know the impact that years of consuming these additives could have on our bodies.
If you see any type of “flavors” on a food label, that’s a big warning sign.
GMO Corn- and Soy-based Fillers
Maltodextrin is a corn-based thickener/filler used in processed foods. A 2012 study found that consuming maltodextrin increased bacterial adhesion to human intestinal epithelial cells and enhanced E. coli adhesion, which is associated with autoimmune disorders and dybiosis in your gut.
Another study found that maltodextrin impairs cellular antibacterial responses and suppresses intestinal antimicrobial defense mechanisms, leading to inflammatory bowel disease and other GI conditions that arise from an inappropriate immune response to bacteria.
For people with grain allergies and intolerances, maltodextrin can exacerbate any current unpleasant symptoms you’re experiencing.
If you have any GI issues or suffer from joint pain, inflammation, and/or fatigue, avoid products with corn- and soy-based fillers like maltodextrin and soy lecithin.
Protein Sources
If you’re one of the few people who can tolerate dairy products (2/3 of the population cannot), then an organic, grass-fed whey protein isn’t a bad option.
But I’m sick and tired of companies like Progenex citing industry-backed studies claiming whey’s superiority over plant-based protein sources. Just because hundreds of millions of dollars have been poured into studies by companies trying to push more whey protein powder on unsuspecting customers, doesn’t make it “better.”
Whey actually has a lot of side effects that these guys don’t tell you about. Listen to your body. If you feel any type of gas, bloating, inflammation, or fatigue after taking whey protein, then stop immediately and try something else.
Non-organic Ingredients
None of the ingredients in Progenex protein powders are organic. This means there’s a chance your protein shake also contains pesticides, herbicides, and other chemicals.
Progenex Reviews Summed Up
On its “Science” page, Progenex says:
Many protein brands include hard-to-digest fillers and “junk” ingredients that can leave you feeling bloated.
Yet the hard-to-digest fillers and junk ingredients is exactly what they use in every protein powder I analyzed!
Progenex likes to tout their “superior science” yet cites studies like these with tiny samples sizes:
And others that are 20-30 years old:
Any protein powder manufacturer can cherry pick studies to back up their product.
Long story short, there’s a reason Progenex has been slapped with a bunch of lawsuits: their products do not work as-advertised.
My $0.02: stick with a protein powder with organic, real food ingredients instead of ones like Progenex that are loaded with sugar, processed fillers, and “flavors”.
Plnt is a new-ish protein powder brand created by Vitamin Shoppe. Upon first glance, it looks like a viable plant-based protein for those looking to avoid dairy and other animal proteins.
However …
When I quickly browsed Vitamin Shoppe Plnt Powder reviews on their website and Amazon, I was surprised to find that most people who have tried it are not big fans.
And in this review, I’m going to share another (totally different) reason why you might want to avoid it: the junk ingredients they put in it!
I haven’t tasted Plnt, nor do I plan to, because one glance at the nutrition facts label and ingredient list is all I needed to determine that this protein powder is completecrap.
To find out more, read on …
*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. These reveal a lot about Plnt and Vitamin Shoppe as you’re about to see.
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What Is Plnt?
From Vitamin Shoppe’s website:
Welcome to the world of plnt®: an array of earth-friendly herbs, supplements and whole foods independently tested to ensure purity, potency and consistent quality. The plnt line of products is gluten-free and dairy-free, with ingredients sourced in nature. That’s why we leave out the “a” in plnt, to represent the absence of artificial preservatives, colors, flavors or sweeteners. The result is nutrition that you can believe in.
Sounds great on paper.
Like I said before though, we have access to two pieces of information that help us determine if these warm and fuzzy marketing claims are really true: the nutrition facts and ingredients.
I’ll be analyzing each of these for Vitamin Shoppe’s two Plnt products:
Plnt Protein (available in Vanilla and Chocolate)
Plnt Protein Meal Replacement (available in Vanilla and Chocolate)
Let’s get to it …
Plnt Protein Powder and Meal Replacement Nutrition Facts and Ingredients Analysis
1. Plnt Protein
Things don’t look so bad upon first glance. Until you get to the “Other Ingredients”.
This is where things get dicey.
Scroll down to the “Red Flag Ingredients” section to learn more about the ones that are most troublesome.
Vanilla
Read more below about “natural” vanilla and caramel flavors, gums, and maltodextrin.
Chocolate
Same junk-filled “Other Ingredients”. And where’s the cacao? There’s no actual chocolate in the product, just “flavors.”
2. Plnt Meal Replacement
I’ll be honest: there are some really impressive ingredients here. I like the protein blend, the digestive blend (they use the same probiotic strain as we do), and the fermented whole food blend (even though there’s just a speck of it at 50 mg)
But same story for the meal replacement product … it’s those pesky “Other Ingredients” that ruin an otherwise decent product.
See what I’m talking about …
Vanilla
The Plnt Meal Replacement shake also has corn starch … not good.
Chocolate
Red Flag Ingredients
Now we’ll take a deeper dive into some of those ingredients I flagged above …
“Natural” Vanilla, Chocolate, Caramel, and Chai Flavors
Natural flavors are far from natural. Here’s what scientists at the Environmental Working Group (EWG) say about them:
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.
If you see any type of “flavors” on a food label, that’s a big warning sign … 99% of companies won’t disclose what’s in them because they don’t have to.
Corn-based Thickeners (Maltodextrin, Corn Starch)
Maltodextrin is a corn-based thickener/filler used in processed foods. A 2012 study found that consuming maltodextrin increased bacterial adhesion to human intestinal epithelial cells and enhanced E. coli adhesion, which is associated with autoimmune disorders and dybiosis in your gut.
Another study found that maltodextrin impairs cellular antibacterial responses and suppresses intestinal antimicrobial defense mechanisms, leading to inflammatory bowel disease and other GI conditions that arise from an inappropriate immune response to bacteria.
For people with grain allergies and intolerances, maltodextrin can exacerbate any current unpleasant symptoms you’re experiencing.
If you have any GI issues or suffer from joint pain and inflammation, avoid products with corn-based fillers like maltodextrin and corn starch.
Gums
All Plnt proteins contain xanthan gums, which are popular food additives used to thicken processed foods.
Xanthan gum can cause some very unpleasant side effects though (gas, bloating, cramping, etc.). And people who are exposed to xanthan gum powder might also experience flu-like symptoms, nose and throat irritation, and lung issues.
Again, if you have any gut health or inflammation issues, it’s best to avoid gums.
Non-organic Ingredients
Most of the ingredients in both Plnt protein powder and meal replacement are not organic. The problem with any plant-based food that’s not organic is there’s a strong probability it was grown with the use of pesticides, herbicides, and other chemicals.
Nobody wants pesticides in their protein shake.
Vitamin Shoppe Plnt Reviews Summed Up
Vitamin Shoppe’s Plnt is a run-of-the-mill protein powder that has a lot of red flag ingredients.
Stick with an organic plant-based protein powder with real food ingredients instead of the processed thickeners, fillers, gums, and “flavors”.
Before I get to my Biotrust Low Carb Protein Powder reviews, I want to tell you a quick story.
Back in the mid-90’s, I was a skinny punk teenager with aspirations of “bulking up.” I bought the cheapest protein powder I could find, which at the time meant I alternated between three brands: Optimum Nutrition, Designer Protein, and EAS.
I didn’t care what was in them … I just wanted more protein while I listened to GNR on my Discman and did nothing but bench presses and curls.
Thankfully today I’m just a little more discerning in how I choose protein powders and workout regimens.
Anyways, there’s a point to my story …
One of the founders of Biotrust worked for EAS before starting his own company. As a fellow entrepreneur, I admire how he’s been able to grow his brand. Heck, I’ve read stuff from almost every one of the people on Biotrust’s “Fitness Team,” so these guys clearly have great networking skills.
However …
Despite their boasts of top-notch quality assurance and science-backed nutrition, some of the ingredients Biotrust uses in its protein powders may have some side effects, according to research studies I’ll point out below.
In this review, I’m going to analyze the ingredients Biotrust puts in its products along with their nutrition facts labels. I’ll share some clinical studies about these ingredients.
First a disclaimer:This review is my opinion and based on my interpretation of Biotrust’s nutrition facts and ingredients list.
Biotrust Low Carb Protein Powder Reviews
Biotrust sells 6 flavors of its low carb protein: chocolate, vanilla, cafe mocha, strawberry banana, peach mango, and chocolate peanut butter.
They have an impressive network of people promoting their product, a fully staffed Science Team, and lots of high quality marketing materials.
However, I have concerns about some of their ingredients …
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Ingredients and Nutrition Facts
First, here’s a look at the nutrition facts panels and ingredient lists for all Biotrust protein powders. Below I’ll tell you which ingredients are red flags (hint: it’s most of them).
Red Flag Ingredients in BioTrust Proteins
Sunflower Creamer and Lecithin
Lecithins are gummy substances left behind as a byproduct of the oil extraction of certain plants (usually soybeans or sunflowers).
The problem with these, aside from the heavy processing they undergo from their natural food state, is they’re high in inflammatory Omega-6 fatty acids. A diet high in Omega-6 fatty acids and low in Omega-3 fatty acids can lead to cardiovascular disease, cancer, and inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.
Flavors are used almost exclusively in junk foods. Their use indicates that the real thing (often fruit) has been left out. Companies keep the identity of artificial (and natural) flavorings a deep secret and are not required to list them on food labels. That secrecy is unfortunate, because some people may be sensitive to certain flavoring ingredients, such as MSG or HVP, and vegetarians and others may not want to consume flavors that are derived from animals.
These “natural” flavors can contain hundreds of different chemicals and preservatives … and large food companies like BioTrust don’t have to reveal any of them. It’s no wonder flavors are now the 4th most common ingredient on processed food labels, behind water, salt, and sugar.
Sugar Alcohols
Sugar alcohols are types of carbohydrate that are widely used as sweeteners.
Biotrust uses a lab-made product marketed as “all natural” called Swerve, which is a combination of the sugar alcohol erythritol and oligosaccharides.
While the makers of Swerve cite one small study that showed erythritol didn’t cause as many GI issues as another popular sugar alcohol, xylitol, the fact of the matter is your body cannot break down any sugar alcohols.
For those reasons, if you have any GI issues whatsoever, I recommend avoiding products with sugar alcohols.
Gums
Gums are additives used to thicken foods. BioTrust uses several different types (inulin, xanthan, arabic, guar).
The problem with many gums is that your body can’t absorb and digest them, which may lead to gut health issues.
Xanthan gum, in particular, can cause unpleasant side effects like gas and bloating. People who are exposed to xanthan gum powder might also experience flu-like symptoms, nose and throat irritation, and lung problems.
Proteins
Biotrust likes to tout the superiority of its dairy-based protein blend:
And while we still include whey protein concentrate at a 25% ratio due to a number of its unique properties, we also include the more expensive, exotic proteins in our blend like slow-digesting Micellar Casein (the cream of the crop of all proteins), Whey Protein Isolate, and Milk Protein Concentrate at the same 25% ratio, to give you exactly what we’re telling you we’re giving you.
I have a few things to say about that …
First, if dairy works for you, great. For many people though, using milk-based proteins like whey can do more harm than good.
Second, casein is not “exotic” and is definitely not the “cream of the crop” of proteins.
Some, though not all, preliminary research has suggested that diets high in milk products, and therefore high in casein, might be associated with increased risk of type 1 diabetes and heart disease.
And this:
Animal and preliminary human research has also suggested that some types of casein protein might be associated with increased risk or severity of autism.
And this:
Animal research has suggested that a diet high in casein protein (but not a diet with similar amounts of plant proteins) might increase cancer risk.
Non-Organic Ingredients in BioTrust Low Carb
All of the non-organic ingredients in BioTrust proteins concern me because non-organic ingredients may be sprayed with pesticides and other chemicals.
If want to read more about why I recommend choosing a protein powder with all organic ingredients, check out this study.
Review Summary: Can You Trust BioTrust Protein Powders for Quality Ingredients?
BioTrust talks a big game:
We’re much more concerned about delivering only the highest-quality product to you as a consumer than we are about profiting from “cheap” production methods that don’t serve you and your best interest.
BioTrust Low Carb is made with natural ingredients. That means you won’t find any artificial colors, flavors, and most importantly artificial sweeteners in our protein… ever.
And as a former marketer myself, I’ll be the first to admit BioTrust has great marketing and an impressive team of ambassadors and advisers that no doubt have helped propel their success.
However …
I think they’re missing the most important part: a great product.
Low Carb Protein Powder has”natural” flavors, fillers, and gums.
Plus, they use zero organic ingredients, so there’s a chance your BioTrust shakes may include a steady dose of pesticides and other chemicals.
Hiring expensive scientists to produce and promote your product doesn’t make your product better.
In my (obviously biased) opinion, you can get an organic protein powder with none of the additives, fillers, gums, and “flavors” for the same price.
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:
Peak Performance VeganMax Protein (available in Vanilla, Chocolate, and Chocolate Mint)
Life’s Basics Plant Protein (available in Vanilla, Chocolate, Greens, and Unsweetened)
Life’s Basics Organic Plant Protein (available in Vanilla, Chocolate, and Unsweetened)
Life’s Basics Pea Protein (available in Vanilla and Chocolate)
Life’s Basics Lean Plantein
Life’s Basics 5-Fruit Blend Plant Protein
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
“Flavors” is the #3 ingredient! If they’re not organic, they’re most likely full of chemicals and preservatives, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest. Sunflower flower is high in inflammation-promoting Omega-6 fatty acids.
Chocolate
The chocolate version also has added cane sugar.
Chocolate Mint
More flavors, sugars, and junk oil.
Life’s Basics Plant Protein
Vanilla
Fructose = added sugar. “Natural” flavors are anything but natural. And xylitol is a sugar alcohol that may cause major gas and bloating. Read more about each in the Red Flag Ingredients section below.
Chocolate
Same as the vanilla: added sugar from fructose, sugar alcohols, and mystery “flavors.”
Greens
Notice something missing here? Where are the greens?! I don’t see any listed on label. Plus they add 4 grams of cane sugar … yikes.
Unsweetened
Even the unsweetened version has natural flavors … more on this below!
Life’s Basics Organic Plant Protein
Vanilla
More “flavors”. And the gums they add (which may cause digestive distress) aren’t organic, meaning they could be derived from a sugar-containing medium (usually GMO corn).
Chocolate
“Cocoa” is not the same as raw cacao. It’s processed using high temperature methods that destroy many of the vital nutrients.
Unsweetened
Lifetime even managed to find a way to add an unnecessary filler (guar gum) to its organic, unsweetened product!
Life’s Basics Pea Protein
Vanilla
More cane sugar, flavors, and sugar alcohols. Your gut says no thanks.
Chocolate
Again, “natural Dutch cocoa” is a fancy way of saying that they use the highly processed, heat treated version of the superfood raw cacao.
Life’s Basics Lean Plantein
More added sugar. More flavors. More sugar alcohols. When will it stop?!
Life’s Basics 5-Fruit Blend Plant Protein
Hey, I actually like the 5-fruit blend. But then there’s those pesky sugars again and a new “flavor” (natural berry).
Life’s Basics Meal Replacement
160 calories is not a meal. Not sure why this product is marketed as a meal replacement. 2 scoops would be a little better … but that also gets you 10 grams of added sugar–half a day’s worth!
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?
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.
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.
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.
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