This is still a very popular and ever growing niche market, as it is constantly changing to meet consumer demands. At first it was just whey protein; significant data showing that an increase in protein is great for energy and stamina, cell repair and even assisting in weight loss and healing from illnesses. But then, what about vegetarians? Ok, so here’s a soy protein…then there’s the people who can’t have soy…ok, here’s hemp protein…too much fibre..ok here’s pea protein…and what about gluten free? And how much sugar is there? AAAHH! Enough to make one have an egg. Never fear; the Tarts are here!
I mean, I applaud all the companies making proteins, but man is it hard to be a new consumer and make a decision without being overwhelmed with not only choices but the amount of aggressive competitive advertisement in an already over crowded market. I find certain massive advertising programs very manipulating, as the companies who are the most honest in their ingredients and methods are the ones who get my mark, not the huge cardboard cutouts of Kratos and his eight pack of magical fury matched with a product with no foundations. It’s just like c*ntrum and mat*rna vitamins…they spend more money and energy on advertisement then they do to produce a competitive product with quality ingredients. These guys produce the S#!tiest product ingredients in the entire vitamin industry and yet, are a very successful company because they can afford commercials and exploit angel vitamin programs close to expiry dates…boo.
Same thing with proteins in my opinion. I don’t want to see a guy with washboard abs pack flexing his biceps with a murderous look on his face that says “I will spit you out and destroy you!”. I'd go ready a motorcycle magazine if I wanted to see that. Which leads to the most popular myth of all time surrounding proteins-it is NOT just for body builders and Conan the barbarian. Although many large guys who body build and work out do use protein shakes, in general, a protein shake can just be something really healthy you an incorporate into your lifestyle for anyone above the age of 16ish.
Lets look at the body for a moment. Your DNA is made up of all the amino acids you need to make and control the balance in every aspect of your body. Amino acids make up all the strands of your own personalized double helix. Your body needs to get most amino acids from your food. Your body is ever growing, changing, repairing, compensating, preparing, fighting and goes goes goes to keep you going. If you injure yourself, your body needs to repair itself and uses proteins and other body bits to fix it. You need protein on a daily basis, not just for repair, but for all the little building blocks of your body. No one can survive without proteins.
Eating meat is a very easy way to get protein, so meat eaters need not worry much. Meat is a complete protein, meaning it has all the amino acids neatly packed together so your body can use all of it, as it is very balanced. Having a meal without protein is like ordering the harry potter hogworts castle set from lego and only receiving the hallways without the astronomy tower…you need the astronomy tower. In order for vegetarians to have access to complete proteins, they need to food combine. For example, rice combined with beans is a complete protein. An egg is a complete protein. Lentils have protein in them, but not all of the amino acids so it is not a complete protein. It’s a little harder for vegetarians, as we need more nutrient dense foods and different kinds of protein to equate to all the nutrients we need. It is just as important to eat a quality protein as any other carnivore, omnivore, herbivore or opportunivore.
So here’s how you can breakdown the kinds of proteins and reasons for taking proteins:
1)Whey Proteins: Taken from the whey (the protein from the bi product of cheese) of cows and goats. Regular meat eaters looking to either increase more dietary protein for weight loss, or easy breakfast options, work out sessions or just plain health reasons. The huge problem arising from whey protein is the quality of whey. Commercial cows these days are cesspools for disease, cancers, are ridden with hormones, antibiotics, are being fed other animals and are over worked and are producing stress hormones in their milk. This is why most proteins boast hormone free, organic whey proteins.
New Zealand whey is very popular as they treat their cows better than most westerners treat themselves. They are free range and naturally organic grain fed living on organic soil, are raised to have stress free and full lives in the sunshine and grass. The only downside is that you have to pay for this quality. New Zealand whey proteins can range from $60-$100. But, I think it is worth it on many an economic and health level.
Some people want to avoid the cow all together and go with Goat protein. Goat milk on a digestible level is “way” easier (pardon the pun) to digest than cow. This goes for milk as well. Goat’s milk is the closest thing to human breast milk and goats are treated much better than cows.
The problem for meat eaters who increase their protein intake is the risk of acidosis. Which is essentially, what the atkins diet is; putting your body in a state of burning fat so much that you produce an obscene amount of toxic and acidic residue causing too much protein in the blood, overwhelming the kidneys with urea formation and putting strain on the heart…hence the controversy behind the atkins diet associated with heart attacks, acne, aggression and poor digestion. Always balance your diet by including alkaline fruits and vegetables.
2)Vegetarian and plant based proteins: Vegetarians who don’t receive a lot of easy digestible proteins looking to increase and supplement protein intake from the lack of meat in their diet would benefit from having a protein shake in the morning. The average person needs about 30g+ of protein in a day, and vegetarians scarcely get about 10-15g in their diets on average. Protein powders often offer at least 9-20g depending on the source and product, but just enough to give you what your body needs. On top of lack of the vitamin b12 and iron which are found so readily in meats, this is often why vegetarians are tired and pale and have no energy-lack of protein or the balance of protein along with b12 and iron.
The rub with vegetarian proteins is that we choose to be conscious and picky eaters. We want sugar free, gluten free, soy free, GMO free and dairy free products. I think the CEO’s of protein companies curse us in their sleep. But, believe it or not, we are the ones who buy more proteins than anyone else. High five vege heads!
MOST body builders, and work out guys don’t care about quality or even consider that there is a battle on quality and will go to a local muscle head shop and purchase the biggest tub of cheap whey protein that is blueberry muffin flavored and be on their hulky way. But, the rest of us, including the conscious athlete and body builder, demand quality.
Soy Proteins: problem with soy-1) it is probably GMO unless specifically states Organic sprouted soy 2) is hard to digest and often causes gas 3) is processed and would not be as beneficial as eating tempeh or tofu which have the phytonutrients that are beneficial in soy 4) processed soy is associated with excess estrogen, which is not beneficial for anyone. Benefits do include the same phytonutrients you would find in soy and does have a high protein content.
Hemp Protein: I love hemp. It truly is nature’s wonder plant, but it is a little tricky to use this as your only source of protein. Although it is loaded with nutrients, omega’s and is high in fibre, I find I have to use a lot to get adequate protein intake and some people are turned off of it’s gritty texture. I think it is an acquired taste and would recommend for those who want to use hemp as their protein powder that they mix it with other things. I have found in my experience that the “Hempies” are the ones who make their hemp shakes in the morning and take pride in putting anything they can that is good for you in there. I love their dedication and hard core methods of adding greens, oils, nut butters and other powders. It is a satisfying way to get healthy and treat your body to wonderful things. Though admittedly, not for everyone.
Rice protein: Rice is a very alkaline and easy way to get protein. It is also safe for kids and teens. I found quite often this was mostly purchased by mothers who added rice protein to their baking ingredients from pancakes to muffins and cookies. Unbeknown to their children, they were getting a little protein in their food.
Mixes: Most companies have discovered the economic way is to make a mixture of pea, hemp, rice, flax and other beans and lentils like chick pea protein and even potato proteins. I like this idea and find it is a little better on one’s wallet as well. Within these mixes you get a complete protein range all plant based.
TARTS TOP PROTEINS
VEGA
Once again, Vega comes shining through as a superior protein. All plant based, fibre, multi, greens, acidophilus, antioxidants, omega’s. These guys thought of everything.
http://sequelnaturals.com/vega
MANITOBA HARVEST
This company is Canadian, organic and provides fresh and high quality hemp products. They don’t need to go crazy on their advertisements because people know they have awesome products. They have plain hemp protein, so adding this to a smoothie gives it some fantastic nutrients and fibre.
http://www.manitobaharvest.com/
LIVING HARVEST
I really like Living harvest’s products. They make a chocolate chili hemp protein that I could eat all the time and they even have hemp milk and hemp ice cream. Yum!
http://www.worldpantry.com/
PROGRESSIVE NUTRITION
Progressive nutrition chose their company name well, as they really are progressive. Also one of the few who do offer New Zealand Whey, it is very clean and they have some great flavor faves.
http://www.progressivenutritional.com/
NORTH COAST NATURALS
This company covers all aspects of the protein spectrum. Whey, hemp, vegan, rice, greens…truly dedicated to high quality and organic nutrition.
http://www.northcoastnaturals.com/
GENUINE HEALTH Vegan PROTEINS
Genuine Health offers one of the first vegan proteins on the market that does not have soy, herbals or gluten. I’m partial to this one, as it’s tasty and easy to drink or bake with. And, I find the price for the amount is quite do-able. Not to mention is has a higher amount of protein than most vegan based ones at 21grams.
http://www.genuinehealth.com/
I mean, I applaud all the companies making proteins, but man is it hard to be a new consumer and make a decision without being overwhelmed with not only choices but the amount of aggressive competitive advertisement in an already over crowded market. I find certain massive advertising programs very manipulating, as the companies who are the most honest in their ingredients and methods are the ones who get my mark, not the huge cardboard cutouts of Kratos and his eight pack of magical fury matched with a product with no foundations. It’s just like c*ntrum and mat*rna vitamins…they spend more money and energy on advertisement then they do to produce a competitive product with quality ingredients. These guys produce the S#!tiest product ingredients in the entire vitamin industry and yet, are a very successful company because they can afford commercials and exploit angel vitamin programs close to expiry dates…boo.
Same thing with proteins in my opinion. I don’t want to see a guy with washboard abs pack flexing his biceps with a murderous look on his face that says “I will spit you out and destroy you!”. I'd go ready a motorcycle magazine if I wanted to see that. Which leads to the most popular myth of all time surrounding proteins-it is NOT just for body builders and Conan the barbarian. Although many large guys who body build and work out do use protein shakes, in general, a protein shake can just be something really healthy you an incorporate into your lifestyle for anyone above the age of 16ish.
Lets look at the body for a moment. Your DNA is made up of all the amino acids you need to make and control the balance in every aspect of your body. Amino acids make up all the strands of your own personalized double helix. Your body needs to get most amino acids from your food. Your body is ever growing, changing, repairing, compensating, preparing, fighting and goes goes goes to keep you going. If you injure yourself, your body needs to repair itself and uses proteins and other body bits to fix it. You need protein on a daily basis, not just for repair, but for all the little building blocks of your body. No one can survive without proteins.
Eating meat is a very easy way to get protein, so meat eaters need not worry much. Meat is a complete protein, meaning it has all the amino acids neatly packed together so your body can use all of it, as it is very balanced. Having a meal without protein is like ordering the harry potter hogworts castle set from lego and only receiving the hallways without the astronomy tower…you need the astronomy tower. In order for vegetarians to have access to complete proteins, they need to food combine. For example, rice combined with beans is a complete protein. An egg is a complete protein. Lentils have protein in them, but not all of the amino acids so it is not a complete protein. It’s a little harder for vegetarians, as we need more nutrient dense foods and different kinds of protein to equate to all the nutrients we need. It is just as important to eat a quality protein as any other carnivore, omnivore, herbivore or opportunivore.
So here’s how you can breakdown the kinds of proteins and reasons for taking proteins:
1)Whey Proteins: Taken from the whey (the protein from the bi product of cheese) of cows and goats. Regular meat eaters looking to either increase more dietary protein for weight loss, or easy breakfast options, work out sessions or just plain health reasons. The huge problem arising from whey protein is the quality of whey. Commercial cows these days are cesspools for disease, cancers, are ridden with hormones, antibiotics, are being fed other animals and are over worked and are producing stress hormones in their milk. This is why most proteins boast hormone free, organic whey proteins.
New Zealand whey is very popular as they treat their cows better than most westerners treat themselves. They are free range and naturally organic grain fed living on organic soil, are raised to have stress free and full lives in the sunshine and grass. The only downside is that you have to pay for this quality. New Zealand whey proteins can range from $60-$100. But, I think it is worth it on many an economic and health level.
Some people want to avoid the cow all together and go with Goat protein. Goat milk on a digestible level is “way” easier (pardon the pun) to digest than cow. This goes for milk as well. Goat’s milk is the closest thing to human breast milk and goats are treated much better than cows.
The problem for meat eaters who increase their protein intake is the risk of acidosis. Which is essentially, what the atkins diet is; putting your body in a state of burning fat so much that you produce an obscene amount of toxic and acidic residue causing too much protein in the blood, overwhelming the kidneys with urea formation and putting strain on the heart…hence the controversy behind the atkins diet associated with heart attacks, acne, aggression and poor digestion. Always balance your diet by including alkaline fruits and vegetables.
2)Vegetarian and plant based proteins: Vegetarians who don’t receive a lot of easy digestible proteins looking to increase and supplement protein intake from the lack of meat in their diet would benefit from having a protein shake in the morning. The average person needs about 30g+ of protein in a day, and vegetarians scarcely get about 10-15g in their diets on average. Protein powders often offer at least 9-20g depending on the source and product, but just enough to give you what your body needs. On top of lack of the vitamin b12 and iron which are found so readily in meats, this is often why vegetarians are tired and pale and have no energy-lack of protein or the balance of protein along with b12 and iron.
The rub with vegetarian proteins is that we choose to be conscious and picky eaters. We want sugar free, gluten free, soy free, GMO free and dairy free products. I think the CEO’s of protein companies curse us in their sleep. But, believe it or not, we are the ones who buy more proteins than anyone else. High five vege heads!
MOST body builders, and work out guys don’t care about quality or even consider that there is a battle on quality and will go to a local muscle head shop and purchase the biggest tub of cheap whey protein that is blueberry muffin flavored and be on their hulky way. But, the rest of us, including the conscious athlete and body builder, demand quality.
Soy Proteins: problem with soy-1) it is probably GMO unless specifically states Organic sprouted soy 2) is hard to digest and often causes gas 3) is processed and would not be as beneficial as eating tempeh or tofu which have the phytonutrients that are beneficial in soy 4) processed soy is associated with excess estrogen, which is not beneficial for anyone. Benefits do include the same phytonutrients you would find in soy and does have a high protein content.
Hemp Protein: I love hemp. It truly is nature’s wonder plant, but it is a little tricky to use this as your only source of protein. Although it is loaded with nutrients, omega’s and is high in fibre, I find I have to use a lot to get adequate protein intake and some people are turned off of it’s gritty texture. I think it is an acquired taste and would recommend for those who want to use hemp as their protein powder that they mix it with other things. I have found in my experience that the “Hempies” are the ones who make their hemp shakes in the morning and take pride in putting anything they can that is good for you in there. I love their dedication and hard core methods of adding greens, oils, nut butters and other powders. It is a satisfying way to get healthy and treat your body to wonderful things. Though admittedly, not for everyone.
Rice protein: Rice is a very alkaline and easy way to get protein. It is also safe for kids and teens. I found quite often this was mostly purchased by mothers who added rice protein to their baking ingredients from pancakes to muffins and cookies. Unbeknown to their children, they were getting a little protein in their food.
Mixes: Most companies have discovered the economic way is to make a mixture of pea, hemp, rice, flax and other beans and lentils like chick pea protein and even potato proteins. I like this idea and find it is a little better on one’s wallet as well. Within these mixes you get a complete protein range all plant based.
TARTS TOP PROTEINS
VEGA
Once again, Vega comes shining through as a superior protein. All plant based, fibre, multi, greens, acidophilus, antioxidants, omega’s. These guys thought of everything.
http://sequelnaturals.com/vega
MANITOBA HARVEST
This company is Canadian, organic and provides fresh and high quality hemp products. They don’t need to go crazy on their advertisements because people know they have awesome products. They have plain hemp protein, so adding this to a smoothie gives it some fantastic nutrients and fibre.
http://www.manitobaharvest.com/
LIVING HARVEST
I really like Living harvest’s products. They make a chocolate chili hemp protein that I could eat all the time and they even have hemp milk and hemp ice cream. Yum!
http://www.worldpantry.com/
PROGRESSIVE NUTRITION
Progressive nutrition chose their company name well, as they really are progressive. Also one of the few who do offer New Zealand Whey, it is very clean and they have some great flavor faves.
http://www.progressivenutritional.com/
NORTH COAST NATURALS
This company covers all aspects of the protein spectrum. Whey, hemp, vegan, rice, greens…truly dedicated to high quality and organic nutrition.
http://www.northcoastnaturals.com/
GENUINE HEALTH Vegan PROTEINS
Genuine Health offers one of the first vegan proteins on the market that does not have soy, herbals or gluten. I’m partial to this one, as it’s tasty and easy to drink or bake with. And, I find the price for the amount is quite do-able. Not to mention is has a higher amount of protein than most vegan based ones at 21grams.
http://www.genuinehealth.com/
Jessy Cooke
Wow this is an eye opener. I used to take whey protein and was not aware of where it came from.
ReplyDeleteknickgirl_3 at yahoo dot com
This is so cool. I am such a huge fan of their work. really am impressed with how much you have worked to make this website so enjoyable.
ReplyDeletezymactive double strength