Raw protein powders and energy supplements... What are the best tasting/best value?

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Permalink Reply by VEGAN SEALS on January 27, 2009 at 1:59pm

Vega is what it is called. It is a bit expensive. Veganbodybuilding.com Robert (owner) sometimes gives discounts

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Permalink Reply by VEGAN SEALS on January 27, 2009 at 1:57pm

Hemp Powder is the best form of protein!

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Permalink Reply by s on January 27, 2009 at 1:59pm

i use nutiva hemp protein. don't be fooled; it does not taste good. i mask it in a smoothie with tons of fruit or nut butter.
s

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Permalink Reply by John on January 27, 2009 at 6:56pm

Hi LIsa.

You may want to look into Ruth's hemp powders sold at many natural foods stores. She is an amazing Canadian woman who is into raw foods, and her daughter has a kombucha company up in Canada. She also sells hemp powders that are blended with maca and flax.

You might also like to read what I wrote about hemp nutrition on my site:
http://www.hempNOWbook.com.

Hemp has more Omega 3s - more than flax. It also is an excellent source of amino acids, and some other nutrients, and fiber.

Unfortunately, the U.S. government maintains its prohibition on growing hemp in the U.S. So, viable hemp seeds remain illegal in this country. The closest you can get are the fractured raw hemp seeds in the sealed cold bags sold at natural foods stores. And also the hemp seed powders, which are cold-processed. And the hemp oil in the cold case.

There is a rumor going around, started by someone I know of who I won't name because I don't want to give the person more publicity to spread the many mistruths I've heard the person say ... that all hemp seeds in the U.S. are rancid. I believe the person is mixing up information. With a little bit of reading he's understand the issue.

There are hemp seeds imported into this country that are either heated or chemically treated to kill them so that they can't grow. They are used in bird seed, animal food, horse feed, and other products. But, you shouldn't be consuming those seeds that have been killed by heat or chemicals.

Stick with the organic hemp seed and hemp oil products available at the natural foods stores. One day we will be able to grow our own hemp in the U.S. Until then, we will have to rely on the imports from Canada.

I like running in the sand. I find that I can run for longer and easier when I juice on something like this:

Juice: cucumber, celery, fennel, apple, lemon
Fill the blender halfway with the juice.
Take a whole bunch of (rinsed to get rid fo the sand) spinach including the roots (or other leafy green: kale, chard, collards, beet greens, dandelion, etc.) And blend that into the juice with:
hemp seed powder, mesquite powder, quality salt, dulse, kelp, spirulina, freshly ground raw pumpkin seeds, and a little cayenne pepper and MSM (Erewhon on Beverly sells bags of MSM - no need to buy the little capsules).

You can also blend in berries and banana.

Some people say that blending in maca gives them gas and it is better to keep the root vegetables all together in a root juice: beet, carrot, ginger, maca - not mixed with leafy greens or fruit. Maca is a root vegetable. And, use very little of maca - not need for heaping spoonfulls.

I make these juices and keep it in jars.

Take the pulp and make crackers by mixing with herbs, sprouted sunflower seeds, dill, oil, and salt and dehydrating them ... great for guacamole, hummus, and/or raw Mexican spread.

After a run, salad made of chopped greens (kale/chard r my faves), parsley, celery, onion, apple, cranberries, raw olives, hemp seed oil, salt, lemon, honey, pepper, nutritional yeast.

Have a great run!

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Permalink Reply by Saz on January 29, 2009 at 6:17pm

I use NutriBiotic Rice Protein powder. Hemp isn't very digestible, at least to me, and my naturopath doesn't recommend it for that reason. It makes me feel quite ill. Rice is very digestible and hypoallergenic.

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Permalink Reply by Lisa Tufano on February 5, 2009 at 3:03pm

Two things...

I recently discovered and really like these Raw Revolution Organic Live Food Bars. Chocolate/Raisin and Raspberry/Chocolate are my favorite kind. They aren't cheap but they are a better alternative to Clif bars, etc. and if you find them in boxes of 12 you can get them for $1.50 each.

And just fyi, I found Amazon retails the Sun Warrior brand for $42.

http://www.amazon.com/Warrior-Organic-Sprouted-Protein-Powder/dp/B0...

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Permalink Reply by Anita on February 8, 2009 at 9:15pm

I use sun Warrior protein in chocolate and put it in my Green smoothies. It mixes really well, and taste great. I prefer it to any hemp protein. My husband uses it a few times a day and he has not lost any muscle mass and is presently increasing lean muscle. I take it most days, but find protein supplements do not affect my muscle mass or repair but instead the amount of lifting determines my muscle mass and lean body.

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Permalink Reply by Lisa Tufano on February 9, 2009 at 12:10am

Hi Mark,

I can get raw carbs immediately before and after training/races by consuming fruits. That being said, I haven't found many raw sources of carbs that can be easily prepared and consumed *during* training/races. That's why I also ask if anyone has suggestions for raw alternative to Clif bars in my original post.

So basically I am still supplementing with non-raw sources of carbs during my training/races. It's more or less impossible to eat a whole piece of fruit (even when cut up) while swimming, cycling, or running. I need something that goes down easily and quickly, can be eaten one-handed, and assimilated by my body almost instantaneously.

When I juice, I prefer to drink it within an hour or so. If I juice with the intention of consuming it during training/races, it would be hours before I even have a chance to get it into my system and I risk oxidation and heat contamination from it being on my bike for hours. To me, this just isn't really an ideal option.

In my second post, I updated with a link for Raw Revolution Organic Live Food Bars, which I suggest as a possible raw carb alternative that might make sense to eat during a work out. The carb/protein ratio is 32g to 7g in one bar.

This is a great find for raw athletes because--while protein is absolutely essential for muscle generation and recovery--studies now show that you should ideally consume protein before, during, and immediately after a work out in a ratio of 4:1 carbs to protein. This is preferable to consuming just carbs or just protein during/after strenuous activity. The Raw Revolution bars seem to meet this criteria almost perfectly and my guess is that they can be eaten on a bike as easily as a non-raw Clif bar. I haven't tested it yet, so I'm not sure if it will be challenging to do. Chewing faculties are quite limited when you're in motion.

Here's an excerpt and link that discusses this protein/carb synergy:

http://www.poweringmuscles.com/article.php?id=55

"Rebuilding Muscle Protein

Although not a preferred fuel source, protein is used to produce energy during prolonged exercise when muscle glycogen runs low. This process is known as catabolism. Furthermore, the high blood concentration of cortisol that is associated with catabolism also obstructs the rebuilding of muscle protein by diverting its amino acid building blocks to the liver. Because protein is an important structural element of muscles, catabolism leaves the muscles in a weakened state afterward. In order to properly recover from and adapt to this particular training stress, athletes must act quickly to rebuild muscle protein after exercise.

Earlier we discussed a physiological window of opportunity for glycogen replenishment in the two-hour period immediately following exercise. A very similar window exists for protein rebuilding, and for the same reason. Insulin is responsible for delivering both glucose and protein to muscle cells. After exercise, the muscle cells are highly receptive to insulin. In a study performed at Vanderbilt University, subjects were fed a protein-carbohydrate supplement either immediately after working out or three hours later. Members of the “early” group were found to have synthesized new muscle proteins at a much faster rate than members of the “late” group.

In a similar study, this one done at the University of Texas, subjects who consumed an amino acid-carbohydrate supplement immediately before exercise synthesized even more new muscle protein than subjects who consumed the same drink immediately after the workout. (Amino acids are the building blocks of protein.) The apparent reason for this result was that drinking the amino acid-carbohydrate drink before the workout resulted in higher blood insulin levels during the workout. Insulin is known to counteract the catabolic effect of cortisol. With greater amounts of insulin circulating to neutralize cortisol, the subjects who drank before working out were able to get more amino acids delivered to their muscle cells to rebuild proteins.

What this means is that nutritional recovery measures need to begin before workouts, or at least during them, and continue afterward. By consuming a sports drink containing carbohydrate and protein/amino acids before, during, and after workouts, athletes can ensure that their muscle proteins are rebuilt with maximum efficiency. Using a recovery drink that consists of large amounts of protein or amino acids and little or no carbohydrate is not as effective, however, because these drinks digest more slowly and result in far less insulin release than recovery drinks that contain carbohydrate and protein in the ideal 4:1 ratio."

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Permalink Reply by Priyam on February 8, 2009 at 10:56pm

Vega is a powder BUT it is a supplement NOT a protein powder. It is great stuff and the berry flavor is delicious.

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Permalink Reply by Eric ॐ_ॐ on February 9, 2009 at 12:02am

answer, d) None of the above

these will likely diminish your performance

focus on your diet, eating whole fresh unprocessed foods, nothing rancid, or dried, or fermented, you can meet all your protein needs from fruits, fruit veg, and greens, or if you do high fat raw, and don't eat much fruit, from greens and nuts and seeds, you don't need the powders

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Permalink Reply by Lisa Tufano on February 9, 2009 at 12:25am

With all due respect, I don't agree at all, and I don't believe there is any science whatsoever to back up your claim that focusing on one's diet immediately before/during/after strenuous activity will "dimish performance." Quite the opposite is true, actually.

I might agree with you that no additional supplementation or special dietary considerations should be taken if I were a raw foodist limiting my physical activity to light/moderate exercise for 20-30 minutes a day. Certainly you don't need a protein supplement after a vigorous session on a rebounder or even after an hour of yoga. :)

Obviously I agree that a general diet of whole raw foods is important, otherwise I wouldn't be a member of this website. The topic here, however, is nutrition and diet for an athlete who is engaging in strenuous activity for an hour to several hours without stopping.

While I appreciate you taking the time to share your opinion and respond to my questions, what you're suggesting is neither healthy nor safe for someone like myself.

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Permalink Reply by Darri on May 28, 2009 at 3:57am

I make the exact same smoothie excl. MSM powder but what I have extra is:
-Bee pollen
-PHion green powder
-Coconut fat (Brendan Brazier considers it to be a great source of fuel before runs)
- Coconut water and white tea base (instead of water)

What a great mix!

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