4 Protein Powder Mistakes You Probably Don’t Know You’re Making.

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If you’re wondering how to choose protein powder, this article will help you, because I’m going to teach you about 4 protein powder mistakes you probably don’t know you’re making. Be sure to download and listen to this protein audio interview  too.

Let’s start with a quick exercise:

Take a look at the ingredients of the protein powder above (called DEEP30). You can click on the image and read them, or just read below:

Goat Milk Protein, Goat Milk Mineral Whey (electrolytes), Guar/Xanthan Gum Blend, Goat Milk Cream, Stevia, Bacillus coagulans GBI-30 6086 (probiotics).

Got it?

OK, now check out the ingredients of probably one of the most popular protein powders on the face of the planet – EAS Myoplex:

Whey Protein Concentrate (Whey Protein Concentrate, Soy Lecithin), Corn Maltodextrin, Natural & Artificial Flavor, Salt, Whey Protein Isolate, Carageenan, Xanthan Gum, Acesulfame Potassium, and Sucralose.

The difference between these two proteins may seems slight at first, until you take a closer look and see:

1) You Can Make A Mistake With The Protein Source.

The whey protein concentrate source in EAS Myoplex is from cow protein, but the protein source from the DEEP30 is from goat protein. Compared to cow’s milk, goat’s milk is less allergenic, naturally homogenized, easier to digest, lactose intolerant friendly, and biochemically and thermodynamically superior to cow’s milk.

I cover the issue with cow’s protein in detail in the episode “Cow’s Milk vs. Goat’s Milk”. In addition, compared to cow products, goat products contain less or none of the growth hormones or antibiotics that massive cow dairies have come to rely upon to turn a profit.

2) You Can Make A Mistake With Added Ingredients Like Soy & Corn.

The EAS Myoplex adds a soy lecithin extract –  an “emulsifier” in many foods and supplements that helps the components mix together more thoroughly. Unfortunately, not only is 91 percent of soy grown in the US genetically modified, but soy contains natural toxins known as “anti-nutrients”,  a clot-promoting substance that causes your red blood cells to clump together (hemagglutinin),  substances that block the synthesis of thyroid hormones (goitrogens), mineral absorption-blocking phytates, plant based phytoestrogens that may cause infertility and may promote breast cancer in women, and high levels of toxic metals aluminum and manganese. I’ve found that protein powders without the soy lecithin tend to clump slightly easier, but do just as fine if you put them in a blender or shaker.

The corn maltodextrin in the EAS Myoplex is not present in large amounts, but it’s a completely unnecessary added carb from another highly genetically modified source. If you want to have carbs with your protein, just toss in a banana – you’ll get the fiber benefit with none of the genetic risks.

3) You Can Make A Mistake By Not Checking the Sweetener.

If you take a look at what is actually used as a sweetener, you’ll see that EAS Myoplex uses acesulfame potassium, a derivative of acetoacetic acid that has produced tumors in lab animals, and sucralose, a chlorinated sucrose derivative that has been shown to kill up to 50% of the good bacteria in your gut.

In contrast, Mt. Capra’s DEEP30 uses a completely natural and safe root-based sweetener – stevia. Personally, I lived on stuff like EAS for years in college and as a bodybuilder and you don’t realize how much you were burping up chemicals and nasty fuzzy-thinking and stomach distress until you quit eating it and switch to something natural.

4) You Can Make A Mistake By Stopping At Just Protein.

When you listen to today’s audio episode with Joe Stout, a food scientist at Mt. Capra nutrition, you’re going to find out the benefit of going above and beyond just protein. EAS Myoplex stops at protein. DEEP30 also includes electrolytes and a probiotic strain called GanedenBC30, which can literally heal your stomach, eliminate abdominal pain and bloating in patients, and strengthen the immune system.

The end result is that you don’t feel like you’re constipated and bloated a couple hours after you’ve had your protein shake – and you literally are building a healthier gastrointestinal tract every time you eat your protein. You can also learn more about probiotics in this other interview with Joe: All About Protein, Enzymes & Probiotics.

So here’s a quick review:

When you choose a protein powder, look for an organic protein source, zero soy or artificial sweeteners, and added ingredients that help you digest the protein.

I’ve been using DEEP30 for about 3 weeks now. It tastes a bit like a Wendy’s Frosty and far better than Mt. Capra’s previous protein powder (Double Bonded Whey). It also results in zero chemically burps, bloating, gas and constipation like other proteins do. I keep all three flavors (Banana, Strawberry and Coconut) in my pantry and just cycle through all three flavors, mixing them with either coconut milk, kefir or yogurt.

If you get a chance to try DEEP30, or you have other questions, comments or feedback about protein powders, leave them below.

January 20th, 2012