Protein Archives - Health Clover

7 Pro Tips for Mixing Protein Powder With Coffee

by Ryan McCaffery | Last updated August 7, 2018 | 1 Comment

A protein shake in the morning is a great start to the day. There’s no limit to the healthy ingredients you can throw in a shake, so it’s easy to keep it fresh. And the big dose of protein keeps me feeling full all the way until lunch time. I’m also a red-blooded American, so I like to have morning coffee every day, too. Before I moved to Asia, I homebrewed Starbucks coffee every day for 20 years. To this day, something about a Starbucks coffee just makes the world seem good again. But when I make a protein shake, it’s usually pretty big. Drinking both a coffee and a protein shake is too much. So for me, it’s better to combine coffee and protein powder into one drink. It’s just more manageable. Problem is, protein powder doesn’t play nice with hot coffee. Worst case you get a lumpy mess with […]

Fat Burning Protein Powder is a Myth, a Gimmick

by Ryan McCaffery | Last updated August 7, 2018 | Leave a Comment

Fat burning protein powder isn’t a real thing. So please don’t be a sucker and purchase a product that advertises itself as such. “Fat burning” is a marketing gimmick used to promote all kinds of products. I don’t know how they are allowed to get away with it because it is patently untrue. But they do it because it works. And it works well. Unwitting consumers gobble up “fat burning” foods because it sounds like a magical, easy way to lose weight. Wouldn’t it be great if all we needed to do to lose weight was eat fat burning products. No exercise, no diet plan necessary. What a dream. It sounds too good to be true, and it is to get to be true. The truth is that no food or product can “burn” fat. Everything we consume breaks down into the basic nutritional components of protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and […]

Protein Powder Often Still Edible After Expiration Date

by Ryan McCaffery | Last updated August 7, 2018 | 1 Comment

Protein powder is expensive. Don’t trash it just because it’s past the expiration date. The truth is that protein powder usually doesn’t spoil until years after the printed expiration date. In this article, I explain why that is the case. And I show you how to examine protein powder for telltale signs that it is going bad. Learn why in most cases, old protein powder is perfectly safe to eat, although it might not taste as good as it once did. An expiration date is a notoriously conservative estimate The FDA requires that all perishable foods have an expiration date printed on the packaging. Expiration dates, however, are merely conservative estimates on when food will begin to turn. It is well documented that foods are often edible past this date. Therefore, it’s never a good idea to discard food solely based on the expiration date. It’s more accurate to use […]

Mixing Protein Powder with Oatmeal is a Great Match

by Ryan McCaffery | Last updated August 7, 2018 | Leave a Comment

Is it a good idea to put protein powder in oatmeal? Absolutely. Oatmeal is super healthy, but nutritionally it is almost all carbohydrates. So it is good idea to enhance the nutritional profile of oatmeal by mixing in any number of additional ingredients. (See my list of the top 10 ingredients to put in oatmeal.) There are a couple of easy ways to get your protein powder/oatmeal fix. You can simply add a scoop or two of protein powder directly to your morning bowl of oatmeal. Or if you like to make protein shakes, try blending in a few tablespoons of oatmeal flakes. (There are tips on both of these methods below.) Protein powder nicely complements high-carb oatmeal Oatmeal is made by simply cutting dried oats into flakes. Why is it so healthy? Because oats are great source of complex carbohydrates and soluble fiber. Complex carbohydrates digest slowly, keeping you feeling […]

Can Diabetics Drink Protein Powder Shakes?

by Ryan McCaffery | Last updated August 7, 2018 | Leave a Comment

Is it safe for diabetics to consume protein powder? Yes, however, it is important for diabetics to choose a powder that is sugar-free and as close to pure protein powder as possible. Many protein powders have artificial flavors and added sugars to make the powder taste more palatable. For this reason, diabetics should check the nutrition label and ingredients list carefully. Also, when making protein shakes, diabetics also need to be mindful of the added ingredients they use to flavor the shake. Fruits, for example, are often added to protein shakes to give them flavor and increase nutritional value. Diabetics should keep in mind, however, that sugar from fruits that have been liquefied in the blender absorb into the bloodstream much faster than whole fruits. Protein powder and diabetes Increasing dietary protein is an excellent way for diabetics to control blood sugar. Why? The human body needs about 50 g of protein […]

Soy is a Complete Protein Source for Vegetarians

by Ryan McCaffery | Last updated May 19, 2018 | 1 Comment

Soy milk, tofu, and soy protein powder are all excellent sources of complete protein for vegetarians. In fact, soybeans are one of the few plant-based sources of complete protein. Most sources of complete protein come from meat and dairy. A complete protein is one which contains an adequate proportion of all nine essential amino acids required for the dietary needs of humans. The nine essential amino acids are tryptophan, threonine, leucine, lysine, isoleucine, methionine+cystine, phenylalanine+tyrosine, valine, and histidine. Soybeans contain all the essential amino acids required for human nutrition. Although soy milk isn’t dairy, it is a complete protein source like cows milk. Essential amino acids are those which the body cannot produce on its own. They must be obtained directly from dietary sources. On the other hand, nonessential proteins can be produced by the body if they are not obtained from food. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. The body combines […]

The Best Protein Sources for Diabetics

by Ryan McCaffery | Last updated August 7, 2018 | Leave a Comment

Diets high in healthy proteins and low in simple carbohydrates can help diabetics stabilize their blood sugar. Why is this so? Americans eat, on average, about 100 grams of protein per day. This is 100% more than the recommended amount of 50 grams per day. Our body needs about 50 grams of protein per day to build muscle, repair tissue, grow hair and nails, etc. Excess protein in the diet is converted to glucose (sugar) and used as fuel, just like carbs. But protein metabolizes to sugar more slowly. It takes about 3 hours for protein to be metabolised into glucose and released into the bloodstream. For diabetics, this is key. The slow conversion of protein to sugar (as compared to carbs) means that a diet high in healthy proteins is helpful in maintaining proper blood sugar levels. This is also why it is a good idea for a diabetic’s bedtime […]