May302011

Hawaiian Spirulina Plant Protein Powder Review

By Ben on May 30, 2011

An amazing plant protein powder

 

A Great Sale on Hawaiian Spirulina

 

 

 

Spirulina Plant Protein Powder Review

If you’re looking for an amazing plant protein powder source, then this is it.  Spirulina, especially Hawaiian Spirulina Pacifica is the richest source of protein on the planet.  That’s right, not just the richest source of plant protein, but richer than animal protein as well.  Did you know that Spirulina contains 60% protein?  That’s huge.  Animal protein sources like pork or fish generally contain around 20% protein.  Spirulina has 6 times more protein than eggs and 20 times more than milk.  So if you’re looking for a plant protein powder that really gets the job done, Spirulina is the way to go.  And Spirulina is a complete protein, meaning that it contains all of the essential amino acids that our bodies need.  And not only that, but Spirulina is richer than other protein sources in the 8 amino acids that our bodies cannot produce naturally.

Superfood

Not only is Spirulina a great source of protein, it’s also considered a nutrient-dense superfood.  That means that, apart from the protein, you’re also getting over 100 other vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that are really valuable to the body.  Spirulina is one of the richest sources of iron and other minerals on the planet.  Spirulina contains 10 times more iron by weight than spinach and contains more beta-carotene than carrots, 25 times more.

Why this Brand of Spirulina?

I take Spirulina everyday.  So I know from experience that not all Spirulina plant protein powders are created equal.  There are 3 big reasons why I like Nutrex’ brand of Spirulina above other brands. One, because Hawaiian Spirulina Pacifica has been shown time and again to be more nutritious than other Spirulina powders.  Two, because they have an amazing proprietary process that harvests, dries, and vacuum seals the Spirulina into bottles, all within 30 minutes, ensuring absolute maximum freshness of their product.  The third reason why I prefer this brand is because of the cost.  Nutrex’ Spirulina powder isn’t even more expensive than the lesser brands.  It’s always competitively priced, so why not go with the best?

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May282011

Life’s Basics Plant Protein Powder Review

By Ben on May 28, 2011

a decent plant protein powder

 

 

Life’s Basics Plant Protein Powder on Sale Here

 

 

Life’s Basics Plant Protein Powder Review

Life’s Basics makes a pretty decent plant protein powder.  Though most of the formula consists of other things beside protein, they still have a fair amount of protein per serving, weighing in at 20 grams per serving.  Keep in mind that a serving is 2 scoops, but 20 grams per serving is still pretty impressive for a green powder formula.  Most green powder formulas only have between 2-5 grams of protein per serving.  So Life’s Basics has definitely taken their time to make a green powder formula that’s power packed with protein.

Pros

The pros of this green powder combination is that you get way more than just protein.  You also get a huge list of other ingredients including chlorophyll, Omega essential fatty acids, fiber, antioxidants, and way more.  So for those who are looking for a plant protein that’s both complete and filled with other nutrients, this is definitely something to consider.  Life’s Basics has taken the time to formulate a plant protein powder that’s primarily a complete protein, but also has a slew of other healthy compounds.  It’s definitely a winner in the world of plant protein powders.

Cons

The biggest con of this formula is that even though it has a high protein content, protein is still not the main ingredient.  The nutrition facts say that there are 20 grams of protein per serving, and 27,500 milligrams of their “Greens Blend.”  They wrote 27,500 milligrams, maybe in attempt to hide it I don’t know, but that’s 27.5 grams of things other than protein.  So when you add that up with the other ingredients, you get a green powder that’s only one third protein and two thirds other compounds.  So even though the label clearly calls this a plant protein powder, it’s really less protein than you think.

The Conclusion

If you’re looking for a plant protein powder that’s primarily protein, you should look elsewhere.  But if you’re looking for a plant protein powder that’s also filled with other great nutrients and benefits, then Life’s Basic plant protein powder is definitely for you.  20 grams of protein per serving is nothing to sneeze at, and the wealth of other ingredients is pretty amazing.  Just keep in mind that taking all that green all at the same time will make it difficult for your body to fully process everything you’re eating.  So definitely follow the instructions and take it at the recommended times to make sure your body is fully able to utilize the nutrients you’re paying for.

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May272011

Plant Protein Powder — Hemp Review

By Ben on May 27, 2011

hemp protein powder review

 

Hemp Pro 50 on Sale Here

 

 

 

Hemp Plant Protein Powder Review

This is a good example of a plant protein powder — Manitoba Harvest’s Hemp Pro 50.  If you’re going to buy a hemp protein powder, you really ought to try and find a protein powder that’s at least 50% protein.  Otherwise, you’re just eating a bunch of fiber and a little bit of protein.  That’s the reason I like this brand, because they clearly advertise on the label that this hemp protein powder is at least 50% protein.  You’d be surprised at how many hemp protein powders there are out there, and plant protein powder products in general, that label themselves “protein powder” but are primarily fiber and other things.  This is one of the reasons why plant protein powders have gotten such a bad rap in years past.  But back to hemp.  Manitoba Harvest also has a version that’s 70% protein, but that one’s a bit more expensive for just an extra gram or so of protein per serving.  Plus, it doesn’t have nearly the Omega 3 fatty acid content that this brand has.

Omega 3 Essential Fatty Acids

Omega 3 Essential Fatty Acids are probably the best thing about hemp protein powder.  Most people in our modern culture have heard of Omega 3 EFAs by now.  They’re simply incredible, giving your brain a huge boost in nutrients and performing all kinds of benefits to the skin and other areas.  If you’re not already taking Omega 3 EFAs, you really ought to do some more research on them.  But back to hemp.  This hemp protein powder is amazing because on top of having 50% protein, it also has 1200mg of Omega 3 EFAs per serving.  That’s pretty huge, especially from a plant source.  Most Omega 3 EFAs come from fish oil, like cod liver oil.  It’s very rare to see this high of an Omega 3 EFA content from a plant source, especially one so rich in protein.

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May262011

Plant Protein Powder — What to Watch Out For

By Ben on May 26, 2011

In the world of plant protein powders, there are a lot of misleading brands that will label their product as a protein powder, which really should be labeled something else.  For example, the above picture of Organic Hemp Protein Powder which I purchased not long ago says “PROTEIN POWDER” in very bold letters right on the front.  But when I got home and went to take my first serving, I noticed that there were 11 grams of fiber per serving to only 9 grams of protein.  This powder was over half fiber.  How in the world could you label it a protein powder when it’s mostly fiber?  So before you just grab something at the store that says protein powder on it, make sure your read the ingredients and know what you’re buying.  There are plenty of great hemp protein powders out there, ones that are actually primarily protein.  In some upcoming reviews we’ll point out a few awesome brands.

Other things that you need to watch out for when buying a plant protein powder is the number of different amino acids there are in the formula.  One of the biggest drawbacks to plant proteins is that they aren’t usually complete proteins like animal proteins are, meaning that they don’t have the full range of amino acids that the body needs.  So even if a plant protein powder is high in protein, the range of amino acids might still be poor.  In the long run, this can get you into trouble, especially if you’re a vegetarian and are looking to supplement with plant protein in order to make sure you’re getting enough protein in your diet.  So when buying a plant protein powder, look for things like “Complete Protein,” or has a list of its amino acids in the ingredients like in the picture below.

The bottom line is that there are a lot of really great plant protein powder products out there, but that many of them have gotten a bad rap because of a few bad ones that don’t deliver what they advertise.  We’re going to do some reviews on some really amazing products and help you find the best deals out there.  There are a lot of really good choices, you just have to know where to look.  So stay tuned.

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May252011

Plant Protein Powder Can Be For Bodybuilding

By Ben on May 25, 2011

Plant Protein Powder for Bodybuilding

If you’re a bodybuilder or even just a person who likes to lift weights to keep in good shape, then you know how important protein is.  Most serious weightlifters disregard plant protein powder as a truly viable source of protein.  Instead, they opt for meats like chicken, turkey, beef, and fish. In the past, plant protein powders have been seen as more of a joke than something that anyone should really take serious.  And there’s definitely still a lot of joke plant protein powders out there.  I remember once buying a can of hemp protein powder, and once I got home, reading the label, saw that there were 11g of fiber per serving, and only 9g of protein.  How can you call something protein powder that has more fiber in it than protein!!

But this and other things are the main reasons why plant protein powder hasn’t really been taken seriously in the world of bodybuilding.  The other big problem that people see with vegetable proteins is that they’re often incomplete, containing only a small variety of the amino acids our bodies need to fully repair muscles and keep us going strong.  Meat contains all 8 of the essential amino acids our bodies can’t produce on their own but must get from food sources.  But there are some great benefits to plant protein powder that should not be overlooked.

One of the biggest benefits to vegetable proteins is that they’re generally very slowly digested, and very low in calories.  This is very good for building lean muscle mass.  You may not get huge gains from vegetable protein, but the constant steady supply of low calorie protein that’s released into your bloodstream will help you get that chiseled set of muscles that’s always been just out of reach.  So unless mass and bulk are your only goals, it might be a great idea to switch up your diet every now and again for some slow-digesting low calorie plant proteins to help give your muscles shape and definition instead of mere size.  There are a lot of really good plant protein powders out there, ones that will not only give you a nice dose of protein, but are filled with other valuable nutrients as well.

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May242011

Plant Protein Benefits vs Animal Protein

By Ben on May 24, 2011

Plant Protein vs Animal Protein

Everyone knows that it’s essential to get enough protein in your diet.  But in that, there’s still a big difference in the type of protein you’re eating.  As you can imagine, a fatty steak is quite a bit different than a blueberry shake made with hemp protein powder, even though the two might have the same amount of protein.  Not all proteins were created equal.  For the most part, there is an imbalance between how much animal protein people consume verses how much plant protein people consume.  And even in that, there’s quite a big difference in the types of animal protein people eat Most people eat far more burgers than broiled fish. So for the purpose of this article, when we talk about animal protein, we’re really more referring to red meats and not things like fish.

The Dilemma

The big dilemma with plant proteins is that they’re usually not complete proteins, meaning that they’re lacking in some of the essential amino acids that the human body needs.  There are a number of amino acids that the human body requires for healthy function.  Many of these amino acids the body can synthesize on its own.  But there are 8 essential amino acids that the body can’t replicate but must come directly from our diets.  The difficulty with plant protein sources is making sure you get the full spectrum of all 8 essential amino acids.

Plant Protein Benefits

Since there’s that big dilemma surrounding plant protein, are there any big advantages? The answer is definitely yes. Plant proteins area almost always low calorie and high in nutrients. Plant proteins are generally full of vitamins and minerals and low in fats and calories. One plant protein powder that I’m very fond of has a huge supply of omega 3 essential fatty acids. That’s an awesome thing to have, especially since most people are so deficient in omega 3 EFAs in our modern world. So that’s the huge benefit to plant protein. You generally get a lot of other positive nutrients along with your protein.

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May232011

Plant Protein Benefits

By Ben on May 23, 2011

Plant Protein Benefits — Low Blood Pressure

I’m a big believer in protein, especially plant protein powder.  History and science have both shown that the human body just does better when it has a lot of protein intake.  You might be shaking your head as to why I mentioned history as an indicator of why we should eat a lot of protein.  It was well documented that after the agricultural and industrial revolutions in America, people had a much higher protein intake than they did before, when many families were subsistence farmers.  As a result, the average lifespan went from about 42 to above 65.  This drastic change was primarily attributed to the widespread increased protein intake that happened.  And though most people get plenty of protein in their diets these days, a lot of people struggle to get a healthy level.  Vegetarians and vegans are especially at risk and a good plant protein powder might be just the thing for them.

But let’s discuss some of the benefits of plant proteins above animal proteins.  One big benefit is the possible link to lower blood pressure.  A recent study analyzed intake of the vegetable protein glutamic acid and its effect on hypertension.  The result was a correlation between the levels of glutamic acid intake and a reduction in blood pressure, both systolic and diastolic.  That’s very encouraging considering that many people are on blood pressure medication, and may continue to be on it for the rest of their lives.  If another solution were possible for them, that would be really amazing.  Further research is needed to see just how much glutamic acid can help with blood pressure, but the initial results are very promising.

This is especially interesting considering that many animal proteins can often have a the opposite effect on the circulatory system.  Often, animal proteins are high in fats and grease, and can cause the arteries to clog and can ultimately lead to a heart attack.  Plant protein, on the other hand, seems to have a positive effect on the circulatory system.  That’s very good to know, especially for persons at risk of circulatory problems.  Fortunately for us, glutamic acid is among the more common of vegetable proteins.  So most people get at least some of it in their normal diets.  But if you’re among those with high blood pressure, you might want to check out some more information about how plant protein might be able to help your condition.

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