Hello all and Happy New Year. I'm just starting Ideal Protein Alternative Plan and I just made a soup with chicken broth and protein. I need more protein powder to continue experimenting with new recipes. I want the plain kind. Does anyone have a favorite?
Undenatured whey protein isolate is my favorite. Syntax Medical is one brand (though I get mine directly from local cheese makers).
Uenatured isn't a brand, it's a way of making the protein powder (using lower temperatures). Also called cold-filtered, cold-processed or micro-filtered, it creates a protein powder that dissolves easily, quickly, and completely, even in water, with none of the gritty, chalky, or clumpy texture of heat-processed whey proteins.
It also has a much nicer and milder flavor than most protein powders (more like diluted, but real milk).
Unfortunately, you sometimes have to read between the lines to determine whether or not a brand of whey protein isolate is an undenatured/cold-filtered whey protein isolate, because manufacturers are often intentionally vague about how their whey protein powders are made.
Some will claim a "secret" or "patented process" or "advanced technology" responsible for their protein's superior flavor, texture, and ease of dissolving. If a product makes these claims, it's likely a cold-filteted whey.
Price can be a clue (as cold-filtered whey proteins are often more expensive), but isn't conclusive in itself.
The process really is neither secret nor advance, so there's no need to buy the most expensive brand. In fact, if you can buy directly from a cheese maker, the indentured protein isolates will often be better tasting and cheaper (often cheaper than even the featured brands).
This may all be more than you wanted to know, but the difference in flavor and texture is astonishing. The only thing to keep in mind that you have to be aware of temperature. If the liquid you're dissolving the protein powder into is too hot, the proteins will de-nature (and will clump).
So let your soup, hot cocoa, Mac and cheese, or whatever, cool to a comfortable drinking/eating temperature before stirring in the protein powder.
I have never heard of the Ideal Protein Alternative Plan, and I am not sure where to get plain protein powder or what's the best, as I am new to the protein powder supplement to diet approach. However, for the record...I would like to say I love love love the RAW Protein Powder by Garden of Life. Its plant based. So no animal protein, but packs a hefty protein in one scoop (17 grams of protein, 90 calories, 2 carbs and 1 fiber gram- 1 net carb). I use the Marley Coffee one in my protein shake. But they have plain powder too. I am not vegetarian or vegan, so thats not why I chose a plant based protein powder, I just like that it has no cholesterol or any other bad additives in it. I also add High Fiber Hemp Protein to my shake too. Anyhoo! Thats my recommendation IF you find some good suggestions for other protein powders and you try them out let me know what you think!
I am a big fan of UNJURY brand of protein powder. They have a variety of flavors. They have a youtube channel for recipes.
I'm planning to try Ideal Protein, but will be using Unjury products.
Thanks for the info Johanna. The Alternative Plan is the same as the original but adds some more foods to each meal. Weight loss will be slower but since some find the original plan to harsh, it's a good way to get started. You can find it on the web if you search a little. That's how I stumbled onto it.
"It looks like a low carb diet. Personally, I have had lots of success on a low carb, high fat diet.
However, you can do it with real food, and have loads of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes etc. to get your carbs, and not drink shakes, or pay for the privilege.
The problem with these plans, is that once you establish their macronutrient makeup, you can match that with real food, using the SP tracker, which is why they want you to pay before you get the plan. All they are selling is information, and then hopefully product.
If they said eat 10 % carbs, 70 % fat, and 20 % protein, why would you pay them any money? You can just eat real food, and see those results for free.
If you do decide to eat a lower carb plan, you will realize that since your carbs are so limited, you at least want to eat taste the small amount that you are allowed.
Another issue is the name, suggesting that you will be eating lots of protein. Seems like they are trying to avoid backlash from terms like low carb OR high fat. Ideal protein sounds wonderful!! If my protein is 20 %, I can think of so many tasty ways to eat protein. Does a shake sound good? Or healthy?
If you would consider a low carb plan.. look to Atkins, Paleo, or South Beach/Zone, and pick one that you think you could stick to. At the very least they are being truthful about the fact that you will be eating lower carbs, the same protein, and therefore they are HIGH FAT diets. If that bothers you, don't do low carb, because they are really high fat, but marketers know that saying so would hurt sales.
Anyone here want to eat a HIGH FAT diet? No? Just me? Thought so."
End quote
Myself, I do not buy nor use any "diet" stuff. All natural off the shelf supermarket foods for me. High fiber. Real fruits of my choice. Plenty of spices.... My choices and amounts. 1/4 the cost of these "diet" foods." 73 lbs down in a little over a year.
B F R
PS: I have a close friend who used these purchased diet drinks, shakes etc and lost a lot of weight fairly fast. About 60 lbs in 5 months. I told her she may have a problem once she reached goal and had to return to eating normal foods. I wanted to say a lot more but didn't. She said they had a plan for that, to work it in a little at a time. She reached her goal and started eating some regular tasting food again. In six months she regained all she had lost and said she would never bother losing again. I was gunshy about those things before and that really confirmed --- to me --- that losing weight by changing life style some, learning which and what to eat which were both tasty, healthy, high fiber, filling and low calorie that I could continue eating for the rest of my life would be the way to go. And that is what I am doing.
But to each their own.
Google Ideal Protein ingredients if you want to know what they are. I posted a link but it did not work so I removed it.
B F R
Last edited by Big Fat Rooster; 01-06-2015 at 01:22 AM.
Reason: Edited to remove non-working link.
I am a little confused about the copied and pasted quote is it from you? Because I agree that a high fat low carb diet is a very good way to not only lose weight but also and more importantly lose body fat and also lower insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome. I am a supporter of the Keto Diet as it is backed by science and used in the treatment of many diseases including brain cancer and epilepsy.However, the Keto diet really should be used soley for people who have been recommended it by the doctor and do not have other health related issues that may be at risk with this type of diet. But what I am really trying to say here, is I think a low-carb diet for life is the way to go. That means eliminating carbs and sugar. I don't know if you were a supporter of this or if you were trying to discuss something else since it was quoted and pasted. But if you haven't already read the book "Fat Chance" I highly recommend it
Actually, no, I had just been seeing those "Ideal Protein" posts and ... well.. something did not sound right. So I googled it and the ingredients in it. One of the first sites about the ingredients brought up that guys post on another forum in response to a question on those proteins. I had read the ingredients already so his post was no surprise. So instead of writing my own, which would not have been as informative, I just copied his and then added a link for the ingredients.
I hate fad diets and especially falsely stated ads from those companies.
Myself, everything I eat, outside of my own garden, comes off the supermarket shelves. I am a firm believer in eating foods which are first healthy, second tasty/delicious, third high fiber if vegetable, fourth nutritious, filling, and low calorie.
It seems you are striving for something similar but perhaps boxed up.
I looked into that book and and a few reviews and it sounds like it has some things in it I want to read up on. Thanks
Good luck to you with it.
I have dropped some 73 lbs the way I am doing it a little over a year.
B F R
Last edited by Big Fat Rooster; 01-06-2015 at 01:17 AM.
Need plain protein powder
IF you find some good suggestions for other protein powders and you try them out let me know what you think! 