I have smoothies very often. I have a TMJ (jaw joint disfunction) problem and aim for softer foods when it's acting up.

I'd like to get more protein in my day without have to always chew it up.

Do any of you use a protein powder? If so, which brand (s) do you recommend? Why do you like this brand?

Thanks so much.

I'm using this:

http://www.amazon.com/Genisoy-Protei...9244785&sr=8-4

It's genisoy, I always used to like their protein bars.

I have the unflavored one, which I like cuz I can just make it chocolate or vanilla at home and am not stuck with one flavor or having to buy two canisters.

Also, it's very affordable! Some are so expensive.

It doesn't have sweeteners I don't think? and no flavor. (the one I got). It's 25 grams of protein and I put it in light soy milk so for 170 cals I'm getting 31 grams of protein.

I'm vegan though, and when I exercise if I don't get enough protein I feel sick and I don't like to eat protein with breakfast most days so I thought the shake might be a good idea. That and I do some weeks 75% raw food only.

Most people if you eat animal products, get plenty from their diet though. I was coming up just about this much short on my protein so it worked out great.

I use Designer Whey in Chocolate. I use it in a strawberry smoothie almost everyday. Tastes great, decent price. You can get it at GMC and Vitamin Shoppe. I get it at VS for the reward points, plus it's usually cheaper there. They have vanilla too.

oh btw the genisoy I got at rite aid. it was 14$ with a coupon on it and a wellness card.

I buy whey protein as I'm iffy about soy. I also add egg whites to my smoothies to up the protein. The dogs love getting the yolks. (Around here, it's cheaper to buy eggs and pitch the yolks than to buy the egg whites in the carton.)

We've got a banana one at the moment. Im not sure what the make is but Ill look later.

I often mix it with cold water for breakfast as I dont always fancy eating something. Ive also discovered its great mixed with quark as its like eating cheesecake topping, sometimes a tiny squirt of honey if I want something sweet.

We keep both vanilla and chocolate whey protein powder on hand. It's nice for a quick breakfast. We get it in the vitamin aisle of our grocery store, so it's whatever brand they have.

I like the vanilla mixed with frozen berries and cream, and sometimes with a handful of frozen spinach (you can't even tell it's there). The chocolate is great mixed with cold coffee and cream! (I don't use milk because I'm more sensitive to milk sugars than to the fat in cream. Low-fat dieters tend to use milk or juice in their protein smoothies)

My husband uses vanilla powder, milk, and a banana. For my daughter, we use vanilla powder with frozen strawberries, mixed with a bit of milk and either apple or orange juice (she likes it sweeter than we do).

It's nice to have on hand, and to know that I have one more pantry staple in my arsenal against hunger.

DH and I use Optimum Nutrition 100% Whey in Double Rich Chocolate. I usually mix a scoop + 8oz unsweetened Silk soy milk for a post-workout snack, or use 2 scoops for a quick breakfast. This is the first chocolate flavor I've liked, it's not overpowering and tastes almost like a chocolate malt with the soy milk. Nutritionwise it's one of the best I've found - about 120 cal per scoop but has a really low sugar and fat content, and gives you about 24g of protein.

If you look for it on Amazon, the 1lb and 2lb bottles differ in price by about 48 cents lol so the 2lb is definitely better value. I didn't want to pick up the 5lb since I'll probably want to try another flavor long before we finish it.

I loved Vega Berry. I say "loved" because I don't have them anymore since I found I was gaining weight while using it! (gained about 10 lbs)
Turns out I was accidentally underestimating my calories by about 500 per day because of all the healthy stuff in my shake! (used soy milk, ground flax, frozen strawberries, and a tbsp of this and that for different nutrients. Udo's oil 3-6-9 in particular was 240 cals.)

I would recommend Vega Berry for anyone looking for a shake high in nutrients, but just advise caution if using any shakes during weightloss. Especially if not exercising regularly. I'll use it again in the future but not for at least another 10 lbs and only on days when I'm having a hardcore workout session.

Thanks to you all for your input and suggestions. I will get some protein powder to add to my smoothies, etc.

I only use whey protein but my favorite (but $$) brand is Jay Robb vanilla powder - the chocolate is good too but I'm just not a HUGE chocolate fan period (but the few times I've had it w/ ice and some coconut butter blended in, it tastes just like a Frosty).

I also like Muscle Gauge Nutrition Cake Batter and Cinnamon Roll flavors and Nutiva's Hemp Protein + Fiber - they're all (including JR) low carb/low sugar and I like the hemp protein because it's relatively flavorless so I can make my own stuff.

I love to eat to much to drink calories: every bite I don't get to have makes me sad. I just wanted to mention that cottage cheese is an excellent, inexpensive source of protein: it's like 70% protein. People say nuts, eggs and beans are great protein--they are like 25% protein (egg whites are much more). Anyway, cottage cheese takes any flavor well: I like to use artificial sweetener and cocoa powder or cinnamon, but my sister loves seasoned salt or hot sauce. And I've long suspected it could be thrown into a smoothie and blended to add texture.

Shmead - I like to eat my food rather than drink it, too. I can't eat cottage cheese because it's high sodium. (I LOVE it) Alot of times I'll eat low fat riccotta cheese - only 100mg salt per 1/4 cup. I do egg whites (sodium on 55mg per egg white), no salt peanut butter, and beans are salt free for the most part.

I will throw some ricotta cheese in my smoothies.

Smoothies are great way for me to get in all my fruits and veggies. It's a soft, low sodium protein source I have trouble finding. I think the protein powder could help.

Thanks to everyone for your input. I appreciate it.

But when you have TMJ, you often don't have much choice. Many sufferers must eat all their meals through a straw, because even opening their mouths wide enough to insert a spoon is too painful. I once worked with a woman who during flares had to puree all of her food. She'd order chinese or italian food and put it through the blender so she could eat it through a straw.

My husband has TMJ, and thankfully it's not that severe though during flares cottage cheese is about as much chew as he can handle.

He'd prefer to chew all of his calories too, but sometimes it's not an option.



I thankfully don't have tmj, but I do like breakfast smoothies occasionally. I do miss "chewing" at other meals, but for breakfast it's not an issue (probably because most of my life I skipped breakfast entirely).

We use whey protein, and prefer unflavored. It can be hard to find unflavored, though (but when you do, the price is often much cheaper).

I have tmj too, mine doesn't hurt so much from eating if I don't gnaw on a hunk of panera whole grain bread.... ha. So now that I'm gluten free and vegan those firm texturey things like bread or meat or even some seitan (fake meat made from gluten) isn't a problem.

I do remember them irritating me at times though in the past.

Mostly my jaw cracks insanely loud and it sounds like I've been chewing glass. Recently it cracked so hard I was afraid to move it, afraid it would fall off my face, and when I finally did move it, the pain radiated up into under my ear.

Auuuuuugh. I feel ya!