Q: Are protein powders junk for weightlifters? I heard they are harmfull to the body. Is this true?
A: Anthony Bova made a profound statement on here the other day. He said Mother Nature made the perfect protein for your body...eggs. It's hard to beat old Mother Nature. She really knows her stuff!
I find whey protein helpful to me, but I wouldn't say it was necessary. Sometimes it's easier for me to drink a protein drink than eat a meal. When you try to get in 6 to 7 meals a day, it helps when a few of those are protein drinks.
Plus, for a change of pace, I like to use the old Rheo Blair method and mix my protein with heavy whipping cream and make it into a pudding consistency. Depending on what type of protein powder you're using, it's delicious...and very low carb for those (like me) following the low carb diet.
Protein powders and meal replacment drinks can help you add protein to your diet and are easily digestible.
For those on a budget, here's a protein drink recipe I used to use (before I became rich and famous...LOL):
*2 to 3 eggs
*16 oz. milk
*non fat dry milk powder
*Some kind of flavoring. Some times I used a couple scoops of ice cream or some chocolate Ovaltine.
(Unfortunately for you low carb guys, this is not a low carb protein drink.)
If you're concerned about the eggs and salmonella, you can drop them in boiling water for 45 to 60 seconds.
Here's a low carb protein drink:
*2 to 3 eggs
*4 oz. heavy whipping cream
*Sugar free Tang (or a generic equivalent). This stuff has no carbs and is sweetened with Nutrasweet.
So yes, you can get by without protein powder and supplements.
Are they harmful? Yeah, if you try to take them dry without mixing them with a liquid they can make you cough and gag.
I've heard people say that too much protein is hard on your kidneys but nobody has ever been able to show me any medical cases where someone in good health has gotten kidney damage from too much protein.
So I would say if used to supplement your diet, they aren't harmful at all.
Best,
Doberman Dan
