Protein Powder

PVL Whey Gourmet PB Chocolate Review

Fri, 12 Dec 2008 21:28:47 +0000

Profile: One scoop of this protein powder has 120 calories containing 21g of protein, 2g of fat, and 4g of carbohydrates. It's a blend of whey protein isolate and concentrate. The profile is pretty standard for this type of protein, although not quite as much protein per serving as Optimum Whey.

Mixability: The mixability is very good and is actually much thicker than your typical whey protein powder. Had no problems mixing in either a shaker cup or blender.

Taste: The peanut butter and chocolate tastes like a liquid Reese's cup and is honestly one of the best tasting protein powder's available. It's definitely heavier on the PB than chocolate but still an excellent taste even in water.

Value: A 2lb tub is somewhere around $26 and contains 30 servings. This is a pretty steep price for a whey isolate and concentrate blend. However, as the name implies, PVL's gourmet line is intended for those willing to shell out a few extra bucks for an excellent tasting protein powder.

Protein Breakdown

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 21:18:06 +0000

It has become common knowledge that an important aspect in gaining muscle is protein consumption. Protein makes up between 15 and 20 percent of a person's bodyweight and is the second most abundant substance in the body, next to water of course.

Protein itself is comprised of many amino-acids, 20 to be exact. These amino acids are further broken down into two categories, essential and non-essential.

Non-essential amino acids are produced naturally, by the liver. On the flipside, essential amino acids can only be attained by dietary means. A diet rich in essential amino acids is very important in the muscle building process. Below is a list of the essential and non-essential amino acids.

Essential Amino Acids

Histidine
Isoleucine
Leucine
Valine
Lysine
Methionine
Phenylalanine
Threonine
Tryptophan

Non-Essential Amino Acids

Alanine
Arginine
Asparagine
Aspartic Acid
Cysteine
Glutamic Acid
Glutamine
Glycine
Proline
Serine
Tyrosine

In order to achieve the correct ratio of these amino acids, one must consume complete protein sources. Protein Powder and eggs are some examples of complete protein sources. Below is a list of complete protein sources.

Complete Protein sources

Protein Powder
Egg Whites
Turkey
Fish
Shellfish
Chicken breast
Lean beef (sirloin, flank, lean ground beef)
Dairy Products (low fat milk, low fat cheese)
Legumes (beans, peas, lentils)
Nuts

Eating a mixture of these complete protein sources places the body in a positive nitrogen state, which is optimal for muscle growth. The greater the nitrogen state, the faster you recover from your grueling workout. Whatever your physique goals are, eating a combination of the various complete protein sources should be high on your list of priorities.

Ultra Peptide Chocolate Review

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 01:35:31 +0000

Profile: One scoop of this protein powder has 115 calories with 23g of protein, 1.5g of fat, and 2.5g of carbohydrates. It is a blend of micellar casein and whey protein isolate.

Mixability: The mixability is not as good as most whey protein powders. However, it mixes much better than most other casein protein supplements and seems to mix fine in a shaker cup or blender.

Taste: The chocolate flavor is very good in either milk or water. It's a very rich taste without being overly sweet.

Value: A 1.75 tub can be had for around $28, which contains 28 servings. The price is a little higher but micellar casein products in general are much more expensive and this product is in line with most of them. Truly a quality protein powder.

Xtreme Formulations Ultra Peptide, 1.75 Lbs., Chocolate
Price: $27.79
The Perfect Sustained Release Protein System!

Optimum Nutrition 100% Extreme Milk Chocolate Review

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 01:33:25 +0000

Profile: One scoop of the extreme milk chocolate protein powder has 130 calories with 24g of protein, 1.5g of fat, and 4g of carbohydrates.

Mixability: Like all of Optimum Nutrition's whey protein products, it mixes well in either milk or water with no clumping.

Taste: Taste is a much stronger chocolate flavor than their Double Rich chocolate product and seems to be a better choice if you mix your shakes in water.

Value: A 5lber is $41.99 and contains 71 servings.

Optimum Nutrition 100% Rocky Road Review

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 01:29:34 +0000

Profile: One scoop of this protein powder provides 120 calories with 24g of protein, 1g of fat, and 3g of carbohydrates. It contains a blend of whey protein isolate and concentrate.

Mixability: It mixes very easily in water or milk, no clumping issues to speak of.

Taste: Taste is a good chocolate/rocky road flavor without being overly sweet.

Value: The 5lb tub can be had for about $41.99 which is an excellent value for 71 servings.

Whey Protein Powder

Wed, 24 Sep 2008 01:27:28 +0000

Whey protein powder is the most popular and widely used protein powder available. It's made during the process of turning milk into cheese. The whey protein powder is separated out during this process.

Whey protein powder is the highest quality protein powder and contains the highest branched-chain amino acid content. These amino acids help provide a positive nitrogen balance, thus aiding in muscle building.

Not only does whey protein powder aid in obtaining optimal body composition, scientific research has shown that whey protein powder helps the body's immune system, acting as an antioxidant.

Whey protein powder is the fastest digesting protein powder on the market. The optimal time to use whey protein powder would be after a workout and upon waking, as these are the times when the body needs protein quickly. Whatever your specific goals may be, whey protein powder should be a staple in anyone's diet.

Necessary Protein Intake

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 20:52:19 +0000

So you want to lose weight or add muscle. Doesn't everyone. One crucial aspect in determining whether you'll have success in this venture is your protein intake. A high protein diet leads to a positive nitrogen state, which potentiates muscle growth. For your average lifter, in between 1 to 1.2 times your bodyweight in protein should be adequate for growth. Advanced lifters may require more but at least 1 times your bodyweight is necessary.

All food requires metabolic processing. When consuming protein, however, metabolic increases have been shown to double when compared to the other to the other two macro-nutrients, carbohydrates and fats. Thus, a high protein diet is shown to be thermogenic, which leads to increased calorie burning and subsequently, fat loss.

A high protein diet has also been shown to increase the release of the hormone glucagon, a hormone which helps prevent fat storage.

It's a good idea to mix your protein sources, obviously some coming from beef, fish, chicken and protein powder. This may require a big change in one's diet, however a high quality protein powder can make hitting your daily protein requirement substantially easier.