Yo,
You may notice on the back of some protein powders that there are a bunch of ingredients. Some you may never have even heard of and look quite strange. We shouldn’t ignore this, as when you consume protein powder, those ingredients are also going into your body. This is why today, we’ll be exploring what protein powder ingredients to avoid.
Manufacturers, in an attempt to reduce production costs, can make use of these cheap ingredients. It makes sense from a profitable standpoint, as a business would want to reduce costs by as much as possible, in order to maximise profit.
This is why we must take matters into our own hands. It’s not like businesses will tell you about all the artificial sweeteners, fillers and other unfavourable ingredients and slap them on the front of the bag. That would only deter sales for them, so they’re put on the back in small writing.
Like everything in life, there is the good and the bad. Some protein powders contain all the ingredients that we’ll be going into today. Some protein powders contain none of them. Finally, some protein powders contain only some.
Alright, let’s get into it.
Artificial sweeteners
Protein powders come in various flavours and types. The most common include banana, vanilla, cookies and cream, chocolate, salted caramel and many more.
With many flavours come many sweeteners, as the protein powders do not actually contain the chosen flavour. What I mean is this: if you purchase a banana-flavoured protein powder, it will taste like banana, but an actual banana was not blended or used in the product.
That “banana” flavour that you taste, comes from the artificial sweeteners. So, as this is an article about protein powder ingredients to avoid, let’s go into why we should avoid artificial sweeteners.
Artificial sweeteners are essentially sugar substitutes and they’re depicted as a ‘healthier’ alternative to sugar. However, negative effects of excessive consumption of artificial sweeteners include digestive issues, increased blood sugar levels, increased risk of stroke and increased risk of heart disease.
Sounds scary right? That a substitute for sugar can do all those things to you. Moreover, this is the most common ingredient in the list (that we will go into today) that you should avoid.
Furthermore, common artificial sweeteners include:
Sucralose
Aspartame
Acesulfame K
Xylitol
So you’re next question may be, “Should I then buy a protein powder without artificial sweeteners?”
Well, like many things in life, it is up to you. The listed effects are a result of excessive consumption, so the next thing to do is to only consume the protein powder in moderation.
The one that I frequently drink contains sucralose. So I too consume one of the ingredients I am advocating to avoid. However, the difference is that the one I have contains only three ingredients and the only ingredient to “avoid” is sucralose.
If there was a protein powder that had a nice flavour without artificial sweeteners and the ingredients we will go into later, then I would definitely buy that, assuming it is affordable. However, The reality is that many protein powders will contain an artificial sweetener, it’s just how it is. (Although you could buy a non-flavoured one, I haven’t done it because I like the flavoured ones)
Some protein powders contain all of the ingredients we will go into today and some only a few.
Finally, some of you guys might be thinking “If many, if not all protein powders contain artificial sweeteners and you’ve explained all this, should we just ultimately avoid protein powders as a whole?” Again, I cannot give you the answer to that, as it is up to you what you’re willing to consume. In my eyes though, if a protein powder has just an artificial sweetener, and none of the following ingredients, then that is a win in my eyes.
Onto the next
Fillers
Fillers are basically additives that assist to bulk up the weight and protein of foods. They are cheap, which saves money for manufacturers. So, what are the common fillers in protein powders? They are:
– Maltodextrin
– Cornstarch
– Cellulose
So why should we avoid them?
The reason being is that these fillers can cause constipation, bloating and other digestive issues.
Vegetable Oils and Fats
Vegetable oils and fats are often added to protein powders to increase the flavour, richness and creaminess. Here’s the negative; these vegetable oils and fats come from processed, hydrogenated origins that contained trans fats. Moreover, it’s been discovered that trans fats are more harmful than saturated fats!
So what are examples of vegetable oils? These are
– Sunflower
– Canola
– Soybean
Okay, so we now know that they can be harmful to the body, but let’s explain how they are harmful.
Trans fats raise your bad cholesterol (LDL), whilst lowering your good Cholesterol (HDL). An increase in bad cholesterol can cause hardening of the arteries. It can also lead to increased blood pressure.
Thickeners and Gums
These are used to thicken protein powders (as the name suggests), to enhance the texture and consistency. The most common thickeners and gums include:
– Xantham Gum
– Guar Gum
– Acacia Gum
So why should they be avoided?
These thickeners and gums can cause constipation, gas and bloating in excess consumption.
So what next?
These ingredients are the primary ones I aim to look out for and consider when purchasing a protein powder.
So what should you do next? Should you never buy protein powder? Should you use the one I consume?
Well, the goal of this post today was to expand your knowledge on undesirable ingredients and I hope that was achieved. However, you might still be wondering on what you should do moving forward. I urge you to pick a protein powder with the least amount of the ingredients we went through today. If a protein powder has all of these, I would strongly recommend avoiding it at all costs.
Personally, I believe if you come across a protein powder that has only artificial sweeteners and is a reputable brand, then purchasing that is fine. It’s ultimately about picking your poison and being selective.
Another thing to remember is that protein powder is only a supplement and you can always achieve your goals without it.
If you made it this far and found this post to be of value to you, thank you for reading and feel free to read my other posts. You may also be wondering now about how to actually pick a protein powder. Feel free to check out my guide here.
See you next time!
