ASK THE SUPPLEMENT GURU: IS ORGANIC WHEY PROTEIN WORTH THE
MONEY
IS IT WORTH PAYING A LITTLE EXTRA FOR
"ORGANIC" PROTEIN POWDER? ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL BENEFITS TO USING
IT?
Let me
start by saying that I'm a big believer in organic dairy products like milk,
cottage cheese, and Greek yogurt—especially if they come from well-raised,
grass-fed cows. I also like organic fruits and vegetables, which are worth the
extra cash because less pesticides are used. But organicwhey
protein powder? Not so fast.
Some
readers might find my thumbs-down on organic whey contrary to my thumbs-up on
organic dairy, since whey protein comes from milk. After all, whey protein
powder manufactured from organic, grass-fed milk must be better than plain-old
whey, right? Not necessarily!
THE FAT IS WHERE IT'S AT
First,
you need to consider what exactly makes milk from grass-fed cows better for
you. It's the fat! Organically raised, grass-fed cows have higher amounts of
the all-important and essential omega-3 fats, conjugated
linoleic acid (CLA), and vitamin
E (a fat-soluble vitamin) than their grain-fed counterparts,
and these nutrients are found in the milk fat.
But
whey is processed to isolate the protein from the carbs and the
fat. In fact, a quality whey protein isolate has close to 100 percent of the
fat removed. This means that if a protein-powder manufacturer is using whey
protein from organic milk, nearly all of the extra omega-3
fats, CLA, and vitamin E have been removed during the manufacturing process
anyway!
THE PROTEIN IN MILK FROM GRASS-FED COWS HAS THE SAME AMINO ACIDS AND
STRUCTURE AS PROTEIN IN GRAIN-FED MILK. AMINO ACIDS ARE AMINO ACIDS.
When
you look at it this way, there is little sense in paying more for whey protein
from organic milk given the fact that all the additional health benefits are
completely removed in the manufacturing process.
As for
the protein content, the protein in milk from grass-fed cows has the same amino
acids and structure as protein in grain-fed milk. Amino acids are amino acids.
BUT WHAT ABOUT THOSE PESKY PESTICIDES?
You
might have also heard that organic whey protein is free of antibiotics,
hormones, and pesticides. But due to the rigorous processing that whey protein
already undergoes to isolate the whey protein from everything else in the milk,
none of those contaminants should be left behind to make it into the jug of
protein powder you're buying.
Furthermore,
none of those chemicals alter the structure of the whey protein molecules that
are isolated from milk protein. So, again, there's no difference between
regular whey protein and grass-fed protein in regards to any contaminants.
ARE YOU WASTING MONEY ON WHEY?
If you
prefer to use grass-fed whey protein powder for ethical reasons, then by all
means, fork out a little extra cash for the stuff. If, however, you think it'll
offer up superior health benefits, or you're concerned about antibiotics and
hormones, your money may be going to waste.
A HIGH-QUALITY WHEY PROTEIN ISN'T GOING TO CONTAIN ANY CONTAMINANTS,
AND IF YOU ARE AT ALL CONCERNED WITH WHAT COULD BE IN YOUR WHEY, STICK WITH A
WHEY PROTEIN ISOLATE.
Don't
get sucked into this trap and waste your money on organic whey protein. A
high-quality whey protein isn't going to contain any contaminants, and if you
are at all concerned with what could be in your whey, stick with a whey protein
isolate, as it contains the lowest possible amount of hormones, antibiotics, or
pesticides.
IS PEANUT BUTTER
HEALTHY?
Before you make your next sandwich, get the facts about the
nutritional profile of this popular nut butter!
Peanut butter has a special place in my heart, and I'm confident
I'm not the only one. Although perhaps known best for pairing beautifully with
your favorite fruit jelly and two slices of bread, or being surrounded by
melt-in-your-mouth chocolate, these are definitely not the only ways to use it.
It's right at home with sharp cheese, tart apple, or in a spicy sauce on
chicken skewers. The crazy among us—i.e., me—have been known to use it as a
condiment on a hamburger.
But peanut butter's benefits don't end with its pallet-pleasing
power. It's actually a healthy fat. That's right, I said healthy.
Despite the stick-to-your-mouth goodness, too many people leave
peanut butter sticking to the grocery-store shelves for fear that it will make
them fat. But that's not the whole story. Spoon yourself out of this creamy
conundrum and get the scoop on this much-loved, but often misunderstood,
spread.
PEANUT BUTTER'S BENEFITS DON'T END WITH
ITS PALLET-PLEASING POWER. IT'S ACTUALLY A HEALTHY FAT.
THE UNSHELLED TRUTH
The major reason peanut butter seems to be placed on dieters'
"naughty" list is because of its high calorie content. A mere two
tablespoons contains 200 calories, which, depending on your daily intake, could
make up as much as 10 percent of your daily calorie allotment. A few heaping spoonfuls
throughout the day, and you may quickly find yourself at half of your daily
calorie allotment. Well, nuts (or legumes, as it were).
NEWS ↯
FLASH
You need adequate fats at allcalorie levels in order
to feel good and stay healthy!
Sure, peanut butter is high in calories, but that's no reason to
completely dismiss it from your diet. At the end of the day, your weight is
dictated by calories in versus calories out. Whether you've allotted yourself
1,800, 2,400, or 3,000 calories per day, peanut butter can absolutely fit. Its
high fat content might even help you feel more satiated with fewer calories. As
with all things in life, moderation is key.
Here's what not to do: boost your peanut butter
intake through the roof, thinking it's a protein source. At about 8 grams of
protein per two-tablespoon serving, PB is nothing to sneeze at, but it's a
better fat than a protein. Eat it for what it is.
SATURATED FAT
Beyond the caloric load it brings, peanut butter's saturated-fat
content is a concern for some people. Saturated fat was once deemed the demon
of heart disease and was portrayed as evil by the fat-loss community. For
decades, this caused a huge hit to peanut butter's social following,
particularly the whole-fat variety. But that doesn't mean the fear was
justified. And as is often the case, the low-fat "improvement" is
worse than the original.
The truth is that saturated fat is not the root of all evil. In
fact, it's actually beneficial to the production of crucial hormones and
vitamins such as testosterone and vitamin D.1,2
Peanut butter also contains an abundance of "good"
fats, or, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. One serving has 8 grams of
monounsaturated fats and 4 grams of polyunsaturated fats. These
"good" fats help lower cholesterol, reduce heart disease, and lower
blood pressure.3They're also anti-inflammatory, which may help with recovery and
reduce your risk for metabolic syndrome.4
PEANUT BUTTER SHOPPING GUIDE
In a perfect world, the only ingredient in peanut butter would
be peanuts. After all, peanut butter is just mashed up peanuts, right? Of
course, that's not how it plays out, and not all nut spreads are created
equally.
When it comes to peanut butter, don't let the
"low-fat" claim on the label lure you. Most low-fat versions make up
for the cut by adding in sugar and partially hydrogenated oils—or trans
fats—which are detrimental to your health. Many of us grew up on these overly
sweet variations, so you may have to retrain your palate, but it's worth it.
Reap the benefits of a full-fat, full-flavor nut butter!
Likewise, you may find that one of the new flavored peanut
butters catches your attention, such as cinnamon raisin,white chocolate,
or banana. Keep in mind
that this added flavor almost always comes at the expense of added sugar and
carbohydrates, as well as other shelf-stabilizing agent.
KEEP IN MIND THAT THIS ADDED FLAVOR
ALMOST ALWAYS COMES AT THE EXPENSE OF ADDED SUGAR AND CARBOHYDRATES.
Are these delicious? Of course! But they're also a treat on par
with a candy bar. Use them sparingly, and fill your sandwiches with the
original whenever possible.
THE COMPETITION ALMOND BUTTER
Over the past few years, almond butter has often inched ahead of
the generic peanut in terms of perceived health benefits. Some people argue
that a miniscule percentage difference in key nutrients such as vitamin E and ironmakes the scales fall in almond butter's
favor. Almonds offer 25 milligrams of vitamin E, while peanuts offer 10
milligrams per serving, which is still 50 percent of the recommended intake.
ALMOND BUTTER HAS OFTEN INCHED AHEAD OF
THE GENERIC PEANUT IN TERMS OF PERCEIVED HEALTH BENEFITS.
But what about the greater amount of selenium or vitamin B-3 in peanut butter? Selenium is
a powerful antioxidant, and vitamin B-3—more commonly known as niacin—plays a
major role in energy production and fat metabolism in the body.
The truth is, both butters are interchangeably great and offer
different healthy fats and essential nutrients. Up-and-comers like cashew
butter also have a lot going for them. Try them all; each nut butter is great.
But it's also OK if, like me, peanut butter will always have your heart.
REFERENCES
1.
Hamalainen, E., Adlercreutz, H., Puska, P. & Pietinen, P.
(1984). Diet and serum sex hormones in healthy men.Journal of Steroid
Biochemistry, 20(1), 459-464.
2.
McLarnon, A. (2011). Nutrition: Dietary fat might influence
serum vitamin D level. Nature Reviews Endocrinology, 7(10),
562-562. 562.
3.
Kris-Etherton, P. M. (1999). Monounsaturated fatty acids and
risk of cardiovascular disease. Circulation, 100(11), 1253-1258.
4.
Zhao, G., Etherton, T.D., Martin, K.R., Vanden Heuvel, J.P.,
Gillies, P.J., West, S.G. & Kris-Etherton, P.M. (2005). Anti-inflammatory
effects of polyunsaturated fatty acids in THP-1 cells. Biochemical and
Biophysical Research Communications, 336(3), 909-917.
FIGHTING OFF FREE RADICALS
Think you can only get
antioxidants through supplements or expensive juicing machines? If you're
losing sleep for fear of losing the battle against free radicals, it's time for
an antioxidant reality check!
Antioxidants are powerful compounds found
in nearly all food you eat, regardless of what some juice ads would have you
believe. Antioxidants do exist in colorful fruits, but they can also be found
in vegetables, nuts, grains, milk products, teas, legumes, spices, and herbs.
Even certain meats, poultry, and fish contain antioxidants. No matter how
healthy—or unhealthy—your diet is, you're consuming antioxidants.
So
what do they do for you? Antioxidants can help your body defend itself against
stress and decay. Certain antioxidants will make you look better from the
inside out by protecting your eyes and skin from the damaging effects of
sunlight. These potent compounds also decrease excess inflammation and soreness
after a hard workout.
As you
may have heard, antioxidants may help support overall health and exercise recovery.*
NO MATTER HOW HEALTHY—OR
UNHEALTHY—YOUR DIET IS, YOU'RE PROBABLY CONSUMING ANTIOXIDANTS.
But
here's what you might not know: Antioxidants are incredibly diverse in how
they're structured and what they do. Even grouping them all under a single name
is problematic. It's akin to grouping running shoes and cars under the same name
just because they both help you move around.
Though
we know they're vital to our health, science has barely scratched the surface
on antioxidants. There are thousands of different
types found in foods, yet only a tiny fraction of them have been identified. In
many cases, scientists don't fully understand how the ones that have been
discovered act in the human body. To make matters even more complicated, a
single fruit or vegetable may contain over a hundred compounds, making it
difficult to figure out what each one does.
WHICH ANTIOXIDANTS HELP YOU TRAIN?
Several
antioxidants have been singled out and studied extensively for their beneficial
effects in relation to exercise and athletics. Of these, the plant-based
pigments called "flavonoids" are probably the best-known. These
include:
Anthocyanins are
found in brightly colored red, purple, and blue produce. These are the
nutrients that have made açai, blueberries, and blackberries into overnight
celebs—and with good reason! Studies suggest that tart cherries--a rich source
of anthocyanins--help support exercise recovery and a healthy inflammation
response. When consumed daily, this juice alone has been suggested to support
muscle health and keep muscles moving through their full range of motion.*
Flavonols are
another class of flavonoid compounds known to have antioxidant properties. When
writers and nutritionists rave about the health and performance benefits of
dark chocolate, red wine, and green tea, part of that has to do with their
flavonol content. One promising variety of flavonols is quercetin, which has
been linked in studies to increases in endurance capacity and VO2 max in
athletes.
Gingerol—the
active ingredient in ginger—is a powerful antioxidant in its own right.
Researchers at the University of Georgia discovered that fresh ginger and
ginger spice may provide antioxidant support and promote a healthy inflammation
response after eccentric exercise such as a hard bout of resistance training or
downhill running.*
*
Ratings as of article's date of publication
TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING
If
you're tempted to take a shortcut to good health by popping high-dose antioxidant supplements instead of eating
your fruits and veggies, consider this: Overloading on antioxidants could do as
much harm as good.
Several
studies have found that excessive doses of antioxidants don't prevent disease.
In some cases they actually increased disease risk. For
instance, two out of four long-term studies found high-dose beta-carotene
supplements (20-30 mg per day) taken daily for several years increased lung
cancer risk by 24 percent in smokers. How does 20-30 mg/day stack up? If you
eat five servings of fruits and vegetables per day, you consume about 6-8 mg of
beta-carotene. Vitamin E and selenium, two other crucial nutrients with
antioxidant properties, have also been connected to increased cancer risk when
taken at high doses.
But
aside from any particular risks to certain populations, popping antioxidant
pills like candy under the assumption that your body needs them in order to
recover from exercise is simply mistaken. Remember free radicals, those
compounds that damage your cells and are combatted by antioxidants? Well, it
turns out that we actually need somefree radicals in order for our
muscles to produce force, and to build and repair muscle. Muscle cells come
with their own regulatory network—an antioxidant defense system that lets free
radicals do their job but reduces the likelihood that they will inflict lasting
damage on your muscle.
Want
to help your body recover from stress? Start simple: Eat better
and sleep longer. Give your aching muscles what they want most!
LET'S HEAR IT FOR FOOD
Does
the remaining mystery surrounding antioxidants mean we're flying blind? Not
quite. Two principles should guide your antioxidant intake:
First,
ignore any boast that claims a food or supplement
"contains more antioxidants than (fill in the blank)." Quantitative
measurements of antioxidants are completely useless unless you're in a research
lab. The total amount doesn't tell you anything about how well your body will
absorb the antioxidant, nor what it does in your body.
ANTIOXIDANT-RICH FOODS SUCH AS
VEGETABLES AND FRUITS HELP PROMOTE OVERALL HEALTH.
Second, eat your fruit and vegetables. People who eat
more antioxidant-rich foods such as vegetables and fruits have a decreased risk
of developing serious diseases, including heart disease and cancer. It might be
because of the antioxidant content in these foods, other compounds in them, or
both. Or, it might be that these foods are simply part of an overall healthy
lifestyle.
In
either case, make sure they're part of your diet, because—for now at
least—there's no substitute for them.
