Taste of protein powders?

Tar.Aldarion

I've never used protein powders much before. I am looking to buy some and was wondering what your thought son taste were? So far I've only had hemp unflavoured and find it delicious in my smoothies, like the texture it adds. It's much lower level of protein than some others though (47/100g).

What do you guys thing out of these in particular, all 80-90/100g:
Soy
pea
brown rice


(or any other positive/negative comments on each)

papu

I have Soy Protein, find it horrible tasting on its own or in smoothies. I only use small amounts of it baking now.

blatantrereg

Rice protein would be low in lysine. Hemp is also low in lysine. Soy has a good amino acid profile. I think pea protein is very good too. Don't know what any of them taste like.

Beta alanine (precursor of carnosine) and creatine are both low in vegetarian diets and both have proven benefits for strength training. [edit: Carnosine levels have a minor but significant effect on muscle endurance; so it would be indirectly useful for increasing strength.] You could consider supplementing with one or both if you start to have trouble seeing improvement. Beta alanine has additional health benefits (carnosine is an antioxidant) so it might be worth considering supplementing with that anyway.

Triangla

I use one of these:

http://www.debenhams.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/prod_10052_10001_325003028697_-1

Stick in 10g of oats, a few frozen blueberries, mango or pinapple (Aldi) some spinach or baby kale and a scoop of powder and you'll only taste awesomeness.

Protein power with liquid can "stall the digger" i find so good to add a few extra bits and pieces.

Tar.Aldarion

Hey guys thanks, wasn't iy you blatentrereg that has the thread about no matter the protein source we will get the amount of each amino acid we need jsut by eating the prtein our body needs, so lysine imbalance wouldn't really matter? Especially as this particular source is not the main source of protein in a diet. Must look into the other stuff you said, good to know.
Soy and pea seem pretty cheap and good.

Have a nutribullet Triangla, blenders are the best, I will be using mine so much... apart from healthier things like smoothies yesterday we made mayonnaise and pineapple based cocktails...today I'll make nutella. They are great things. A point on what you said, perhaps the awesome tastiness of the smoothies would overcome any bad taste if I didn't like a protein powder.

blatantrereg

Tar.Aldarion wrote: »

Hey guys thanks, wasn't iy you blatentrereg that has the thread about no matter the protein source we will get the amount of each amino acid we need jsut by eating the prtein our body needs, so lysine imbalance wouldn't really matter? Especially as this particular source is not the main source of protein in a diet. Must look into the other stuff you said, good to know.
Soy and pea seem pretty cheap and good.

Have a nutribullet Triangla, blenders are the best, I will be using mine so much... apart from healthier things like smoothies yesterday we made mayonnaise and pineapple based cocktails...today I'll make nutella. They are great things. A point on what you said, perhaps the awesome tastiness of the smoothies would overcome any bad taste if I didn't like a protein powder.

I posted about protein requiements and amino acid profiles of vegetarian protein alright, and that the amino acid profile isn't as big a factor as you might think. With regard to most foods I looked at, the overall protein content was the main factor, rather than specific amino acids. However rice (like many cereals) is a little low in lysine.

This article is good and has tabulated info: http://www.veganhealth.org/articles/protein

11.3 servings of rice is needed to meet the average overall minimum protein requirement, but 14.1 servings to meet the equivalent lysine requirement. So it's not that low in lysine, but you'd need to eat a bit more of it to get enough lysine (or eat high lysine food as well).

It doesn't list peas or hemp. It does list a soy protein powder specifically, which is limited by overall protein level. Interestingly the different soy foods have different limiting factors in the table (though by very narrow margins).

Zillah

I tried numerous non-dairy proteins and I went back to whey, because they are all absolutely horrible. Soy was the worst. It doesn't dissolve, it makes a slimy suspension that will start to separate and congeal within seconds.

*shudders*

Pea is very savoury and chalky, overpowered even some soup that I made.

Tar.Aldarion

Thank's that's pretty comprehensive, some good reading. I eat pretty much most things there so it's interesting to compare. Seitan seems high in lysine and I eat a lot of that, not a bad way to get protein, same with lentils, mmmmm lentils.

@Z Hmm, was gonna buy 5kg of one type but this talk has made me want to buy a small bag of each to try. Dairy based is not an option. I suppose I should have suspected taste is subjective but that's two bad nods for soy taste already so will try a bit of each. No harm if I have to stick with hemp, I love the taste. I wonder if my smoothie would overpower pea, will have to see. I always have the same breakfast one, soy milk/banana/agave syrup/peanut butter + powder now.

Triangla

I forgot Alpro coconut milk. Very low in calories and makes a protein smoothie that bit nicer and creamier.

I used to use unsweetened almond but it's muck. Tastes like water that's feeling a bit sad.

Tar.Aldarion

For anybody looking in the future, I ended up getting 5kg of pea protein as it had 10e off, so was very cheap (30e). It's great - it tastes like mild peas, I only ever really have these powders in a banana peanut butter cocoa smoothie so that taste is all i still get. It is not near as nice as hemp, which has an amazing taste and improves the texture of the smoothie, more of a gloopyness with pea. Hemp also has way more nutrients but has less protein.

It did a very cool static charge trick when i dipped in the cup, the powder all formed into little columns all over the cup and started shooting off into the air slowly, looked pretty class.

Zombienosh

I've tried a lot of non dairy protein powders and these are my thoughts on it.

Pea protein by itself was awful, it mixed awful and it tasted awful, the taste can not be masked at all.
Hemp is ok when mixed with other things, blended into a greens drink etc.
Rice protein mixes a lot better but still is a bit rough unflavored.
Sunwarrior was a mix of pea & rice and actually tasted pretty good, I tried chocolate and vanilla.

but the nicest non dairy protein powder I've come across.

Is soy isolate from myprotein.com
It has 3 flavored options which are all nice, I wouldn't be able to drink it non-flavored.

vard

I don't know why anyone would use a protein supplement that doesn't taste good/that they have to chug. Protein supplements, for a start, aren't necessary, but if you need a quick easy snack, an easy boost to your intake or find it hard to reach your minimums they're great.

I've used loads of brands and companies in the past. Absolutely far and away the very best has been The Protein Works - they have a huge variety of supplements and shakes. Each and every flavor tastes... and there are loads.

Check them out at http://www.theproteinworks.com/referral-program/MjAxNjFqMnQ=/ and use my affiliate code SS20161 to get a free sample pack of protein in a flavor of your choice.

n1ck

vard wrote: »

I don't know why anyone would use a protein supplement that doesn't taste good/that they have to chug. Protein supplements, for a start, aren't necessary, but if you need a quick easy snack, an easy boost to your intake or find it hard to reach your minimums they're great.

I've used loads of brands and companies in the past. Absolutely far and away the very best has been The Protein Works - they have a huge variety of supplements and shakes. Each and every flavor tastes... and there are loads.

Check them out at removed and use my affiliate code removed to get a free sample pack of protein in a flavor of your choice.

Convenient referral in there while plugging. I've used them as well and I thought their protein tasted like absolute muck, I sold it to a mate because it was awful tasting stuff.

Alf Veedersane

n1ck wrote: »

Convenient referral in there while plugging. I've used them as well and I thought their protein tasted like absolute muck, I sold it to a mate because it was awful tasting stuff.

That could just be doown to the flavour.

vard

n1ck wrote: »

Convenient referral in there while plugging. I've used them as well and I thought their protein tasted like absolute muck, I sold it to a mate because it was awful tasting stuff.

Huh? It's not like I was hiding the fact that it was a referral. I said it was an affiliate code.