Ok so you might find the next few links interesting. These are from around the web, just random snippets that I’ve picked up in my reading, but I found some very cool information in them. You might too. Here goes…

Meal Replacement Protein Shakes | Weight Management Solutions

X Protein Meal Replacement Shake | Wichita Falls TX Diabetes …

Protein Meal Replacement

Hope you enjoy the read as much as I did and please if you have something to say, use the comments form below to let everyone know your thoughts.

Have a great day!

Meal Replacement Powders? so Many to Choose From! | Protein In

Healthy Chocolate Shake? | Seattle WA Diabetes Dark Chocolate

Healthy Chocolate Shake? | Daly City CA Orac Chocolate Towers

Hope you enjoy the read as much as I did and please if you have something to say, use the comments form below to let everyone know your thoughts.

Have a great day!

Technorati Tags: protein meal replacement

Ok so you might find the next few links interesting. These are from around the web, just random snippets that I’ve picked up in my reading, but I found some very cool information in them. You might too. Here goes…

High Protein Shakes That Taste Delicious | Low Carb Meal Replacement

Meal Replacement Bars: Guys I Need Help With This Diet/regime For …

Cutting/Fat Loss Meal Replacement Protein Bars

Hope you enjoy the read as much as I did and please if you have something to say, use the comments form below to let everyone know your thoughts.

Have a great day!

South Beach Diet Meal Replacement Bar | South Beach Diet |

Making Your Meal Replacement Program Work

Meal Replacement Shakes to Lose Weight Quickly

Hope you enjoy the read as much as I did and please if you have something to say, use the comments form below to let everyone know your thoughts.

Have a great day!

Technorati Tags: protein meal replacement

The Benefits Of Using A Protein Powder

Protein comes in many forms, from animal protein to plant based protein. It also comes in supplemental forms with many people turning to protein powder to make sure that they are getting enough of this vital nutrient, as well as to use as a meal replacement during weight loss efforts. Supplement sales in the United States in recent years has totaled just less than $25 billion dollars and is only expected to continually climb as more and more adults reach their senior years. (Source: Science Daily, December 2009.) Of this large number, the majority of the products sold are protein based supplements and the average buyer is looking for a way to keep their health. However, there are other groups that buy protein supplements, including protein powder. These groups include body builders who may use the powder as a before or after workout drink, and teens who are trying to stop themselves from eating the fatty fried and greasy foods that their friends all consume in huge quantities.

The Types of Protein Powder

All protein powder comes from four sources and can be either a single ingredient powder or a combination powder. Anyone who has suspected or known food allergies should stick with the single ingredient powder until they know how it will affect them. The four sources for all protein powder are whey, soy, rice, and egg.

Whey Protein

Whey protein powder is derived from milk as a byproduct of the process of making cheese. It is the most common of the powders and should not be used by anyone who is lactose intolerant. Like most protein powder, whey protein is available in two forms, a concentrate and an isolate. The concentrate is the least expensive of the two forms and the one that is most easily found in most locations. It contains between 30 and 85% protein. An isolate, on the other hand, has 90% protein and has less fat and less lactose. Whey protein isolate helps to boost immunity, is an optimal source of amino acids, and can enhance muscle recovery after workouts. It is also beneficial in preventing muscular breakdown.

Whey protein is the most like skeletal muscle and contains high levels of arginine and lysine, which in turn are used to stimulate the release of the growth hormone IGFI, an anabolic hormone which is a natural alternative to steroids. Whey protein also contains glutamine, which prevents fatigue and over training. Whey is considered to be a fast protein.

Soy Protein

Soy protein powder is derived from soy flour and comes in both concentrate and isolate forms. Soy powder may be used to increase the nutritional value of other foods and is highly digestible. Soy’s benefits include lowering cholesterol, reducing the risk of heart disease and can be used in a vegan diet. Two daily servings of soy protein can lower blood cholesterol by as much as nine points and has been shown to decrease blood pressure. (Source: Natural News, 2006)

Egg Protein Powder

Egg protein powder is derived from egg whites. Eggs are considered to be the “perfect” protein food. All protein is rated and ranked on a scale based on a number of factors, including digestibility. Eggs score a 100% because all of their protein is used by the body. It is the highest natural food source of branch chain amino acids and is also the highest source of alanine, arginine, glycine, and methine (crucial to building muscle). While eggs have been given a bad nutritional reputation in the past, most people now realize they are not nearly the monsters they were formerly made out to be. Each egg has 6.5 grams of protein, 5.6 grams of fat, with only 1.6 grams of that being saturated fats, and less than a gram of carbohydrates.

Egg powder, because it is derived only from the whites of the eggs, is fat free and high in protein.

Rice Protein Powder

Rice powder is isolated from the brown rice flour and is one of the rare, non animal protein sources that is complete. It is hypoallergenic, making it one of the most natural choices for those who have known or suspected food allergies and is appropriate for both vegans and vegetarians. (Source: Segounis, Nutritionist)

How to Use Protein Powder in Your Healthy Diet Plan

Protein powder can be used to supplement protein intake but can also be used as a meal replacement drink. It is very important to use it correctly and to follow all guidelines for safety, including how to store it for travel and for longer term storage. It is also important to read the labels on any kind of powder that you are choosing to buy so that you are finding the right kind, one that is high in protein but not high in calories, for instance. Flavor is also an import
1000
ant consideration with many people thinking about the older style powders and their gritty, chalky, and medicinal taste. Some, especially the egg based protein powders, had a sulfur smell that made drinking it almost an impossible chore.

Mixing the protein powder is very important so that you do not end up with a gritty, lumpy mess. You also need to make sure that you are not using too much powder per serving or it will not mix right. Increasing your powder will not help with the protein intake in the long run.

By: Jake Dulizan

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

muscle milk high protein shake mix and muscle milk powder

Making Your Own Meal Replacement Shakes | Health Club 90

Freebees PR & Marketing: Protein meal replacement

Internet Wellness Center – Meal Replacement Shake Advice – How to …

Hope you enjoy the read as much as I did and please if you have something to say, use the comments form below to let everyone know your thoughts.

Have a great day!

Technorati Tags: protein meal replacement

Ok so you might find the next few links interesting. These are from around the web, just random snippets that I’ve picked up in my reading, but I found some very cool information in them. You might too. Here goes…

Meal Replacement Shake Advice – How to Make Great Shakes | Holiday …

Protein Shakes: Will Giving A Chocolate And Fizzy Drinks Help Me …

High Protein Meal Replacement Shakes that You Can Make Yourself …

Hope you enjoy the read as much as I did and please if you have something to say, use the comments form below to let everyone know your thoughts.

Have a great day!

Meal Replacement For Weight Loss: 6 Tips For Success

Weight loss can be a serious challenge for many of us. Maintaining your weight after achieving your initial goals can be even more challenging after one, two or even three years. It’s one thing to lose the weight, it’s entirely another to keep it off for the long term. Often, it can be challenging to estimate portion sizes and choose foods that are healthy and nutritious. If you find yourself eating foods that are high in fat and calories while low in nutrition, then meal replacement for weight loss or maintenance may be for you. By exchanging out just 1-2 meals per day with a high quality shake or smoothie, you can start to change bad eating habits permanently.
Here’s my
1000
tips for the 6 things to look for in a shake:
1) Nutrition.
Not all shakes are created equal. The ideal shake needs to combine a significant number of your nutritional needs so your body gets what it truly needs. When the body has the proper nutrients, your cravings for unhealthy food and empty calories goes away.
2) All Natural.
Look for a product that has nothing artificial in it. The idea is to give your body something pure and natural. Shakes based off of whole food ingredients are far superior than products with artificial flavors, colors and preservatives.
3) Calories.
This may seem obvious, but you want to be aware of the calorie count here. Look for a drink that is under 200 calories whenever possible. If you are reducing your calories in 1-2 meals a day, you are well on your way to weight loss or maintaining your hard earned results.
4) Fulfillment.
Look for something that is going to leave you with a sense of satisfaction and the sensation of being full. Shakes have to ability to be thicker than a watered down drink. You also want to find something that has a healthy amount of protein in it as it is an often overlooked component to relieving food cravings. Protein also helps build muscle (which burns fat!), so look for 15 or more grams per serving.
5) Taste.
Enjoying the taste of your shake can really help to keep you committed to drinking them every day so you can start to notice the wonderful benefits they have to offer. Some shake companies also offer a wide variety of customized recipes to add plenty of variety to your shake drinking lifestyle.
6) Value.
Look at the overall value of the product. Consider the amount of vitamins, minerals and nutrients. Then review the average meal you are replacing. Don’t forget to consider the calories you’ll be saving along the way. When done correctly, healthy shakes can actually REDUCE your overall monthly food budget while providing you more optimal health. Look for something you can have in a monthly supply. Ordering from the Internet can save you time and money. Your health is the most important investment you will ever make. Combined with an overall healthy lifestyle that includes physical activity, you can begin reducing body fat that typically results in decreased risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, osteoarthritis and heart dise

By: Morgan Fleur De Lys

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

You can find more information on meal replacement for weight loss below. You will find comprehensive reviews, recipes and videos for high quality, healthy shakes and smoothies. The best shakes I have seen is www.mealreplacementforweightloss.com.

Technorati Tags: protein meal replacement

Three Ways For Preparing Protein Shakes

Protein shakes is a kind of protein drinks that prepared by inserting nutritious protein powder with certain amount of plain water, shake it with the shaker, and serve immediately.

Protein shake offered in different type of flavor and ingredients, but main content still is protein. This meal replacement can use for substituting normal meal by the objective of weight loss. The protein powder was extracted and process from high-tech biochemical stages and some of it priced expensively due to the reason of huge budget has been allocated for food research and testing.

There were three types of protein shakes you can prepare cater for individual preferen
1000
ces and taste. The shakes will be added with different kind of healthy food like fresh fruits and cereal for enhance its nutritional value. The three sample protein shakes that I mentioned earlier can be explained as below:

Shake protein powder with fruit juice.
Shake protein powderswith fresh squeeze fruit juice and serve it with ice cube. This protein shakes taste great and it is very suitable for serve during summer when weather is hot. The protein powder contained about 44g and plain water needed only about 300 cc.

Shake protein powder with multi-flavored non-fat milk.
Non fat milk can enhance the nutrition content of protein shakes especially for calcium and mineral salt. Medical research has shown that protein shake come with non-fat milk can help sustaining a dieter for not feeling hungry for longer period if comparing for consuming protein shakes itself only.

Shake protein powder with cereal.
Additional step required for preparing this shakes but I was not complicated. First what you need to do is preparing the protein drinksby shake the protein powders with plain water and keep it a side first. Then pour hot water for a packet of low-fat low sugar cereal drinks and make sure you mix it well. Then what you need to do is pour the protein drinks that you shake earlier to cereal mixture. This protein shakes is a bit different from others as mentioned earlier as it contained solid fiber which good for body detoxification. Hence this drinks also suitable for elderly age dieters whom required more nutrition for health.

By: Michelle Long

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Please visit her weight loss sites Protein Shakes , Diet Bars and Meal Replacement for further information

The X Protein Meal Shake Scores 50000 On ORAC | San Diego CA …

What Is The Best Meal Replacement Shake?

X Protein Meal Replacement Shake | Vallejo CA Healthy French Chocolate

Hope you enjoy the read as much as I did and please if you have something to say, use the comments form below to let everyone know your thoughts.

Have a great day!

Technorati Tags: protein meal replacement

Meal Replacement Options For Weight Loss

Meal replacements are pre-packaged meals intended to make it easier and more efficient for an individual to control his or her portion sizes when trying to lose weight. They are available over-the-counter and are typically fortified with vitamins and minerals, and contain around 300 calories or less per serving.

Types:

Meal replacements come in the form of shakes, bars, or frozen entrees that typically are low in fat calories, or carbohydrates, and tend to be high in protein. The Slim Fast products are one of the oldest and well-known meal replacement plans, but other common manufacturers include Weight Watchers, Atkins, and NutriSystem. All of these programs have the same goal–help consumers lose weight b

Not all meal replacements are created equal! With hundreds of products available in the market it can be difficult to choose a meal replacement that will be both satisfying and nutritious. For satiety look for high amounts of protein and fiber while keeping the total and saturated fat and sugar content low. Below are additional guidelines to follow when purchasing meal replacement products.

Bars should contain at least 3 grams of fiber and at least 10 grams of protein. Aim for bars with less than 15 grams of sugar. Gastric bypass patients should keep sugar to under 10 grams per serving to prevent dumping syndrome.

Meal replacement shakes should contain similar recommendations to the bars but typically contain more protein (approximately 15 grams per serving).

Check the label for saturated fat. Saturated fat intake should not exceed more than 7% of total calories. In other words, if you are on a 1200 calorie diet your maximum saturated fat intake is about 9 grams a day.

Watch for sugar alcohols which are used in place of table sugar. Compared to regular sugar, sugar alcohols are not as sweet, contain fewer calories, and minimize blood sugar elevation. While sugar alcohols have beneficial properties, they may lead to bloating, diarrhea, and excess gas. Sugar alcohols will be listed in the ingredient list. Common sugar alcohols include mannitol, sorbitol, and xylitol.

Uses:

Meal replacements should be used to “jump-start” weight loss, prevent meal skipping, provide fast, convenient meal structure without cooking, and improve decision making when healthy choices are not available. Utilize a meal replacement at the meal that is most difficult. If lunch is a hectic time and you tend to grab fast food for convenience, try using a meal replacement shake that you can drink at your desk. Include fresh fruit with any meal replacement to add fiber, vitamins, and minerals without a large amount of calories. Try blending a fruit with your shake for a smoothie.

The X Protein Meal Shake Scores 50000 On ORAC | Lafayette LA …

The X Protein Meal Shake Scores 50000 On ORAC | Fontana CA Mxi …

The X Protein Meal Shake Scores 50000 On ORAC | O'Leary Prince …

Hope you enjoy the read as much as I did and please if you have something to say, use the comments form below to let everyone know your thoughts.

Have a great day!

Technorati Tags: protein meal replacement

5 Ways To Make Protein Benefit You
 by: Lee Cummings

Imagine this … What if you could –

Increase the rate of your metabolism.

Burn more stored body fat.

Maintain more muscle mass by eating protein rich foods.

Calculate the correct amount of protein needed for your body.

Learn about the best food sources of protein.

As you are looking for ideas, here is proven nutrition information about how protein can benefit you.

1. Are you aware that protein increases the rate of metabolism of your body because it is Thermogenic? – because it takes more calories to process protein rich foods and nutritional supplements.

“Thermogenic” refers to the normal Thermogenesis process your body goes through in digesting and using the food you eat and the burning of calories and fat from that food. i.e. – producing energy from the food you eat.

The body requires more calories to process or digest protein than it does to digest fat or carbohydrates. Thus your metabolism is raised by consuming protein rich foods.

Here is a good resource for more information about Thermogenesis: http://www.mpcoffee.com/thermogenesis.htm

2. Increase the rate at which your fat cells are able to burn stored fat!

You’ll probably disagree with this, however…

Soy protein also contributes to the body’s ability to burn fat because as you eat more protein your metabolism is raised and it enables your body to burn stored fat instead of storing more fat.

Dr. Robert Atkins – author of the Atkins diet, as well as Dr.’s Michael Eades and Mary Dan Eades – authors of the “Protein Power” books, all talk about the proven power of protein and the importance of soy protein in particular.

More about soy protein in a little bit…

3. Maintain muscle mass by eating plenty of protein rich foods.

Realize that by eating more protein rich foods, you will maintain muscle mass and more muscle mass means you will:

raise your metabolism
burn more fat

Understand that your muscle tissue needs protein to maintain itself and when your body does not get enough protein, one of the first places it will get protein is from your muscle tissue.

Let’s also remember that one of the most important muscles in the body is your heart. You don’t want to damage that muscle do you?

Remember, muscle is protein and protein is Thermogenic – When you do not eat enough or get enough nutrition, the body goes into a “starvation mode” and it will hang on to what it’s got. That means it will hang onto fat stores as long as it can.

Since the body does not know when it will get more food or nutrition it is going to hang on to all the fat it has and begin to burn the protein found in your muscle tissue.

Eating less is not the best way to go because it starts to LOWER your metabolism and take away your ability to burn stored fat.

4. Are you feeling hungry when changing your eating habits to a more healthy lifestyle?

Maybe you are not getting enough Protein. You might be wondering just how much protein do I need?

Dr.’s recommend that you get nearly your body weight in grams of Protein. The average woman needs about 100 grams of protein every day. The average man needs about 150 grams of protein every day.

This is an average person who is moderately active. The more active you are the more protein you will need for your active lifestyle.

This is especially important if you are a person who works out several times a week. Protein and calorie intake are a concern when you are an active person who burns many calories (and potentially muscle) during a workout session.

Because it may be difficult to get enough protein without over eating, here are some suggestions to increase your protein intake while on your program.

Have you ever considered integrating a high protein (and preferably low carb) meal replacement shake into your daily diet? Whether you need to lose weight or not, nearly everyone can use more nutrition and protein in their daily diet.

Depending on your favorite shake mix, it could be anywhere from 9 to 18 grams of protein per shake and it will be loaded with vitamins and minerals your body needs.

Here is a suggested “Power Protein Shake” recipe:

Add 1/2 cup cold water and 3 Tbls of a High Protein low carb shake mix, to a blender.

Using the lowest speed blend the water and shake mixes together.

Then add 3 ice cubes, a banana or your favorite fruit and blend on a high speed for a special “Power Protein shake”!

More protein, fewer carbohydrates and calories than a regular shake mix made with milk or soy beverage are the benefits of the “Power Shake”.

The “Power Shake” also helps to keep you feeling fuller and satisfied the during the day and will help you eat less while maintaining the benefits of a protein shake!

Another way to give your body more protein is to eat a High Protein Low Carb power bar which may have 8 – 15 grams of hunger fighting protein. These power bars always make a great snack.

Use this in combination with the Shake mix and your normal meal(s) to get all the protein your body needs each day!

5. Do you know what one of the best sources of protein is? Many people say beef or meat in general.

These are great sources of protein, however are you aware that one of the best sources of protein is Soy Protein?

We won’t have the time to go into all the benefits of soy protein here, however there are some important points to highlight.

Plant-based Proteins, like those found in soy, have been proven to help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and elevate good HDL cholesterol. This contributes to less build up of bad cholesterol and helps prevent heart disease and clogged arteries.

This in turn helps prevent heart attacks and strokes. Products which contain soy protein may be able to carry the FDA approved “Heart Smart” symbol which means – “Diets low in saturated fat and cholesterol that include 25 grams of soy protein a day may reduce the risk of heart disease”

Animal Proteins vs. Plant-based Proteins -

Animal Proteins like meat and dairy, can be loaded with saturated fat and cholesterol. This type of protein can elevate the LDL (bad) Cholesterol when it remains in your diet for long periods of time.

Over the years, high LDL cholesterol in the blood combined with elevated homocysteine levels can lead to heart disease and clogged arteries. This in turn can lead to heart attacks and stroke.

So, try to replace high fat animal proteins with better cuts of meat – preferrably grass fed beef and plant-based proteins like soy.

Also, replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats like those in olive oil will help you avoid the negative health effects associated with high LDL cholesterol and saturated fats.

I know that reading this article has inspired you to take action.

When you follow these 5 tips, you may find that you can give your metabolism a boost and burn more stored fat because protein is thermogenic.

And because of this fact you can maintain more of your muscle mass by burning the protein you take in from food and supplements instead of burning the protein of your muscles.

Finally you will do your body well by taking in more high quality animal based protein and especially more soy protein which is good for your heart and circulatory system.

About The Author

Lee Cummings has been studying natural proven nutrition for 9 years. Because he has shown people how to get the results they want with natural proven nutrition, he has helped dozens of people feel better and gain energy over the last 4 years. Lee is the publisher of the monthly LC Nutrition newsletter. For more information on how proven nutrition will help you, visit http://www.LC-Nutrition.com

leeman@jadetech.com

Please feel free to use this article in your newsletter or on your website (with resource box included and use an active link). This article may not be used in any e-mail promotions that do not conform with federal law. If you use this article, please send a brief message to let me know where it appeared: mailto:leeman@lc-nutrition.com

X Protein Meal Replacement Shake | Durand MI Dark Chocolate Gifts

The X Protein Meal Shake Scores 50000 On ORAC | New Haven CT …

The X Protein Meal Shake Scores 50000 On ORAC | Springville NY …

Hope you enjoy the read as much as I did and please if you have something to say, use the comments form below to let everyone know your thoughts.

Have a great day!

Technorati Tags: protein meal replacement

Meal Replacement Diets: Choosing The Right Diet Plan For Yourself

There are slim fast shakes, slim fast bars, and even snack bars. There are a lot companies that have jumped on this meal replacement idea as well. Everyone has heard of Kellogg’s Special-K, well they have joined the meal replacement bandwagon with a Special-K 2 Week Challenge. This is why it is important that one research choosing the right diet plan.

When choosing the right diet there are many diet plans, weight loss plans, and diet fads. There are easy plans to follow such as slim fast. In reality it is probably the only good thing about this particular plan, is that it is so easy. You have one of their products for breakfast, and then for lunch you can have another one of their products along with 200 calories of whatever food you would like. Your dinner should be about 500 calories and you can have three 120 calorie snacks between meals which should be one of their snack products and some frui
1000
t or vegetables. Again choosing the right diet for you is important. So choose wisely!

We have all seen commercials on TV about The Special-K challenge. You eat a bowl of Special-k with skim milk and fruit for breakfast. Then you can replace another meal with either a Special-K protein meal bar or even more cereal. One can eat a third meal as your normal one. Then you can have two snacks that can be Special-K protein snack bars, along with water, cereal bars or even snack bites. It is also recommend that you eat fruits and vegetables for additional snacks.

Do these diets really work? Of course they do at first. Anytime you eat fewer calories than you have been, you are going to see a drop in your weight. Should any of these diets be used long term? Absolutely not! One reason is that you might not be getting nearly enough calories or nutrients that your body requires. Plus, the ingredients on the slim fast shakes are not as nutritious as the commercials make them sound. As for the Special-K program, we know the cereal is good for us, but how about all the new replacement bars that they have came out with? The Special-K challenge program is only for two weeks. So what happens when those two weeks are up and you go back to eating regular? You will encounter the same thing with the Slim Fast program. You can not stay on that program for the rest of your life so what will happen when you finally stop the program?

Well the weight is going to come back on you once you start eating normally again. One of the biggest issues with meal replacement diets is that they do not provide you with lasting results, and it is not a good idea to use them if you have a lot of weight to lose. Most people use Slim Fast or Special-K if there is an event coming up that they want to lose five pounds for, but to use it for serious weight loss well it is not a good idea to that. Now you see how important it is in choosing the right diet and plan.

By: Mr. Watt

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Visit Website: choosingtherightdiet.com – Mr. Watt first and foremost cares about his health and yours! Why get this? BECAUSE reading this article shows you’re NOT 100% HAPPY with the way your body look and fell. Today you can fix it right NOW by visiting or website @ howcanigetridofbellyfat.com

Technorati Tags: protein meal replacement

I hope you’ve been enjoying my posts lately. I thought I might do something different today and rustle up a few bits of info from around the WWW. These are some of the news items and blog posts that have been popular over the last few weeks. Leave me your thoughts.

X Protein Meal Replacement Shake | Orem UT Energy Kosher Chocolate

X Protein Meal Replacement Shake | Denver CO Energy How Is …

X Protein Meal Replacement Shake | Albany OR Diabetic Artisan …

Hope you enjoy the read as much as I did and please if you have something to say, use the comments form below to let everyone know your thoughts.

Have a great day!

You are spending lots of time at the gym, but you aren’t having the results that you want. It seems that no matter how much time that you are running on the treadmill, lifting weights, or doing Pilates you just aren’t losing weight. The frustrating part is many times people who are having trouble losing weight are also cutting back on the food that they are eating. They have lowered their calorie count, cut out drinking carbonated beverages, and they have cut out the sugars that they had been eating. The problem is that they might be eating too much calories in large chunks throughout the day.

The body has a natural instinct of helping your body to survive. That instinct, while important to the body, can also really make it difficult for many people trying to lose weight that don’t understand the instinct. The body if it doesn’t feel that it is getting enough calories will shut down, and start to go into survival mode. It will slow your metabolism, which is a disaster to anyone’s diet. The biggest downside to the slowdown in your body’s metabolism is that when you eat the next meal your body will conserve that food and convert it into fat. This is especially true for those people who eat small breakfasts and lunch, but very large dinners. Even though you are getting the same amount of calories as someone eating three balanced meals, your body will use conserve the calories (turning it into fat) while the person eating three balanced meals will burn the food (allowing your body to loses weight).

Eating balanced, smaller meals throughout the day will allow your body to feel filled up. That will help your body to increase its metabolism. The increase in metabolism will produce higher amounts of energy, and will help you to be able to exercise more successfully to help lose weight. Many people find it difficult to eat multiple smaller meals throughout the day. This is due to the scheduling problems that people have with work and school. Also, it is a cultural change, as in the United States dinner is the biggest meal of the day. A good way to increase your meals is to add protein to your diet.

Protein supplements are a good meal replacement. They are easy to make. They don’t take long to digest, and they will provide the energy that your body needs to function. Whey protein is the best supplement to purchase. Whey protein provides an easier protein to digest compared with the soy based protein supplements, because whey protein is dairy based. Whey protein isolate mixtures also contain a higher percentage of pure protein. Compared with non-isolate mixtures, isolate mixtures contain lower levels of fats and carbohydrates. Taking a whey protein isolate ensures that you get the highest amount of protein in the most efficient way.

Even though you have cut the amount of calories in your diet, that doesn’t mean that you still aren’t overeating. Eating too much at any given meal will decrease the success that you have losing weight. Eating smaller meals and using whey protein is a good way of helping your body to increase its metabolism and lose more weight.

About The Author

For more info on whey protein, visit MyTopForm.com

Technorati Tags: protein meal replacement

5 High Protein Foods To Keep Your Hunger Under Control

Protein Bars and Shakes have flooded health clubs, health food stores and grocery stores. Dieters are turning to high protein foods for a quick weight loss solution. Do Proteins really help you lose weight, and how can you increase the amount of protein in your diet?

What are Proteins?

Proteins are comprised of amino acids that are the building blocks of muscle and are found in skin, muscle, organs, hormones and enzymes. Proteins take longer to digest than carbohydrates and therefore keep you fuller for longer without causing drastic changes in blood sugar level. We obtain healthy amounts of proteins in our diet primarily from meats, eggs, fish, beans, nuts,

Top 5 High Protein Foods

1. Chicken
White meat, such as chicken and turkey breast has high protein and low fat content. Chicken thighs on the other hand are dark meat that has a higher fat content. The fat content of chicken is also altered by the way it is prepared. Frying the chicken increased its fat content.

2. Fish and Seafood
Fish and seafood is an excellent source of protein but has a higher fat content than chicken. However, the fat in fish provides essential fatty acids that are good for the body. Anchovies, sardines, salmon, herring, tuna and mackerel are all good sources of protein and omega-3 fatty acids.

3. Beef
Beef, while being a high protein food also has a fairly high fat content. Since the fat contained in beef is not good fat, individuals should chose lean cuts of beef.

4. Eggs and Dairy
Cheese, milk, yoghurt and eggs provide proteins but also contain a high amount of saturated fats that can be bad for you. Use low fat versions where available to avoid unnecessary fats in your diet.

5. Soy Protein
Soy protein is found in soy beans, tofu and miso soup. Soy protein is an excellent source of arginine and glutamine, the two amino acids essential for building muscles.

High Protein Diets

The Atkins Diet and the South Beach Diet are based in high protein, low-carbohydrate combinations of foods, obtaining up to 50% of the calories from protein. It is important to remember that too much protein can place excess load on kidney, cause osteoporosis and heart disease. For this reason the American Heart Association does not recommend high protein diets. Patients with liver or kidney disease should consult their physician before changing over to a high protein diet. Additionally, a high protein diet does not provide enough vitamins and minerals in the long run.

Are Protein Bars and Shakes Healthy?

Protein shakes and bars are meal replacement products widely available in stores. They are commonly used by individuals wanting to lose weight since they keep hunger at bay. They are a better alternative to fast foods since they are packed with proteins and keep you fuller for longer. Meal replacement bars and shakes are healthy if used as a supplement to a nutritious diet. Eating meal replacements bars and shakes in place of a nutritious meal is probably not a healthy option. When buying protein bars and shakes, look for ones that include vitamins and minerals as well. Lower quality protein bars and shakes have a high sugar content and not as much protein.

In summary, while high protein foods can help you lose weight and keep the hunger away, too much protein can prove harmful to your body. If you consume a high protein meal during the day, chose other foods during the course of the week to ensure you get a healthy balance of all the food groups.

By: Fazila Adam

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Fazila Adam is the founder of Secrets of Healthy Eating a website created to help people learn about nutrition and weight loss. Fazila has a regular newsletter with advice and information on healthy living and losing weight.
You can sign up for this Free E-Zine Here

Protein, protein, protein: Believe it or not, all proteins are NOT created equal! Since this subject is pretty extensive, we have broken this article up into three parts. Part I addresses the different qualities and benefits of protein; Part II addresses Soy Protein specifically (its controversial shortfalls and benefits); and Part III addresses the best time to use each protein source.

Ask any bodybuilder about protein, and they will tell you that “Whey is King.” Unfortunately, that is about as far as most people’s knowledge about protein goes, and most athletes and fitness enthusiasts, have no idea why whey is the best source of protein or that there are differing qualities and benefits from different types of whey protein.

The major players in the field of protein are (in ascending order of quality) Soy Protein, Casein, Whey Protein Concentrates (WPC), Whey Protein Isolates (WPI-which can come from ion exchange process or microfiltration), and Hydrolyzed Whey Protein (HWP).

Being that soy is the only vegetable protein mentioned, and since it is quite controversial, we will discuss it separately in Part II. We will start by defining casein and the differing types of whey.

So, What is the Difference?

There are differing qualities of proteins that can be derived from milk; these are casein and whey. Whey is the liquid left over during the cheese making process after the casein in milk is converted into curds. The lowest quality and least expensive form of protein is Caseinate, and can be found in the form of Calcium Caseinate, as well as many other variations such as Potassium Caesinate, etc. As the name implies, it comes from “casein” before it is converted into curds.

A 1997 study titled “Slow and Fast Dietary Proteins Differently Modulate Postprandial Protein Accretion” published in the National Academy of Sciences journal indicated casein may be anticatabolic because it prevents protein breakdown. Because of its larger molecules, casein is digested slower than whey protein and maintains elevated amino acid levels in the blood for a longer period of time.

There are many benefits in maintaining elevated amino acid levels in blood as this has been shown to diminish muscle breakdown (catabolism) as well as having an anabolic effect. If your body is trying to repair muscle tissue, it needs amino acids in the bloodstream to be able to do so. It would be hard for a builder to build you a house with no materials; the same holds true for muscle repair and growth: they cannot take place without the presence of adequate amounts of amino acids in our bloodstream.

Although casein is the lowest priced and least refined of the proteins derived from milk, it is a bit higher in glutamine, tyrosine, threonine, and arginine content than whey protein. That is why a good refined whey protein supplement (such as an Isolate, or Hydrolysate) will usually have these amino acids added to it. Casein also moves slower through the digestive tract, which may allow for better absorption of amino acids and growth factors as well as making it a better meal replacement protein due to its longer and slower transit time (which translates to longer satiety or a feeling of being full). By using casein as a meal replacement protein, we are less likely to experience hunger than if we use a protein supplement with a faster gastric emptying time (one that leaves the stomach more quickly).

The benefit of slower digestion and transit time is that it is thought that slower transit time may allow for a higher absorption of certain components that may not be absorbed from proteins that go through the proximal bowel at a faster rate. Therefore, casein is the best choice to use when our schedule does not allow us to have normal food. Still, normal food would be more beneficial as it takes much longer to leave the stomach and maintains our blood glucose levels better controlled than a “liquid lunch” since the “liquid lunch” does not require much work from the stomach in the form of digestion.

High quality food should be our first choice for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. If your schedule does not allow the “luxury” of setting aside enough time to prepare or purchase an adequate meal, casein is the best choice for a meal replacement if long term satiety is the goal. Possibly the biggest benefit of using a high quality casein protein supplement is its potential in functional properties being researched in hospitalized patients, infants and animals, such as immune enhancing and antiviral properties.

Whey protein concentrate (WPC) is the next step up from caseinate and it comes from the liquid left over during the cheese making process (whey). In its raw form whey contains lactose, fat, salt, and other proteins. Originally all whey protein was made from whey sources left over from the manufacturing of cheese. If supplement manufacturers use this lower quality source of raw materials, harsh acids have been used to separate whey from casein resulting in a lower quality whey protein supplement.

Now there are companies that make whey and casein specifically for supplement manufacturers by extracting it from whole milk for the sole purpose of creating higher quality supplements, making the quality of whey protein today superior to the ones previously available.

There are many different processes designed to separate or filter the valuable fractions of protein found in whey. These range from microfiltration, ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, reverse osmosis filtration, dynamic membrane filtration, ion exchange, as well as many others that are being tested to yield the best product that contains as many of the beneficial health promoting portions of whey while leaving the impurities out.

These beneficial fractions include alpha-lactalbumin, beta-lactoglobu­lin, glycomacropeptides (GMP), lactoferrin, lactoperoxi­dase, immunoglobulins, lysozymes, and many more being studied to determine their role in health benefits. Whey protein derived from ultrafiltration is referred to as Whey Protein Concentrate (WPC). The ultrafiltration process does not remove any fat or denatured protein from the whey. For the WPC to be considered high quality, special processing prior to the ultrafiltration is necessary to remove the majority of the fat present in whey as well as separating out denatured protein and casein particles left over from the cheese making process if the raw material (whey) was acquired secondary to the processing of cheese.

WPC’s can yield a product ranging from 20% up to 85% protein. They could be 20% protein and 85% fat and lactose, which is usually the case when not specified in a product. If the concentrate consists mostly of protein, it usually states so in the label; if it consists mostly of fat and lactose, your intestines will let you know with gas and bloating.

The way to tell if your WPC is high quality (highest percent protein as opposed to lactose and fat) is by looking at the label and calculating the percentage of protein compared to the total weight of the serving size. As an example, if your protein serving size is 23.5g and it yields 20g of protein per serving, the easy math is 20 ÷ 23.5 = .8510 x 100 = 85.10% which means your protein serving contains 85.10% protein.

Keep in mind that flavoring agents, sweeteners, gums, and even fiber in some supplements take up some of the volume of the total serving weight. This formula is to be used only with WPC supplements or any other supplement that consists of only protein as a way of determining the percentage yield of protein per serving. This formula is NOT to be used with Meal Replacement Powders (MRP’s) as these contain fat and carbohydrates in “meal-like-quantities” and would show the protein yield to be very low as it is being compared to the entire serving.

Because of the many benefits of the differing types of protein that we will cover in this article, most protein supplement manufacturers “blend” or combine proteins for specific purposes ranging from slow gastric emptying time for meal replacement purposes, or quick emptying time for post workout recovery. It is these different blends that can also make a product superior or low quality, depending on the differing qualities and quantities of the proteins used in their blends. The protein yield formula described above CAN and SHOULD be used in single source as well as multi source proteins as long as they DO NOT contain a considerable amount of carbohydrates, fats, fiber, creatine, etc., as these other components will cause the formula to yield a lower and less desired protein per serving value or number. High quality supplements will use WPC with at least 80% protein content.

If the manufacturer is trying to reduce cost, they will use a product yielding a lower percentage of protein, meaning that more fat and lactose will be found in the product. This is easy to determine even without doing the math as these products tend to give you gas and cause bloating due to the lactose and fat content.

Whey Protein Isolates (WPI) are at a higher level than WPCs. Once we have whey protein concentrate (WPC) if we want a higher quality product we move on to making Whey Protein Isolates (WPI). This is a process by which WPC is purified by “isolating” the highly soluble protein found in whey from the fat and lactose leaving less than 1% lactose and less than 2% of the fat found in the WPC, and by completely removing the denatured protein, salt, etc. As noted above, there are many processes by which WPI is produced, yet they fall under either Microfiltration or Ion Exchange. These processes are very different in temperature, pressure, etc. and therefore yield very different end products.

Once the fat, denatured protein and casein particles have been removed, the proteins in whey are separated from the liquid. The ultrafiltration and microfiltration processes use a microscopic filter or membrane to separate the whey proteins from the lactose, salt, and water in the whey causing the protein to become more concentrated and purified, while the ion exchange process separates the proteins out based upon their electrical charge.

The original ion exchange or “column method” consists of pumping whey through a column impregnated with a special resin that has been chemically treated to have a surface electrical or “ionic charge.” This causes different ions from the protein to bond or stick to the resin and the remaining impurities flow through the column and are discarded.

The main problem with ion exchange is that some of the beneficial fractions (alpha-lactalbumin, beta-lactoglobu­lin, glycomacropeptides [GMP], lactoferrin, lactoperoxi­dase, immunoglobulins, lysozymes, etc) will not bind to resin and will be discarded as they also flow through the column. The column is then rinsed with water containing chemical buffers that change the surface charge of the resin causing the release of the amino acids and protein into the buffered solution.

The protein released into the buffered solution must now undergo another step to remove most of the buffer solution. This additional step is another ultrafiltration system which unfortunately does not remove all of the sodium from the buffer solution.

Yet another problem associated with Ion Exchange whey protein isolate includes high sodium content in the final product, as well as up to 10% denatured protein caused by the chemical reaction between the resin the protein was bound to and the buffer used to release it, and the loss of GMP’s and other immune system boosters.

The benefits of the Ion Exchange process is that it is able to remove nearly all the fat and lactose creating a product that is up to 90% pure. A newer method of separating molecules is called a “stirred bead reactor system” and it usually does not cause damage to the active compounds found in whey protein.

The Ion Exchange process was the first process developed to produce whey protein isolates from Whey Protein Concentrate. Because ion exchange was the only way to produce WPI early on, it was then considered to be the highest quality isolate. After the development of microfiltration, it was found that the whey protein isolates produced via microfiltration had a much higher nutritional profile than that of isolates created via the ion exchange method. There are many reasons why WPI created via microfiltration is a superior product. These reasons range from lower sodium content due to elimination of the use of solvents, to not having chemically denatured protein, and most notably, reclamation of immune boosting fractions as compared to the ion exchange method which loses them.

Microfiltration WPI, one of the highest quality protein supplements, is produced by starting with high quality milk sourced WPC and filtering it through special membranes under low temperature and low pressure. These special membranes allow only soluble protein to pass through its microscopic pores leaving salt, fat, lactose and denatured proteins behind. Although this process is started with a high quality WPC, because it is a WPC it still is turbid due to its salt, fat, lactose, and non soluble protein content.

Once these unwanted particles are isolated from the high quality protein, a crystal clear liquid is all that is left over. The next step is to dry this crystal clear liquid to create a powder, and here is one of the steps where manufacturers can go astray.

The only way to create a superior product is to let the liquid dry into a powder by using a low temperature dryer. A low temperature dryer is a very expensive and slow way of creating a powder from the crystalline liquid. Many manufacturers opt to use a high temperature dryer as it is much faster and cheaper to use than a low temperature one.

It does not take a degree in chemistry to realize that heat denatures (breaks down) protein. The whole idea of running the WPC through a membrane was in part to remove denatured protein, so why add a step that takes your product backwards? High quality WPI will only be dried into a powder using low temperature spray dryers as the high temperature dryers will denature the protein and yield a much lower quality product.

Whey Protein Hydrolysates (WPH), or hydrolyzed whey protein, is further processing of whey isolate by breaking down the long protein chains into smaller portions or peptides. To “hydrolyze” something means to break it down into smaller particles (usually by adding water). The higher the degree or percentage of hydrolysis, the more broken down the whey protein isolate (smaller size), and the faster the absorption. Labeling laws allow manufacturers to call a product “hydrolyzed whey” when it may contain 1/10th of 1% hydrolyzation. The key is to find out what percentage of hydrolyzation the product consists of.

The highest quality hydrolysates will be 100% Whey Protein Hydrolysates which have a bitter taste by definition and therefore are not used in high amounts. Along with the bitter taste, comes a bitter high price as it is the highest quality and most expensive protein available today. Some manufacturers have been able to produce a 100% hydrolysate that does not have a bitter taste, yet is rather expensive compared to other protein supplements.

In the duodenum or proximal bowel where protein is absorbed in the human body, dipeptides and tripeptides (protein “chains” consisting of two and three amino acids) enter freely into intestinal cells to be absorbed into the bloodstream.

This is why a hydrolysate is the best type of protein to use post workout as we want the amino acids to enter our bloodstream and be delivered to muscle cells as quickly as possible so that repair and growth can start right away. Due to the high cost of 100% hydrolyzed whey, a blend consisting of whey isolate and hydrolyzed whey would be optimal for post workout use.

Many manufacturers like to also include Caesinate and WPC in their post workout protein blends as a means of addressing both ends of the spectrum: fast increase of amino acids into the bloodstream by using WPI and HWP, and extended elevated amino acid levels by using Caseinate along with WPC. I personally prefer using the HWP as I want the amino acids to enter my muscle cells right away.

Stay tuned for Part II, where I will move on and discuss Soy Proteins – The Good, The Bad and The Ugly…

About The Author

© 2007 Lucho Crisalle, RD, internationally recognized expert in nutrition created the What Works! Ezine. Go to http://www.exerciseandnutritionworks.com to get your copy of our FREE REPORT “The Truth About FAT LOSS And The Way To A Leaner You – REVEALED!

Technorati Tags: protein meal replacement