Veggie-style Protein

By Pete Ryan

Veggie-style are the new kids on the block in the supplement world.  Run by animal-advocates, veggie-style make a range of proteins, fat-burners, B12 and other products useful to vegan (and other) athletes, as well as those just into improving their health.

We were lucky enough to get two tubs of protein to try out and below I will give you my personal view of the proteins.  Before we go any further, protein powders are weird.  People vary hugely in their love/hate of them.  They seem to bring out extremes in people (or maybe the people who tend to take them are simply more extreme?).  So, if I love something, you may hate it.  Conversely, if I hate something you may love it. If possible, whenever you want to try a new protein powder see if you can get a sample or a small size to see how you will like it.  My personal preference is for a less sweet protein, which can be seen as lucky as recent studies have shown that the actual taste of sweetness, without extra calories, can cause insulin to spike and fat to be stored. However, you may have different taste buds, so just remember this is my opinion of the protein powders.  The final decision has to be yours.

With that said let’s take a general look at the proteins.  They are a mixture of proteins, blended with other ‘superfoods’ to give you around 30-40g of protein per serving and  loads of health boosting antioxidants and nutrients, with things like moringa, chlorella, maca and many others.  Both of the proteins tested are sweetened with stevia. I mixed both of these using the plant milk of my choice, I prefer powders mixed with plant milks compared to water, that is my personal choice, if you prefer water, fruit juice or whatever, then do that.

Power greens strawberry shake

Power greens is a blend of pea, rice, quinoa and hemp protein powders along with a selection of dried green plants and some other botanicals, sweetened with stevia.  It is not overly sweet and mixes fairly easily.  Like most protein powders it has a fairly strong taste, you could disguise it with fruit if necessary, but I found it palatable enough. The scoop is small.  They suggest 5 scoops for every serving.  This is a niggle, but as I usually have a shake in the morning I prefer just grabbing and doing one scoop.  Counting in the morning ....uuuggg! That is more me in the morning, than anything, but there is not too much wrong with the blend so I had to focus on some negative aspect.  Oh yea it is vaguely green as well.  You should probably expect that from a product called “Power greens”, but be warned if you aren’t expecting it. The taste wasn’t totally amazing, but nor was it awful.  I could down it no trouble first thing in the morning with zero issues.

 

Protein and moringa chocolate shake

The moringa tree has been used for 1000’s of years as a medicinal plant.  The leaves have been fed to pregnant and lactating woman to insure their babies get enough nutrients to grow and thrive. This is a blend of pea protein and rice protein with moringa and stevia to add a little sweet taste to the product. The chocolate taste is quite mild in this product.  I have tasted some very strong chocolate tasting shakes before, this one has a much milder taste. Unlike most green shakes this one can be taken by pregnant and lactating mothers (algaes have not yet been given the ok for use with these groups of people as the research into their safety isn’t finished yet).  As moringa has already been used for multiple generations in human communities with only beneficial effects, it is actually encouraged that mothers or mothers-to-be use morninga to increase their nutrient intake. This shake had the consistency of rice protein.  If you have had rice protein before, then you will know it does have a texture when mixed, not exactly powdery, but not as smooth as a pea or soya protein powder.  It is different, but not nasty.  Within a week it will become the normal texture of your shake.  You could easily add things to this shake.  The taste is not that strong, it has a mild taste, moringa doesn’t really taste at all, the chocolate is mild and the proteins are masked by the mild chocolate taste, so you could add fruit, nut butter, whatever taste you wanted if you wanted to experiment.

Overall view

These products take a different approach to protein powders than most manufacturers.  They are more ‘nutrient replacements’, than basic protein powders.  They include other botanicals that will boost your overall health and nutrient intake, so should be looked at a little differently to the average ‘off the shelf’ powder.  If you are looking for a raw product that contains lots of nutrients, if you are (or could become) a pregnant or lactating mother, or if you just want something a little bit different to the run of the mill protein shake, then these may be worth exploring.  Remember they are made with natural products so the taste may vary a little batch to batch as leaves can be picked at different times of the season, or algae harvested at different points in its growth cycle.

I thought veggie-style was interesting enough that I got us a discount code from the supplier, so if you are interested pop over to: 

http://veggie-style.com/

 

Discount code VBB for 10% off

Side note the code works on ALL their products, not just the protein. Other note.  This is an affiliate link, so we do make a few pennies off of you using the code.

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Vegan related adverts

 

Pop over to Gorilla gym if you need help with your training or nutrition

Vegan Bodybuilding - the place fit vegans go

Product/company of the week

 

Viridian nutrition - vegetarian and vegan supplements

Pulsin' Protein extravaganza

Pulsin’ have been slowly building up a following in the protein market for a while.  The reason being that they offer a unique selection of unflavoured proteins that can be used on their own or mixed up with fruit, in cooking or other ways to create exciting new drinks that are nutritious and tasty.

The flavours available

Pulsin’ have a few types of plant protein for you to try. With 5 vegan varieties to try you should find one you like. Also you can buy them in smaller serving sizes if you like, so test them all out by buying a small pouch, then buy the bigger size once you have found the one you prefer (or buy a couple of varieties for different situations).

Soya

Soya is the old man of the vegan protein world. Soya is an ideal protein for those dieting as it has a particularly good amino acid profile. It isn’t one I use that often as I eat foods made from soya, so I tend to vary my protein sources, this is so I vary the amino acid profile I am taking in.  However if you are looking for a superior post-workout protein, soya is the one. Pulsin’ only uses GM-Free soya, so that is excellent. It is 90% protein with a tiny hint of carbs and fat.  For the record soya does not feminise males, that has been debunked for a while now (If you want more information about that feel free to email me). Soya mixes well and has a somewhat nutty taste.  I find it ideal for post-workout, a snack between meals.  Adding it to the milk alternative of your choice and/or with bananas peanut butter etc can make the taste variations virtually endless.

Hemp

This was my favourite flavour of protein powder (or maybe the sunflower see below).  The hemp is a concentrate, not an isolate, so the amount of protein per 100g is 47g (47% protein).  It has more fat and carbs than soya however the fat is virtually all EFAs (Essential Fatty Acids) these are what the body needs to build new cells and create hormones, so the fat is used in the natural bodily processes, not stored as fat unless you eat way more than you could reasonably do in a protein powder.  Hemp is a slightly slower protein to assimilate than soya (or pea – see below). For me the obvious times to use this are for a breakfast as the slower assimilation will mean you hold hunger at bay for longer or in the evenings if you are intent on muscle gains as it will slow the bodies descent into catabolism during the night. It could also be part of a meal replacement drink (add in fruit to make an amazing smoothie). I really liked the taste, however I have met people who cannot stand it, so buy a small pouch, test it out.  If you like it then invest in a larger supply. Hemp is generally considered hypoallergenic, so if you have a delicate tummy hemp or rice (see below), are the two options I would consider.

Organic Sunflower

I hadn’t heard of sunflower protein before I tried this packed. Like Hemp, sunflower protein is a concentrate, not an isolate, so it is 45% protein.  Mixed quite thickly this tasted a little like tahini and might work well being used in a soup or similar or possibly as a pudding with other ingredients When mixed to the normal consistency it tasted great.  I personally preferred hemp, but only by a small amount, either was good for me.  I would use this similar to hemp or try to create some unique dishes (I intend to experiment in the future with this protein, so stay tuned).

Pea

Pea is somewhat similar to soya.  The nutritional profile is slightly different, but in most ways I would use this in the same way as soya.  The one benefit it has is that it is very heat stable, so if you intend to use in baking or in soups or added to gravies, then pea is the ideal protein powder for you. It is hypoallergenic and is 80% protein. It is not quite as complete a protein as soya so mixing it with rice gives it an extra boost (although not normally necessary as you eat other protein containing foods throughout the day). Again post-workout or as a snack are good uses for this one.

Rice

Rice is hypoallergenic, so is good for most people, at 80% protein it is a good choice for an all-round protein that you can enjoy anytime. It has a very close amino acid profile to human breast milk (98% identical).  It is not quite a complete protein on its own, so you can mix it with another protein if you like although if you eat another protein source during the course of the day it isn’t really a concern. Anyone with tummy issues might do well to choose rice as their main supplementary protein source as many people tolerate it well. As usually always buy a small amount first, then buy more if you like the flavour and texture of the shake. Some people have said they found rice protein a little gritty.  I have no issues with it though.

A word about proteins

There are a few things to remember when you look at these proteins.  The first is that everyone’s tastes are different.  You may love one flavour, but I may hate it.  As you have a big selection here I expect there will be at least one flavour you can enjoy.  Also remember these are unflavoured products.  This opens up a world of options.  You can add fruits and berries, things like peanut butter or cocoa powder, you can mix them into foods or during baking.  You can even mix them into mash potato (I’ve never tried that, it just came into my head, so do not blame me if that doesn’t work!).

If you have any ideas for using protein powders, any favourite flavours of those mentioned above or any questions post below.

If you want to buy Pulsin’ protein or any other Pulsin’ products (remember to check the labels as not all of the Pulsin’ range is vegan) pop over to http://www.pulsin.co.uk/

REVIEW: Veganicity Pea Protein and Supergreens

I got to try these two products recently.  As it happens I would always suggest that you try to eat a ‘green food’ whenever you consume a protein shake as it will up the nutritional content of the food and it makes sense that you will assimilate things better if you have a full array of nutrients as you digest your food.

Pea protein

Veganicity pea protein is an unflavoured pea protein.  It contains no fillers, no sweeteners, no flavours.  It is just pure protein, with the tiniest hint of carbohydrates & a tiny amount of fat. For anyone who likes adding things for flavour like fruit, or just likes their protein without flavourings then this is an ideal product for you.  It is quick and easy to use.  I tried it on its own, with supergreens (see below) & also with other beneficial ingredients like ginger, cinnamon, turmeric (with black pepper, turmeric should always be taken with a little black pepper to aid assimilation) and a few other variations that increased the beneficial properties of the shake. Personally, I like shakes made with a ‘milk alternative’, so most of the shakes were made using that.  I also used a nutribullet as the mixing device as I own one & it is great for shake whizzing.

I prefer the texture of pea protein to rice & hemp.  Pea is a little faster to assimilate than hemp protein, that means that it is a better choice for post-workout, it also has a better consistency than rice protein which can be a little ‘puffy’ when you add it to a shaker (makes a little cloud), rice is also a bit more granular to the palate than pea after you have mixed it .

Taste is harder to say.  I do not mind the taste at all.  Other people hate it. The same can be said for every protein powder.  Each has a unique taste that you either like, or loathe.  Your best bet is to try one packet.  If you do not like it, try adding some flavours first like banana, frozen berries, cocoa powder or similar.  Make sure it is something you like.   If you really can’t get on with it as a shake, most people find it ok for adding into gravy or soups to increase the thickness, or in cooking, so it probably won’t be wasted.

The statistics are per 100g, 81g is protein, with a couple of grams of carbs & a couple of grams of fat. As it has no flavours, sweeteners or fillers it has one of the higher protein percentages of the popular powders out there, but do be aware it is not flavoured at all, so it tastes just of pea protein!

Veganicity Supergreens

I really liked this product.  I include some form of ‘green product’ into all the shakes I consume.  This can be chlorella, moringa, spirulina, wheat or barley grass.  I always have something.  I found Veganicity Supergreens to be the best tasting I have come across so far. It contains a lot of stuff.  Spirulina, wheat & barley grass, chlorella, broccoli, spinach, celery, kale, & carrot. Two teaspoons gives you the equivalent of 3 servings of vegetables! It also has quite a more subtle taste than some green powders I have tried.  If you add it AM it would be a good boost to start the day, if you added it after training then you will aid recovery.  I cannot see a negative to adding a green powder to a shake especially if you intend to have a shake without a green powder anyway...why not just add a couple of teaspoons and get that extra nutritional boost?

Positives are it tastes relatively mild compared to some other green powders out there, it increases the phytonutrients in any shake by quite a bit & it is a good mixture of different plants. The negatives are...well I guess you do have to buy it & you do have to remember to add it to your shake.  That is about it really.  Veganicity Supergreens are the best green powder I have tasted (this is my opinion, you may disagree), so I will probably be using it more than any other brand I have tried. Mix it with Veganicity pea protein & possibly a few other bits like turmeric, black pepper and cinnamon, and you will have created a phytonutrient bonanza that will boost your immune system, lower your risk of several diseases & increased your chances of staying healthy as you age.

You can get Veganicity Pea Protein from http://www.veganicity.com/Pea-Protein-Powder.html

You can get Veganicity Supergreens from http://www.veganicity.com/SuperGreens-Powder.html 

Lastly do not forget you can get 35% discount on all Veganicity purchases by using the code "VEGANBODY2015" (without the " ") throughout 2015, so use the code on all online, phone or post orders.

GUEST BLOG: Ground Based Nutrition, "Natures Best... Nothing Less!" - Amber Sperling

Are you looking for an all-in-one nutritional shake derived from only the finest whole foods? Look no further, Ground Based Nutrition, an innovative leader in the health and food supplement industry has you covered. 

As a plant-based athlete, I have experimented with various supplements in a pursuit to find the product which best fits my needs. With that being said, I believe I found my catalyst.Ground-Based Nutrition’s super food protein smoothie provides me with the energy I need to push-through my workouts, and provide me with a nutrition packed on-the-go drink for those hectic mornings! 

About Ground Based Nutrition

"Nature's Best... Nothing Less!",  Ground Based Nutrition emphasizes their belief that, better health starts from the ground up. In a market saturated with artificial sweeteners, man-made synthetic chemicals,  dyes, and additives, it becomes cumbersome to differentiate between what is good and bad. Ground Based Nutrition states clearly that their products are created with only the finest ingredients derived from mother earth, as nature intended; all of Ground Based Nutrition's products are made with 100% natural organic ingredients,  no artificial sweeteners, colors, dyes, additives, or man-made synthetic chemicals. 

Superfood Protein Smoothie
 

Ground Based Nutrition's Superfood Protein Smoothie is a nutritional shake which contains a blend of plant-based proteins, greens, fiber, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals and digestive enzymes.

Plant-based protein: Pea protein isolate, organic hemp seed protein, whole grain brown rice protein, sacha inchi protein, and European potato protein isolate provide a superior nutritional and functional value.

Greens: Alfalfa, wheat and barley grass combined with broccoli, kale and spirulina provide a powerful and complete super greens complex

High Fiber: Both hemp seed and sacha inchi protein are excellent sources of dietary fiber, and inulin is an all-natural soluble vegetable fiber that nourishes the good intestinal flora which helps promote digestive health and improved immune function.

Healthy Fats: Hemp seed protein and sacha inchi protein are high in essential fatty acids (EFAs) and both contain healthy Omega-3, -6 and -9 fats in an ideal ratio.   Medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) derived from coconut oil are used by the body for energy.

Vitamins & Minerals: Spirulina is a type of blue-green algae which provides vitamins, minerals and antioxidants to the body to help prevent cellular damage.  Maca is a nutritionally dense superfood that contains high amounts of minerals, vitamins, enzymes and all of the essential amino acids.

Digestive Enzymes: A proprietary enzyme blend facilitates the breakdown of nutrients for higher absorption and assimilation.

Ground-Based Nutrition’s Superfood Protein Smoothie nutritional profile is at the top of it’s competitors. Not only that, it tastes amazing and mixes easily! Check out how it stacks up against the competition here: http://www.ground-based.com/resources/daily-health-2/how-does-your-plant-based-protein-stackup.

Make sure to check out our facebook page for helpful hints, recipes, and discounts: https://www.facebook.com/GroundBasedNutrition.

More about Amber can be found at http://www.veganbodybuilding.org/amber.htm

REVIEW: Reflex Nutrition's Vegan Protein

I got a tub of this new protein powder just the other day.  I went with the strawberry flavour as I am quite fond of the old red berry.  It's unusual to have a product called something like "Vegan Protein" rather than "mega-pump 10,000" or similar, which made for a nice change & for once you do not have to ask if it is suitable for vegans :-)

So, let's look at what's in it first, you can read a full list here.  It is basically a souped up pea protein that is lightly coloured (natural colouring), sweetened with stevia & has added stuff like probiotic, digestive enzymes etc.  It is 18.5g of protein per serving with a 1% carbs & 1.5% fats.  I think adding the digest enzymes & probiotic is a really good idea as large amounts of protein hitting the stomach without all those little micronutrients sometimes does need a little help getting into you (especially if you have several shakes a day, getting bad gas can be a bitch!).

Obviously with protein you don't get anything like a caffeine rush or similar "Wow! this is working man!" type of effect, so we'll get onto to taste.  As I said I have only tried out the strawberry, but that is pretty awesome!  It might be the best tasting protein out there (certainly top two or 3!).  If you have been put off by taste before then I'd suggest you give this one a go.  I actually played about a bit & found adding a banana or two & mixing with soya milk gave you a pretty good milkshake!  I'm guessing you could play about & make desserts with this product as well, maybe making a mousse-like effect or other treats that can be made using a flavoured protein powder (that's a challenge to all you cooks out there-let's have some recipes).
Other good points about Reflex Nutrition is that it uses green technology to produce their products, so less energy is wasted & it uses only renewable energy!

I give a big thumbs up to this new protein & I will be getting the other flavours over time, if you've tried them post below!

Between the 8- 13 July 2012 we will be running a contest to win your own tub of this fab new protein, so pop over to the facebook group here & check out the contest!
If you don't win, no worries simply pop over to here & check out the different flavours.  I can 100% recommend the Strawberry & hopefully the others will be just as good!