RTD protein

I am 10 days post op and am finding it hard to get the recommended protein in (I am still on full liquid diet). So today I purchased some ready to drink protein. They are the 3 oz new whey 42g protein vials. Are these just as healthy as protein shakes? They actually taste good, sort of like jello before its gelled and using them I can get in all my protein. I just don't want to do sometihng that is not very healthy for me. Thanks

A lot of people swear by the New Whey Protein Bullets.  but from my own research I am not thrilled with the quality of the protein it provides.  Here's what I know: Ingredients in New Whey Protein 42g 67.4% pure deionized water, 31.5% Actinase (patent pending blend of enzymatically hydrolyzed collagenic protein isolate, whey protein isolate and caseine protein isolate), less that 2% of malic acid, vitamin c,b3,b5,b2, b1, folic acid, biotin, and b12, natural flavors, sucralose, blue-1 and red 40. As we know, the highest percentage of ingredients are listed first, with lesser amounts listed last.  So we know that of that 31.5% of protein mixture the highest amount of protein would be Collagen Protein.  Next is Whey Protein Isolate, then Caseine Protein Isolate.  Let's look at each one: Callagen Protein: This is the main protein of connective tissue in animals and the most abundant protein in mammals, making up about 25% of the whole-body protein content.  When broken down, collagen becomes a gelatin used in many foods such as Jell-O type desserts.  It’s also used in cosmetics, pharmacology and photography industry for the production of various products. Collagen and gelatin are poor-quality protein sources since they do not contain all the essential amino acids that the human body requires - they are not complete proteins. Whey Protein Isolate This is the highest quality protein currently available.  The BV rating is often shown at 110-159 because the BV scale was devised before Whey Protein Isolate was developed and the scale is based on the perfect protein of an egg.  This form of protein has the highest biolavailability of any other form of protein. Casein Protein Isolate Casein is a slow-digesting protein source that actually forms a "gel" in the stomach and slowly releases it's amino acid components over several hours after ingestion.  This slow release can last up to 7 hours (for comparison: Whey is released within 40 minutes).  Casein is derived from milk - same protein source as if you drink a glass of milk.  My concern though with this source is because it is concentrated and process to be slow-digesting, the Casein Protein Isolate may actually leave our altered/shorter digestive track before it has a chance to release all of the amino acids it contains. And just a side note:  The words "enzymatically hydrolyzed" don't really mean much.  Enzymatically just means it's a "variety of protein enzyme sources" and hydrolyzed just means that the protein has been "broken down" into it's basic amino acid component. So basically with those $3.50+ protein bullets you're paying for 68% water and 37% of a low quality combination of protein (with a little bit of good whey protein thrown in for good measure).  I personally would rather feed my body the high quality Whey Protein Isolate that is proven to be the best for my body, will be processed in less than an hour in my shorter intestines and allow me to use every single bit of what I'm drinking and not waste any protein. HTH Pam

Pam, can you share the name brands that you prefer.   Patricia 262/125/139 hi/lo/today

Patricia - Are you looking for a RTD protein?  Or any protein powder that can be mixed easily? RTD --- I rarely drink these because they are so pricey and don't taste all that great to me.  But I keep some SlimFast Low-Carb chocolate and vanilla in the fridge in case I need something in a hurry.  It's got 15g protein and only 4g of carbs (I think it's 4g).  Protein Powder --- I tried about 4 dozen different brands/flavors before I found 2 or 3 that I liked enough to buy a whole jar of.  You can check my OH Profile for a list of resources for where to buy samples.  I ended up liking Champion Cookies-n-Cream and Nectar Chocolate Truffle.  I also use Body Fortress Chocolate and Vanilla that you can get at Wal-Mart and seem to like those best right now. Whey Protein Isolate and Whey Protein Concentrate are the top two forms of protein powder in terms of quality.  100% Isolate is pricey and not very readily available.  However, I feel that the combination of Isolate and Concentrate is a good cost effective solution and provides a very high quality protein powder. Pam

I like the Nectar Chocolate Truffle right now.  I also like the Body Fortress Chocolate.  My all time favorite for taste is the RTD Adkin Advantage Chocolate Delight (I think that is the name/favor.)  Have you tried it? To tell the truth I have not looked at the back of the can much.  Also I like Walker Diet cappichino (never could spell that word.) Chocolate was never a favorite with me--I preferred vanilla before surgery.  Now I like chocolate for some reason.  Patricia