Protein Powder

I've tried many protein powders and I finally found one that I like. - New Zealand Whey - It has 110 calories and 24 grams of protein per scoop. I found it "Goodness Me" in Hamilton. I've not seen it anywhere else. I find that most of the others I have tried have been too chalky or taste like chemicals. I've also tried Premier Protein and I find it very sweet. The New Zealand Whey is very creamy when blended with fruit and greens and even more creamy with milk. It has a very subtle sweet taste. I have noticed that many people are putting Premier Protein in their coffee. I've been drinking decaf for the last few months and have been having it black. It's pretty boring and I have almost given up on coffee altogether, as I use to have it with a lot of cream. This morning I tried blending together some of the New Zealand Whey with 1% milk and added it to my decaf. OMG! it was amazing. ..better than a cappuccino. So...I think I will be doing this for now on. Here are the portions that I used.

2 scoops of New Zealand Whey

2 Cups of Milk

Blend in the blender/Vitamix

I used a quarter of this for my coffee this morning and stored the rest in the fridge. So, 12 grams of protein just having a cup of coffee!

Just wanted to share with all of the coffee lovers out there!

Barb

I very seriously TRIED protein powder. I could NOT stomach it. The Premier Protein I agree is sweet... actually reminds me of my homemade hot chocolate, only COLD! Good for you from sticking it out and finding something that works for you.

Thanks Jackie S.

That's great Barbara. And thanks for sharing! I'll add it to my list of narrowed down possibilities. I also do better with a subtle sweet taste and avoiding aspartame etc, so an all natural product is good for me.

I found one called Sisu that currently tops my list. I think they are also available at Goodness Me and health food stores like Nutrition House. I haven't tasted it yet but I like the ingredients and what I've heard.

Now I have two great options!

Hi oneatatime,

I've used Sisu products. They are really good quality products. Good luck with it.

Thanks,

Barb

That's very helpful, thank you! I have been stressing over an alternative to premier protein as it seems to be the most popular choice but I really don't want any artificial sweeteners. Frustrating how many weight loss products are full of artificial sweeteners. This sounds like a good option. If you find out where to get more let me know! I'm also a coffee fan and like the idea of protein coffee to start the day!

Hi eLoon77,

I know. I really hate a sweetened coffee, so this product works well for me. And I hear you about the sweetened protein drinks. I don't think I'm going to do too well on Optifast, but I will persevere if I have to! I don't know if you live in the Hamilton/Burlington area where "Goodness Me" is, but I'm sure if you do a google search for New Zealand Whey you will find other stores where it is distributed.

Thanks,

Barb

I'm in Toronto so I'm not too sure. I'm not too worried about the Opti phase. I just hope I don't need to water it down too much. My biggest concern is my post op gut microbes being harmed by the sweeteners because they're not supposed to be helpful for that. I am sure most people think I'm being too paranoid but I'm convinced they do enough harm that it's not worth it to include them in your diet. I'll check for it online too. Maybe Amazon has it. If you have any more non sweetener products in your wl travels let me know!!

Hi eLoon77,

Sure, I'll let you know what comes across my path. I am assuming that maybe you eat a lot like the way I do. I have always been concerned about my health and have been eating natural foods since the 70's. I was a vegetarian for many years and husband still is. I just know that I won't be able to lose the weight after surgery if I don't eat meat. We usually buy organic. So, although I eat very healthy most of the time, I eat far too much and too many carbs. I really want this surgery though. My bmi is lower than 40, but I have two comorbidities, hence I was accepted into this program. Anyway, I will let you know anything else I find. Btw, there are a ton of natural food stores in TO. I'm sure you will find some there.

Barb

Yes, a lot of health food stores here so I'm hoping to have lost of options at least. My BMI is much higher and I have GERD and slightly high blood pressure but the reason I'm being careful is that in my researching why WLS is successful is due to a major shift in gut microbes that are a result of the surgery. Also, that having a leaky gut and an overgrowth of bad gut bacteria can do great harm to your ability to manage your weight and do damage to your overall health. So sweeteners top the list of offenders, as well as sugar and processed foods (no surprise there), GMO foods, red meat, antibiotics (which can also be found in meats), too much dairy, etc etc. Been reading up on all of it and trying to introduce those changes now before surgery.

Ive been noticing so much of the easy access protein products people are incorporating into their post op lives are heavy in the sweetener department and also the diets post op are very meat and cheese reliant and though, like you, I will be eating meat and dairy to get protein I'm going to be very cautious of what's in them and where they come from as not to undermine the microbial reset that you benefit from with the surgery. If the good gut microbes are why the surgery works I'm going to try my best not to upset that balance. It certainly can't hurt!