Question:
Can you drink Ensure Lite?
My doctor told me not to take protein powder drinks but instead to do ensure light. I drank one this a.m and suffered my first real dose of dumping. I got real hot and weak and had to go home and dry heave. I do feel much better now. I will go to g n c to buy a protein powder. Ant suggestions on what can be mixed with juice? — michelle M. (posted on September 7, 2000)
September 7, 2000
I was told to stsy away from Ensure and Carnation Breakfast type drink.
Calories and sugars are to high. I use Universal Whey Protein. GNC carries
a brand of Whey protein that is good, high in protein and mixes well with
unsweetened Pineapple or OJ juice. I do not mix my protein with water, the
calories are less if you do but I need the juice for taste.I hear from
others that the Designer Protein is also good. Sorry to hear about your
dumpin, it can be very upsetting sometimes. Good Luck...Peace, Trina
— Courtrina Amur W.
September 7, 2000
Sorry to hear you dumped. I know it's no fun! Glad you're feeling better.
The others are right, high calorie protein drinks or any other type of
drink is what you have to watch out for. Many of the protein supplements
you find are for body builders and are high in calorie and carbs so that
they can put on bulk. This is obviously not good for us, but they do carry
supplements we can use. I buy cherry liquid protein made by Challenge at
GNC and like it. I mix it with my Crystal Light every day and just sip,
sip, sip. I found that by mixing it with different flavors of Crystal
Light that the taste can be more palatable. My current favorite is Ruby
Red Grapefruit. Check with your GNC to be sure but just to let you know
that if you buy something there, open it and end up not liking it, you can
return it even though it's opened. You just have to have your sales
receipt. That way you're not stuck with something you can't stand. Good
luck!
— Paula G.
September 7, 2000
I dumped on Insure Lite also. I tried it twice just to make sure (boy, was
that dum!) I found a protein supplement at the health food store called
Spirutein - you mix with fruit juice or milk. They also sold individual
packets so you could try the various flavors. This is just a suggestion.
I usually don't do this - I try to get all my protein from foods.
— Cindy H.
September 7, 2000
Ensure is the ONLY thing that has made me dump so far! Please feel free to
check out my page listed under Andrea Pennell, I found two other drinks
that have less sugar/calories and did well for me. I have also just ordered
a protein drink called pure-pro that the others on this site say tastes
like Kool-aid. Good Luck!
— Andrea P.
September 7, 2000
I have finally found a way that I can get in all of my protein (I require
87 gr. a day) and found if impossible to do in just food. I get the French
Vanilla Designer Protein and mix it with Diet A&W Root Beer or Diet
Vernors. It is tastes like a float and is great. I couldn't stand it any
other way. The soda loses its carbonation when you mix it in the blender,
so don't worry about that. I actually look forward to drinking it this
way.
— livnliter
September 7, 2000
Ensure is WAY high in calories, almost no nutritional value, in comparison.
Limit yourself to 6g of sugar PER meal (including everything and there are
12g in milk) and you will not dump, nor will you have as many problems with
sugar cravings and regain. There are at least 30 proteins on the market
that will mix nicely in water, in 4 oz and deliver the protein you need
without the "junk". The Ensure and Boost type drinks are
excellent for nursing home patients and children who are not gaining
properly, but have no place in a wt loss regimen. The "good"
proteins will put the protein in and let the fat slide away.
— vitalady
September 7, 2000
My dr and the nutrionist in his office warns patients away from ensure. I
swear by protein drinks...and because I work, I need canned drinks.
http://www4.netrition.com/ultra_pure_protein_shake_page.html is a website
for Pure Protein Shakes. Michelle Curran offers them at her vitalady
website, too. They taste great, are portable, are low in surgar...if
you're looking for something wonderful and portable, I can personally
recommend these! Good luck,
— Lucky B.
September 7, 2000
Oh, I tried Ensure too early on, and had one of my very few dumping
episodes. Ugh, was that awful. And that darn thing didn't even taste that
good either! :) I've been using the designer protein from GNC, which is
not so bad, and this past weekend, stumbled across the Twinlab Ironman
Protein Shake (chocolate fudge flavor), which is also not bad. It has 15 g
of protein, can be mixed with water, only 1 g of sugar, and 80 calories.
BTW, when I bought the Ensure protein drink, I also got the Boost protein
drinks (both the premixed kind in cans) and I dumped on both ... sad lesson
to learn!
— Beth B.
September 7, 2000
I looked for a good protein drink. I am pre-op but didn't want
to wait till after surgery. I wanted to start drinking it for
breakfast. Ordered and tried several samples. Didn't like any
of them. A friend who had surgery in April gave me a sample of
a protein drink from GNC. It is call GNC Protein Drink. Pro
performance 100% whey protein. It is in a black jug with a
gold lid. It comes in a 3lb or 6lb jug. I mixed it in water.
Not grittey. Tasted like choc milk watered down a little, going
to try mixing it with skim milk. 21gm protein and very little
sugar. Good luck.. Teresa http://sdurbin.homestead.com
— Teresa D.
September 7, 2000
I am only a week post-op, but I've stumbled on a good way to get in my
protein and water both. I mix 2 servings of Pro Performance Whey Protein
from GNC (60 grams of protein), one tub of Crystal Light (I used
Strawberry-Kiwi) and 2 qts of water. I drink one of these a day - total
calories are about 250 calories and I know I have my protein and water both
in. It tasts like a strawberry shake. Hope this helps.
— nealp
September 10, 2000
There's an ensure made for diabetic's called glucerna. I don't know if
they will have the same dumping effects or exactly how much sugar or
calories it has. But it has to have less sugar than the reg. or light
ensure.
— Amy B.
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