"Whole food" protein powders: benefits or a gimmick?

[R1187]

Bought some Recon 1 whole food protein powder. Very pricey $80 for 25 servings. Ingredients include beef protein isolate, salmon protein, rolled oats, yams, etc. Is this better than just your typical gainer shake with whey, casein, and cheap carbs? Is this price justifiable for the benefit?

 

[sns8778]

I think it really comes down to a matter of personal preference.

From a bodybuilding perspective, no, I don't think it would be any better of a protein source than WPI/Casein.

You mentioned cheap carbs - now I think in general that rolled oats and yams are better than cheap carbs in the sense that they're complex carbs. But for me, I use either Whey Protein Isolate or a Whey Protein Isolate/Micellar Casein blend and just eat oats, brown rice, or yams with it or add rolled oats into the shake.

The brand I use for protein isn't one of the cheaper ones - I pay a little bit extra for quality, taste, and bc you can mix 2 scoops (50 grams) in 3 ounces of almond milk and drink it like a shot - and I still could drink a lot more protein and consume more carbs for a lot less than a product like that would cost.

Now, I'm not knocking the product. That's why I said its a matter of preference, but for me, I prioritize budgeting for optimal results and even I wouldn't buy or use it.

 

[Darkhorse192]

Brother, Redcon is dog shiit, and so is the whole (no pun intended) "whole food protein" space. They used to be "ok" at best, but then they changed their formulas for MRE and MRE light and switched to a bunch of fillers and bullshit. Either eat real foods or use whey. Preferably a blend, but if you have any digestive issues, an isolate may be better. When it comes to powders. Whey and whey-based blends (isolate, concentrate, casein, egg blends) are still king,

 

[sns8778]

Brother, Redcon is dog shiit, and so is the whole (no pun intended) "whole food protein" space. They used to be "ok" at best, but then they changed their formulas for MRE and MRE light and switched to a bunch of fillers and bullshit. Either eat real foods or use whey. Preferably a blend, but if you have any digestive issues, an isolate may be better. When it comes to powders. Whey and whey-based blends (isolate, concentrate, casein, egg blends) are still king,

Kind of relevant, kind of not and me just talking to you bc your post made me think about it - but I wasn't sure if you knew that we were finally going to be doing a protein. We're in the process now and just approved the flavor samples for it. We're going to be doing a Whey Protein Isolate and a Whey Protein Isolate/Micellar Casein blend. I don't want to derail this thread and make it about that, but just wanted to let you know in case you didn't.

 

[Segansational]

$80? Are you overseas? That's the only whey (see what I did there?) that you had to pay that kind of price... for any protein at that amount of servings.

RC1 usually does at minimum 20 - 30% discount, and often times BOGO or 50% off price. Last tub I bought I paid $22.50.

 

[R1187]

$80? Are you overseas? That's the only whey (see what I did there?) that you had to pay that kind of price... for any protein at that amount of servings.

RC1 usually does at minimum 20 - 30% discount, and often times BOGO or 50% off price. Last tub I bought I paid $22.50.

$64 for a 7lb tub on Amazon. For some reason the blueberry cobbler flavor is $79.

Probably cheaper elsewhere, I should have browsed more.

 

[JaredGalloway]

I usually have a tub of animal meal laying around just in case I'm too worn out from work to make a meal... I like it especially in times where I wasn't able to get the calories during the day or something else happened which prevented me from getting the nutrition I needed...

 

[LucasBagoDoce]

I’ve read reports of people saying most of the protein in MRE is collagen. Which could make sense, as collagen is a protein and you could source it from “beef, chicken, salmon…”
Not sure at all how true that is, but I’d rather not take the risk.

 

[MrKleen73]

I think you would be a lot better off just getting the protein you prefer and getting yourself a thing of oats. You can put the dry oats in a blender or coffee grinder and turn it into a fine powder in seconds. Then put it in your protein shake for much cheaper. That way you can control the quality protein you are getting and not have oats in a shake if you want without having to buy a second tub of powder.