Intermittent Fasting and PowerChews

Milas

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So this new PowerChews BCAA and Pre-workout products have me intrigued for use with Intermittent Fasting. I need to get my aminos and pre-workout fix, but I'm also getting hungry along the way. I'm wondering if I could eat PowerChews without negating the Intermittent Fasting protocol?

I thought I read somewhere that you don't break your fast if you keep it under 50 calories. I think the PowerChews are under that, so can I eat them to get my aminos and feel like I'm getting something in my gut?

This goes for their pre-workout too, while I don't mind training fasted it'd be nice to chew something in the AM, and get my caffeine fix!

Any thoughts?
 

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I'm not sure how much of an insulogenic response you'll get from the power chew, but you also don't want to spike insulin during your IF, otherwise you're blunting the lipolytic effects of the fast and blunt gh release. Again, this may not be a problem if theres no insulin spike.
 
Milas

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I think that it's sugar alcohols. Would that make a difference?

Edit: Yeah it's xylitol. It says 6.6g carbs for 17 cal for 3g BCAA.
 
Resolve

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I think that it's sugar alcohols. Would that make a difference?

Edit: Yeah it's xylitol. It says 6.6g carbs for 17 cal for 3g BCAA.
I wouldn't use them. You're fasting. 7g carbs doesn't sound like fasting to me. And only 3g BCAA? Yeah, that's pretty much just a breath mint with some aminos in there as a selling point...
 
Milas

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Huh, I chew xylitol gum for my teeth too. Would that have the same effect? Now you got me all concerned!
 
Red Dog

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I think that it's sugar alcohols. Would that make a difference?

Edit: Yeah it's xylitol. It says 6.6g carbs for 17 cal for 3g BCAA.
Also, I keep hearing people say that sugar alcohols are little "better" than regular sugar and still stimulate insulin release -- I'm blanking on the source right now though.
 
Whacked

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?????? There are NO "DIGESTABLE" CARBS in these. xylitol should NOT be viewed as a carb source.

That said, the leucine content MAY elevate insulin levels so as noted earleir in this thread.
 
Milas

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Yeah, I had heard sugar alcohols have different caloric values, but FDA just uses 2.4 calories per g of any kind of sugar alcohol. I believe xylitol is actually one of the better ones for insulin and teeth health.
 
Milas

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Wow, did some searching on Xylitol and found a LOT of info! It seems like not only is it great during cutting/fasting, it's great for overall health! Really low GI, so has an insulin controlling effect (metabolized independently of insulin), and helps maintain blood sugar levels. It's not fully absorbed either, so helps with good intestinal bacteria!

Too many benefits to list, but they fall in these general categories:
Dental Health (plaque and cavities)
Blood Sugar Control
Weight Loss
Upper Respiratory Health (sinusitis prevention, allergy alleviation, etc.)
wound Healing (interferes with biofilm formation)
Calcium Absorption


It looks perfect for IF or cutting in general, since Xylitol (and BCAA) is best taken between meals! Also, the recommended dose used in the Xylitol clinical studies is 4-15g (after 15g benefits didn't increase any further), so 2-3 servings of PowerChews is all you need to get the extra benefits (and I have bad teeth)!

I ordered some BCAA PowerChews yesterday after reading this!!!
 
Milas

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?????? There are NO "DIGESTABLE" CARBS in these. xylitol should NOT be viewed as a carb source.

That said, the leucine content MAY elevate insulin levels so as noted earleir in this thread.
I think Xylitol does get matabolized, just not through insulin. It does have a caloric value and provides a steady trickle of energy, but won't spike anything. Basically the ideal energy source when cutting/fasting!
 
Milas

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Oh man, I just think about all the carb binges (I called them "unplanned carb ups") if I had PowerChews to curb my sweet tooth! Can't wait to get them!

I heard they're shaped like 45lb plates! That's going to make AWESOME office candy!
 
Rodja

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What advantages would these have over just drinking BCAA throughout the day and chewing the occasional piece of gum?
 
Milas

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If it's Xylitol gum, you'd get the benefits of xylitol. However, I've ordered the stuff and it's pricey! For 2 pices of gum you get 1.6g xylitol, so I take 4 pieces at a time. I have to do that 3 times a day to get 13.2g xylitol (which is below the recommended 15g). It costs >$20 for 200 pieces, though I like the taste of the black licorice XyliChews I use. So, I go through 12 pices a day which is ~$1.2.

PowerChews are 6.6g Xylitol per serving, with 45 servings for $40 (10-15% discount code not included). That works out to $0.89 per serving (or $0.80 with 10% code), with 2 servings I pay $1.60 (I always use discounts online!). So I get 6g BCAA and Xylitol for $0.40 more per day, plus convenience for my aminos, plus I like to think I'm eating candy!

With my reputation in the office for weightlifting and health, I'd pay for the novelty of 45lb plate candy in a crystal bowl on my desk too!
 
Resolve

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It's an alcohol, it gets digested by the liver just like any other alcohol. It may have a low absorption rate, but it's still a source of calories. It may offer health benefits, but a fast isn't a fast when you're ingesting stuff like that. That's like saying because you're eating healthfully that it's ok and you're not breaking your fast.
 
Rodja

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If it's Xylitol gum, you'd get the benefits of xylitol. However, I've ordered the stuff and it's pricey! For 2 pices of gum you get 1.6g xylitol, so I take 4 pieces at a time. I have to do that 3 times a day to get 13.2g xylitol (which is below the recommended 15g). It costs >$20 for 200 pieces, though I like the taste of the black licorice XyliChews I use. So, I go through 12 pices a day which is ~$1.2.

PowerChews are 6.6g Xylitol per serving, with 45 servings for $40 (10-15% discount code not included). That works out to $0.89 per serving (or $0.80 with 10% code), with 2 servings I pay $1.60 (I always use discounts online!). So I get 6g BCAA and Xylitol for $0.40 more per day, plus convenience for my aminos, plus I like to think I'm eating candy!

With my reputation in the office for weightlifting and health, I'd pay for the novelty of 45lb plate candy in a crystal bowl on my desk too!
Throughout this whole post, you did not post one advantage. You can get a case of 216 pieces of Trident for <$13 and a kilo of iBCAA for $50. It's a nice little novelty product, but it's not going to change the world.
 
Milas

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Throughout this whole post, you did not post one advantage. You can get a case of 216 pieces of Trident for <$13 and a kilo of iBCAA for $50. It's a nice little novelty product, but it's not going to change the world.
Wow, sorry for not posting up to your standards! There's no advantage to mixing your own bulk powders versus anything I guess, other than taste or convenience.

Why so adversarial, I'm stoked to try healthy candy shaped like weights, just call me a dork or something! Don't think it'll change any part of the world other than my personal enjoyment!

Oh, and the Trident isn't all xylitol, I found out the hard way!
 
Milas

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It's an alcohol, it gets digested by the liver just like any other alcohol. It may have a low absorption rate, but it's still a source of calories. It may offer health benefits, but a fast isn't a fast when you're ingesting stuff like that. That's like saying because you're eating healthfully that it's ok and you're not breaking your fast.
Hmmm... wouldn't the same apply to aminos? Also I thought according to LG you could have up to 50 cal without breaking fast? Seems like folks are coming into this with preconceived opinions. I like to just question what's possible and try to keep progressing and enjoying myself. Sorry if I'm going about it wrong, don't mean to ruffle feathers!
 
Rodja

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Wow, sorry for not posting up to your standards! There's no advantage to mixing your own bulk powders versus anything I guess, other than taste or convenience.

Why so adversarial, I'm stoked to try healthy candy shaped like weights, just call me a dork or something! Don't think it'll change any part of the world other than my personal enjoyment!

Oh, and the Trident isn't all xylitol, I found out the hard way!
You answered my question. Your thread seems more like a promo than an actual discussion.
 
Milas

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You answered my question. Your thread seems more like a promo than an actual discussion.
Oops, sorry for any misunderstanding. I'm new to IF and just thought the PowerChews were a way to solve a few of my needs. I really appreciate more experienced folks ideas, but I was hoping for at least some pros to balance cons! I was starting to feel bad about my order!

Resolve, I really appreciate your perspective since you've been doing it for so long
Is there any saving grace for my purchase?
 
Resolve

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Hmmm... wouldn't the same apply to aminos? Also I thought according to LG you could have up to 50 cal without breaking fast? Seems like folks are coming into this with preconceived opinions. I like to just question what's possible and try to keep progressing and enjoying myself. Sorry if I'm going about it wrong, don't mean to ruffle feathers!
The cals from the BCAAs in the chews are WAY less than from the alcohol. Given that 1.5g of leucine isn't enough to do much unless you're absolutely tiny, the average user will need to take 2-3 servings of chews at a time to get a decent dose of bcaa. So...that's 14-21g of alcohol right there x3 cals per gram, if your estimation is right, which equals:

42-63cals from the xylitol by itself.

That's like adding 10-15g of CHO to your BCAA. And that's for bcaa with a subpar concentration of Leucine for a guy my size. Sure, the chews are right around that 50cal limit, but there are way more anabolic options for less cals. And personally, I'm all about bang for my buck.

If I'm gonna have 60 cals of food while I'm "Fasting" I'm going for a cup of blackberries or something voluminous. But see, I wouldn't do that, becasue that's breaking the fast.

If I stick with my 7-8g of leucine by itself, I'm getting maybe 10 cals, since individual aminos have WAY less caloric potential than complete proteins.
 
Milas

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Thanks for breaking it down for me Resolve. I didn't know aminos were so low on caloric value. I know they didn't need to be listed on nutritional info labels, but I thought they had the same relative calories. I'll have to look that up some more, thanks!

I wasn't sure what the effects of the fast were in particular, whether it was insulin you needed to avoid or if it was just calories in general, especially when people talk about leucine and BCAA affecting insulin and that being an issue. I was thinking if it were insulin, there would be ways to skirt the "rules" of the fast.

I'll read up some more, again appreciate the insights! I'll probably use the PowerChews between meals in my feeding window, and in "emergencies" during a fast. While you might like blackberries, I like candy, I hope it's on the sour side too...

Thanks!
 
RickRock13

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I plan on using these during my IF diet and trying them out, but not during my fast. I will still use my normal servings of xtend and GEAR during the fast, and throw some powerchews in there between meals. I'm curious to see how they taste!!
 

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