Protein Powder?

[LittleRock]

A friend of mine recently told me that she adds protein powder to her kids' oatmeal to increase calorie content. I was thinking this might also work for backpacking. Just wondering, has anyone tried this during a multi-day hiking trip and did it help?

[Recalc]

1 Scoop Slimfast 20 gram (or similar) + Oatmeal (1 to 1.5 cup) + Nido/Instant Milk added to freezer bag. Mix with hot water.

I will consume cold if short on fuel.

[JC13]

I do this every trip and every day in normal life. I usually do a scoop of powder with an instant oatmeal packet on trail for breakfast and dinner.
Not sure how to quantify the helping portion. I figure it is an easy way to get 50-60 grams of protein per day on trail. I cold soak it.
#nocooklyfe

[Hatchet_1697]

Another trick is adding olive oil to your meals (well, maybe not your oatmeal). It’s very calorie dense for the weight and healthy too. They make individual packets.


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[RockDoc]

We make protein bars using protein powder, nut butters, crushed nuts, MCT oil, eggs, dates, and swerve sugar substitute. So tasty. Very satisfying, as well as good repair of muscle damage from hiking.

I don't know of any decent "protein bars" on the commercial market, so we make our own. I checked the ones at Costco and they were very high carb/high fat, which is no bueno. That turns off fat burning and then stores the dietary fat. You want high protein, low fat, low carb.

There are two kinds of food: protein and energy. Oils (including olive oil), carbs, and sugar are energy. Basing your diet on these causes YOU to be mostly energy=obese. Basing your diet on protein causes YOU to be mostly protein=lean machine. www.burnfatnotsugar.com (http://www.burnfatnotsugar.com)

[One Half]

I have 3 scrambled eggs and breakfast sausage for breakfast, with veggies and cheese. Sometimes salsa as well for breakfast. No protein powder needed.

[Odd Man Out]

Protein is not particularly rich in calories (about the same as the oatmeal. There may be other reasons to do it, but it would not be the most effective way to add calories, especially when backpacking where calorie dense foods are especially valued.

[garlic08]

Adding nuts to the oatmeal would be a better, and less processed, way to add calories and protein.

[The Old Chief]

Here's a breakfast drink mix I got from some hiking friends several years ago. I like it. It can be pre-mixed the night before in your water bottle. One downside on a long hike is someone has to mail a re-supply every so often and preferably already in individual baggies.

2 packets Instant Breakfast (we like chocolate) + 1 scoop Muscle Milk or (or any other protein powder) + 1 tablespoons instant coffee. We premix into individual baggies Per person mix one batch in a liter of water.

[Puddlefish]

Just for fun. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/the-hidden-dangers-of-protein-powders

The Clean Label Project found a whole lot of ugly protein powders.

[CalebJ]

I'd be interested to read the article, but the $4.99 subscription is a bit offputting.

[LittleRock]

Thanks everyone for the responses. Going to give crushed almonds a try instead of protein powder as this seems like a more balanced and higher calorie alternative.

[Puddlefish]

I'd be interested to read the article, but the $4.99 subscription is a bit offputting.
Sorry about that, I apparently got a free read initially. I try not to link to paywalls.

The Harvard folks basically said, just under doctor's orders.

The scary stuff is here.

https://www.cleanlabelproject.org/protein-powder/

Basically, choose your powder carefully.

[JPritch]

Sounds like OP was just looking for calorie dense food. Then yeah, maybe protein powder isn't the best. I'm a huge proponent of it though for its muscle sparing properties. I lift a lot and endurance exercise will cannibalize lots of those gains. So I try to consume as much protein as I can on trail, and a Ziploc bag with a scoop of NIDO and a scoop of whey is a nightly ritual for me on trail.

[Ankle Bone]

Sorry about that, I apparently got a free read initially. I try not to link to paywalls.

The Harvard folks basically said, just under doctor's orders.

The scary stuff is here.

https://www.cleanlabelproject.org/protein-powder/

Basically, choose your powder carefully.

I know I'm going off subject, but thanks for posting this.

I've been a plant based protein user, and you are right -- Scary. That stuff is in the trash can tonight

[Christoph]

Don't just look for one source (protein) to supplement the diet. You will definitely need to look into other options for total calorie intake. Protein is great, but is not a full supplement of what you're going to be burning throughout the day. Unfortunately, you'll need those "bad" calories as well. You will burn calories, good and bad. It's tough going. For kids (and adults) I'd say even mix in a Carnation instant Breakfast with oatmeal. It'll make you very full, but you'll need that later on. Just a thought, that's what I learned along the way. Hope this helps.

[CalebJ]

I know I'm going off subject, but thanks for posting this.

I've been a plant based protein user, and you are right -- Scary. That stuff is in the trash can tonight
For what it's worth, there are quite a few well written articles that have a lot to say about clean label project's inability to use any real science in their testing.

[Ankle Bone]

For what it's worth, there are quite a few well written articles that have a lot to say about clean label project's inability to use any real science in their testing.

Thanks. That's also a good point!

[Nolan "Guido" Jordan]

Protein Paleo Powder. I felt great on the trail with this stuff