Protein Supplement

[Rowdy Yates]

Have any WBers ever used Protein Supplement Powder while hiking the A.T. ? If you did what type did you use and how did you use it?

[JC13]

I use it every day and I use it when we hike any trail overnight. I use 100% whey made by Cytosport, I get it at Costco in a 6lb bag for ~$40. I mix it with oats and either a fruit or vegetable supplement and drink it for breakfast and dinner. I carry an empty 16oz pb container to mix it in, I just add water. You could put Nido in there if you wanted as well for more calories and protein.

[Venchka]

Pea protein in a Nido based liquid.
Hemp Hearts in hot meals.
Wayne


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[tarditi]

I put TVP in all my hot meals on the trail

[Dogwood]

Easy enough to consume a LD hiker 16 hr a day hiking approach supply of the entire range of amino acids from a wide spectrum of trail ready easy to find inexpensive REAL FOOD. Even as a pesce vegetarian it's not in any way difficult getting more than enough high quality protein on trail without a supplement; that's with consuming largely a meat free weekly trail menu. For an omnivore it's even easier. That is coming from a LD hiker that has never witnessed anyone anywhere bring as many supplements on a hike as myself. In short, think food! REAL FOOD! HIGHEST QUALITY WHOLE FOOD FIRST AND FOREMOST FOR YOUR NUTRITION...not supplements... not something processed or refined or formulated by a laboratory packaged in a plastic tub.

To answer your question, as a spin off of what Venchka commented, on especially hot hikes when I might add a powdered supplement to what I'm drinking preferring to "drink" SOME nutrients:

Amazing Grass Protein Superfood w/ Greens Pure Vanilla with Navitas Naturals Coconut Water or Coco Hydro Powder.

Have gotten away from protein supplements, gels included, that largely obtain their carbs from highly processed maltodextrin almost always obtained from GMO's like corn(in the U.S., a GM corn glutton nation) which are sometimes included in "protein/endurance" supplement products based on the idea the laboratory arrives at greater nutrition than mother nature can approach.

If you're going the route of a powdered supplement DO NOT just do it for protein. AIM FOR MORE! Get phytonutrients, probiotics, vitamins, a WIDE range of micronutrients, little to NO sugar added,... Aim for better hydration(electrolytes), assimilation, and digestion too!

Narrowly focusing in on - fractionating - isolating - one macro nutrient out of the whole as the basis for consumption of one ingredient or one food item is fraught with problematic reductionist nutritional theory approaches. This nutritional approach has been the basis for many branches of nutrition with confusing results. It is the approach that is the darling of the "food science" highly processed highly refined packaged food like products industry. It is based on pharmacology rather than REAL WHOLE - HOLISTIC - food consumption

http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/78/3/514S.full

Be careful not getting pulled into the deep end of the "protein powder" supplement pool with bulk body building nutritional sports industry mega high protein content powders, lab like foods, and supplements for hiking. Some contain much added sugar or unnecessary for backpacking levels of protein when you're easily achieving your daily protein needs from REAL FOOD.


Garden of Life and Vega make good entire spectrum "protein powder" supplements as well that contain more than protein.

https://www.amazinggrass.com/store/?...FVe5wAod-qwPtA About $25 for

https://bigtreefarms.com/products/coco-hydro Can be found in small packets at some REI's.

[TTT]

IMG_0024.JPG

80% pure protein

Apparently one spoonful contains the equivalent of 5 eggs. Theory: A small amount (+-1 ounce) is taken at night in order to prevent weight loss.

[RockDoc]

If you are eating properly you don't need to supplement protein. Natural, real foods typically have the ideal combo of fat an protein. We always take hb eggs, homemade jerky (no sugar), cheese. Plenty of good protein. Avoid unhealthy high carbage diet. Sorry, poptart.

[Dogwood]

All these "protein supplements", including the ones I listed, are outcomes of the typical Western dietary nutritional "science" paradigm that is fundamentally based on reductionist food theory - food is just the sum of it's parts which mistakenly assumes humanity recognizes and understands all the parts and how ALL those parts act synergistically within the human body. This nutritional approach is coveted by the food processing giants within the "food industry" largely for economic and marketing objectives. It is the darling of the highly refined highly processed heavily packaged food processing engineers. It has led some, including myself, to have spent $1000's monthly chasing individual supplements attempting to reengineer what is found already in WHOLE FOODS.

[Heliotrope]

It's more challenging to get lots of fresh produce or quality protein on the trail. Carbs and fats are easy to carry and prepare. Hence the preponderance of instant oatmeal, ramen, candy bars, pop tarts, mac and cheese etc. frequently eaten on trail.

The strenuous nature of hiking plus the potential for a calorie deficit makes thinking about protein ( and calorie) sources a legitimate concern.

Consider using jerky, tuna packs, milk power, Epic bars, myo dehydrated meals (meat sauce), dried bean chili. Nuts and cheese are also contributing to your protein intake. I personally like to use whey protein along with powdered milk for morning smoothie shakes and/or in my cold cereal.


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[egilbe]

Most hiking staples, that are real food, have plenty of protein and fats. I use chia seeds, walnuts, almonds and Nido added to my oatmeal for a protein burst in the morning. Snacking on peanuts, and tree nuts, and assorted jerkies during the day continue adding protein and fats. An evening meal with tuna or a spam packets with my knorr sides or instant potatoes or intant rice or instant polenta or cous cous with a couple cups of Nido milk tops off the day. What I'm really lacking is fresh fruits and veggies. Thats what you should be concerned about, is enough vitamins. Do you have plans to eat any dried fruit or veggies?

[Dogwood]

"It's more challenging to get lots of fresh produce or quality protein on the trail."

That's a Myth for Americans or those hiking in the U.S.

Since when is it so challenging to find, include, consume, creatively cooperate, carry, or prepare an apple, orange, onion, clove of garlic, rhizome of ginger, a small sweet potato, bag of nuts, nut butters, bag of sunflower seeds, some broccoli crowns, sprouts, some greens(spinach, kale, collards, mustard, chard, etc), hemp seed(it's even found in Walmart!), block of cheese, some type of milk powder, fish, legumes, beans and rice, quinoa(easier than carrying or cooking a chicken breast or pork chop on trail!), tempeh, EPIC or KRAVE Bar, jerky, foil packet of tuna, hummus & whole wheat pita, oatmeal, buckwheat(not actually wheat, SOBA Noodles are found in every med-lg grocery store), or carrying a turkey breast sandwich or packet of it from a deli on trail....??? Getting enough HIGH QUALITY protein THAT ISN'T NECESSARILY MEAT BASED shouldn't be difficult in the U.S. EVEN ON TRAIL CONSUMING REAL FOOD - WHOLE FOOD! Being an omnivore it's perhaps easier!

In actuality, according to several respected medical sources and LINKED TO STUDIES "Most Americans get more than enough protein each day, and may be getting too much of this nutrient from animal sources, like meat, poultry, and eggs."

http://www.webmd.com/diet/healthy-ki...w-much-protein
http://www.pcrm.org/health/diets/veg...e-protein-myth


Much food brought on trail is a throw over from off trail Western dietary habits that heavily rely on highly processed highly refined often nutritionally denatured junk or comfort food like substances or perceived convenience food. That's the primary reason why we observe so much Snockers, artificial Poop Tarts, candy, hydrogenated artificially flavored bagged snacks/chips/chumps, mac n' NOT REAL cheese, ruined my day 6 ct servings of Rumen... As Egilbe said "Most hiking staples, that are real food, have plenty of protein and fats."

With the regular super abundance of resupply options on mega anal-yzed super highway trails like the AT it makes excellent nutrition that much easier. This topic is so over thought as it is. It doesn't have to be this way!

“Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.”

“Don't eat anything your great-grandmother wouldn't recognize as food.”

“Don't eat anything incapable of rotting.”

“What an extraordinary achievement for a civilization: to have developed the one diet that reliably makes its people sick!”

“Imagine if we had a food system that actually produced wholesome food. Imagine if it produced that food in a way that restored the land. Imagine if we could eat every meal knowing these few simple things: What it is we’re eating. Where it came from. How it found its way to our table. And what it really cost. If that was the reality, then every meal would have the potential to be a perfect meal. We would not need to go hunting for our connection to our food and the web of life that produces it. We would no longer need any reminding that we eat by the grace of nature, not industry, and that what we’re eating is never anything more or less than the body of the world. ... we can change the way we make and get our food so that it becomes food again—something that feeds our bodies and our souls. Imagine it: Every meal would connect us to the joy of living and the wonder of nature. Every meal would be like saying grace.”

Michael Pollan

[Venchka]

I don't think that Hemp Hearts would be considered a supplement. TVP is another story.
What in the world is wrong with this? In 25 pages of cut and paste boilerplate or less.
Hemp Hearts. Fat. Protein. All in one. Light. Not bulky. Eat straight from the package or add to your favorite trail recipes. Crushed seeds. Dogwood, you advocate seeds. Right?
https://manitobaharvest.com/products...e=40&flavor=39

Nutritional Facts
3 tbsp (30 g)
Amount % Daily values
Calories 170
Calories from Fat 120
Total Fat 13 g21 %
Saturated Fat 1.5 g7 %
Trans Fat 0 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 10 g
Monounsaturated Fat 1.5 g
Cholesterol 0 mg0 %
Sodium 0 mg0 %
Total Carbohydrate 3 g1 %
Dietary Fibre 3 g11 %
Sugars less than 1 g
Protein 10 g
Vitamin A 0 %
Vitamin C 0 %
Calcium 2 %
Iron 20 %
Thiamine 25 %
Riboflavin 6 %
Vitamin B6 8 %
Folate 8 %
Phosphorus 45 %
Magnesium 45 %
Zinc 20 %
Manganese 100 %
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Wayne
I eat what I like. I must like good food because I've been around since forever.

[Dogwood]

Certainly agree Venchka. Hemp hearts aren't a supplement. They are REAL FOOD that can be added to something or as you say eaten alone. There's a pricey good chocolate covered version by Himalayan brand that I get for about $5-6 in 8 oz packages thrown into the occasional mailed resupply box as a treat. It's not shelled though so has a crunchy birdseed like texture. I have grown it LEGALLY for food without THC. It is extremely nutritious! Hempseed has all 20 amino acids including the 9 essential ones making it, as you've pointed out, a good source of protein AND essential fatty acids. Further, the fatty acids are in a 3:1 Omega 6 to Omega 3 ratio. It is a ridiculously short sided law, based on political and economical mismanaged reasons to equate the many positives of hemp in regard to a food, oil, and fiber crop with recreational marijuana laws which is the situation in the U.S. resulting in it being illegal to grow hempseed for these specific uses.

Certainly do advocate nuts and seeds. They are so versatile, pack densely, have very good to excellent cal/oz ratios, and have a very good spectrum of nutrients, as your posted hempseed hearts nutritional data display. They don't have to be a highly processed food like product. Seeds and nuts especially when RAW and sprouted have some phenomenal nutritional qualities. Think about what viable seed is. It has to contain the nourishment to sprout into a life - plant life. It's also why sprouts are so nutritious.

[Venchka]

Thank you. I thought perhaps I might be doing something wrong.
Wayne


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[egilbe]

Certainly agree Venchka. Hemp hearts aren't a supplement. They are REAL FOOD that can be added to something or as you say eaten alone. There's a pricey good chocolate covered version by Himalayan brand that I get for about $5-6 in 8 oz packages thrown into the occasional mailed resupply box as a treat. It's not shelled though so has a crunchy birdseed like texture. I have grown it LEGALLY for food without THC. It is extremely nutritious! Hempseed has all 20 amino acids including the 9 essential ones making it, as you've pointed out, a good source of protein AND essential fatty acids. Further, the fatty acids are in a 3:1 Omega 6 to Omega 3 ratio. It is a ridiculously short sided law, based on political and economical mismanaged reasons to equate the many positives of hemp in regard to a food, oil, and fiber crop with recreational marijuana laws which is the situation in the U.S. resulting in it being illegal to grow hempseed for these specific uses.

Certainly do advocate nuts and seeds. They are so versatile, pack densely, have very good to excellent cal/oz ratios, and have a very good spectrum of nutrients, as your posted hempseed hearts nutritional data display. They don't have to be a highly processed food like product. Seeds and nuts especially when RAW and sprouted have some phenomenal nutritional qualities. Think about what viable seed is. It has to contain the nourishment to sprout into a life - plant life. It's also why sprouts are so nutritious.

THC versions are legal in my state...munchies!

[TTT]

I'm surprised that with all the seeds being eaten on the trail, and all the introduced manure, that some don't turn out to be pioneering plants

[Dogwood]

Much of the seed consumed isn't viable after it passes through.

[kestral]

Hey dogwood, you are a food nut/ fanatic aren't you!

Well so am I. I have been trying to gently educate my patients, coworkers, friends and family about the the benefits of healthy foods for years. I have also seen the dismally decreasing health of American due to the "standard American diet" aka SAD. So many illness can be slowed, cured or prevented by proper nutrition yet I am considered a bit of a nut and my health is attributed to good genes and luck. Suggesting that "normal" food isn't healthy or that the dept of agriculture (author of the food pyramid which I grew up on) is in existence to promote and increase sales of the agricultural group with the best lobbying budget is seen as "conspiracy theorist crackpot " territory, and yet it is true. Don't even let me start on Monsanto and round up.

I have found that trying to alter a persons diet is much like trying to alter their religious views - nobody wants to go there unless they are in crisis - so sick they are looking at major illness, disability or death.
However, if changes were made earlier, the deterioration often could have slowed or sometimes stopped.

I'm not saying that people who are sick have themselves to blame, and I have great empathy for those who battle with progressive illness. I carry the gene which crippled my father with ankalosing spondylitis (my case is mild so far). I will say however that there is a lot of bad info out there concerning diet and health.

I appreciate your well thought out posts concerning nutrition and have learned bits from them, though I often don't reply. (Lurking anyone?)

Anyway, you are not alone in you ways, and I for one appreciate your efforts.

[JamesHenryTrotter]

Not so much for protein, but powdered moringa leaf is a great nutritional supplement. easily mixed into water or food. buy raw and organic!

[Jayne]

Pay no attention to the food police. (There's a lot of scientifically baseless hype/ junk science on food - HYOH.) You need protein to build muscles while hiking. I personally have a very hard time digesting protein while I'm working out and maybe you do to? Eating nuts and beef jerky works for some, it doesn't work for everyone. One very palatable option I have found is chicken broth flavored protein powders. They make it for bariatric patients and it's really easy to add a tablespoon or two to a lot of meals to plus up the protein content. The typical whey protein supplement powders for weight lifters just don't mix very well without a blender.