Protein Powder

[Duff]

Is anyone carrying protein powder as a meal/drink supplement? If so, what type of container and how much do you use daily?

[leaftye]

I did, but only because it had flavoring and sweetener. I really did not need the extra protein. When eating in thru hiker quantities, a tremendous amount of protein is already consumed, so supplementing protein doesn't have any benefits. I still use a liquid meal trail diet, but from here on out I'll add flavoring and sweetener separately so I don't have the wasted weight of protein. That will allow me to replace the protein powder with something more useful like carbs, fat, fiber, vitamins & minerals, etc....or just have a lighter pack.

In any case, I use a freezer bag to carry my powders. Ziploc brand has never failed on me. I had an atrocious failure rate with off brand bags.

[barf_jay]

Nope, I get all my protein from the foods I eat everyday. I used to carry protien bars, but I have found AMRAP bars that are really good for calories and protien.....

http://www.amazon.com/AMRAP-Nutritio...keywords=amrap

[MuddyWaters]

If you have ever mixed up protein powder at home and drank it, you will know that the cup you drink out of (unless you use a clean cup every time), rapidly begins to smell like something died in it.

Very few dissolve well in water or are palatable in water.

I think it would be a huge hassle, when you can use bars that have protein in them to boost it.

[aficion]

If you have ever mixed up protein powder at home and drank it, you will know that the cup you drink out of (unless you use a clean cup every time), rapidly begins to smell like something died in it.

Very few dissolve well in water or are palatable in water.

I think it would be a huge hassle, when you can use bars that have protein in them to boost it.

Why not just eat real food.

[Odd Man Out]

I sometimes use a protein powder with sugar to enrich prepared foods like oatmeal and mac and cheese. It's sold in packages labeled "non-fat dried milk". The dried milk with fat (Nido) is better if you can get it.

[MuddyWaters]

Why not just eat real food.

I assume the OP is referring to supplementing food with additional protein.
Concentrated protein sources are generally meats, since no one carries dairy on the trail. Although beans and rice works too.
Meats like tuna or chicken are heavy (wet) food. Fairly low on the cal/oz range ~80 cal/oz. Also not that appetizing to eat a lot of.
A protein bar can easily have 20g of soy protein. Not the greatest, but pretty normal, and be light, and palatable. Makes it easy to take in protein all day long.

Many "protein" bars however, have maltodextrin as a "complex carb". This is a man made sugar, that will cause diarhea if consumed in excess, so best to avoid those products.

dry non-fat milk powder would be great. Eat cereal for breakfast with it, etc.

[aficion]

I assume the OP is referring to supplementing food with additional protein.
Concentrated protein sources are generally meats, since no one carries dairy on the trail. Although beans and rice works too.
Meats like tuna or chicken are heavy (wet) food. Fairly low on the cal/oz range ~80 cal/oz. Also not that appetizing to eat a lot of.
A protein bar can easily have 20g of soy protein. Not the greatest, but pretty normal, and be light, and palatable. Makes it easy to take in protein all day long.

Many "protein" bars however, have maltodextrin as a "complex carb". This is a man made sugar, that will cause diarhea if consumed in excess, so best to avoid those products.

dry non-fat milk powder would be great. Eat cereal for breakfast with it, etc.

Tried Nido. Prefer hard boiled eggs. Weight penalty yes. Life is short. Enjoy your hike.

[Odd Man Out]

Many "protein" bars however, have maltodextrin as a "complex carb". This is a man made sugar, that will cause diarhea if consumed in excess, so best to avoid those products.

Anything causes problems in excess. Maltodextrin is just partially digested starch. It's not something I would really worry about.

[Dogwood]

Hammer Gel, maqui powder, hemp protein, lots of nuts and seeds high in protein, dried milks(Goat, Coconut, Vanilla Soy), nut butters, whey protein isolate, etc

[Sara]

I make up packets in medium sized ziplocks with soy protein power, oatmeal and dried fruit for breakfast. I put the ziplock in my pot and fold it slightly over the rim so it doesn't spill as I add cold water. I stir it up like slop, enjoy and then put the used ziplock into my garbage bag.

[Sugarfoot]

As usual, I'm the exception. I carry chocolate whey powder shakes that I mix with water. I found a screw cap light weight plastic container of the powder at the local grocery store that I store it in. Using a plastic bag or a plastic capped cardboard cylinder guarantees that everything in your pack will smell like the powder. I mix one up with breakfast and one when I make camp at the end of the day. I mix it up in a 16 oz Lexan bottle that I also use for electrolyte tablets, like Nunns. I clean it thoroughly in town and don't have a problem with accumulated odor/taste. I have a hard time eating much for breakfast, and the shake gives me a lot of protein.

[Snowleopard]

I regularly use Trader Joe's soy protein powder at home, shaken up in milk or fruit juice. I've done it on camping trips, mixing powdered milk, protein powder and a little sugar, and shake it up in a nalgene with water. I've stored it in zip lock bags without a problem, but haven't done a long hike like that. A 16 oz nalgene I was using at home to mix it up did eventually start smelling, but this happened after many months of use.

[wcgornto]

I used this mix nearly every day for breakfast for a SOBO Thru Hike. Lots of calories. Lots of protein, carbs and fat. I never grew tired of it. I prefer a quick start in the morning and this mix was an efficient way for me to have breakfast.


"1/2 cup of chocolate protein powder, 2 packs of chocolate Carnation Instant Breakfast, and 2/3 cup of NIDO Powder., mixed in 16 oz of water."

[Malto]

Many "protein" bars however, have maltodextrin as a "complex carb". This is a man made sugar, that will cause diarhea if consumed in excess, so best to avoid those products.

This may be true for some but it is not universally true. I have drank over 120 lbs of Malto mix during the last two years with zero problem with diarrhea. There have been at least a dozen other hikers that I know of that have used my Malto recipe successful also with no sign of distress. And I can assure you that I have consumed in excess, at times 3-4000 calories per day.

as for why someone might chose this over "regular" food. I started drinking Malto after having trouble consuming calories while I hiked. This was during very long, high mile days with many trips going above 12k elevation. Under these conditions I find it much easier to drink 300 calories per hour than to eat it.

Finally, to the OP.... If you take protein powder I would suggest drinking it at the end of the day to aid recovery. Taking during the day could result in burning it as fuel which is a waste.

[Feral Bill]

I assume the OP is referring to supplementing food with additional protein.
Concentrated protein sources are generally meats, since no one carries dairy on the trail. .

Like cheese?

[Dogwood]

Since I've noticed many at this website wanting to discuss protein needs while on trail, mainly in the form of protein bars, powders, animal protein, etc I thought it may help to offer this. I've also added some info about non-animal protein sources not out of a desire to turn anyone into a vegetarian or vegan, unless they so choose to do so, but just so that some common erroneous beliefs about non-animal protein sources or being a vegetarian can be addressed and as threads on WB concerning hiking as a Vegan or vegetarian occasionally arise.

We are obsessed with protein in this country as if it's the most important nutrient in our diet. As a pesce vegetarian I too can mistakenly start down the "gotta have more protein path". In reality most Americans consume TOO MUCH protein, by some estimates 2 - 6 times more protein than necessary, AND this includes the typical hiker trail food diets. And, it's perpetrated by the Industrial Agricultural movement with a HEAVY emphasis on the meat and dairy industries that has brain washed us into believing protein comes only from animal sources or that complete protein from animal sources is superior to consuming a variety of plant based incomplete protein sources acheiving the SAME EFFECT. NOT TRUE!

Vegetarian Protein Facts

Over the last few decades, widespread practical experience, traditional knowledge, and hundreds of scientific health studies all tell a different story about vegetarian protein.


1. Too much protein is as harmful as too little, and is linked with shorter life expectancy, increased cancer and heart disease risk, widespread obesity and diabetes, osteoporosis, kidney stress, and bad digestion
2. High protein-diets bring about temporary weight-loss, at the expense of overall health, and people quickly regain weight once they return to a normal diet

3. A varied vegetarian diet with a balance of protein, fats & carbohydrates, and adequate calorie intake provides more than enough protein
4. Complete animal protein is not superior to complete protein from more than one plant source – they give the same result in different ways
5. Protein from plant sources doesn't include excess calories from fat, toxic residues, or an overabundance of protein, which stresses the kidneys
The Gospel According to Industrial Agriculture

Nothing in our modern human diet has been as misunderstood, and as misrepresented, as protein. It's considered by most people as the foundation of nutrition --- and essential to life. The importance of eating enough protein, primarily from animal sources, is drilled into us daily from childhood.
It's been estimated that the average person in this country eats two - six times more protein, usually from animals, than is needed for good nutrition. At it's most extreme, our protein fixation has led to the popularity of high-protein low-carb weight loss diets, condemned by doctors and nutritionists from coast to coast.

*Since we at on WB have recently discussed the Atkin's Diet(I think John Gault started the thread?), I think it necessary to emphasize these two statements: 2. High protein-diets bring about temporary weight-loss, at the expense of overall health, and people quickly regain weight once they return to a normal die. AND " at it's most extreme, our protein fixation has led to the popularity of high-protein low-carb weight loss diets, condemned by doctors and nutritionists from coast to coast". *


Protein & Essential Amino Acids

Protein is essential for health, along with carbohydrates and fats. We use amino acids as building blocks, to make protein, for every part of our bodies: blood, skin, cartilage, muscles and bones, hormones and enzymes.
Our bodies can synthesize 16 of the 23 amino acids that we need. That leaves 8 essential amino acids (9 for children), which must come from the foods we eat.


Complete and Incomplete Protein:



ALL plant based foods have varying amounts of protein (plus carbohydrates, fats and other good things), and the body will combine proteins from all sources, to make 'complete protein'. ***That's true for everybody, veg or non-veg.***

The term 'complete protein' means that all eight essential amino acids are present in the correct proportion.
Foods from animal sources have complete proteins Some foods from the plant kingdom, such as soy and quinoa, have complete protein.
The term 'incomplete protein' refers to foods which have all the essential amino acids, but are low in one or more of them. That's called the 'limiting amino acid'.
Most plant foods have one or more limiting amino acids which limit the availability of all the other amino acids in the food. That's why these foods are called 'incomplete proteins'.
For example, the limiting amino acid in grains is usually lysine (Lys); in legumes it can be methionine (Met) and tryptophan (Trp). So, the low level of Lys in grains is complemented by a higher level in legumes, and vice versa, to make 'complete protein'.



However, vegetarians and vegans don't need to worry about complete and incomplete protein. It is NOT NECESSARY for vegetarians and vegans to combine specific protein foods at one sitting to make complete protein.



Each plant food has its own unique amino acid profile, from green leafy veggies to tubers, from barley to quinoa, from lentils to tofu, from macadamias to brazil nuts. ***By eating a variety of plant foods with 'incomplete proteins' throughout the day, we can easily get enough 'complete protein.*** For lacto and ovo-lacto vegetarians, any food can be complemented by the high quality proteins in dairy products or eggs, but it isn't at all necessary to include animal foods to get enough protein in your diet.

Your body puts together amino acids from plant foods to give you complete protein throughout the day. For instance, the amino acids in beans & lentils are balanced by those in grains, nuts and seeds, and vice versa.

***It's easy for vegetarians & vegans to get complete protein from plants***, including while on trail.

[maybe clem]

I use NOW Foods Whey Protein Isolate mixed with a little Nido and some Carnation Instant Breakfast. I premix them in little baggies before I hike and send them to myself in my mail drops. I just dump them in a water bottle (used for nothing else but these), shake hard and it mixes well. I rinse the water bottle afterward, it's fine. I usually carry cheeses with me for protein and sometimes even edamame of it's my first day out of town.

[q-tip]

Its what I use when I can't get TVP-protien is usually heavy....

[88BlueGT]

If you have ever mixed up protein powder at home and drank it, you will know that the cup you drink out of (unless you use a clean cup every time), rapidly begins to smell like something died in it.

Very few dissolve well in water or are palatable in water.

I think it would be a huge hassle, when you can use bars that have protein in them to boost it.

The second I read this thread that was the first thought that came to mind. I would NEVER bring protein powder on the trail... unless you planned on consuming it dry :/ not sure how that would work out for ya lol