Disadvantages about Protein Powder

Protein shakes have a lot of positives, including convenience, portability, easily digestible nutrients and low calorie counts. But they also have plenty of downsides, ranging from subpar nutrition to serious health risks. If you’re about to make shakes a regular fixture of your diet, talk the plan over with your physician before proceeding.

Incomplete Nutrition

Protein shakes are designed to be heavy on protein, but that means they often fail at providing significant amounts of carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and healthy fats. Even if a commercial protein shake or supplement is fortified, it won’t offer the same kind or level of nutrition as whole foods. According to Mayo Clinic physicians, whole foods always have the benefit over supplement products such as shakes, because they contain naturally occurring fiber, antioxidants, phytochemicals and other protective substances that can’t be reproduced.

Sustainability Issues

Nutritionist and registered dietitian Katherine Zeratsky acknowledges that replacing some meals with protein shakes may be used as part of a successful weight loss strategy, but their use becomes less viable when used for the long term. You may develop nutrient deficiencies if you replace too many meals with shakes or you could regain the weight you had lost after you return to your previous eating habits.

Health Problems

Protein shakes are unlikely to cause health problems on their own, but they could be harmful if you have them in conjunction with a high-protein diet. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, consistently exceeding daily protein requirements can lead to weight gain, high blood cholesterol, elevated heart disease risk and kidney complications. The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine also notes that most Americans get more than double the amount of protein they need and that consuming too much can raise the risks of cancer, osteoporosis and kidney stones.

Cross Contamination

In the July 2010 issue of “Consumer Reports”, the magazine analyzed 15 different protein drinks and shakes. Researchers found that every drink in the test was contaminated by arsenic, cadmium, lead or mercury. Those heavy metals when consumed in excess are toxic.

Considerations

Some – but not all – protein shakes have healthy ingredients, are free of contaminants and can act as nutritious meal replacements. Before you start drinking shakes, however, consider alternatives such as getting extra protein through a whole food snack or preparing meals ahead of time so you can eat them on the go. If you do turn to shakes, read nutrition labels carefully and avoid those that are high in sugar, cholesterol or saturated fat.

It’s Costly

The major disadvantage of utilizing protein powders is that they are in general costly. For instance, protein powders can be as inexpensive as $15 for 2 pounds or as costly as $45 for 5 pounds. Depending on how frequently you utilize the protein powder, the price can really increase. Consuming food containing protein, like string cheese or a handful of nuts is in general more inexpensive than utilizing protein powder to create shakes.

In spite of the possible disadvantages of frequently obtaining protein powder, it can have several advantages, particularly for weight loss. For instance, a 2003 research issued out in Nutrition Journal established that individuals ingested protein-rich shake every day for 40 weeks lost considerably extra weight and encountered less hunger than individuals who pursued a low-calorie diet. If you are considering of creating protein powder as a habitual portion of your eating program, seek the advice of your physician first.

There are No Assurances

The United States Food and Drug Administration categorizes protein powder as a dietary supplement, which points out that it is not subject to the similar health controls like genuine foods that are commercially sold in the maker. That denotes powders might create health or promotion assertions that have not been scientifically established, as stated by the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

It’s the High Calorie Count

A sole portion of protein powder is not elevated in calories. If you ingest a protein shake daily in supplementation to your regular diet, though, you will slowly increase an extra calorie that might consequence in unfavorable weight increase. In a 30-gram scoop of whey protein powder, you will ingest 110 calories. In addition, even if the additional calories originate from protein, they will not essentially change into muscle increase. As stated by the American Council on Exercise, additional protein cannot be utilized by the body, thus it is changed to and amassed as fat.

Elevated Cholesterol Level Happens

Several protein powders are comparatively elevated in cholesterol. Whey protein especially, which is a derivative of milk, includes additional cholesterol compared to plant-based types of powder that are commonly cholesterol-free. An average scoop of whey protein contains 35 mg cholesterol, or about 11% of the recommended daily allowance, or RDA. Time and again, going beyond the RDA for cholesterol can elevate your danger of forming heart ailment, high blood cholesterol levels or further cardiovascular issues.

 It’s Also about Excessive Protein

If you already obtain adequate protein in your diet and utilize protein powder as an additional enhancement, you might be doing your body more harm than good. While several additional proteins are needed to construct muscle in combination with a complete exercise program, MayoClinic.com notices that obtaining excessive protein can intensify the chances that you will form constipation, diverticulitis, heart ailment or liver and kidney troubles. Healthy adults do not require any more above than 50 to 175 grams of protein every day, or approximately 10 to 35 percent of their entire calorie consumption.