The one thing that has helped me through my weight loss journey is starting my day with a high protein meal. I’ve recently discovered Clean Simple Eats protein powder.
Clean Simple Eats protein powder is healthy, effective and, of course, has a deliciously rich flavor and creamy texture! This is truly naturally sweetened and made from grass-fed whey.
The whey is cold processed from start to finish, keeping all of the nutrients intact so your body can actually utilize all 20g of protein! I’ve also added an enzyme blend to help your digestive system break this fuel down into usable amino acids. We left out all of the artificial junk so that you can feel great about what’s fueling your body! Clean Simple Eats set out to make a unique protein powder that not only has a clean ingredient list, but also tastes amazing and pairs well with any of our recipes!
Protein powders are a tough beast to crack. There are thousands of choices out there, and while there are certainly a few great options, most protein powders on the market today aren’t worth your hard-earned money and could potentially be doing more harm than good for your health. So, how do you make sure the protein powder you are using is one of the few good ones?
Here’s our top 5 protein powder hacks to help you decide. Let’s break it down.
1. INGREDIENTS
A great protein powder will have NONE of the following:- Artificial sweeteners: Sucralose, aspartame, saccharine, ace-k, etc.- Artificial dyes: red 40, blue 1, yellow 5,6 … no color/number combo is a FOOD!- Artificial flavors- DATEM: Diacetyl Tartaric Acid Esters of Monoglycerides- HFCS: High Fructose Corn Syrup, corn syrup, corn syrup solids- Hydrogenated Oils- Mono and diglycerides- MSG- Nitrates and nitrites (not naturally occurring)- Safflower, cottonseed, palm oils- Artificial preservatives: BHT, BHA, potassium and tri-calcium phosphate, sodium phosphate, sodium benzoate, TBHQ (Tertiary butylhydroquinone), etc.- Modified food starch- GMO (Genetically Modified Organisms) ingredients: most soy, corn, canola (or other vegetable oils) are GMO and should be avoided.
*List Source: Karalynne Call with @just.ingredients.
The first ingredient better be a high-quality protein source like whey protein isolate! Beware of soy protein in your products. Soy is the most common Genetically Modified Organism (GMO). Soy protein is dirt cheap, and labeling can make it appear to be a fantastic high protein source to the unassuming consumer. Don’t be fooled by this trick!
After the protein source(s), if the ingredient list is super long and filled with words you can’t pronounce, you might want to make a switch. Artificial sweeteners like Sucralose (Splenda), aspartame or saccharine are chemicals that can wreak havoc on your gut and leave you dealing with indigestion, bloating, flatulence or even buildup over time in the form of cellular toxicity. Sucralose is most commonly used to sweeten protein powder. It is 600 times sweeter than sugar and unbelievably inexpensive to manufacture in a lab. If your powder is artificially sweetened, flavored or colored (dyed)… ditch it! You’ll be amazed at how much better you feel once you rid your body of all these man-made chemicals. Look for a powder that is sweetened naturally with Stevia, LoHan (Monk Fruit) or Xylitol. These natural sweeteners are easy on the gut and the taste buds because they still pack that sweet punch.
2. THE SOURCE
The most popular powder out there (and for good reason because of the amino acid profile) is whey isolate, so let’s start there. Your mom was right all along (with a twist!) … ‘You are what you eat…EATS!’ A really high quality whey protein isolate comes from truly grass-fed cows. Cheap whey comes from domesticated, caged animals that are fed GMO corn and soy and are injected with growth hormones and antibiotics. You don’t need any of that in your life, we promise! Although both sources can claim the final byproduct is whey protein, the biochemical makeup of the 2 powders are very different. Bottom line: know where your powder is coming from. A quality source will always be number one.
3. EFFICACY
This is a tough one! When proteins are broken down biochemically, they become amino acids. Aminos are the true building blocks of life; every cell, tissue and hormone in your body is comprised of a variety of amino acids. A protein food’s strength or weakness is based on the quality and quantity of its essential and non-essential amino acid profile. Essential amino acids cannot be synthesized by the body and must be consumed in the diet. Non-essential aminos still play a vital role in your overall health but are considered “non-essential” because your body can synthesize these aminos from other sources. Both sets of aminos are extremely important to your overall health. If a food containing protein does not offer all of the essential AND non-essential amino acids it is categorized as “incomplete.” On the other hand, a protein source that offers all of the aminos is considered a “complete” protein. It only makes sense, then, that a high quality protein powder would contain ALL 20 amino acids making it a complete protein source. Whey protein has always touted the highest score for amino acid profile. If you can’t do whey then make sure your formula is created with the full amino profile in mind. Efficacy also has a lot to do with protein hack #4, Processing.
4. PROCESSING
Most protein powders are high heat or chemically processed and extracted. This process denatures the proteins and actually changes the chemical structure of the protein itself. When these proteins are damaged in processing they cannot be properly broken down and utilized by the body. Not only will you experience high levels of indigestion by using a denatured product but, more importantly, the absorption rate of the protein is decreased by as much as 70-80%! Let’s say you buy a 6lb bag of whey protein from the store because it’s a killer deal and the label says it provides 25g of protein per serving. Sounds incredible at first! If you can only utilize 20-30% of the 25g, you are truly only getting 6.25g of protein! Gram for gram… what are you paying for? Look for a protein powder that has been cold processed beginning to end. This will ensure you are utilizing every gram you are paying for. Do not purchase a protein powder based solely on cost. If you are looking for a cheap powder, they are a dime a dozen. The fact is, these powders are underwhelming at best in the performance department.
5. TASTE
Taste is, and always will be, KING! There are quite a few protein powders on the market that have a great nutrition label but taste like licking chalk off of a pile of dirt. If you don’t LOVE the taste and texture of your powder then find a better one! The really good powders will generally use a blend of natural sweeteners to get the taste, aftertaste and texture just right. Taste quality in your powder can make or break a recipe in a heartbeat. A powder that nailed the taste test can turn a basic oatmeal or protein shake into a crave-worthy masterpiece! Don’t compromise on this one.
If you have goals that you are working hard to reach, be sure your supplements are working with (and for) your body and not fighting against it. There are so many cheap, chemical-filled protein powders and a million other supplements on the market that aren’t helping you hit your goals. KNOW what it actually is that you are putting into your body. It can be fuel or it can be poison. Knowledge is power… and when it comes to protein powders… now you know!!
What are my favorite flavors?
- SIMPLY VANILLA :
There’s nothing vanilla about Clean Simple Eats Simply Vanilla Protein Powder – except the deliciously rich and creamy vanilla flave. A classic staple that (literally) goes with EVERYTHING, Simply Vanilla is simply THE BEST.
I love making this Copycat Protein Frosted Lemonade with the simply vanilla.
- CHOCOLATE BROWNIE BATTER:
Brownie Batter is one of their top-selling protein powders, and if you’re not into sharing, you’re going to want to hide this baby!
Clean Simple Eats set out to make a unique protein powder that not only has a clean ingredient list, but also tastes amazing and pairs well with any of my recipes! I am so thrilled to finally have a product I can stand behind!
I love making this Protein Packed Brownie Batter Oatmeal Bake with this protein powder!
- MINT CHOCOLATE CHIP: tastes JUST LIKE the OG Girl Scout cookies you grew up devouring, and you know how those cookies never stuck around for long!
- COCONUT CREAM: one sip of that deliciously smooth coconut flavor and rich, creamy texture, and you’ll be transported to paradise
I love using the protein powder for my morning smoothies, inside my waffles, pancakes, or oatmeal.
Where can I purchase the Clean Simple Eats protein powder?
You can find it online using the link below!
Save 10% on your order with promo code: POUNDDROPPER
