In the spirit of New Year’s resolutions, my husband and I recently began working with a personal trainer/nutrition coach at our local gym. He has taught us some interesting things about what to eat—and when to eat—to burn off fat. Protein powder keeps coming up in the conversation.

“Protein powder? I asked. “Isn’t that just for big-time body builders?”  I’d seen the enormous plastic tubs of protein powder at the vitamin store, with labels showing bulging biceps and “six-pack” abs.

“No, it’s good for anybody who needs an additional source of lean protein,” he said.

Eat a Solid Breakfast with Help From Protein Powder

“Protein powder helps you get the right amount of protein into your breakfast, which is the most important meal of the day,” he said. “You can stir it into your oatmeal, sprinkle it on whole-grain toast, or mix it into a smoothie.”

The trainer told us we should also eat small, protein-based snacks in between breakfast and lunch to keep our metabolism running at peak efficiency. “For example, drink half of your smoothie with the protein powder in it at breakfast, and take the other half with you for your 10 a.m. snack.”

Intrigued, I went to the vitamin store for a closer look at those gigantic protein powder tubs. I bought a sample-sized packet of vanilla-flavored whey protein powder so my husband and I could try it on our morning oatmeal.

The taste was not unpleasant, but it was very sweet—and the vanilla flavoring put me off. We had given up sugary breakfast foods long ago, and even though this stuff was sweetened with sucralose (i.e., Splenda) rather than sucrose or high fructose corn syrup, we agreed to look for an unsweetened, unflavored protein powder. First stop: the Internet.

The Wide World of Protein Powder

Who knew there were so many kinds of protein powder out there? Here are the various categories we discovered in our research:

Whey-based protein powder: Whey is by far the most common protein supplementation source; it’s a byproduct of making cheese from whole milk. Whey isolate and whey concentrate formulas undergo even more processing in the laboratory. Most of the whey powders we found were flavored (chocolate, vanilla, strawberry) and sweetened.

Casein protein powder. Casein is a slow-digesting protein also derived from milk that is used by the body to build muscle. Most are sweetened and flavored.

Egg white protein powder. Egg whites are high in essential amino acids (the building blocks of protein) and contain no fat or cholesterol. But the majority of these powders are flavored and sweetened. We’d rather just eat real eggs!

Soy protein powder: This product is fast digesting and contains the healthful isoflavones found in soy. It’s a good source of protein for those allergic to dairy products. Some products are flavored and sweetened, while others are not. Check the label.

Hemp protein powder: This one has a nutty, earthy flavor that may not appeal to those who like chocolate and vanilla breakfasts. Unsweetened and rich in protein, hemp powder has Omega 6 and Omega 3 essential fatty acids and dietary fiber. It’s the winner so far at our breakfast table.

Brown rice protein powder: Made from sprouted brown rice, this product is a nice vegetarian alternative to soy and hemp. Some products are sweetened with rice syrup solids.

Pea protein powder: Peas? Yes, peas! We are eager to try this one next. Turns out pea protein powder is high in essential amino acids, highly bioavailable, and easily digestible—and we did see a few non-flavored, non-sweetened formulas.

By Paula Detwiller, All Vitamins Plus contributor

Do you remember your first taste of cranberry? Chances are it was on Thanksgiving or Christmas, when your mom put a spoonful of cranberry sauce on your plate next to the turkey. It looked like thick cherry Jell-O, remember? But it sure didn’t taste like that (I remember spitting mine out)!

Or maybe you discovered later in life, as I did, that cranberry juice could fend off UTIs (urinary tract infections). I was skeptical at first, but sure enough, it worked—and saved me many trips to the doctor.

Cranberry: Nature’s Wonder Drug?

As this year’s cranberry harvest winds down in the Northeast and fresh cranberries begin to appear in the market again, it’s an excellent time to check out the health benefits of this shiny red berry beyond its helpfulness in the urinary tract.

Here are some of the latest cranberry research findings, from an informative website called The World’s Healthiest Foods:

• Antioxidant Protection – Cranberries contain a powerful combination of antioxidants, including resveratrol, Vitamin C, and manganese, that work synergistically to maximize the body’s ability to fight free radicals that can damage cellular structure and DNA.
• Anti-Inflammatory Benefits – The amazing array of phytonutrients found in cranberry are known to play a role in reducing inflammation—in the digestive tract, in the mouth and gums, and in the cardiovascular system. As such, researchers believe dietary cranberry may help lower the risk of developing periodontal disease, stomach ulcers, and arterial sclerosis.
• Immune Support – Recent studies on small numbers of human participants showed intake of cranberry extracts improved many aspects of immune function and lowered the subjects’ frequency of cold and flu symptoms.
• Anti-Cancer Benefits – Since chronic excessive oxidative stress and chronic excessive inflammation are two key risk factors for the development of cancer, it’s only logical that cranberry may reduce the risk of cancer. Indeed, research over the past 10 years suggests that cranberry may be effective in preventing breast, colon, lung, and prostate cancer. 

Tart But Tasty Cranberry

The challenging part about incorporating cranberry into your diet is the fruit’s tart, almost sour, taste. Commercially produced cranberry juice contains a lot of sugar to make it palatable to mainstream consumers. A healthier alternative is to buy unsweetened cranberry juice and balance the tartness yourself with honey or stevia. Or, if you just don’t like the taste, look for a cranberry supplement you can take with liquid and avoid that tartness altogether.

By Paula Detwiller, All Vitamins Plus Contributor