Soy protein vs. whey protein.

[leaf]

This appears to be a commercial advocacy/advertising website run by the American Egg Board. Not a reliable source.

Perhaps the info is correct, perhaps not. I'd get the info from a more reliable source before I believe it.

Right.. like wikipedia...

[Neil]

The protein bars or drinks that I'm familiar with have both soy and whey protein.

Stands to reason that animal protein ie. whey, egg or filet mignon will be a better match for my aging (thanks DougPaul!) muscles than soya.

Perhaps human butt muscle would be the very best protein source. Last time I checked it was socially very unacceptable to consume it.

Is there any science behind whey vs. soya? Google searches reveal a plethora of commercial sites that sell protein supplements and which purport to be scientific. Hammer Nutrition is one example.

[una_dogger]

maybe you should go straight for the human protein...well...maybe not.

try nuts. :-)

[Raven]

try nuts. :-)

Wonderful source of protein as they also have other added benefits. Almonds are quite a super food with Vitamin E, potassium, quality oils, and a variety of amino acids.

My training is in organic chemistry, not in nutrition so here are some thougths but take them with a grain of sodium chloride:

For clarification, a protein is like a very, very long chain and each link in the chain is an amino acid. There are 20 kinds of links (amino acids). So protein quality is dependent on the variety of the amino acids (links) contained as well as the amount of each. Other factors like fat, vitamins, minerals, etc should be considered as well. There are 8 or 9 essential amino acids (depends on source) that can only be obtained from food. The most important consideration is that your diet contains each of these. A protein source missing any of these (or low) is considered an incomplete source - these are fine in a Balanced diet.

If you are considering protein powder for recovery, my advice is to consider a variety of plant and animal sources like almonds, walnuts, milk, eggs, cheese, edamame/soy, and meat in addition to powder. Mixing a few quality sources will ensure you not only get the protein you need, but all the amino acids necessary for the body as well as the added benefits that accompany some of these other foods. For example, a serving of almonds have about half the potassium of a banana, aiding with sore, cramping muscles (raisins are also good for potassium but not protein) but too much red meat and the saturated fats are high, etc.

I could live on protein bars (if I was rich) and although many have quality protein, they are often stuck together with garbage like corn syrup and sugar. I make my own at this point. Here's a link to the recipe I've found to be my favorite:

http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthrea...t=protein+bars

I advise reading the label on the peanut butter and spending the extra buck to get peanuts only. I no longer use low fat PB, I leave the sugar free syrup out altogether and add more apple sauce (apples only) instead.

Throw in some dark chocolate chips if you like them.

These are a pretty good source of protein as they contain a mix of almonds, peanut butter, and protein powder. The quality of the ingredients makes a big difference with these.

Hope it helps.

Regardng the OP, read the labels, as there are quality and incomplete protein powders of each kind. Make sure they are not sneaking in sugars, etc.

[Raven]

Perhaps human butt muscle would be the very best protein source.

Careful with this, you may want to choose one of the leaner sources. Some can be high in fat.

[DougPaul]

Careful with this, you may want to choose one of the leaner sources. Some can be high in fat.

Actually, you cannot live on lean meat alone (takes ~6 weeks to kill you). You need to mix in some carbs and/or fats to survive.

Doug

[J.Dub]

maybe you should go straight for the human protein...[EDIT]

Soylent Green Shot Bloks

(You're welcome, Neil...)

[mookie]

Milk is the best protein source and has the lowest carbon footprint. Buy milk from a local dairy that have grass fed cows and you get extra points.

Eggs have a cholesterol problem.

lower than a plant based protein (beans, nuts and legumes)?

im curious where you came across that statistic, was there a study done? one would think growing/processing feed for the dairy cattle would add to carbon footprint of said milk.

[Neil]

lower than a plant based protein (beans, nuts and legumes)?

im curious where you came across that statistic, was there a study done? one would think growing/processing feed for the dairy cattle would add to carbon footprint of said milk.

What about mother's milk? I wouldn't take a nursing mother hiking with me just for her milk but perhaps there is a market for purchasing it in the dairy case. Prolly has all the right amino acids, fat concentration and many other nutrients that avid hikers require.

[Kevin Rooney]

Just eat a balanced diet, for crying out loud! Obsessing on these supplements is nuts.

[Neil]

Just eat a balanced diet, for crying out loud! Obsessing on these supplements is nuts.

Speaking of which, what are the best nuts for pre-hike prep, during the hike streaming nutritional input and post-hike recovery?

[David Metsky]

Moderator Note
You guys have got a lot of leeway here, let's not push it too far off topic, OK?

[Neil]

Moderator Note
You guys have got a lot of leeway here, let's not push it too far off topic, OK?

So easy to get carried away.....

What I have learned from this thread is that the best thing for a simple hiker is just to eat a balanced diet, stay in shape and accept (reluctantly) the results of aging.

It really makes me wonder about all of the supplements, powders, vitamin preparations etc. A ton of money wasted? Think of the Polynesians paddling across the ocean. Or the first people crossing the Bering Strait land bridge. Did they have Ubiquinone or Coenzyme Q? Or grape seed extract?

Hey Thag! Got any spare anti-oxidants? Yeah right.

[Little Rickie]

So easy to get carried away.....

What I have learned from this thread is that the best thing for a simple hiker is just to eat a balanced diet, stay in shape and accept (reluctantly) the results of aging. .

I thought you knew that already?

[DougPaul]

It really makes me wonder about all of the supplements, powders, vitamin preparations etc. A ton of money wasted? Think of the Polynesians paddling across the ocean. Or the first people crossing the Bering Strait land bridge. Did they have Ubiquinone or Coenzyme Q? Or grape seed extract?

I view the field of athletic nutritional supplements as being very similar to that of electrolyte drinks--lots of hype and ridiculous prices. You can do just as well for a lot less money by doing it yourself with appropriately chosen normal foods.

Doug