“I drink a protein shake in the morning. Is it good for me?”
This is a very common question that I am asked during or after my nutrition seminars. Usually the person bought the protein powder from a friend or family member, or a “health store” or “nutrition store” employee. They were probably told that drinking the shake will make them feel fuller, give them all kinds of vitamins, help build muscle and possibly assist with weight loss.
Unfortunately, those claims are not proven, nor regulated! Actually, many claims on food packages and supplements don’t have ANY proof. When it comes to supplements, there is very little regulation so you can’t be sure of what you’re getting. This lack of a regulation can result in contamination, as occurred in 2010 with two protein supplements containing unwanted levels of lead, cadmium, mercury, and arsenic.
Here are 3 reasons that you probably do not need to use protein powder in your daily routine:
- Most people already eat enough protein.
Did you know that a normal, healthy individual only requires 0.36g per pound of body weight each day? For someone who weighs 150 pounds, that’s 55g per day. It actually doesn’t take much food to give you 55g of protein. A 3-ounce portion of chicken provides about 25 grams of protein; 2 eggs provide around 12 grams and 1 oz of almonds gives 6g. [For more on how much protein is in different foods, check out my blog post on protein in foods, which includes lists and charts!] The Institute of Medicine also provides a recommended range for protein intake, suggesting protein should make up 10% to 35% of your total calories. If you take in 2,000 calories, this translates to a range of 50 to 175 grams of protein.The truth is that average protein intake in America is more than adequate.There’s not a need for protein shakes unless there’s something that keeps you from eating enough food. Sometimes people going through cancer treatment, or having side effects after it’s over, cannot eat enough food or protein, because of difficulty eating or swallowing, or because nothing tastes right. In these cases, the meal supplements can help make up deficits. - Eating protein from real food gives you extra nutrients in addition to protein.Some use protein shakes in place of meals. The problem with this is that real food gives you a wide variety of nutrients. The chicken not only gives you protein, but it also provides vitamins and minerals. Eggs give choline and healthy fat along with the protein. Along with protein, almonds have fiber, b vitamins, vitamin E and plant nutrients called phytochemicals. All of these nutrients are essential for optimal health. Our bodies prefer to get our nutrients from food, not pills or powders.
You get more bang for your buck by choosing real food sources of protein, rather than powders and shakes. - Protein powders often have additives your body doesn’t need.Depending on the brand of protein powder that was sold, it may or may not have to meet the same FDA (Food and Drug Administration) regulations as “conventional” foods and drug products. If you choose to use protein supplements, always read ingredient lists to make sure you know what you are consuming.If you don’t recognize something, consult with someone who knows (preferably not the person selling you the product!). Often they add a bunch of artificial sweeteners and powder versions of vitamins. These might not cause harm, but they’re not doing anything to help you.
Make Your Own Shake!
Instead of buying the protein powder, I suggest you make your own protein shake out of real food!
Try out this simple recipe that gives you protein and other nutrients from real food. Plus, it tastes DELICIOUS!
Chocolate Banana Shake Recipe
Chocolate Banana Shake Recipe
- 1 medium banana (frozen)
- 1 Tbsp peanut butter
- 1 cup milk (skim, 1% or soy)
- 1-2 tsp cocoa powder
- 1 cup spinach
- ice (if desired)
- Put all ingredients in the blender. Blend and ENJOY!
This real food shake with no added sweeteners gives you:
- 15g protein,
- 1100mg potassium,
- vitamin A (68%),
- vitamin C (35%),
- Vit D (25%),
- Calcium (35%),
- vit b-6 (45%),
- 300 filling calories
- only 2.2g saturated fat
THAT is what you can call a “health shake”!
– Julie
If you want more information, I found these science-based articles to be helpful:
- WebMD article on vitamins and supplements
- Quick and Dirty Tips Nutrition Guru discusses whether americans eat too much protein.
More on supplement: FDA information site on supplements and regulations
I am HER-2 and told this is an estrogen driven cancer. No soy?
Hi Christina – thanks for your question! This is an often confused issue. The bottom line though is that soy, in its food form (like tofu, soybeans, soynuts, soy milk, etc) are fine for hormone positive cancer survivors. It was a point of concern in the late 90s, but recent research on actual breasts cancer survivors shows that it is safe, and potentially beneficial. My myths webinar talks more about this. Also, you can read this update from the American institute for cancer research here: http://www.aicr.org/cancer-research-update/2012/november_21_2012/cru-soy-safe.html.
And this one, on a similar topic: http://cancerdietitian.com/2014/07/is-flax-safe-for-breast-cancer-survivors-a-reader-inspired-question.html.
Hope it’s helpful!
– Julie
What about BRCA carriers? I have read that soy is not good for BRCA carriers.
I love soymilk. I’m lactose intolerant. No cancer. I have a protein deficiency. Cannot eat wheat glutens.
Soymilk is very important when it comes to keeping protein in my diet.
I enjoy chicken, I just do not get enough of it.
I will use try your recipe asap.
Tim
I loved this article, and will share it with my oncology patients. Thanks for sharing Julie! Also, that shake recipe was very tasty 🙂
I came across your website while Googling healthy/unhealthy flavored water. I just want to say I’m very glad I did! Can’t wait to make your shake. Also, my paternal grandmother drank green tea everyday, and she lived to be 99. Just sayin’.
I look forward to visiting your site regularly.
Thanks!! Glad you found me. And I’m happy to hear about your grandmothers good, long life! My grandmother also lived until almost 93. She ate potatoes all the time, so maybe there’s a link? Ha! :=) Julie
Hi, an important question!
Is there any scientifically proven risk of cancer for consumers of whey protein shakes?
I once heard some researchers claimed risk of testicular cancer with whey protein use, whereas others claimed an increase in risk of all cancer types.
Does such an evidence exist?
Thanks
I do not believe that there is significant evidence for that. However, I still don’t think it’s necessary to get powdered forms of protein, even if it’s not harmful.
I’m just wondering , how much sugar is in this shake? Also what’s your opinion of Isagenix meal replacement shakes? Thanks!
No added sugars. Isagenix appears to be another processed powder form of nutrients. I’m not a fan for the reasons stated in this article! I’m also not a fan of direct sales or multilevel marketing business models. If you need a processed powder form of a meal, it shouldn’t cost that much. Powdered milk is pretty cheap. 🙂 Julie
Can I replace the soy with almond milk or regular milk?☺
My husband have sarcom mestastatic in stage 4,i want to know, is good to him drink soy n whey powder drinks?
Please send the
Reply to my mail
Sir my wife is s metastatic bone cancer.
Since 2017. Is protin powder required to her for growth.
Very helpful information! Thank you!
I have been drinking shakes in the morning for about a year and adding Vega protein powder.
I’m not sure that is safe for me to use this protein powder.
Any thoughts on that?
PLEASE stop saying Soy is fine to Cancer patients or anyone for that matter! Please go BEYOND articles and research we are ALLOWED to access easily in this country; saying things are safe for us because truth is our food chain is SO modified in SO MANY WAYS we are unaware of without lots of questioning and digging! It’s not that hard to stop buying into the articles that say “studies have shown” or “the FDA approves” and think outside the box, dig for the facts at the sources… but it takes time and energy… something we find much more easily when we are faced with a possible death sentence diagnosis.
I am a stage 3 Cancer survivor so I have MAJOR credibility that I have done the legwork – trust me! Yes… I allowed doctors to pump me with more poison to kill the cancer because Stage 3 is nothing to play around with. But in order to prevent more demise to my body I knew I also needed to start questioning the choices I was making that are told to us are good, safe, and even healthy. I found the real truth through a few courageous doctors, scientists, pharmacists and farmers who are willing to tell us what is really happening, even though they all actually prosper through our illnesses. Read on…
We are a society with SO MANY illnesses that are plaguing people of all ages and we must acknowledge it is being caused primarily by our food chain! Yes we know about organic, and hormones, etc… but there is so much more to really uncover! Food directly enters into our bodies several times a day! I will stick to SOY for now… Yes, our water and the air we breath, chemicals on fabrics and the likes are also issues, but given we cannot leave the planet we need to start where we have some power as individuals!). SOY is one of the biggest foods masqueraded in the US. SOY in the USA is actually one of THE MOST HIGHLY chemically modified foods we consume! Why…
Our food industry does this to get their hands on Soy fast, so they can then shove it into tons of our processed foods as a filler and/or used as a selling point of “protein” in products! Because of this, we end up eating ENORMOUS amounts of chemically modified foods we never imagined had soy in them! DO we have time to read every paragraph long label on processed foods in our grocery stores? Try it one day but give yourself hours to be there… SOY (chemically enhanced) is in almost EVERYTHING we have on our shelves! Chemicals cause Cancer… END of STORY! And remember that SOY in our country is chemically induced to grow it fast; even eating it in it’s natural form like edamame is POISON in THIS country! Add the fact that it is used as a filler in almost EVERYTHING that now comes in a bag, box or can to fill said bag, box or can faster and cheaper… Ask yourself just how much chemically induced soy are we then taking in per day?!
I am sorry to our soy farmers that I hurt sharing all of this. Farming that was once intended as a career and lifestyle to provide healthy nutrition to others has taken such a hit in our over-processed food consuming society in the US … so selling out and not questioning the lies that the FDA says is “safe” is understandable… but I have been through hell fighting to get healthy again and have watched many around me do the same or worse die before their time. We have to fight back… one meal at a time and spreading the word. We deserve to at least choose if we are going to get these horrible manmade illnesses and knowledge really is power!
I believe there is good solid evidence that soy, in it’s natural form, is fine for cancer survivors. However, if you’re not comfortable eating it, for whatever reason, you certainly don’t have to. I think it’s great you’ve looked into the issue and found a decision that works well for you. Congrats!