Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness

Dried chlorella and spirulina seem to have a really high calorie and protein count, is it possible to pulverize them into a powder form to put into protein shakes and if so how would the taste be?

Also are these expensive ingredients?

The taste is BAD and the price is VERY HIGH.

Is the reason they are so expensive because of the cost of growing them? Can the flavor be covered up with stevia or other flavorings?

Looking back at the nutrition sheets I noticed 100grams were selected for chlorella and spirulina while 30grams were selected for most of the others like hemp rice and pea, does this mean that the protein content of chlorella and spirulina is very close to hemp rice and pea when you compare them in the same amount of grams? It seems like they are quite a bit cheaper as well, are their any huge advantages of chlorella and spirulina in terms of nutrition?

This is my first post here and I'd like to thank everyone for their helpful information. I'm currently taking soy protein isolate and I have no complaints but from the information I've gathered in this topic I do believe there is a better protein mix to be had. I've been a vegan since March, which I am so glad I did, and I'm not familiar with any protein powders other than Soy and Whey (which I do not taken anymore of course). Before I make my next protein powder purchase I would like to figure out what I should buy to benefit most from. I have a very well balanced diet and I'm in my 2nd month of the P90X workout program so I'm wanting to experiment with possible better solutions to my enhance protein supplementation.

My question is, which would be the best scenario: Protein blending (Gemma, Rice, and Hemp) or just going with single powder such as Gemma?

On another note, the Lipotropic protein from LGSciences looks to be Gemma protein isolate with Betaine Anhydrous (the contributor to the lipotropic effects), and Bromelain Extract (pineapple extract to assist in the digestion of protein) with some including flavoring and sweetening ingredients. Would anyone like to comment on the lipotropic capabilities of this product?

For those who have supplemented with both Soy protein isolate and Gemma protein isolate, are there any notable differences that noticed between taking the two?

Have you seen the arganine in the gemma protein? SO much! I remember reading that they were using arganine supplements to treat erectile dysfunction as apparently it has a similar effect to viagra..so out of curiosity, I was wondering if any of your guys had noticed any "unusual" side effects?

Also to answer your question about the difference between pea and soy protein..I-ve tried both and aside from the fact that pea protein tastes like ass, I-ve had much better results using pea protein. I retained much more water using soy and have lost a lot of fat using pea..i can-t put it down to changes in my general diet or exercise routine so it must be the protein! I-ve also tried hemp which I love and plan to buy some soon. I-m of the belief however, that combining your own proteins is the safest bet. I wouldn-t buy them pre/combined because it always costs more and Im on a budget..but I would def like to have a pot of each to cycle them!
By the way, if I-m drinking my pea protein i always mix it with 250gm of fresh pineapple juice which removes the need to take additional bromelain and also helps disguise the taste

Hey..i know its not the same but I make a spinach smoothie very often with a lot of spinach in it. I combine it with orange juice and kiwi and it tastes really nice..maybe you could try it with your protein powder...

TrueProtein's rice protein concentrate comes in quite a bit better than the nutribiotic one, with an amino acid score of 89.



See here: http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/custom/1097299/2

I've been having great results with 70% Gemma Pea Protein and 30% Rice Protein. It yields an amino acid score of 153 on NutritionData.com.

I plan to read the whole thread, but so far have read the first two of eleven pages that I see.
I looked for a thread like this to come up with a good amino acid profile for myself. I am starting by learning about amino acids, their categories, applications, effects, sources, etc.

So far, I would posit that amino acid profiles of specific sources such as dairy (Whey), are the way they are from what could be considered an evolutionary perspective: That the ratio of AA's in the whey is meant for the physiology of a calf for the purpose of getting it to a grown state at an intended rate. Where the specific levels of each AA are MEANT for the calf as opposed to another type of animal. Ex. An amino acid that effects a system related to a large boned cow vs. a small hollow boned bird.

So in considering the AA profile of a plant like soy, it's anyones game as far as your belief of why it exists and the history of where it was around at what time in history- to get an idea of it's intended "who will be eating it" group. I'd like to think that each food source has not only an evolutionary reason for it's particular profile specific to it's functional physiology for it's survival, but that in eating the wrong sources, causes consequences, and it is that eater that is dumb for not knowing. I'm being vague, but that's useful in keeping this site friendly for all.

It all sounds a little hokey-pokey to me, even though I said it, but I like to think about what it means that there is no true amino acid profile... no optimal one known.. That it's another one of those things in life with many possible acceptable outcomes.

So I started working out again this week after not really following through with any workouts the last 2.5 months. I am unbelievably sore, and it makes me think about recovery time (when I can get back to it) and if I am living an optimal post workout recovery strategy. I remembered those stronger than me giving me advice, which over the years has included telling me to take BCAA's. So I went to whole foods, and saw one expensive amino acid complex that was vegan, and decided to hold off and research it. After looking into it, it seems that I already get all 3 of them from my diet. Maybe it's not as much as I could benefit from. As someone who is trying to be a muscular body builder, I'd like to know it, do it, and be/ feel optimized, and match in nutrition- what I am doing in the gym.

Also, I spent a considerable amount of time this week presenting information on vegan health and nutrition, and using my means to show some friends of mine (who brought it up themselves) the superiority and validity of veganism as a healthy diet. The process made me want to take many things further. A large part of which is understanding nutrition speak such as carbs this and that, mono_this, di_that, protein/amino jargon, fats, PH..

Love to get some input. Thanks guys, and awesome thread! Great info.

You found chlorella and spirulina CHEAPER than rice, hemp and pea protein!!! Where?¿?¿?¿?¿?

It would be pretty hard not to get all the essential amino acids in your diet, but BCAAs are free-form amino acids, which are slightly different than the majority of what you get from whole foods. In the end they're functionally the same, but bcaas don't have to be digested out of the protein first.

Of course there are better and worse protein profiles, the optimum balance depends on a particular individual to a degree, but we all need something fairly similar. It's not terribly difficult to realize that the protein makeup from dairy, eggs, and meat are probably pretty close to what we need as we are also made up of meat, right? But that's only a small part of the puzzle.

very interesting thread. i'm currently using hemp but i'd like to get pea in there too. when i was a new vegan i was all about spirutein. i got such a jolt of energy from that stuff there was no need for coffee. haha

Hello Guys
Greetings from Russia
Today i ve read the article about AA on russian body building site. Here is what they write:
1)The less AA that we can find in food are : Methionine,tryptophan,lysine
2)the most problems with Methionine.
3)Methionine is the sign wich shows us nutrition completeness of the products. And there is a proportion like
Methionine/Trypthophan = 1. The more this proportion - the best protein is. So if for example M/T = 3 - it is a good source of full protein.
4) Valine:Arginine:Trypthophan = 1:1:1 - good protein.
V:A:T = 1:1:0,5 The value of protein will be counted by the less. so it is 0,5
Sorry for my poor English

question for everyone: how does a gemma/rice/hemp plain with no other additions mix with a smoothie?

I want a little more protein in my diet, so I'm thinking of getting a mix (maybe like 70 gemma/30 rice or 60 gemma, 20 rice and 20 hemp) and adding half of a serving to the green smoothies I make.

My smoothie recipe is usually something like:

--1/2 cup mixed fruit juice
--medium banana or half of a large banana
--2/3 cup fozen spinach
--a couple frozen strawberries
--a couple tablespoons of hempseed
--possible a teaspoon of flax seed if I remember
--possibly mango or pineapple chunks from a can, but they don't add too much

blended, with a bit of water.

My smoothies are delicious. How will adding a protein mix like this affect the flavor? Should I get one of the added natural flavors? Which one?

THANKS!

Why is everyone recommending True Protein? Their product pricing is great, but that doesnt matter because their shipping is ridiculous. A 1 pound 50% rice, 50% gemma powder cost me $5.03 with a promotional code, ground shipping? $10. No thanks.