Optimum Soy Pro For Your Shake
Written: Oct 31 '00 (Updated Apr 25 '02)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Low in carbohydrates, fat and calories; has a lot of protein
Cons: Contains aspartame
The Bottom Line: If you are looking for a soy protein powder that is low in carbohydrates and fat with a good amount of protein, try Soy-Pro-90.
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| jo.com's Full Review: Optimum Soy Pro 90 |
Some of you know by now that I drink a shake after my workouts. With Myoplex having so many calories I am trying another brand, it is Biochem. It isn't listed so I'm not reviewing it at this time. I have also written that I add many things to my shake. One item is soy powder.
Recently there has been some bad press about soy. At first it was just a word of caution about taking soy supplements. Now it is a word of caution about eating or drinking too much soy. Of course, anything in extreme isn’t healthy, but it is frustrating to find that something seemingly so healthy can have negative repercussions. I have reviewed the magazine in which I read the most recent article, but I will just say that according to some research although soy may fight cancer it may also feed breast cancer and although it may lower cholesterol it may accelerate brain aging! (Natural Health, 10/2000)
What is soy? Quite simply soy comes from the legume, soybean, just like other types of beans and peas are in the legume family. The Optimum Nutrition Soy Pro-99 is designed to be the base of a drink mixed with milk, water or juice. For example you would take 1 scoop of powder and add it to whatever kind of liquid you like. I use it differently. I use it as a supplement to a protein powder as I mentioned previously, Myoplex and now Biochem.
Instead of mixing my shake with 16-ounces of soy milk I mix it with 8 ounces of soy milk, 8 ounces of water and add soy powder to that. This is a personal choice and you can experiment to see what you like. Remember to be careful because the calories add up.
The Soy Pro-99 has a lot going for it. With only 110 calories in 1 scoop, 1.5 grams of fat, 1 gram of carbohydrates, no sugar, and 23 grams of protein it is a good alternative to the high calorie, high carbohydrate and sugar powders that are on the market.
Be warned though, that this product contains aspartame (a sweetener) which some people do not like to use; some people are allergic to it or it upsets their stomach. It is very difficult to find something with no sugar and no aspartame. You can look around for another type of artificial sweetener or something with a natural sweetener in it, such as Stevia. When I find it I’ll let you know and vice versa!
Soy Pro-90 has no animal products so vegetarians can use it. This product has several impressive amino acids in it such as leucine and lysine. These are the main components of protein.
I find it interesting that the jar says “Carefully Manufactured by: Optimum Nutrition.” I imagine they use the word carefully because this has been approved as an over the counter pharmaceutical and is “manufactured at our own O.T.C approved, state of the art facility. Each batch is tested for potency and consistency.”
I think with the Federal Drug Administration having no control over these substances, they have taken the care to go a bit beyond the minimum acceptable standards, in my opinion, and they pride themselves on it.
The company recommends drinking 2-3 servings daily or as recommended by a nutritionist, professional trainer or physician. This seems to be what is recommended for these powders. Bill Phillips,the owner of EAS which manufactures Myoplex recommends the same amount. I would be very careful, however. Unless you are trying to gain weight, this can pack on some extra calories you do not want. In addition, you should be getting your nutrients mainly from real food, in my opinion.
It says that it can be used in cooking and it can. They tell you to use it in your favorite waffle, muffin or pancake recipe. They also suggest that if you are using regular flour in a recipe you can use ˝ flour and ˝ soy. I agree. I think this is a great way to get some soy and extra nutrients. I know people who add it to meatloaf, for example.
I have the chocolate flavor; it also comes in vanilla. When I was trying the Atkins’ Diet he had a pancake recipe that used soy flour. It was good, really. It comes out fairly thick and tasty. It is certainly better than a box or Oreo cookies if you are looking for something filling and sweet to eat. (Maybe not better! But healthier!)
I paid $17.99 for a 2 pound canister. You get 32 servings out of it so that is a very good price, especially if you are using it as the base of a drink rather than a supplement as I do.
In summary, if you are looking for a soy protein powder that is low in carbohydrates and fat with a good amount of protein, try Soy-Pro-90.
Recommended:
Yes
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