Protein Powder Reviews: Amazing Meal

Since I joined the Green Monster bandwagon, I have become a reader of labels and a purchaser of protein powders. I read in a magazine (ergo it must be true) that adding a protein powder to a fruit smoothie was a good way to limit the sugar spike from the fruit. I have a lot of diabetes in my family and I'm overweight so anything that will help to keep my blood sugar constant is A Good Idea.

I must say that I cobble most of my ideas together from magazines, bits I read on websites and my own common sense (!) so it might all be hokum. But when I started adding protein to my shakes I discovered I didn't have to eat again until lunch, which is frankly amazing as the morning is my hungriest time of day.

I did a little research. I picked the brains of the forum I frequent and of this lovely lady (who definitely knows a thing or two about protein). I decided to avoid whey because I don't like milk and it doesn't make me feel well; I perused Holland and Barrett and picked up their vanilla soya protein purely because it was in the smallest tub. It was OK. Reasonable.

But now, I am branching out!



Here's my latest collection. I like to be prepared. I thought I would review them from a normal-person viewpoint; I am looking specifically at taste, texture and fill-up-ability. I suppose there should also be a consideration of how much protein is in each serving - though this is covered by the fill-up-ability really - and other nutritional info; but we'll see how it goes. Basically I'm just making it up as I go along. Again.

Amazing Meal Original

This was expensive. It was £2.99 for a sachet that was smaller than my regular scoop - I think 22g instead of 30. But it came recommended and it was chocful of excellent, healthy substances. I mean, just look at that nutritional infor - 80% RDA of Vitamin A! Can't be bad, right?

It was very green. I found this a bit offputting, but then it was going into a smoothie the colour of mud so, yknow. Whatever.

It didn't taste particularly bad in the smoothie - kind of gritty, and not at all sweet - but it had an unpleasant aftertaste. I drink my smoothie on the way to work and during the last 15 minutes of my journey a bitter after-taste developed to the point where I needed to break out the Extra just to get rid of it. I have never had that with a smoothie before.

I was very hungry by breaktime. Hungry enough to require a slice of cake.

Overall, I would give this only one muscle on the five muscle scale. It may be extremely good for me, but it just didn't taste good or keep me full enough for me to fork out that much for it again.