Category — Protein

This could quite possibly be the greatest bar ever made! Supreme Protein Incorporated, a company based out of Manasquan, New Jersey has come up with the best tasting, most satisfying bar on the market. First let me give you a rundown of the nutritional information. One Supreme Protein Bar contains 360 calories and 16 grams of fat.

Now I know 16 grams is a lot but only 5 grams are saturated and the rest is the “good fat” coming from flaxseed oil.

Supreme comes in two flavors, Caramel Nut Chocolate and Peanut Butter Crunch. Each bar is packed with 30 grams of protein consisting of whey isolate, whey concentrate, and milk protein isolate. The abundance of whey makes it a great post-workout snack. It also contains 31 grams of sugar, however 27 grams are of the sugar alcohol variety which have little effect on your blood sugar. Both bars are “Carb Conscious” according to their labels. These bars are also packed with the full array of multivitamins you get from most protein bars.

Guys, if you’ve never tasted a Supreme Protein bar it’s almost like eating a candy bar. In fact, it’s better than most candy bars. If you didn’t know any better you wouldn’t have a clue you were eating a protein bar. The chocolate and caramel actually taste like chocolate and caramel.

I think Supreme has set a new standard in protein bars. I don’t think I’ll ever have to try another nasty one for the rest of my life.

Rating: 5.0/5

Serving Size: 1 bar, Calories: 360 Total Fat: 16 g, Saturated Fat: 5 g, Cholesterol: 20 mg, Total Carbohydrates: 34 g, Dietary Fiber: 1 g, Protein: 30 g

Okay, so you’ve consumed as much chicken or turkey as you can but you’re still short of your daily protein goal. For some people it’s the equivalent of their body weight for others it’s 1.5 times their body weight.  Some people even aim for 2 or 3 times their weight. Whatever it is, you need some alternative protein sources other than meat alone. Here’s the top 10 sources of protein minus meat:

1. Whey Protein / Meal Replacement shakes - These are the quickest, most convenient ways to get your extra protein. An average scoop of whey is 20 grams and an average MRP has about 35 grams.  Make sure you choose one with a low fat and sugar content.

2. Cottage cheese - It’s very high in whey protein — which makes it a great post-workout snack. It can be very plain so spice it up a bit by mixing in some pieces of your favorite fresh fruit.

3. Mixed nuts - They are packed with good mono and poly unsaturated fats and protein to boot. Grab a handful before and/or after a workout. Or just have some as a snack in between meals.

4. Protein bars - Another convenient way to get your protein. However, not all protein bars are created equal. Do some experimenting and find one you can stand (and one that doesn’t have high fructose corn syrup). Most bars have between 25 - 30 grams of protein.

5. Peanut / Almond butter - Peanut butter and almond butter are great ways to get extra protein. Spread some on whole wheat bread for a great snack or pre-workout energy boost.

6. Edamame - Most people wonder what this is but you’ve probably had some if you’ve eaten an Asian dish. They’re the little green pods with the beans inside. They’re packed with soy protein and taste great. You can buy them frozen at your grocery store.

7. Yogurt - A good source of whey protein — look for ones without the added sugar and mix in some pieces of fresh fruit. Stonyfield Farms is a good brand that also contains the good bacteria for intestinal health.

8. Egg whites - One of the best sources of protein due to the high amino acid content. Liven them up by adding diced veggies to make an omelet.

9.  Lentil beans - These beans contain high amounts of protein but make sure to cook them long enough. Most beans are not easily assimilated within the body so the protein may not get absorbed. Overcook them if necessary and choose the smaller size beans.

10. Milk - A cup of skim milk contains an average of 9 grams of protein. Use it to make your whey shakes or drink it by itself for a post-workout snack.

Labrada’s newest entry into their lineup of protein bars is a disappointing one from a flavor standpoint, but solid when it comes to muscle building ingredients.

I was really expecting a lot more in terms of taste from this bar because it is Labrada and it packs pecans, caramel, chocolate, and nougat. However, it was the latter nougat that was least appetizing. It leaves you with a bitter aftertaste that overpowers the rest of the bar. The sugar-free caramel is good as is the chocolate, although I would’ve liked to see more pecans.

With that said, you can’t really argue with the nutritional value. This bar contains 30 grams of Labrada’s standard LeanPro Protein Blend, consisting of whey protein isolate, soy protein isolate, and milk protein. It also contains 350 calories, a little on the high end for bars of this type, but not too crazy. The bar also has 10 grams of fat. For those reasons, it makes a great post-workout bar or snack in between meals.

This is not one of Labrada’s best tasting bars, but it isn’t exactly battery acid either. It’s still packed with muscle building nutrients and only 10 grams of insulin-impacing carbohydrates.

Rating: 3.0/5

Serving Size: 1 bar, Calories: 350 Total Fat: 10 g, Saturated Fat: 6 g, Cholesterol: 0 mg, Total Carbohydrates: 35 g, Dietary Fiber: 3 g, Protein: 30 g

Met-Rx has really cornered the market when it comes to meal replacement and protein bars. They ususally have the best tasting products and these bars are no exception. The Big 100 Colossal Meal Replacement Bars come in four flavors (Super Cookie Crunch, Crispy Apple Pie, Peanut Butter Caramel Crunch, and the brand new Peanut Butter Pretzel). You could probably pick anyone of them out of a hat because they all taste great.

Depending on the flavor each bar has 31 or 32 grams of protein via Met-Rx’s exclusive Metamyosn protein blend consisting of whey isolate, whey concentrate, milk protein, egg whites, and L-Glutamine. They also contain between 10 and 40 percent of the recommended daily value of selected vitamins and minerals.

Let it be known that this is a true “meal” bar packing 410 or 420 calories per serving. People looking to gain lean muscle mass can replace a meal with one of these bars. Those looking to bulk up and make serious gains may want to combine this bar with their meal or use it as a snack between meals.  The only drawback to this bar is that the four flavors average 14 grams of fat per bar and 25 grams of sugar. Now, if you’re consuming a well-balanced diet then it shouldn’t be a problem. However, if you’re already consuming enough fat then you may want to look elsewhere.

Overall you’re probably not going to find a better tasting bar on the market today that packs this much quality protein.

Rating: 4.5 / 5

Serving Size: (Super Cookie Crunch flavor) 1 bar, Calories: 410, Total Fat: 14 g, Saturated Fat: 8 g, Cholesterol: 5 mg, Total Carbohydrates: 43 g, Dietary Fiber: 3 g, Protein: 32 g

Ian Lee at AskMen.com outlines 10 simple rules for putting on muscle mass. He stresses the importance of using free weights as opposed to machines and experimenting with different exercises and combinations.

Some people want to make bodybuilding into rocket science when it’s really just plain science. The main factor in any weightlifting regimine is variation. If you can “keep things interesting” for your muscles so to speak then you’re going to see growth.

Always change your routines up to shock your muscles so they never get comfortable with any single exercise. That’s when you’ll experience the most growth.

MHP’s Macrobolic Meal Replacement shakes are loaded with muscle building nutrients. They have an exclusive Low Glycemic Carbohydrate Blend consisting of barley, oats, and oat fiber. They also boast an Essential Fatty Acid Blend that contains 78% Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA). One shake also contains 32 grams of protein made up of soy isolate, calcium caseinate, and whey concentrate.

MHP prides itself on the 45-35-20 nutritional ratio and refects this in all of their products. This means a diet consisting of 45% calories from carbohydrates, 35 % of calories from protein, and 20% coming from fats.

The Meal Replacement Packets come in Vanilla Cream and Chocolate Fudge Brownie and it’s suggested that the packet be mixed with 10-12 ounces of cold water. Be sure to shake it up well or else you’ll be left with chunks of dried powder.

With the vast array of nutrients, vitamins, and muscle popping amino acids this shake has, the taste doesn’t quite match its contents. Chocolate is definitely the better tasting of two as the Vanilla leaves you with a bitter after taste. The saving grace of this MRP is definitely the high quality ingredients.

With less than 1 gram of sugar per packet this meal replacement will definitely provide you with everything you need for that post-workout replenishment or dinner on the run. However, the taste makes this one just average.

Rating : 3.0 / 5

Serving Size: 1 Packet, Calories: 350, Total Fat: 7 g, Saturated Fat: 1.5 g, Cholesterol: 5 mg, Total Carbohydrates: 39 g, Dietary Fiber: 6 g, Protein: 32 g