BSN’s Lean Dessert Protein

Written by Shoshana Pritzker Friday, 21 May 2010 20:18

By Shoshana Pritzker

Recently there was a question posted on the FitnessRxmag.com forums from a girl who was new to nutrition and fitness. She’s just beginning to understand that protein is a key component in diet and weight loss, whether through whole foods or supplements. Her question was in terms of nutrient profile: which is better, protein bars or protein shakes? For the most part, protein shakes are far superior in terms of quality ingredients and macronutrient profile but then again, it all depends on which product you pull from the shelf. And with an abundance of candy-bar-esque protein bars on the market, how would a protein shake ever compare, when flavor is on the top of the requirement list?
Hands down, the best protein source is the one you’ll actually eat. No matter how nutritious a shake may be, it goes to no use if it’s too disgusting to swallow. A protein bar as your midday snack is better than nothing at all if that’s what you prefer flavor-wise. But what if there was such thing as a great-tasting protein shake that contained all of the right nutrients to replace a meal or have post-workout for that matter? That’s where BSN’s Lean Dessert Protein powder comes in.
Protein bars are typically loaded with tons of saturated fats and sugars. The reason they resemble a candy bar so much is because they contain many of the same ingredients with the addition of some form of protein. If that’s the case, you may as well enjoy a Snickers with a side of beef jerky. BSN Lean Dessert Protein, or LDP as it’s been so kindly nicknamed, is actually a great-tasting meal replacement powder that tastes like dessert! I kid you not! What makes LDP even better is that its nutrient profile is right up there with a whole food meal. That’s because it contains power nutrients such as a multi-functional micellar protein matrix, BCAAs, MCTs, EFAs, and glutamine peptides, providing a unique and complimentary profile of amino acids and absorption rates, ensuring that your muscles never run out of protein building blocks.
The multi-functional micellar protein matrix consists of a blend of six different protein sources, including whey protein isolate and concentrate, egg albumen, milk protein concentrate, calcium caseinate and micellar alpha and beta-caseins and caseinates. Each kind of protein serves its own purpose, as they all provide varying degrees of absorption rates. This means that if one protein were to absorb immediately while another absorbs hours later, you’re providing your body with sustained fuel throughout any given period of time that you’re not eating. In between meals and while you’re asleep, it’s important to provide amino acids (protein) in the form of food or supplements in order to prevent muscle protein breakdown.1,2,3 Including a few different forms of protein in your blend creates the ideal supplement to have any time of the day. And with the additions of BCAAs, MCTs , EFAs and glutamine, LDP is the perfect choice.
MCTs (Medium-Chain Triglycerides) and EFAs (Essential Fatty Acids): You’ve heard it dozens of times: you need fat to burn fat. That’s where MCTs and EFAs enter the scene. MCTs are a special class of fatty acids. Your average fats and oils are long-chain, whereas MCTs are medium in length. Because they are shorter in length, this cuts the absorption time down considerably, making them act more like a carbohydrate. As a result, they are more easily absorbed and digested, providing a faster energy source than your regular LCTs. EFAs, on the other hand, are fats that cannot be produced in the body, therefore you’ll have to find them in supplements or the foods you eat. The two classes of EFAs are Omega 3 and Omega 6 and can be found in foods like fish, shellfish, flaxseed, hemp oil, canola oil, leafy vegetables and walnuts (amongst others). In the body, EFAs promote cardiovascular health, support hormone production and keep hair, skin and nails healthy.
BCAAs (Branch-Chain Amino Acids) and Glutamine: BCAAs and glutamine are key components in muscle protein synthesis, recovery, immune system function and sparing protein. You can never have too much BCAAs and glutamine. Ideally, including the pair in your daily regime in the morning and pre- and post-workout is adequate, and being that they’re provided for you in your LDP shake, there’s no need to purchase any extra. Just be sure you’re using LDP between 1-3 times per day.
For a company to name their product after a sinfully delicious indulgence, they must be able to back it up. And with LDP they most definitely do! There are so many mouth-watering flavors, you’ll never go wrong. Grab the ‘variety pack’ and you’ll get to try them all. Flavors include Banana Cream Pudding, Banana Nut Bread, Chocolate Coconut, Chocolate Fudge Pudding, Fresh Cinnamon Roll and Whipped Vanilla Cream.
To answer the initial question above, which is better— protein bars or protein shakes? It’s obvious that most protein shakes are leaner than almost any protein bar, and with LDP you can have your cake and eat it, too!

LDP Protein Pancakes
Ingredients:
2 egg whites
1 scoop LDP Fresh Cinnamon Roll Flavor
handful of fresh blueberries

Directions:
Beat egg whites in a bowl. Whisk in protein powder. Heat pan and coat with nonstick spray. Pour batter into hot pan. Before flipping, add blueberries to pancakes. Cook on stovetop until golden brown. Top with sugar-free maple syrup and enjoy!
Makes 2 pancakes; 29 grams protein, 13-15 grams carbohydrates, 3.5 grams fat, 207 calories per serving.

References:
1. Tipton KD, Elliott TA, Cree MG, Wolf SE, Sanford AP, Wolfe RR: Ingestion of casein and whey proteins result in muscle anabolism after resistance exercise. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 2004, 36:2073-2081.
2. Anthony TG, McDaniel BJ, Knoll P, Bunpo P, Paul GL, McNurlan MA: Feeding meals containing soy or whey protein after exercise stimulates protein synthesis and translation initiation in the skeletal muscle of male rats. Journal of Nutrition 2007, 137:357-362.
3. Candow DG, Burke NC, Smith-Palmer T, Burke DG, Candow DG, Burke NC, Burke DG: Effect of whey and soy protein supplementation combined with resistance training in young adults. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab 2006, 16(3):233-244.