Let that sink in for a moment.

You only get to eat animal foods. No fruits. No vegetables. But all the burgers and rib-eye steaks you can get your claws on.

Most people have one of two reactions to this. A) “Are you out of your fucking mind?” Or B) “Sign me up!”

Of all the trends that buck conventional nutrition advice, the carnivore diet may seem like the most radical one yet. It’s one thing to recommend cutting carbs (the ketogenic diet) or eating only plant foods (the vegan diet), but to suggest that animal foods are all you need to be healthy, and that vegetables can actually be detrimental to health is a giant punch in the face to everything we were taught in school and all the recent nutrition and health headlines.

After all, everyone knows that meat is dangerous, especially if you eat a lot of it¦ right? And that you need at least five servings of fruits and vegetables per day¦ Or do you?

Well, Onnit investigated the carnivore diet down to the marrow, and found out what happens to your body when you consume animals and nothing else. Here’s our guide to eating meat, bones, and organs for better health. (Spoiler alert: it’s not as crazy as it sounds.)

The Carnivore Diet For Humans

Animals with big teeth and short digestive tracts are meant to eat meat. But what about people? We’re omnivores. Is an all-animal diet even possible for us?

According to Brian St. Pierre, R.D., Director of Performance Nutrition at Precision Nutrition, an education and consulting company (precisionnutrition.com), plant foods aren’t absolutely required in the human diet. “What do we actually need to live? We need protein, fat, and vitamins and minerals in certain amounts,” says St. Pierre. Animal foods—and meat, specifically—can arguably cover those needs (see “Does The Carnivore Diet Create Nutrient Deficiencies?” below). That certainly doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t eat plants, but, from a nutrition standpoint, it isn’t vital that we do, at least for short-term health.

The thing is, though, aside from some isolated tribal people in far corners of the world (such as the Inuits of arctic regions), few people have ever tried to live on animals alone. Those who have did so simply because no other sources of food were available. However, the carnivore diet (also called a zero-carb diet) has recently caught fire. And people are following it by choice!

Why? For many of the same reasons people try a ketogenic diet: weight loss, clearer thinking, fewer digestive problems, and a simple approach to eating that lets them consume foods they enjoy. It may also offer performance benefits. Though scrapping all plant foods seems like a severe step, it instantly removes nearly all of the allergens and antinutrients that some people find cause health problems and discomfort, and, as with ketogenic diets, the lack of carbs alone can offer a range of advantages.

With his appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast in late 2017, and his promotion through the website nequalsmany.com and Instagram (@shawnbaker1967), Shawn Baker is the most famous proponent of the carnivore diet. An orthopedic surgeon and lifelong drug-free athlete, Baker is in his 50s, ripped, and a physical marvel, having recently set two indoor rowing world records. He claims to have eaten only animal products—limiting himself mainly to rib-eye steaks—for more than a year, while suffering no ill health effects and watching his gains in the gym soar.

He hosts an ongoing and informal experiment, encouraging anyone who’s willing to follow the diet to record his/her experience with it, but admits that he hasn’t had his own health officially appraised since he started eating animals only. Rogan, in fact, cringed during their interview when Baker confessed that he hadn’t had any blood work done to check where his cholesterol, triglycerides, and inflammation markers rated. Fortunately, other (human) carnivores have been tested.

But before we discuss the health effects of a carnivorous lifestyle, let’s define exactly what it entails.

Carnivore Diet Food List

The carnivore diet consists of animal foods alone. As long as the constituents of your meal walked, crawled, flew, swam, or otherwise had parents, they’re fair game (no pun intended). You don’t have to follow any rules as far as food timing, macronutrient breakdowns, or portions. Simply eat when you’re hungry and until you’re full. The following are examples of approved carnivore diet foods.

Meat

Steak, burgers, and red meat in general are the main food sources for carnivore dieters. Because you’re not eating carbs—or any plant foods at all—it’s crucial that you get enough calories to keep your energy up, so fattier cuts of meat are best. Poultry and organ meats are also fine, as are processed meat products such as bacon and sausage.

Fish

Any kind is OK, but again, fattier types such as salmon and sardines are the smartest choices.

Whole Eggs

You’ll need the fat in those yolks.

Dairy

Milk, cheese, yogurt, and butter all come from animals and are technically admissible, although most carnivore dieters seem to omit or at least limit them. This is usually due to people discovering the carnivore diet as an outgrowth of the ketogenic diet, in which milk and yogurt are generally not permitted due to their lactose (sugar) content. (See “What’s The Difference Between The Carnivore Diet and The Ketogenic Diet?” below.)

As one of the goals of a carnivore diet is to eliminate nutrients that your body may not be able to process optimally (see “Carnivore Diet Benefits”), you should experiment with dairy foods one at a time and in small doses to see how you handle them. You may find you feel better with none at all.

Bone Marrow

Bone broth is allowed.

Fatty Meat Products

Tallow, lard, and other fat-dense foods derived from meat are greenlit.

Note: Baker doesn’t believe that your food needs to meet USDA organic, pasture-raised or wild-caught standards. However, we do. If you choose to follow the carnivore diet, or consume animal products as a cornerstone of whatever eating philosophy you follow, we strongly suggest that they be of the best quality that you can afford. See our discussion of organic foods in our rebuttal to the documentary What The Health.

Condiments

Salt and pepper are your friends here, as salsa, horseradish, mustard, and various herbs and spices don’t technically qualify. With that said, most sugar-free condiments don’t contain substances that cause digestive problems in most folks, so we don’t see any harm in using them just because they come from plants (especially since people typically enjoy condiments in small servings). With that said, due to its fat content, meat—particularly red meat—is quite flavorful on its own, so you’ll probably find that salt, pepper, or small amounts of butter provide the taste you want without the need for further add-ons.

Supplements

None. Although products such as whey protein and creatine come from animals, there’s virtually no need to supplement with them in this case. Eating animal foods exclusively pretty much guarantees you’ll meet your daily protein needs, and relying on red meat, which is rich in creatine naturally, leaves little reason for further supplementation.

Carnivore dieters who work out do report consuming coffee or caffeine supplements for an energy boost pre-exercise (in spite of the fact that it isn’t an animal product). If you’re concerned that you’re not getting enough micronutrients from your food, a multi-vitamin/mineral supplement may be a good idea.

What’s The Difference Between The Carnivore Diet and The Ketogenic Diet?

The carnivore diet and ketogenic diet both permit protein and fat while restricting carbs, but the carnivore approach is considerably more extreme. Because you aren’t eating any plant foods at all, your carb intake is virtually zero. This isn’t to say that your body won’t have carbs in it though. As with a keto diet, the body learns to make its own carbs to fuel activity in a process called gluconeogenesis. So while the carnivore diet may also be called a “zero-carb” plan, that’s somewhat of a misnomer.

In a ketogenic diet, the emphasis is on fat. Protein is limited in order to prevent excess gluconeogenesis, which can take a person out of ketosis. In the carnivore diet, however, you’re encouraged to eat both protein and fat liberally. As a result, depending on exactly what foods you eat and how much, you may or may not achieve technical ketosis following a carnivore plan. Whether you do or don’t doesn’t matter. The only goal is feeling better and getting healthier.

Unlike with keto, there are no clear guidelines to follow for the carnivore diet regarding macros or percentages of total calories. Because the diet has never been formally studied, there is no hard science to define how to set it up optimally. But Baker and other carnivore dieters seem to agree that relying on red meat makes the diet simple to follow and takes care of every nutritional need.

Remember that your food must be sourced from animals, so the avocados and coconut oil that typically abound on a ketogenic diet have no place in the carnivore plan. On the other hand, you can eat any animal foods you like in any amount or combination you prefer.

Dairy foods containing sugar, such as milk and yogurt, are generally not found in a keto diet plan, but may be included in a carnivore one, even though they contain some carbs.

See the table below for a quick comparison you can use as a reference guide.

*The classic, medically-defined ketogenic diet calls for only five percent of calories to come from carbs, but there are many versions of the diet (including the Mod Keto Diet described HERE) that allow for more and are more appropriate for athletes and active people whose energy needs are greater.

Carnivore Diet Benefits

Eating meat, meat, and more meat may sound like a nightmare to your doctor, but it has some strong advantages backed both anecdotally and by research.

1. Weight Loss

On an all-meat diet? Most people’s first reaction is that you’d get fat, but that’s highly unlikely. As with the ketogenic diet, failing to take in carbs keeps your blood sugar low at all times. You don’t get insulin spikes, so your body has no reason to store incoming calories as body fat. Additionally, the limitations on what you can eat make it almost impossible to get a calorie surplus without a concerted effort.

Ryan Munsey, a performance coach with a degree in food science and human nutrition (ryanmunsey.com), has been on a ketogenic diet for years. Last fall, he experimented with the carnivore diet for 35 days. “I wasn’t trying to lose weight,” he says, “but I went from 188 to 183 pounds in the first week.” Despite the weight loss and the severely restricted food list, Munsey says he never felt the least bit hungry—probably because protein and fat are highly satiating nutrients. To put weight back on, Munsey found that he had to discipline himself to eat two to four pounds of meat daily. “It wasn’t like I was stuffing myself, but it did feel weird at first to eat so much meat.”

If you’re the type who absent-mindedly noshes on nuts, pretzels, or other snack foods, taking in hundreds of calories without even noticing, the carnivore diet can help keep you in check. “You have to be truly hungry to eat,” says Munsey. It may be easy to throw handfuls of popcorn down your gullet, but you can’t accidentally eat a hamburger or cook a steak. You’ll get in the habit of eating only when you need to, and taking in just enough to keep you satisfied. “You learn the difference between physiological hunger and mindless eating,” says Munsey.

Also, though it wasn’t his goal, Munsey’s body stayed in a low level of ketosis throughout the five-week diet (he tested ketone levels to know for sure). “Most people in the keto camp would say if you eat more than a pound of meat a day you’re not going to be in ketosis,” says Munsey. “But I ate up to four pounds a day and I was.”

2. Better Heart Health

First of all, as we explained in our defense of coconut oil last summer, there’s still no clear link between the consumption of saturated fat and heart disease. There is also a solid pile of evidence that saturated fat can potentially improve heart health. Munsey himself found that to be the case.

A few months before starting his carnivore diet experiment, Munsey’s blood work revealed that his total cholesterol was 180mg/dL, his HDL level (frequently called the “good” cholesterol) was 57, and his LDL (the so-called “bad” cholesterol) was 123. All good scores. After 35 days of carnivore dieting, he had his numbers checked again.

His total cholesterol climbed to 241mg/dL. While many doctors consider anything over 200 to be too high, part of the reason was the increase in his HDL—it went up 10 points. His LDL went to 162, but his VLDL levels—considered a major marker for heart disease risk—were measured at 12, which is extremely low.

The Mayo Clinic says your cholesterol ratio is a better risk predictor than total cholesterol or LDL. To find it, you divide your total cholesterol number by your HDL score. That gives Munsey a ratio of 3.6 to 1. As 3.4 is considered optimal, he’s in a very healthy range.

Another thing about cholesterol: even though higher LDL numbers are seen as risky, the type of LDL particles you have shuttling through your arteries is most important. If they’re small and dense, they’re considered more dangerous than if they’re bigger and “fluffier.” Therefore, two people with the same LDL value could be at very different levels of risk.

According to the Cooper Institute, a good way to determine what kind of LDL particles you have is to find your ratio of triglycerides to HDL cholesterol. The lower the ratio, the less the risk. Munsey’s triglycerides came in at 59mg/dL, making his triglyceride-to-HDL ratio less than 1, which is exceptional.

Of course, Munsey followed the diet for a very short time, so it’s impossible to predict what would happen to his body long-term, but it should ease your fears about the dangers of meat for the cardiovascular system. Five weeks of eating cow parts didn’t give him a heart attack. In fact, it seemed to reduce his chances of having one. (For more on what he ate specifically, see “Does The Carnivore Diet Create Nutrient Deficiencies?”).

If you don’t believe us, or Munsey, see his official blood lab, direct from his doctor, below.

3. Lower Inflammation

According to some vegans, fat-rich animal foods promote inflammation to a degree that’s on par with smoking cigarettes. The truth, however, is that they can actually lower it. A 2013 study in the journal Metabolism compared subjects who ate a high-fat, low-carb diet to those following a low-fat, high-carb diet. Calories were restricted in both groups, but the high-fat eaters had lower markers of systemic inflammation after 12 weeks. As a result, the researchers concluded that high-fat eating may be more beneficial to cardiovascular health.

The liver produces C-reactive proteins (CRP) in response to inflammation, so measuring CRP levels can indicate how much inflammation is in your system. A level of 10mg/L or less is normal, and 1mg/L or less is good. Munsey’s CRP score post-diet was incredibly low: 0.34.

Simply cutting plant foods from your menu can lower inflammation by itself. “If you had a food sensitivity to some of the plants you were eating and had low-grade inflammation,” says Brian St. Pierre of Precision Nutrition, “then removing them will make you feel better.”

Lower inflammation can mean less achy joints. Plus: “There’s some evidence that eating more gelatinous proteins, as you find in bone broth, collagen, and gelatin,” says St. Pierre, “can improve cartilage health.” This is discussed further in our guide to bone broth.

4. Higher Testosterone

Diets high in fat have been shown to boost testosterone levels. In fact, a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that men who followed a high-fat, low-fiber diet for 10 weeks had 13% higher total testosterone than subjects who ate low fat and high fiber. It’s no surprise then that Munsey’s total testosterone levels leaped from 495 ng/dL to 569. Not bad for age 33. “I was pitching a tent first thing every morning,” he says.

5. Fewer Digestive Problems

We’ve been told how important it is to eat fiber our whole lives, and have been sold everything from bran muffins to Metamucil to make sure we get enough. But carnivore dieters think it’s more trouble than it’s worth, and science may prove them right.

A 2012 study in the World Journal of Gastroenterology investigated the effects of reducing fiber intake in people with chronic constipation—the complete opposite of what most doctors would recommend. Subjects were told to consume no fiber whatsoever for two weeks. Then they were allowed to increase their fiber intake to a level they were comfortable with, or follow a high-fiber diet. Incredibly, most of the subjects were doing so well that they opted to continue on the zero-fiber plan. The study lasted six months.

Those who ate high fiber reported no change in their condition, but those who ate no or small amounts of fiber noted significant improvements in their symptoms—including reduced gas, bloating, and straining. Furthermore, the ones on zero fiber actually increased the frequency of their bowel movements!

The reason fiber-filled eating could be problematic for the gut isn’t clear, but carnivore dieters blame certain compounds in plant foods as the source of digestive issues. They cite the book The Plant Paradox, by Steven R. Gundry, M.D., which argues that the natural defense mechanisms that plants contain to dissuade predators cause bloating, gas, and other digestive distress that may make them not worth eating for humans. Lectins, gluten, and phytic acid—common in fruits, greens, beans, grains, nuts, and seeds—can contribute to inflammation and auto-immune disorders such as IBS, Leaky Gut, and more. While this is a controversial opinion (see “Reasons The Carnivore Diet Might Still Be Totally F@#$ing Crazy”), it does provide an explanation for why carnivore dieters claim to feel better than they did eating plants.

“We’ve been told for so long that you need all this fiber,” says Munsey. “But maybe you don’t. Maybe you don’t need any. The carnivore diet challenges what we think we know.”

6. Increased Mental Clarity

Just as with the ketogenic diet, carnivore dieters report thinking more clearly and having better focus almost right away. Again, as with going keto, there is a break-in period where your body has to figure out how to fuel your system without carbs, so you’ll probably feel lethargic and moody at first. You may have difficulty sleeping and even develop bad breath (an early sign that your body is making ketones), but you can ride it out. Within a few days, or just over a week, you could feel sharper than ever. Perhaps even better than if you were doing a standard ketogenic diet (see “The Carnivore Diet for Athletes”). “By the second week, your system comes online,” says Munsey.

7. Simpler Dieting

There’s one thing about the carnivore diet that no one can argue: it’s not complicated. You eat animal foods when you’re hungry, and that’s it. If you’re the type of person who gets confused counting calories or macros, is tired of weighing portions on a food scale, or isn’t sure what’s gluten-free and what isn’t, a carnivore diet will all but relieve you of having to think.

“I started by trying to eat one rib-eye in the morning and one in the afternoon, or the equivalent amount of protein and fat,” says Munsey. “It worked out to be about a pound of meat in the morning and then two in the afternoon. I never measured anything or tracked ratios.” It’s also worth noting that Munsey prefers to follow an intermittent fasting style of eating, having his first meal between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. and his second between 3 and 5 p.m. But you don’t have to.

“As far as your lifestyle goes, it’s quite enjoyable,” says Munsey. “You get to eat steak and bacon all day. I never got tired of eating meat. I actually started craving it.”

And while a meat-rich diet may sound like it would break the bank, the amounts you actually consume may not be high, since meat is so satiating. That should keep costs down—especially if you literally aren’t buying any other food.

Is The Carnivore Diet Safe?

Because it’s similar to a ketogenic diet, and we’ve already shown that meat isn’t to blame for heart disease, it appears fair to consider the carnivore diet safe for most people—at least in the short term. However, if you’ve ever seen the movie Beverly Hills Cop, there’s one question you’ve been dying to ask: is all that meat going to get stuck in my gut?

In the film, one character reads a (fictitious) article to another, citing science that claims that “by the time the average American is 50, he’s got five pounds of undigested red meat in his bowels.” Based on this one scene in a popular movie from more than 30 years ago—and an Eddie Murphy comedy at that—the urban legend has perpetuated that beef somehow blocks up your intestines, colon¦ you name it.

However, just as you can’t disable a police car by shoving a banana in its tailpipe (another bit of wacky science from the movie), your body won’t choke itself to death from eating rib-eyes.

“Like most foods, meat is absorbed in the small intestines before it reaches the colon,” says St. Pierre. “The idea that meat gets impacted in your GI tract is silly.” It’s possible to get a bowel obstruction due to disease or physical injury, “but red meat isn’t something that blocks your GI tract.” Since there isn’t much coming out, people who have small bowel movements tend to assume that waste is getting stuck inside them. But St. Pierre says that small movements, including those of carnivore dieters, are simply due to low intakes of fiber. “Fiber adds bulk,” he says. So the reason your poop is small is because it doesn’t have veggies in it.

“I never had any distension, bloating, or water retention throughout the whole process,” says Munsey. “In fact, I felt light and had a bounce in my step.”

A more serious concern on the carnivore diet, however, is the risk of cancer. “There’s so much evidence on phytonutrients from plant foods and how they help with DNA protection,” says St. Pierre. “If you’re not consuming those things, your guess is as good as mine as to how that’s going to impact you long-term.” Bacteria in the GI tract and colon ferment fiber into butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid. Butyrate decreases inflammation in the GI tract, potentially decreasing the risk of colon cancer.

“I would highly suspect that an all-animal diet would increase your risk of colon cancer,” says St. Pierre. Not because animal foods are carcinogenic in any way, but because “you wouldn’t be consuming things that help to inhibit colon cancer. So the dose makes the poison. Having a few servings of red meat each week is no big deal, but when you’re eating three steaks a day with nothing else, that’s a different story. You’re changing the equation substantially.”
Not to mention, eating fruits and vegetables offer benefits for eye health, brain health, and overall longevity, says St. Pierre. “You’d be ignoring so much research on their potential benefits by cutting them all out.”

Another popular carnivore diet question: what happens to the gut biome? That is, the balance of bacteria that help digest your food and prevent disease. Surely, those critters must require some carbs. Or not.

“I had zero dysbiotic flora [the bad bacteria] at the end of the diet,” says Munsey, who had his poo tested. “And I had pretty good numbers on all the beneficial flora.” He chalks it up to the carnivore diet being, if nothing else, an extreme elimination diet that starves sugar-hungry bad bacteria to death. “Yeah, it would starve some of the good ones as well, but maybe we don’t need as many of those. Maybe we only need them if we’re eating a high-plant diet. It’s never been studied, so for people to jump right out and say the carnivore diet is wrong and bad for your health¦ well, we don’t know that.”

Does The Carnivore Diet Create Nutrient Deficiencies?

The risk of life-threatening illness aside, the carnivore diet—somewhat surprisingly—doesn’t seem to lead to many, if any, serious vitamin or mineral deficiencies. Red meat alone contains copious amounts of iron and zinc, and seafood and dairy supply vitamin D, which usually has to be added to plant foods. The one micronutrient that nutritionists like St. Pierre aren’t sure you’d get enough of is vitamin C, which is otherwise extremely easy to obtain when eating fruits and vegetables.

In rebuttal, carnivore supporters make the argument that, in the absence of carbs, your body may not need much vitamin C, thereby making small intakes sufficient. Stephen D. Phinney, M.D., Ph.D., author of The Art and Science of Low-Carbohydrate Living, has speculated that the ketone beta-hydroxybutyrate—which your body will produce when you remove carbs from your diet—replaces the need for vitamin C, at least in part. On a balanced diet, one of vitamin C’s roles in the body is to form collagen, but Phinney says that the amino acids you get from a large meat intake get the job done without it. Indeed, neither Munsey or Baker have come down with scurvy, and neither have hundreds (thousands?) of other zero-carb dieters at home and abroad—as far as we know.

St. Pierre adds that if you make the effort to eat a diverse range of animal foods—i.e. NOT just rib-eye steaks—you hedge your bets that you’ll get the micronutrition you need. That means venturing beyond lean muscle meats and taking advantage of foods like bone broth and organ meats. That’s what Munsey did. “I was just being extra cautious,” he says. And “organ meats,” he points out, “have more micronutrients than vegetables.”

The Carnivore Diet for Athletes

The ketogenic diet has taken a lot of heat from critics who say that people who exercise must eat carbs to supply fuel, but science has shown that not only is it possible to work out on a low-carb diet, you can even perform at an elite level. But take away ALL carbs and all plant foods and it could be a very different story. The short answer is that we don’t know exactly how a long-term carnivore diet would affect muscle mass, endurance, or overall performance yet. But many carnivore dieters report making some of the best gains of their lives on the plan.

As mentioned above, Shawn Baker is a world-class indoor rowing competitor and deadlifts 700-plus pounds at over 50 years old. He could well be a genetic outlier, but what about Ryan Munsey? Without adding body weight, Munsey made dramatic strength gains on the diet. Below are the improvements he made on his two-rep max in the various lifts he tested. All were accomplished within five weeks of carnivore eating.

Front squat: from 235 pounds to 265
Deadlift: from 335 to 375
Incline bench press: 205 to 220
Weighted pullup: 60 pounds of added weight to 100 pounds

The first week on the diet, Munsey says he felt sluggish and had little motivation to train. But by the second week, he says, he was a “samurai” in the gym. He credits the gains to the increased amount of protein he was eating, as he had been doing a ketogenic diet prior. “With keto, I felt great mentally, but I never felt like doing much physically. On the carnivore diet, I just felt like a warrior.” He was getting 120 to 150 grams of protein per day before when he weighed between 185 and 188 pounds. After adopting a two-to-four-pounds per day meat habit, Munsey estimates his protein intake was between 200 and 300 grams.
It’s worth noting that Munsey did not do cardio, apart from daily walks (he averaged 5,000 steps a day, total). Therefore, it’s difficult to say how he would have fared had he been running, rowing, or doing more metabolically-demanding workouts such as CrossFit. “I think the adaptation period before you would excel again at those activities would be more brutal than what I went through,” says Munsey.

To be fair, Baker claims he needed six months to fully adapt to the diet and get his performance back on track.

“Just because we can live on a carnivore diet,” says St. Pierre, “doesn’t mean we’d necessarily thrive on it. If you’re an intermittent sport athlete, competing in sprinting or something else that requires high output for 60–120 seconds, it would be very challenging to perform well when you’re not eating any carbs. There are people who adapt really well to fat and their performance does improve, but I think performance would suffer for most.” As with any diet, you’ll have to try it and see what happens.

If you are an athlete or gym rat, you may do better to modify the carnivore diet just as we discussed modifying the ketogenic diet HERE. St. Pierre suggests starting by adding some vegetables. “Cruciferous ones like broccoli, cauliflower, and kale would be my vote.” If you find that your workouts are suffering, “maybe that means having the occasional sweet potato or apple,” says St. Pierre.

Carnivore Diet Meal Plan

Here’s an example of how you could eat in a day if you want to get the broadest possible nutrition from an all-animal diet.

Breakfast
Coffee (black, or with whole milk)
Scrambled eggs and bacon
(You may also choose to skip breakfast and fast till lunch)

Lunch
Rib-eye steak, OR chicken liver, seasoned with salt and pepper

Snack
1 cup bone broth, OR a few slices cheese

Dinner
Hamburger patty seasoned with cayenne, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper
OR salmon fillet

All meats and dairy products should be organic and pasture-raised whenever possible

Reasons The Carnivore Diet Might Still Be Totally F@#$ing Crazy

If you’ve made it this far into the article, you’re probably realizing that the carnivore diet isn’t as ridiculous as it may at first sound. Nevertheless, there are some compelling reasons to not try it—or at least not follow it for very long—apart from what we’ve already mentioned.

Environmental Impact

It’s safe to say that, if everyone adopted this diet, the world would run out of animals pretty fast. Supporting organic farming practices and eating locally is a noble, smart way to improve the welfare of animals and reduce pollutants, but drastically increasing the demand for meat would undoubtedly have a detrimental effect on the planet—at least while conventional farming methods remain pervasive.

Vegetables Are Still Good

Carnivore dieters blame digestive problems on plants. Grains, legumes, and nuts are indeed sources of phytic acid, an antinutrient that can prevent the body’s absorption of iron and zinc. But according to St. Pierre, the negative impact it has on your nutrition is minimal. “The data on phytic acid, lectins, and tryptin inhibitors is nowhere near as bad as people like to make it out to be,” says St. Pierre. Plants have innate defense systems to discourage predators from eating them, but that doesn’t mean they can’t or shouldn’t be eaten. Similarly, “a lobster has a shell and claws to defend itself, but that doesn’t mean you can’t eat it,” says St. Pierre.

Also, the way we prepare food reduces the potency of the antinutrients within it. When bread is baked with yeast, the phytic acid content in the grains dissipates. Levels are also low in sprouted-grain and sourdough bread. “At the same time,” says St. Pierre, “in reasonable amounts, phytic acid also has some potential health benefits, one of them being anti-cancer, and it can chelate heavy metals.” One such heavy metal, iron, can be toxic in high amounts. And you risk getting such amounts on an all-meat diet.

This isn’t to say that some people aren’t especially sensitive to certain plant foods. If you know one that bothers you, don’t eat it. But it’s probably best not to weed out every bit of vegetation in your diet based on a reaction to one or two types.

Sustainability

The planet isn’t the only thing that could suffer if you go all meat, all the time. You may end up hating life, no matter how cool the idea of eating burgers and bacon all day sounds to you now. A strict animal diet means no beer, no avocados for your Fajita Night… and, in fact, no fajitas at all (tortillas are a no-no). You can bend the rules and have your cheat days, but then you’re not really doing the diet, are you?

Munsey says he didn’t get many cravings on the carnivore diet, but has since added back some plants and the occasional carbs for the sake of long-term health. “I still pretty much follow the carnivore diet because I love the way I feel on it. But it’s really difficult to do when you travel.” If you can’t find high-quality meat on the road, you need to be careful where you eat out. But that can be part of the thrill of going carnivore, too.

“It’s fun to order two rib-eyes and nothing else and see how the waiter reacts,” says Munsey. “I was in an airport and got four hamburger patties and the manager came out to confirm that my order was right. It definitely throws people off.”

Take it easy, Walter White. We aren’t talking about meth, but something that may be nearly as addictive and dangerous: sugar.

The consumption of excess sugar has been linked to heart disease, diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, and numerous other health woes (in April, we reported on the latest research). Most people know they need to decrease their sugar intake, but stumble when they start thinking of the foods they’ll have to give up in the process. Without sugar, could life be as sweet?

Relax, because it can be. You don’t have to kick your sugar addiction cold turkey, and low-sugar eating can still provide plenty of treats. If you’ve been Googling a no-sugar diet you can live with, our plan is sustainable, can help you lose weight, and will make you feel better than ever.

How Does Sugar Affect Your Body?

First of all, let’s explain what sugar is. When people hear the word, they immediately think of the white grains in a bowl on the breakfast table. But sugar, technically speaking, is the most basic building block of carbohydrate. With the exception of fiber, all forms of carbs are made up of what are known as simple sugars—glucose, fructose, and galactose. Simple sugars are found in fruits and sweets, for example, and when they bond with each other, they can form complex carbs, such as those in potatoes and grains. But no matter what kind of carbs you’re talking about, when they digest in the body, they’re all broken down into glucose.

“Sugar is absorbed primarily through the small intestine and into the bloodstream,” says Ashley Ortega, Wellness Manager and nutritionist for Victory Medical, a clinic in Austin, TX. “Once in the bloodstream, the pancreas is prompted to release insulin, which allows glucose to be taken into the cells so that it may be utilized to produce ATP molecules—the energy source that we use to do everything from thinking to lifting weights.”

Generally speaking, simple sugars digest very quickly and therefore raise blood sugar levels very sharply, promoting a strong insulin response. Complex carbs take longer to be broken down, and so they raise blood sugar less quickly, providing a longer, steadier supply of energy.

So, while you’ve certainly heard that sugar is “bad” for you, it isn’t inherently unhealthy. Rather, it’s a major source of energy. But when you consume excessive amounts of sugar, you run into problems. If you’re a generally healthy person who limits his/her diet to whole foods, so that your sugar intake comes almost entirely from fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, you shouldn’t have to worry about how much sugar you’re eating—it will automatically be held in check. Whole foods are naturally low in sugar, in most cases, and pack plenty of fiber to help slow down sugar’s digestion, which reduces the amount of insulin needed to manage blood sugar levels.

It’s when you eat processed foods that have sugars added to them by manufacturers that you get into trouble.

To be clear, sugar is sugar. No matter what the source, a gram of sugar has the same number of calories (four, just as every carbohydrate but fiber does) and is processed the same way in the body. But, according to Mike Roussell, Ph.D., a nutrition consultant to athletes and celebrities (mikeroussell.com), “There is a difference between eating Skittles™ and wild blueberries.” Candy, soda, and other foods we know to be unhealthy are much higher in sugar than whole foods, because the sweet stuff has been purposely added into the product. And what’s more, Roussell points out, these foods don’t have fiber like whole foods do (apart from lots of other healthy nutrients). This makes them easy to over-consume, and thereby damaging to your health. The poison is in the dose.

Eating too much sugar makes it nearly impossible for insulin to keep your blood sugar in a normal range, and that wreaks havoc on the body. According to a 2016 study, excess sugar consumption can lead to cellular dysfunction and inflammation. Furthermore, a review in the Journal of the American Medical Association found a distinct correlation between increased consumption of added sugars and the risk for cardiovascular disease—and that most adults consume far more added sugar than is recommended by health officials.

For some perspective, the U.S. Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion recommends people consume no more than 10% of their daily calories from added sugar, and the JAMA research discovered that, between 2005 and 2010, more than 71% of American adults took in greater amounts of the white stuff than that. In fact, 10% of us got 25% or more of our calories from added sugar.

What is the No-Sugar Diet?

The “no-sugar diet” is a popular search term on the Internet. But it’s not a branded eating philosophy; it’s a lifestyle. Also called a sugar-free diet, this way of eating seeks to remove sources of added sugar from your daily food intake. In other words, out with foods like candy and soda. Some people may also choose to limit or remove sources of natural sugar as well, such as fruits and certain vegetables. This means that no-sugar diets often have a lot in common with ketogenic diets, which we’ve been a fan of for a while.

Whether you want to cut back on sugar or cut it out completely, eating less sugar in general is a very healthy decision. A 2017 study discovered that reducing the intake of added sugar by even 20% could cut the number of life years lost through disease, disability, and early death for Americans by 777,000 by the year 2035, and save more than $10 billion in medical costs.

What is the Best Way to Cut Sugar from My Diet?

If you currently eat sugar with the rapaciousness of the average American, start by cutting back gradually, and with the most decadent and obvious sources of added sugar. You don’t necessarily need to follow a low-carb diet yet; start by following a low-crap diet.

Roussell offers a hierarchy of carbohydrates to use as a guide. “It’s based on the fact that since not all carbs are created equal, there is a spectrum in which you can restrict them,” he says. The following is a list of all the major sugar-containing foods. The sugariest among them is at the top, and the sugar content drops the further down you go. The ones at the top are also the most dense in calories while (generally) containing fewer nutrients, and, as you approach the bottom of the list, the nutritional content improves while calories and carbs drop off.

Start by decreasing or eliminating your consumption of the foods in the first category, and work your way down slowly as your sweet tooth lessens.

The Hierarchy of Carbs, from Worst To Best

1. Foods containing added sugar. Sweets such as candy, pastries, sweetened drinks (sodas and high-sugar energy and sports drinks), sweetened foods (such as yogurt with fruit on the bottom).

2. Refined grains. White bread (and other low-fiber breads), white rice, pasta, crackers, bagels, baked goods.

3. Whole grains/starches. Brown rice, oats, whole-grain bread, quinoa.

4. Fruit. Apples, bananas, peaches, pineapples, pears, berries, etc.

5. Starchy vegetables. Carrots, potatoes, pumpkin, squash, beets, etc.

6. Green vegetables. Asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, lettuce, spinach, Brussels sprouts, etc.

Eliminating sugary foods doesn’t have to mean cutting out all snacks and desserts. You can swap foods from the lower levels of the spectrum in for the ones on the higher rungs to avoid hunger and ease temptation. For example, start substituting strawberries for Starbursts™. If you usually eat cheeseburgers and drink soda at lunch, try switching to burgers in whole-grain buns or lettuce wraps and sip on sparkling water.

If you already eat pretty healthy but want to reduce your sugar intake even further, identify the highest-sugar food category you eat from the most and aim to replace it with more foods from the next category down. Perhaps you’re a regular consumer of vegetables and high-protein foods, but you have a weak spot for refined-grain products such as bagels at breakfast or dinners of pasta made with bleached flour. In this case, you could switch to whole-grain toast at breakfast and whole-grain pasta dinners. Once you get acclimated to the taste of those foods, you can go a step further and try vegetable-based alternatives, such as lettuce wraps instead of tortillas for your tacos, spaghetti squash instead of whole-grain pasta, or cauliflower rice in place of regular rice.

Never remove a carb group from your diet if you are still eating foods from a group above it. For example, don’t cut out apples if you are still gorging on bagels. Apples have plenty of vitamins, minerals, and fiber that bagels don’t, so eliminating them before you do white dough makes no sense.

If you’re still stumped on how to construct a low-sugar meal for yourself, Ortega recommends filling half your plate with non-starchy vegetables, dressed with olive or avocado oil. Fill the rest of the plate with a protein-rich food (such as meat or fish). “Even if you decide to try a dessert afterward,” she says, “you’ll be less likely to indulge if you’ve filled up on low-sugar veggies.”

Another strategy that may help you to replace carbs in your diet without feeling hungry: eat more fat. Not only is fat more satiating than sugar, research suggests it may be a lot healthier to base your diet on long-term. A 2017 study on populations in 18 different countries found that higher-fat diets were not associated with cardiovascular disease, whereas high-carb intakes were associated with a higher risk of all-cause mortality. Researchers went on to say that saturated fat intake seemed to have an inverse association with risk of stroke. So keep organic cheeses and nuts on hand for easy snacks, and don’t be shy about eating pasture-raised beef and wild salmon.

How Long Does it Take to Lose Weight?

To lose weight and keep it off in a healthy manner, you need to create a calorie deficit with your diet and aim to lose one to two pounds per week. Any more than that, and your weight loss won’t be pure fat—it will be water and lean mass, including muscle.

Ortega says that clients who restrict sugar usually see quick weight loss. “Fiber, protein, and fats are more satiating, and provide longer-lasting energy than simple sugars,” she says. “By avoiding blood sugar spikes and drops, you are also able to avoid food cravings that lead to excessive calorie intake and fat storage.”

What Foods Have Zero (or Low) Sugar?

Refer back to the carb hierarchy above and you’ll see that vegetables, particularly greens, have little to no sugar, so they’re always a safe bet when you’re hungry. Of course, the typical keto-friendly foods—meats, fish, eggs, cheeses, avocados, and other foods rich in protein and fat—are sugar-free. Below is a short list of no- to low-sugar options.

• Animal proteins (beef, chicken, turkey, pork, fish, etc.)
• Unrefined oils (avocado, coconut, olive, etc.)
• Butter, ghee, cheese
• Avocado
• Eggplant
• Green beans
• Kelp noodles
• Zucchini noodles
• Mushrooms
• Spinach
• Watercress
• Radish
• Kale
• Celery
• Broccoli
• Bell pepper
• Cucumber
• Asparagus
• Tomato
• Mustard
• Salsa
• Coffee
• Tea
• Watermelon
• Lemons/limes
• Whole milk
• Berries

Remember that sugar/carbs are a big energy source for the body, so, unless you’re ready to commit to a very low-carb or keto diet, you shouldn’t aim to stop eating carbs entirely. The more active you are, the more carbs you should consume to fuel your workouts, recreation, etc. For instructions on how to set up a lower-carb diet that still permits enough sugars to support an active lifestyle (and allows you to enjoy a wide variety of foods), see the Mod Keto eating plan in our FREE ebook on the keto diet.

Are Artificial Sweeteners Dangerous?

Many people try to replace the sugar in their diets with drinks and snack foods that contain artificial sweeteners, which typically contain few or no calories and have little impact on insulin. According to Harvard’s School of Public Health, research is still inconclusive as to whether these sugar substitutes are safe long-term, but they may be useful for weaning people off sugar—that is, if they don’t compensate by eating greater amounts of food overall.

Ortega cautions against consuming artificial sweeteners. “They may prompt you to continue to crave the taste of sugar,” she says, which can lead you to over-consume sweet foods, or just more food, and result in weight gain. “They may also negatively impact your microbiome.” That is, the balance of bacteria in your gut that help you digest and assimilate food properly. The gut biome is also intertwined with your immune system. Instead, Ortega suggests focusing on eating more real foods with lower sugar content.

The No-Sugar Diet Plan

Below is an example of how a person who wants to minimize sugar in his/her diet could eat over the course of a day, courtesy of Ortega.

Breakfast

2 eggs, any style

1/2 avocado

1 cup zucchini, sautéed with olive oil

Snack

8 walnut halves

Lunch

3 oz. grilled chicken (breast or thighs)

1 cup of steamed cauliflower with 1 oz. melted cheese

1 cup steamed green beans

Dinner

3 oz. wild-caught salmon, baked

1 cup asparagus and 1 cup mushrooms, sauteed in 2 tbsp ghee butter

Dessert

8g 100% dark chocolate shavings with 2 tbsp coconut whipped cream

How Do I Look for Sugar on Food Labels?

Shakespeare told us that a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. It also holds that sugar by any other name—no matter what manufacturers try to disguise it with on a label—is still sugar. By knowing the different names sugar can be called, you can make better choices when faced with confusing food labels.

According to the U.S. Dietary Guidelines, some of the names that added sugars can go by on food labels can include the following. If you see these near the beginning of an ingredients’ list, avoid the product, or at least use small servings.

• anhydrous dextrose
• brown sugar
• confectioners powdered sugar
• corn syrup
• corn syrup solids
• dextrose
• fructose
• high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS)
• honey
• invert sugar
• lactose
• malt syrup
• maltose
• maple syrup
• molasses
• nectars (e.g., peach nectar, pear nectar)
• pancake syrup
• raw sugar
• sucrose
• white granulated sugar

Remember, sugar is sugar, regardless of what name it goes by. “Whether they are adding coconut sugar or traditional sugar to a product,” says Roussell, “it doesn’t make any difference to your body.”

So, if you’re interested in being vegan and keto, here’s how to do it.

The Complete Vegan Keto Diet and Food List

What Is A Vegan Keto Diet?

First, let’s be clear about what these terms “vegan” and “keto” really mean.

Vegans consume no animal products. Like vegetarians, they don’t eat meat, poultry, or fish, but they also avoid dairy, eggs, and other foods that contain even trace amounts of animal ingredients. Most vegans won’t eat gelatin (made from bones), casein (a milk protein), and fish oil supplements, or refined sugar (some brands of which use cow bones as a whitening agent).

There are many benefits to a vegan diet, including some that affect health and longevity. The authors of a 2016 study found evidence that reducing animal-based foods (when they’re conventionally raised on factory farms, that is, not organic) may reduce the incidence of diabetes, obesity, cataracts, and heart disease. Other people go vegan for ethical reasons, believing animal consumption to be cruel and harmful to the environment.

Now, what about those keto guys and gals?

Ketogenic diets originated in the 1920s as a treatment for epilepsy, but they’ve since been credited for promoting a number of health benefits ranging from improved insulin sensitivity to everyday mental clarity, in addition to fast weight loss. Strict ketogenic—or “keto”—dieters limit carbohydrate intake to about 5% of their daily calories while keeping protein intake at around 20%. Fats, then, make up close to 75% of their calories. (For more details on setting up various ketogenic diets, see our guide HERE.)

Restricting carbs and relying on dietary fat causes the liver to convert fat into molecules called ketones, which are used as fuel. When ketones show up above a certain threshold in your urine or in a breath test, you’re officially in what’s known as ketosis, and your body is running on ketones.

One big reason people go keto is sustained energy. When you don’t eat copious amounts of carbs, levels of insulin—the hormone that controls blood sugar—remain much steadier than they do on the carbohydrate-based diet most people are used to. When your blood sugar is stable, you don’t have afternoon energy crashes that make you want to fall asleep at your desk. A study in the Annals of Internal Medicine showed that a ketogenic diet controlled blood sugar more effectively than a more standard, low-calorie diet that was high in carbs.

Keto diets may also make it easier to burn extra fat off your waistline. Research from 2013 in the British Journal of Nutrition found that keto dieters lost more weight long-term than those who ate a low-fat diet.

Of course, one of the big complaints about a keto diet is that—like a vegan approach—it’s very restrictive and can be hard to stick to. That’s why we like to make people aware of a slightly less rigid approach we call Mod Keto that offers much of the same benefits as a strict keto diet but is much easier to follow long-term. With Mod Keto, carbs are raised to about 20% of your total caloric intake, protein to 20–40%, and fat is reduced to 40–60%. While not technically ketogenic (your body will probably not produce appreciable ketones at these levels), the higher protein and carb allowance supports workouts and activity better while still stabilizing blood sugar and promoting fat burning.

So we’ve got vegan and we’ve got keto¦ Put them together and you’ve got a plan that has you eating a higher-fat, lower-carb menu that is also devoid of animal products.

It sounds simple enough in theory, but the two approaches can be contradictory. Low-carb, high-fat meat, fish, and poultry are staples for keto dieters, but they don’t work at all for vegans. Meanwhile, high-protein legumes and meat substitutes are go-to’s for vegans, but their carb content makes them verboten for keto adherents.

How, then, does a person balance the two?

The Vegan Keto Food List

The goal for the vegan keto-dieter is to eat:

• plenty of plant-based fats
• some plant-based proteins
• as few carbs possible

Below are some foods that fit the vegan-keto bill nicely, courtesy of Liz MacDowell, N.C., founder of meatfreeketo.com. “This is basically every vegan keto-friendly whole food in your typical North American grocery store,” she says, “which can help take care of the what-can-you-eat-on-vegan-keto question.”

Good protein sources are marked with a “p”, while foods that have a higher-carb content (and should, therefore, be eaten sparingly) are marked with an asterisk (*).

Nuts

• Almonds*
• Brazil nuts
• Hazelnuts/filberts
• Macadamia nuts
• Pecans
• Peanuts*
• Pine nuts*
• Walnuts

Seeds

• Chia
• Hemp
• Pumpkin
• Sunflower

Nut & Seed Butters

• Almond butter
• Coconut butter/coconut manna (“meat” of the coconut)
• Hazelnut butter
• Macadamia nut butter
• Peanut butter
• Pecan butter
• Sunflower seed butter
• Tahini Walnut butter

Other Whole-Food Fat Sources

• • • Avocados
    • Coconuts
    • Olives

Healthy Oils

• • • Almond oil
    • Avocado oil
    • Cacao butter
    • Coconut oil
    • Flaxseed oil
    • Hazelnut oil
    • Macadamia nut oil
    • MCT oil
    • Olive oil

Vegetables

• • • Artichoke hearts
    • Arugula
    • Asparagus
    • Bell peppers
    • Beets*
    • Bok choy
    • Broccoli
    • Brussels sprouts*
    • Cabbage
    • Carrots*
    • Cauliflower
    • Celery
    • Celeriac*
    • Chard
    • Collards
    • Cucumbers
    • Daikon radish
    • Dandelion greens
    • Eggplant
    • Endive
    • Fennel
    • Fiddleheads
    • Garlic
    • Jicama*
    • Kale*
    • Kohlrabi
    • Lettuce (all types)
    • Mushrooms
    • Mustard greens
    • Okra
    • Onion
    • Radishes
    • Rhubarb
    • Rutabaga*
    • Shallots
    • Spinach
    • Squash—winter*
    • Squash—summer
    • Swiss chard
    • Turnips
    • Zucchini

Fruits

• • • Avocados
    • Blueberries*
    • Coconuts
    • Cranberries
    • Lemons
    • Limes
    • Olives
    • Raspberries
    • Strawberries
    • Tomatoes
    • Watermelon

Sauces & Condiments

• • • Chili sauce
    • Hot sauce
    • Hummus*
    • Mustard
    • Soy sauce/tamari
    • Salsa
    • Tomato sauce
    • Vinegar

Vegan Keto Fridge Staples

• • • Apple cider vinegar
    • Dairy-free yogurt*
    • Dairy-free cheese*
    • Pickles
    • Micro-greens
    • Sauerkraut
    • Seitan*(p)
    • Sprouts (all kinds)
    • Tempeh (p)
    • Tofu (p)

Vegan Keto Pantry Staples

• • • Almond flour
    • Artichoke hearts
    • Baking powder
    • Baking soda
    • Coconut flour
    • Coconut milk (canned, full fat)
    • Cocoa or cacao powder
    • Dark chocolate (85% and up)
    • Glucomannan powder
    • Hearts of palm
    • Jackfruit (green, canned in brine)
    • Psyllium Husk
    • Nutritional yeast
    • Vanilla extract (most brands OK, but check for sugar)

Other Vegan Keto Meal Staples

• • • Herbs and spices
    • Edamame
    • Kelp noodles
    • Kelp flakes
    • Lupini beans*(p)
    • Shirataki noodles
    • Nori sheets
    • Roasted seaweed

Foods You CAN’T EAT On A Vegan Keto Diet

• • • Meat, fish, poultry, dairy, eggs, other animal products
    • Gelatin
    • Sugar (refined, cane, honey, corn syrup, and all other forms)
    • Grains (wheat, pasta, rice)Legumes (beans)
    • Starchy vegetables (yams, potatoes)
    • High-carb nuts (chestnuts, cashews, pistachios)
    • Partially-hydrogenated oils (trans fats)
    • Refined vegetable oils**

**Even though they’re not derived from animals and are high in fat, oils such as canola, corn, rapeseed, and margarine are highly processed and have a poor ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids. They promote inflammation in the body. Because they have low smoke points, these oils are also terrible choices for cooking. High heat will turn the fats in the oil rancid, and make it even more unhealthy, causing damage to your heart, neurological problems, and other health woes. Always cook with saturated fats, such as those found in coconut and red palm oil.

How Do I Limit Carbs on a Ketogenic Vegan Diet?

In our sandwich-with-a-side-of-bread culture, cutting carbs down to the wire trips many people up. “Exact numbers vary person to person, but in general, strict keto dieters need to consume less than 50 grams of carbs a day,” says exercise physiologist Michael T. Nelson, Ph.D. (miketnelson.com). “Some people need to go as low as 30 grams.” The Mod Keto approach allows two to three times as many, but it’s still very low-carb compared to the diet of the average American. (For reference, one banana, one apple, or a single slice of bread would put you over your daily carb allowance on a strict keto diet.)

Cutting out grains, rice, bread, and pasta will reduce your carb intake substantially, but you’ll also have to cut way back on nearly all fruits (exceptions are in the food list above, though even those should be eaten sparingly). Starchy vegetables like potatoes and yams are out, too. And the sugary dressings and sauces you may be so accustomed to that you don’t even question them anymore¦ well, start questioning them.

If you’re longing for carbs so badly that you feel your resolve to stay on the diet is breaking, it’s possible to trick your brain that you’re eating them by making approved foods look more like your starchy favorites. Cauliflower can be grated into “rice,” or boiled and mashed like potatoes. You can slice zucchini into noodles to (sort of) replicate pasta. See “Vegan Substitutions for the Keto Diet” below.
But by and large, you’ll simply have to develop a taste for fattier foods and rely on them to supply energy in place of carbs. Avocados, coconut oil, and nuts are all filling, flavorful options that can also power your workouts.

And speaking of working out, if you’re a gym rat or avid runner, prepare for your workouts to suck for a while until your body fully adapts to the diet. If you’re cutting out carbs for the first time, your body will need two weeks or more (and sometimes months) to fully support the demands of exercise with ketones. And if you’ve been relying on animal products, you may find it difficult to recover without the full array of amino acids that every serving of animal protein provides. You’ve chosen a hard road to travel, nutritionally, but don’t lose heart. Time and persistence will force your body to accommodate just about any regimen you subject it to, and there are plenty of people whose performance has thrived on unconventional diets.

A 2012 study found that gymnasts on a strict ketogenic diet for only 30 days lost weight without losing strength. The researchers concluded that keto eating may actually prove advantageous to athletes in weight-class sports since it could allow them to keep their strength up when competing at lighter body weights.

How Do I Get Enough Protein on the Ketogenic Vegan Diet?

For anyone following any vegan diet, and athletes especially, the question always comes up: “How do you get enough protein?” Nelson recommends about 0.7g of protein per pound of your goal body weight as a baseline daily intake for active people—and most nutritionists recommend up to one gram per pound if you’re weight training. (Goal body weight means the amount you want to weigh—not the number that currently comes up on the scale. So, if you weigh 205 pounds but remember looking and feeling your best when you weighed 175, eat 0.7g of protein x 175, or about 120 grams daily.)

Your main challenge will be to find plant-based protein sources to hit that number that isn’t also high in carbs.

To get an idea of what that entails, consider that an average-sized person who eats about 2,000 calories a day will need 100–200g protein daily (on the lower end for strict keto dieters, and on the higher side for those going the Mod Keto route). A three-quarter cup serving of sunflower seeds nets you 25–30g protein, but also costs you 10g of carbs. Almonds have a similar protein-to-carb ratio at 30g to 15g per cup. The key is to accumulate enough protein from vegan sources without letting your carbs creep up too high.

Your best bet for low-carb vegan protein may be hemp seeds, which provides 30g protein and 8g fiber (NOT counted as carbs) in a mere half cup. Seitan, which is made from wheat, is another good choice and offers about 18g protein and 2g carbs every three ounces. Tofu and tempeh rank high as well (tofu has an 8:1 ratio of protein to carbs; tempeh is about 6:1).

If you’re willing to go the supplement route, hemp and other vegan-sourced protein powders such as rice and pea, which have about a 5:1 protein-to-carb ratio, are the best choices and may be indispensable for athletes and workout fiends.

If you were doing a more conventional ketogenic diet previously and relying on animal foods, you may have only counted the protein in those foods toward your allotment for the day because they are complete sources. In other words, the protein in animal products contains all the essential amino acids that your body needs from food and in substantial amounts. This is a rare find in plant foods, and the reason that bodybuilders have historically kept track of the protein they eat from chicken, beef, and fish, but don’t consider the amount they take in from vegetables, grains, and nuts. The thing is, though, while they may be less bioavailable than animal foods, plant proteins are still usable by your body and still count toward your total—and if you’re going to forgo animal products entirely, you’ll need to get them in to support muscle, performance, and general health. Otherwise, you’ll be protein deficient.

Vegans have long known that they can’t get all the amino acids they need from one source of plant protein, so they make an effort to eat a diverse selection of them and often combine foods in the same meal to get a complimentary assortment of aminos. You don’t need to do this at every meal—your body can hold on to the aminos from one food a few hours until you eat another food with aminos that complement them and form a complete protein. But don’t get in the habit of basing your meals around only tofu or only hemp. Eat as broad a menu as you can to ensure the richest nutritional intake you can. (See more reasons to limit tofu under the vegan substitutes list below.)

Vegan Substitutes for the Keto Diet

If you’re already a keto eater used to animal products, the list below will give you ideas on how to switch to zero-cruelty food options while keeping carbs low. (Likewise, it will help vegans find lower-carb alternatives to their starchy or sugary favorites.) As always, be extra sure you’re staying faithful to the diet by checking labels for the presence of added sugar, carbs, and hydrogenated oils (harmful, processed fats that have no place in any healthy diet).

Replace the foods you’re currently eating in the left-hand column with those in the right-hand one.

Dairy foods

Grains and starches

Snacks

Desserts

Processed soy-based meat substitutes (such as Boca Burgers) and protein powders are major go-to’s for people transitioning to vegan diets, but they come with a catch. A 2016 position paper published by Virginia State University explains that soy contains isoflavones, a kind of plant estrogen that can act like the female hormone in humans. While typical serving sizes (one to three of soy foods, or less than 25g of soy protein from non-concentrated sources like tofu) have not been shown to be problematic, amounts more than that (totaling around 100mg isoflavones or greater daily) could negatively impact testosterone. To our thinking, why take the risk? It may be best for a keto dieter to get the majority of his/her protein from nuts, seeds, vegetables, and supplements and less from soy products, apart from the occasional slice of tofu.

Dominic D’Agostino, Ph.D., one of the world’s foremost ketogenic diet researchers and founder of ketonutrition.org, agrees. “I generally avoid soy isolate and soy milk,” he says. “But I don’t think this is a major concern unless you are consuming large amounts of soy.” Note that fermented soy products—such as soy sauce and tempeh—don’t pose the same risk, and can, therefore, be eaten more liberally.

Vegan Keto Diet Sample Meal Plan

The following menu, courtesy of Dr. Nelson, will give you an idea of how a day of eating on a vegan keto diet could look (with a Mod Keto carb allowance). One thing’s for sure: you can eat a high volume of food without having to worry about taking in too many calories, so you’re unlikely to gain weight by accident with this style of eating. It’s easy to stay satiated due to the fat content and the abundance of fresh vegetables makes this diet rich in phytonutrients and fiber. On the downside, it’s very tough to get enough protein in. As you can see, aiming for the bare minimum amount—20% of calories—almost certainly requires supplementation.

Breakfast

Smoothie made with:
Rice protein powder (30g protein)
½ cup mixed berries
1 tbsp MCT oil***
1 ½ tbsp almond butter
1 cup chaga tea

Lunch

3 servings tofu (300g)
2 cups asparagus, baked
2 tbsp MCT oil, as dressing

Snack

Salad with:
1 green bell pepper
2 cups cremini mushrooms
4 oz chopped onion
1 serving tempeh (100g)
1 tbsp olive oil
2 oz vegan teriyaki sauce

Dinner

Salad with:
2 cups spinach
4 oz cucumber
4 oz tomato
1 cup red cabbage, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
¼ cup walnuts

Totals: 1,728 calories, 86g protein, 78g carbs, and 125g fat

***Whether you go full or Mod Keto, supplementing with MCT oil can help support ketosis by providing a quick-burning fat for fuel, says D’Agostino. Other helpful strategies for making a keto diet more user-friendly, he says, include “eating in a time-restricted window [such as 16 hours of fasting followed by an eight-hour period in which you get all your food in], and breaking the fast with a ketone supplement. You can have a whole-food vegan keto meal a few hours later.”

While it hasn’t been formally studied, “it is generally observed that, if you are keto-adapted,” says D’Agostino, “it is easy to fast for prolonged periods of time. This has practical benefits for occupations where stopping to eat would be an inconvenience—such as for military personnel—and jobs where you do not want to lose the flow of productivity.” If you do get hungry during a fast, D’Agostino recommends taking a supplement that provides ketones (known as exogenous ketones), which will help sustain ketosis and energy. “I typically take a ketone supplement late afternoon and follow up with a whole-food meal in the evening,” he says.

Common Vegan Keto Deficiencies (And How to Fix Them)

OK, you’ve banished nearly all carbs from your diet, kicked out the animal products, found a way to get all your protein in, and have fallen in love with avocados. You’ve pulled off the triple-Axel of diets¦ or have you?

In your admirable pursuit of both personal and planetary health, there’s still a good chance you may become deficient in one or more key nutrients essential for long-term health. These nutrients include:

Vitamin B12 (aka cobalamin)

It’s essential for your skin, eyes, hair, and nervous system, Metabolically, it helps you digest protein, fats, and carbs. Unfortunately, B12 is hard to come by in plant foods. Some decent vegan, lower-carb food sources include nutritional yeast, fortified almond milk (which only has 1g carbs/serving) and nori (purple seaweed, 0.5g carbs)
Still, most plant foods that offer B12 pack a lot of carbs at the same time (you’ll blow through 5g carbs getting your B12 RDA in nutritional yeast), so Nelson suggests getting the vitamin via a vegan supplement. Look for one that provides 6–10mcg of methylcobalamin (a form of B12), as opposed to cyanocobalamin, which is absorbed more readily

DHA and EPA

These omega-3 fats provide building blocks for cellular structures throughout the body and aid in the prevention of cardiovascular disease. Fish oil is the most common source of DHA and EPA, but a good vegan source—and one that, arguably, offers a better concentration of DHA—is algae (which is where those oily fish get their omega-3s from anyway). By supplementing with algae oil, you’re effectively cutting out the middle-fish. Aim for about 300mg/day.

Iron

This mineral is the key ingredient in hemoglobin, which transports oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body. When levels get low, hemoglobin drops, and energy and vitality take a nosedive. Hair and nails get brittle and weak. If you’ve ever met a vegetarian who looks pale and routinely complains of exhaustion, low iron is often the reason.
Vegetable-sourced iron, known as non-heme iron, is harder to absorb than heme iron, which is found in animal products. This is why iron levels can plummet even when a plant-based dieter eats iron-rich foods like Swiss chard, nuts, and seeds. It’s wise, then, for vegan keto eaters to add a vegan-based iron supplement to their diets. This goes double for women, who lose some iron every month through menstruation. For women 19–50, 18mg of iron per day is recommended.

Vegan Keto Diet Recipes

Being a vegan keto dieter doesn’t have to limit you to salads and smoothies. It is possible to enjoy more gourmet fare by getting a little creative with how you prepare food. Liz MacDowell, a holistic nutrition consultant, and longtime keto dieter herself, offers up the following recipes, also available on her site meatfreeketo.com.

Vegan Chili “Fish” Tacos With Hempseed Sour Cream

For the “fish”:

1 can hearts of palm, drained, rinsed, and chopped
2 tbsp tamari, soy sauce, or liquid aminos
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp Sriracha or chili paste
1 tbsp sesame oil

For the hempseed sour cream:

1 cup hulled hempseeds
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ cup water
pinch of salt

Fixings

Romaine lettuce boats for taco shells
About a ¼ cup shredded purple cabbage
1 scallion, chopped
kelp flakes to taste (optional)
juice of 1 lime

Directions

1. Add all hempseed sour cream ingredients to a blender and process until smooth. Add water if you want a smoother, creamier texture. Set aside.
2. Place a saucepan over low heat and pour in the sesame oil. Add the hearts of palm mixture from step 1 and sauté until everything is warm and the excess liquid is absorbed (about 5 minutes).
3. Let the hearts cool a bit and then assemble tacos by layering the hearts in the lettuce boats first, then the cabbage, sour cream, and scallions. Sprinkle kelp flakes on top (if desired) and finish with lime juice.

Servings: 2, Calories per serving: 215, Protein per serving: 11g, Carbs per serving: 4g, Fat per serving: 16g

Vegan Keto Protein Brownies

Ingredients

1 ½ cups warm water
½ cup peanut butter
¼ cup sugar substitute
2 scoops plant-based protein powder
¼ cup cocoa powder
2 tbsp coconut flour
2 tsp baking powder

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and coat a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray. In a bowl, combine the water, peanut butter, and sugar substitute.
2. In a separate bowl, sift together protein powder, cocoa, coconut flour, and baking powder.
3. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ones. A thick batter with a frosting-like texture will form.
4. Scoop the batter into the pan, smooth the surface, and bake 40–45 minutes (check that it’s done by inserting a knife; it should come out clean). Let cool before serving.

Servings: 8 brownies, Calories per serving: 157, Protein per serving: 12.5g, Carbs per serving: 4.2g, Fat per serving: 9g

Low-Carb Sandwich Bread (Soy-, Grain-, and Gluten-Free)

If going keto has you missing bread, this substitute offers much of the flavor and texture of real dough without the carbs or gluten.

Ingredients

½ cup psyllium husks
3 tbsp ground flax seed
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt (add up to 1 tsp if using unsalted peanut butter)
1 cup water
½ cup peanut butter (almond and sunflower seed butter work too)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add psyllium, ground flax seed, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl and whisk until thoroughly combined.
2. Add water to the mixture and continue whisking until all the water has been absorbed. Mix in peanut butter until the mixture forms a uniform dough.
3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop mounds of the dough onto the paper and flatten them into discs that are about a quarter-inch thick. Bake 60 minutes.

Servings: 4 rolls, Calories per serving: 252, Protein per serving: 9g, Carbs per serving: 4g, Fat per serving: 12.5g

When asked how much booze is OK to drink on a diet, most nutritionists sound like Mr. Mackey, the school counselor from South Park: “Alcohol is bad, m’kay. You shouldn’t drink alcohol, m’kay.” As booze carries a host of health risks and offers few real benefits for your waistline, it’s easy to write it off as an unnecessary addition to any diet. But, as with signs that say to shower before entering a public pool, some rules are just asking to be broken, and you’re probably going to drink from time to time anyway—no matter how badly you want to lose weight and get in shape. And who are we to try and stop you?

As booze tends to contain both alcohol and sugar, the question of where it can fit on a ketogenic (or other lower-carb) diet is a big one. After all, “going keto” means cutting carbs way down. But according to Dominic D’Agostino (ketonutrition.org), an assistant professor at the University of South Florida—and one of the world’s leading researchers on ketogenic diets—“If you avoid the kinds of alcohol that have higher carbs and consume other types in low to moderate quantities, you don’t need to totally cut it out.”

We’ll raise a glass to that.

Read on, and you’ll learn exactly how you can make booze a part of your pursuit for a better, fitter body on a low-carb eating plan.

The Expert’s Guide to Alcohol on The Ketogenic Diet

As we described in our guide to going keto, the original, medically-defined ketogenic diet stipulates that you get 75% of your total calories from fat, 20% from protein, and 5% from carbs. (A person following an average 2,000-calorie diet would then limit his/her carbs to around 25 grams per day.) This configuration causes your body to switch its main fuel source from carbs to ketones—molecules that are made from your stored body fat. When this happens, you are considered to be in a state of ketosis. At the same time, when the body needs carbs for energy, it learns to make them itself in a process called gluconeogenesis.

First used in modern medicine by physicians at Johns Hopkins Medical Center in the 1920s, the ketogenic diet was applied to help patients suffering from epilepsy, seizures, and other neurological issues. Since then, research has suggested that keto eating can also help increase mental focus and promote healthy weight loss—perhaps even better than a low-fat diet can. A ketogenic diet also helps your body’s cells become more sensitive to glucose, so your pancreas won’t have to work as hard to carry carbs into them.

The classic ketogenic diet, however, can feel very restrictive and is often hard to follow, especially for athletes and other active people who may need more carbs to fuel exercise and support recovery afterward. In that case, we like what’s called a Mod Keto approach that allows you to consume more carbohydrates than in the traditional ketogenic diet. With Mod Keto, you can get 40–60% of your calories from fat, 20–40% from protein, and 20% from carbs (100 grams for the 2,000-calorie dieter). Though you may not be able to maintain a state of ketosis on this plan, the carbs are low enough to keep you mentally sharp but also generous enough to provide fuel for intense workouts.

What To Know Before Drinking Alcohol on the Keto Diet

There’s no denying it: excessive alcohol consumption can jeopardize several processes in the body, whether you’re keto or not. Your liver recognizes booze as a poison and prioritizes ridding your system of it. While it’s doing that, it stops making ketones and puts the brakes on gluconeogenesis (more on this later). To add to the problem, if you choose sugary beverages, a single serving has the potential to kick you out of ketosis, or eat up most of your carb allowance for the day. Furthermore, an alcoholic beverage can add hundreds of empty calories to your intake. Multiply the effect of one such drink by three or four or more—as in a night of binge drinking—and you’ll easily turn your finely-tuned metabolic engine into a clunky old rust bucket. (For your reference, a study from the National Institute of Health defines binge drinking as consuming five or more alcoholic drinks in a single session.)

Of course, booze is bad for the brain, too. One of the reasons heavy drinking makes you stagger like you just ate a Francis Ngannou uppercut is that alcohol disrupts the cerebellum—the brain region responsible for balance and coordination. In his book Why We Sleep, University of California, Berkeley, professor Matthew Walker explains that even moderate drinking causes memory impairment. He cites a Sleep study that found that participants who consumed alcohol on the same day they performed a learning exercise forgot about 50% of what they’d learned afterward. Even those who had two nights of high-quality sleep between the exercise and their bout of drinking forgot roughly 40% of the information. Walker hypothesizes that alcohol interferes with the process of committing items from short-term to long-term memory, which usually takes place while we’re asleep.

Your Grandma probably swore by the slumber-promoting power of her evening cocktail, and maybe you do, too. But there’s a difference between short-term sedation and restful sleep. While it might make you feel drowsy at first, when the hooch wears off, you can experience a rebound effect that actually stimulates alertness. If you’ve ever woken up at 3 a.m. after a bender, now you know why. Another contributing factor: the hot and cold feelings that alcohol can induce by disrupting the hypothalamus, the area of your brain that modulates body temperature, and other parts of the endocrine system.

In the book, The Sleep Solution, Chris Winter, who has become the de facto “sleep doctor” for NBA, NFL, and other pro teams seeking a rest-related advantage, states that the biggest nighttime issue with drinking alcohol is the disruption it causes to REM sleep. Professor D’Agostino has felt it firsthand. “If I have more than 16 ounces of wine, it not only affects my REM sleep but also the deep restorative stages,” he says, “so I feel lethargic in the morning.”

And then there’s the hangover. Alcohol has a diuretic effect, meaning that it prompts your body to excrete more water. This is why you go to the bathroom twice as often during happy hour, and why you wake up with a dry throat the morning after. Unfortunately, at the same time your body is losing water, it’s losing electrolytes too, throwing off the fluid balance inside you. This can hurt your performance the next time you hit the gym or the trail.

On the bright side, alcohol does have some benefits if you resist the temptation to go overboard with it. Numerous studies have shown that consuming small daily quantities of red wine can help with blood pressure, inflammation markers, and perceived and actual stress levels. In an article published in the Journal of Cardiovascular Disease Research, the phytochemicals in plants known as polyphenols—particularly resveratrol, and quercetin, which are present in wine—were shown to promote heart health. “The positive effects of dry red wine are pretty well established,” says D’Agostino. “Since I started drinking four to 12 ounces each evening, my overall health numbers are the best they’ve ever been. My HDL cholesterol numbers have increased by 25–30% percent.”

More into beer? Then you’ll appreciate the ability of hops to help protect brain cells from oxidative damage, as the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry reported.

How Does Alcohol Affect Your Keto Diet?

When you drink, around 20% of the alcohol (aka ethanol) enters your bloodstream, where it goes on to affect the brain and other parts of the body. The remaining 80% goes to your small intestine and then to your liver. Once in the liver, the process of metabolizing alcohol into energy begins via an enzyme called nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). As NAD is also responsible for turning glucose into fuel, the liver temporarily stops glucose metabolism to deal with the alcohol.

“The liver is always going to prioritize metabolizing ethanol,” says Ben Greenfield, author of Beyond Training and host of the Ben Greenfield Fitness podcast. “That will occur over and above gluconeogenesis and utilizing glucose in the bloodstream.” At the same time, as mentioned earlier, fatty acids will stop being converted into ketones. These systems won’t get back on track until the alcohol is burned for fuel.

To add further complications, your body must deal with the waste products that drinking alcohol produces. When your liver breaks down ethanol, it results in acetaldehyde. The body sees this as a toxic threat and slows down fat metabolism further so that it can deal with the load, which it converts to acetyl CoA. At the same time, a buildup of acetaldehyde levels along with the release of NAD prompts the liver to produce new fatty acids. In other words, not only does drinking hurt your ability to burn fat, it encourages you to store more of it—a double whammy.

Now consider that your body can only convert acetaldehyde into 30 ml of acetyl CoA per hour. That’s the best case scenario, with half that amount being the low end of the range. A typical pint of beer (16 ounces) will make most people produce just under 23 ml of acetyl CoA, so drinking just one has the power to prevent your body from burning fat for an hour. If you start imbibing at dinner and continue until last call, you could produce enough acetyl CoA to disrupt fat metabolism for 9 to 12 hours afterward.

Alcohol and Workout Performance and Recovery

If you follow some form of a keto diet and you work out, you’ve got even more reason to cut back on booze. New Zealand’s Massey University has done numerous studies on how alcohol affects performance and recovery. It found that drinking can inhibit the protein synthesis necessary for muscle repair and growth, as well as delay injury healing. In an article on the school’s website, study author Matthew Barnes concluded, “If you’re [in the gym] to perform, you shouldn’t be drinking alcohol.”

There’s also evidence to suggest that alcohol can diminish muscle-building pathways triggered by strength training. A study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research concluded that, “Alcohol should not be ingested after RE [resistance exercise] as this ingestion could potentially hamper the desired muscular adaptations to RE by reducing anabolic signaling, at least in men.”

What Alcohol Can I Drink on a Ketogenic Diet?

Due to all the reasons listed above, alcohol intake should be minimized on any diet, and particularly on keto. But when you do drink, you can limit the damage by giving preference to the lowest-calorie and lowest-sugar beverages available. Below are some examples.

Hard liquor
This stuff is your best booze bet. Whiskey, rum, vodka, gin, brandy, and tequila have 0 grams of carbs and 95–105 calories per shot.

Dry white wine
Dry sparkling wines contain 1.3–3 grams carbs and 96–150 calories per five-ounce glass. Other dry whites also fare well, with Brut Cava (2.5 g carbs and 128 calories) and Champagne (2.8 g carbs and 147 calories) rounding out the podium, and Pinot Blanc not far behind (2.85 g carbs and 119 calories).

Dry red wine
Pinot noir, Merlot, Cabernet, and Syrah (Shiraz) have 3.4–3.8 grams of carbs per glass and around 120 calories.

Light (low-carb) and dark beer
While beer is one of the more carb-drenched booze choices out there, the lightest of the lightweight beers aren’t overly dangerous to a keto dieter. Budweiser Select 55™ contains under 2g carbs and 55 calories per 12 oz, and Miller 64™ has 2.4g carbs and 64 calories. Stouts and porters are higher in calories than most other beer options, but they also offer more health-boosting properties, so we don’t think you should exclude them on the weight of the numbers you see on their nutrition labels alone. Guinness Draught™ has 125 calories and 9.4g of carbs (of which only 0.8 grams are sugar), but also boasts high levels of flavonoids, which can help combat inflammation, lower oxidative stress, and reduce the oxygenation of cholesterol.

What Drinks Should I Avoid on a Ketogenic Diet?

The following drinks are known for packing a sugary punch. Indulge in them and you’ll swiftly kiss your ketogenic diet goodbye.

Any alcohol served with a soda, syrup, or fruit mixer
Sodas cram up to 50 grams of carbs in every 12 ounces. Cocktails made with syrups or artificial fruit can pack 20 grams per serving.

Regular beer
Some IPAs contain over 20 grams of carbs and more than 250 calories, and fruity beers can have more than 30 grams carbs and 300-plus calories.

Liqueur
Southern Comfort™ isn’t too bad with just 4.8 grams of carbs and 98 calories per serving. But Jägermeister™ (17g carbs and 154 calories), Kahlua™ (22g carbs, 137 calories), and amaretto (26g carbs, 165 calories) belong in the Hall of Shame.

Margaritas
The amount of tequila’s not the issue. The 100–175 calories and 30 grams of keto diet-busting carbs in the mix are.

Wine coolers
These pack a hefty 15–30 grams carbs and have between 200 and 250 calories.

After-dinner wines
Moscato™, port, and sherry contain up to 18 grams carbs and 75–100 calories per 3 ounces.

How Much Can I Drink On A Keto Diet?

It’s impossible to give a one-size-fits-all answer for how much booze you can drink while still staying keto. We’re all different, and, just as with other kinds of food and drink, alcohol rarely affects two people in exactly the same way. According to D’Agostino, your metabolic state before you start drinking—whether you’re fed, fasted, or semi-fasted—can also affect the degree to which ethanol impacts you.

To be on the safe side, it seems best to limit yourself to two drinks per night at the most. This allowance assumes you’re choosing from the What Alcohol Can I Drink on a Ketogenic Diet list, as these options will make it easier to stay in ketosis, or at least low-carb enough that you’ll avoid disrupting your hormone balance while also gaining the health benefits that alcoholic beverages can provide in moderation.

Remember that moderate drinking is not only tolerable to the body but also helpful. The University of California Irvine’s Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders evaluated the lifestyle habits of people who lived to be at least 90. Researchers concluded that those who drank lived longer than those who abstained. Furthermore, drinking up to two alcoholic beverages daily has been found to promote longevity. With that said, Greenfield, warns that going keto can, over time, make you a bit of a lightweight when you drink. “If you’re on a ketogenic diet and your primary source of glucose comes from gluconeogenesis,” says Greenfield, “you might have lower tolerance to alcohol, as your body processes it right away,” he says. When your glycogen stores are depleted, as they are on keto, alcohol gets metabolized much faster and therefore goes to your head much sooner. “And as you metabolize more of the alcohol, you’re going to be dealing with more acetaldehyde,” says Greenfield, “so if you drink too much you could experience a worse hangover.” If you used to guzzle drinks with reckless abandon, your new low-carb lifestyle might cause you to get tipsy on lesser amounts. One drink alone may be plenty for you, so don’t rely on your pre-keto limit as a guide.

If you want to get really scientific about your boozing, D’Agostino suggests buying an Abbot Precision Xtra™ monitor on Amazon.com or at a drugstore to measure your ketone and glucose levels before you start drinking and 30 minutes after you stop. “Then see how different kinds of alcohol and quantities affect you,” he says. “I found that 12 ounces of dry wine is the most I should have, and I often only have six ounces.”

It’s not just a question of what kind of booze you choose, how much you drink, or how high the alcohol by volume percentage is. Your rate of consumption is also important. Try to avoid downing your first drink in one go. As mentioned earlier, your body can take more than an hour to process the byproducts created by the liver when metabolizing even a small amount of alcohol, so if you can, sip slowly to give yourself a fighting chance of keeping up with the intake.

“The toxicity of alcohol is related to how fast you administer it,” D’Agostino says. “Once you start to feel buzzed, you’re beginning to experience the negative effects. That’s why I stick to a small amount spread out over several hours. Last night, I had a small glass of Merlot while I was preparing dinner and then a second one a couple of hours later. That had no affect on my glucose levels and a minimal impact on my ketones.”

A further consideration is exactly when you should drink. If you’re going to have a glass or two, it’s best to do it a few hours before bed—say, with dinner. The closer your alcohol consumption is to bedtime, the more it’s likely to mess with your sleep and overnight metabolism.

Are There Any Tricks That Would Allow Me To Drink More?

As alcohol is a diuretic, you’ve probably heard the recommendation to pound water before, during, and after drinking to offset the potential dehydration. Like alcohol consumption itself, drinking water is fine if done in moderation. Drinking too much fluid, however, will start flushing electrolytes (magnesium, potassium, and particularly sodium) out of your system, and that can make a hangover even worse. Stick to an eight to 12-ounce glass of water per serving of alcohol and include a pinch of sea salt. The salt contains trace minerals that aid in fluid retention.

Eating food will slow down the absorption of the alcohol, so try to combine your drinking with a main meal. Blood alcohol content can rocket up to three times higher if you don’t have any food in your system. Whereas if you eat just before or while drinking, peak alcohol concentration can be reduced by between 9 and 23%. Be sure you’re eating the right foods too. While a night of drinking can be part of a cheat meal that finds you eating carb foods as well, it’s smarter to stick to keto-friendly fare like meat and vegetables. D’Agostino says fat, protein, and fiber slow the absorption of alcohol and reduce the load it puts on your digestive system. A big meal may also help you feel more satiated, causing you to drink less.

There are exceptions, however. “Personally, I’ve found that a small glass of wine that’s been fermented for a longer period of time to lower the sugar content allows me to operate well on a low-carb diet,” says Greenfield. “I do this particularly when my liver’s glycogen stores are low, which would be when I’m in a fasted state or post-workout. So I break the rules and drink on an empty stomach. I usually have a small glass of wine from Dry Farm Wines or FitVine Wines at 7:30 or 8 p.m. after I’ve exercised and before I eat dinner.” If he’s drinking liquor, Greenfield uses club soda as a low-carb mixer.

Even if you do overdo it at the bar, don’t panic. There’s a simple prescription for getting back on track. “Just drink a couple of glasses of water and go for a brisk walk,” says D’Agostino. “This way you’ll combat the dehydration and increase your circulation and metabolism, which will enable you to clear out the alcohol and get back into ketosis.”

But when you’re assaulted by all these different choices, what are you supposed to choose?

The answer, unfortunately, is not cut and dry unless you’re like 40% of the US population and have difficulty swallowing pills. Then the choice is easy – get powdered versions of your favorite supplements and drink them down! (Or break open the capsules and tip them in your drink).

But it is entirely possible, if not easy to pick something that works best for you. I’ll help you with a bit of a checklist.

Capsules

Most people prefer capsules thanks to their convenience.

Transportable

Capsules are easier to drag around to the gym with you, to your work, or wherever you need it. Since everything you need is contained with a small protective shell, you can just toss it in a pill organizer or small, dark, air-tight container and take it with you. You can’t do that with powder. You’ll either have to find a big enough container or you’ll have to take the whole tub with you. If you’ve got a couple of powdered supplements, have fun explaining why your desk looks like a GNC to everyone that walks by it. But you can pack a bunch of supplements in a small, airtight container and take it with you wherever you need to go.

Capsules Play Nice Together

Most powders come with some sort of taste (or else why would you take them?). But mixing Melon and Natural Spice might not elicit the taste you’re looking for. But a handful of supplements is different. There’s no need to worry about what sort of demonic taste you’ll create when you mix them all together because supplements are virtually tasteless. Just drink ’em down with some water, have some food if the directions say so, and move on your merry way.

Delayed Release

We’re not all like Veruca Salt. There are times when it’s worth the wait. Like if you’re taking a pre-workout and you’ve got a delicate stomach. Having a capsule is like ingesting a friendly time bomb. Once the capsule dissolves, the contents are released and are absorbed. It’s just a matter of time.

Powders

As I mentioned earlier, there was a study done by Harris Interactive. They found that 40% of Americans had difficulty swallowing capsules. It’s pretty understandable when you know the mechanism behind it.

We need food to function. Food is fuel and all that. We, however, do not need rocks. Or tiny things that do not look like food (or so our brain tells us). Many people have a hard time with capsules simply because their brain disagrees with the purpose of capsules. Your brain is fine with it being spat out or staying in your mouth, but it has absolutely closed the gate to the stomach. If you’re one of those people, then powders need to be your weapon of choice. If not, then consider these other reasons.

Concentration

Capsules need to be small so people don’t choke on them. That’s 100% reasonable. But it’s also why whey protein doesn’t come in a capsule. You just can’t cram that much into a tiny capsule. Does that mean they’re ineffective? Not necessarily. You don’t need giant scoops of supplements for them to work. Most supplements and vitamins can have an effective dose encapsulated in the given space. But there are certain products (like protein supplements) that require too large of a serving to fit in a capsule.

Quicker Absorption

Veruca Salt would want powders. Well, she’d probably want ready-to-drink supplements, but if she had to choose between capsules and powders, the choice is obvious.

Vitamin capsules just aren’t built for instant results. They’re designed to work their way through your system before they start getting absorbed. Powdered supplements, however, don’t have a barrier. The only barrier is your mouth. So just add water, drink it down, and your body begins absorbing it right away – which leads to quicker benefits.

Taste

There’s a lot to be said for taste.

It’s not always a good thing – taste. For instance, krill oil. There’s absolutely no way you can make me take liquid krill oil. But a capsule? By all means, hand it over.

Capsules are tasteless by nature, but you can have all sorts of fun with powders. Chocolate, chai, peach…whatever you want. If something is delicious, you’re more likely to drink it. If you’re more likely to drink it, you’re more likely to remember to take it. And if you manage to create a habit, you’re more liable to start seeing results thanks to your consistency. It can be difficult to remember to take a capsule because you’re not really looking forward to it. A frothy Matcha Chai sure beats a green tea capsule.

In the end, there’s not really a wrong choice as long as you choose your supplement based on what you need.

Before we go any further: if you’re here because of a typo in your Google search, and you really wanted to read about a fizzy soft drink, click the back button and try again.

However, if in fact you want to read about the digestive enzyme pepsin, you’re in the right place. And while it’s perhaps not quite as exciting as Pepsi, pepsin is pretty important—especially if you eat a lot of protein in hopes of building muscle and/or losing fat.

What Is Pepsin?

Pepsin is an enzyme in the stomach that helps break down the protein in your food for digestion. Specifically, it acts on the proteins in meat, eggs, dairy products, nuts, and seeds. It is the first enzyme to attack protein in a group of enzymes known as proteases (you’ll often see this term on digestion supplement labels). Pepsin was the first enzyme to be discovered, and was named by the German physiologist Theodor Schwann—the man who recognized the cell as the most basic unit of animal structure.

Here’s how pepsin works¦

Glands in your stomach lining make a protein called pepsinogen. If there is a sufficiently acidic environment (between 1.5 and 3 on the pH scale), the vagus nerve, along with hormone secretions, stimulate the release of pepsinogen into the stomach. Pepsinogen then mixes with hydrochloric acid (stomach acid) and converts to pepsin. Pepsin breaks down the proteins in whatever foods are in your stomach into smaller units called peptides, which are then absorbed by the small intestine. In the intestine, other proteases continue to break the peptides down further into amino acids that your body can use to build new proteins for itself, or to burn for fuel.

Sometimes pepsin can flow backward from the stomach to the esophagus, resulting in acid reflux conditions. For this reason, traces of pepsin in the esophagus can help doctors diagnose reflux events. Drug companies sell products that are intended to inhibit gastric secretion to provide relief; one such product, Pepcid AC®, derives its name from pepsin.

Pepsin can be taken as a supplement to help with digestion. Commercial pepsin is derived from the stomachs of pigs. Due to its acidic nature, pepsin is also used to remove hair and other tissues from animal hides before they are tanned, as well as shells and scales from seafood.

What are the Benefits of Pepsin?

Pepsin does to protein in your food what a six year-old child does to a LEGO building—it dismantles it into smaller pieces. Those pieces can then be absorbed easily by the small intestine.

Pepsin is also responsible for killing bacteria in the stomach and separating vitamin B12 from protein so that the vitamin can be properly utilized. In 2015, Chinese researchers proposed that pepsin may help us digest nucleic acids—components of DNA and RNA that are essential to virtually every aspect of health, from the immune system to muscle growth. This finding suggests that pepsin’s role in nutrient breakdown is greater than previously thought.

Why Take a Pepsin Supplement?

Digestive enzymes can become diluted for a number of reasons, and, as a study in Oncotarget noted, they tend to diminish further as we get older. If the pH of your gut rises, your stomach won’t be able to release sufficient pepsin. Without the enzyme that breaks it down, the body can’t process protein optimally. Therefore, taking a supplement that contains pepsin may be helpful.

Pepsin can be taken alone, paired with an HCl supplement (betaine hydrochloride), or as part of a digestive enzyme blend. Some protein powders are also blended with pepsin and other enzymes to aid the protein’s absorption.

Pepsin For Bodybuilding

If you’re eating extra protein in an effort to put on muscle mass, or to retain muscle while you diet off fat, pepsin can help ensure that the protein you consume gets utilized properly. “While there is no clinical evidence linking pepsin supplementation to muscle building, clients with [digestive problems] often report good results when they start taking a digestive enzyme,” says Marc Bubbs, ND, CISSN, performance nutritionist for the Canadian men’s basketball team and author of the book Peak. “It may lead to restoration of appetite and consumption of the required amount of protein and calories to achieve hypertrophy.”

Another way to boost protein assimilation is to watch what you’re eating. Research published in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition notes that, “Legumes, cereals, potatoes and tomatoes contain inhibitors that reduce protein digestibility by blocking trypsin, pepsin and other gut proteases.” So, if you want to ensure that one component of your meal isn’t sabotaging another, you may need to limit your consumption of these foods when eating protein sources like meat, dairy, and fish. (Thorough cooking can also reduce the inhibitors in foods like beans and potatoes.)

While pepsin doesn’t exist in food, you may be able to boost your body’s own production of it by eating more protein- and fat-rich foods. Research in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that high-fat/keto diets may produce greater amounts of pepsin.

Having a healthy gut is not only important for optimal digestion and nutrient absorption, but there is also growing evidence that a balanced gut can support the body’s immune system too.

Enter your new best friend: Saccharomyces boulardii.

What to Know about Saccharomyces Boulardii: Benefits & Uses

What Is Saccharomyces Boulardii?

While its name may be intimidating, don’t worry—Saccharomyces boulardii (pronounced “sack-car-oh-my-sees boo-lard-dee”) is not a new type of dinosaur. Rather, it’s a gut-friendly yeast that functions as a probiotic. Also known commercially as Florastor (as in gut flora), this yeast acts similarly to how the good bacteria in our body does; it neutralizes bad bacteria—pathogens that can wreak havoc in the gastrointestinal tract.

“Probiotics in general are the friendly organisms, usually belonging to various bacterial strains,” says Shannon Ehrhardt, R.D., an EXOS Performance Dietician. “Saccharomyces Boulardii is a probiotic, but, unlike its bacterial counterparts, it’s actually a yeast. S. boulardii can be very beneficial for overall gut health, helping to maintain a healthy balance of good and bad microorganisms.”

Problems with the intestinal barrier can be linked to health issues within the GI tract. The digestive system is the first line of defense for the immune system, so having healthy gut flora helps keep harmful bacteria from getting into our bloodstream.

What Are The Benefits of Saccharomyces Boulardii?

Much like your best friend that hates your boyfriend but supports you anyway, S. boulardii can help you put up with a lot of shit. No, really, S. boulardii has been used for the last 30 years to support the gastrointestinal tract by helping protect the gastrointestinal barrier, which has the effect of making you more, er, regular.

For example, when taking antibiotics, digestive complications such as loose, watery stool can occur as the antibodies work to rid the body of bad bacteria. Unfortunately, this takes the good bacteria along with it. S. Boulardii has been shown to aid the body’s ability to control its normal eliminations.

Similarly, uncomfortable and irregular bowel complications can occur when traveling, especially to foreign countries. When consumption of strange or unusual foods or drinks that your body is not used to occurs during travel, S. boulardii administration has shown positive results.

S. boulardii supports the protection of the intestinal lining from harmful bacteria. It promotes a healthy immune system and the continued function of the gastrointestinal barrier, as well as aids digestive enzymes for nutrient absorption and digestion.

What Foods Have S. Boulardii?

When initially discovered, S. boulardii was found to be in the fruits mangosteen and lychee. In 1920, French scientist Henry Boulard noticed that natives of IndoChina were using these plants by drinking the tea made from the fruit skins. He was later able to isolate S. boulardii (named for Boulard, if you hadn’t figured it out already) from these fruits, giving rise to its use in supplementation.

Outside of these foods, S. boulardii is hard to find in natural substances and is therefore most commonly consumed through over-the counter supplements (it’s included in Onnit’s Total GUT HEALTH™).

“With Total GUT HEALTH™, you not only have probiotics, but prebiotics as well, and betaine HCL—which promotes an optimal acidity level in the stomach,” says Ehrhardt. “It’s kind of a one-stop shop for everything your gut might need.”

It’s a good idea to actively include other probiotics in your diet alongside S. boulardii. You can get probiotic bacteria from kefir, sauerkraut, yogurt, miso, kombucha, and kimchi.

Can S. Boulardii cause bloating?

Some users have reported an increase of gas and bloating after taking S. boulardii. Otherwise, it is known to be safe for use in healthy individuals. Those with compromised immune systems should take caution and consult with a doctor before taking S. boulardii because, being a yeast, it comes from the fungus species and can lead to the presence of yeast in the blood.

How long does S. Boulardii take to work?

When taking S. Boulardii via capsule, the release of the yeast cells will occur within 30 minutes. The cells settle in the gut over about three days but will be absent from the system within roughly five days, according to the Denver Naturopathic Clinic. As S. boulardii is nonsystemic, it does not travel outside of the GI tract to the rest of the body.

I would like to begin by saying that I don’t recommend that anyone should follow this way of eating for more than two weeks. As an athlete, you will not continue to see results with this kind of extreme eating.

These dietary suggestions are mainly for MMA fighters and boxers that need to drop 10-15 pounds in order to make weight. I don’t ever suggest that you should wait until the last minute to drop a bunch of weight because it’s not always safe and the weight can easily come right back.

People will, however, try anything, even when they know the dangers. Trust me, I’ve heard it all. Some people have told me that they essentially starved themselves for two weeks, some just drank lemon water with cayenne pepper, while others only ate protein.

All of these can be very dangerous. I would never design a nutrition program like that for anyone because it is not a lifestyle, it’s a temporary way to lose weight that will spare as much muscle as possible.

The reality is, when you go on an extreme diet and lose weight quickly, you will lose muscle along with the fat.

While you are dropping weight quickly, you will need to cut down on your training significantly, otherwise this will not work. When you drastically reduce your calorie intake, your training can suffer since you won’t be properly fueled for grueling workouts.

Use this time to train lightly while focusing on the easiest way to shed the weight. Keep in mind that the first few pounds that come off will most likely be water weight; the rest will be fat and some muscle.

For the next two weeks, focus most of your meals on high-quality, lean protein such as fish, chicken, turkey, eggs, or Greek yogurt. Because you need to reduce calories, you will need to go for the lower fat items.

Rather than 3 whole eggs, take out at least 2 of the yolks in order to lower the calorie content. Since MMA fighters, along with most people, live on the go and don’t always have time to cook, protein powders are allowed but should only be used right before or after a workout session.

Stock Up On Lots Of Vegetables

Reaching for the higher fiber content vegetables will allow you to feel fuller and more satisfied for a longer period of time. Always having vegetables on hand is an amazing way to keep your hunger at bay between meals.

For this plan, you will want to make sure that you are not stocking up on the starchy vegetables, but focusing more on eating the highly fibrous ones; i.e. cucumbers, spinach, celery, red peppers, asparagus, broccoli, zucchini and cabbage.

A few other things to keep in mind:

You will want to make sure to eat a small amount of fat. You can take a fish oil or a DHA supplement throughout this period. In the sample meal plan, I will include some natural, healthy fat sources that won’t hinder your weight loss.

Fat will be the one thing that you really want to measure out on this program. When eating lots of salads, it’s very easy to pile on the oils which can cause weight gain.

It’s important to measure portions throughout your two-week diet.

Water is Also Going to be Essential For You

When reducing your carbohydrates to this low amount, you will lose a lot of water as well as important electrolytes. Drinking clean water on a regular basis is mandatory.

You can add fresh squeezed lemon or just a touch of pink salt to each liter in order to add back the magnesium you are losing. You can add some pink salt (lightly) to your vegetables as well, but not too much.

I am a huge fan of fruit because they contain so many vitamins and minerals. For this particular diet, however, you will not be eating them very often. Fruit will primarily be your sugar source right before and/or after a workout. THAT WILL BE IT!

If you feel that you are going to fall off the wagon and develop a crazy sweet tooth, then I suggest that you eat apples, pears, and bananas as opposed to ice cream or cookies, but remember this is for only two weeks. Suck it up and you will get your reward during or after your event.

Depending on your starting weight and how much you have to lose, you can tailor these ideas so that they fit your specific goals. If you are a very large male, then you may need much more than what I’ve written down here.

On the other hand, if you are a tiny female, then you may need only half as much. Here is a sample day with a scheduled morning workout.

The Fighter Diet Plan

Wake Up
16oz Water with Lemon

Breakfast (Pre-Workout)
Green Protein Smoothie
1-2 cups Spinach, 1 banana, 1 serving of Grass Fed Whey, Sprouted Brown Rice or Pea protein powder, blended with ice and water)
1 teaspoon of Fish Oil taken separately (or 2 capsules of krill oil)

Post Workout
Organic Plain Nonfat Greek Yogurt
2 Tbs of Chopped Walnuts
1/2 cup Organic Blueberries

Lunch
Large Green Salad made up of 1 cup Baby Romaine, 1 cup of Spinach, 1 cup of Cabbage topped with Cucumbers, Tomatoes, Mushrooms
Protein can be mixed in. 1 Can of Wild River Tuna. Just tossed with vinegar, mustard, green onions and celery.
Dressing for salad can be LIGHTLY tossed with Olive Oil, lemon, and vinegar.

Snack
1-2 Red Peppers and 1 Sliced Cucumber
3 Hard Boiled eggs with 1 yolk

Dinner
1 bunch of Grilled Asparagus and Zucchini lightly tossed in Olive Oil and Himalayan Pink Salt
3-4 oz of Organic Chicken or Turkey grilled, baked, or slow cooked.
1/2 cup Organic Low Sodium black beans topped with Pico De Gallo

Evening Snack (Only if hungry)
2oz of Organic Chicken or Turkey
Sliced cucumbers and celery

Keep in mind that you can get as creative as you’d like with this program. Always remember to drink fresh water throughout the day. If you end up doing a very hard workout while on this diet, then you might want to sip on coconut water.

Stick to the main concept of low starchy carbohydrates, lots of vegetables, and lean proteins, along with some fruit and small amounts of healthy fat, and you will see amazing results. If you do try this program, I’d love to hear how it goes for you.

Good luck and stay focused!

The Ingredients of Total Human Optimization: A Guide To Vitamins

While TPC was an instant success and has been embraced by many professional athletes, we knew we could do even better. We listened to our customers and followed the emerging science on micronutrition. For one thing, we discovered that the spirulina tablets we included in the TPC day pack had a tendency to get crushed in transit, showing up as messy crumbs when users opened the packet. For another, the research showing how widespread vitamin D deficiency is, and how detrimental that can be, was a wake-up call that we needed to pump up the dosage. The CDC reports that 23 million Americans have a “severe” vitamin D deficiency, with African-Americans and Mexican-Americans carrying the highest risk.

In response, we replaced the spirulina tablets with capsules (and changed to a certified organic source). We also upped the vitamin D content by almost four times and, recognizing the importance of getting more B vitamins in the diet, added an entire B complex for its energy- and cognitive-supporting power.†

With all these changes, it was clear that Total Primate Care had evolved into something greater, so we’re now reintroducing it as a new, improved product we call Total Human® (available now). It covers all the micronutrition bases that made TPC a staple in our athletes’ diets, plus the aforementioned additions.

If you haven’t tried our formulas yet, or you’re skeptical about how they can help optimize you, let this guide answer all your questions about vitamins and minerals and other little-known nutrients that can make a huge difference in how you feel, think, and perform.

The Easiest Way To Get Optimized

There’s no shortage of options for vitamins and supplements, but which ones do you need?

Total Human® is a complete re-imagining of the daily multivitamin, combining many of our best-in-class formulas into a simple & effective all-in-one product.

Not simply one pill, Total Human® is a dense, rich dose of a myriad of Earth-grown nutrients and clinically-studied ingredients specifically balanced to support the brain, mood, energy, bones, immune system, joint health, and more.†

These formulas come in convenient day and night packs, each aimed at building you up while you work, and working while you sleep.†

There’s no easier way to get optimized. Click here to Try Total Human® Today.

What’s The Difference Between Vitamins and Minerals?

Vitamins are the micronutrients you get from animal and plant sources. These include A, C, D, E, K, and the various B vitamins. Minerals come from soil and water and include calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, and many others. Both vitamins and minerals are essential to good health and athletic performance.

There are two types of vitamins: fat-soluble and water-soluble. Fat-soluble vitamins, including A, D, E, and K, dissolve in fat. That means that they’ll be soaked up by your fat cells and stored when you consume them. Water-soluble vitamins (the B vitamins and vitamin C) need to dissolve in water before your body can absorb them. They can’t be stored, and, as a result, you need to consume more of them. In a similar way, your body needs more of some types of minerals than it does others. Its demand for calcium is high, while copper, iodine, selenium, and zinc, for example, are known as trace minerals because you only need small amounts daily.

What Do Vitamins and Minerals Do?

Both types of nutrients play multiple roles in supporting growth and development and helping the body’s cells function properly. Here’s a quick (and only partial) rundown of what the most popular vitamins and minerals do.

Vitamin A. An essential component of a protein that absorbs light in the retina, it’s crucial for vision.

B vitamins. There are eight of them in all, including thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, and folate. B vitamins promote energy and help support memory, skin health, and a positive mood. A study in Human Psychopharmacology found that taking B vitamins significantly decreased subjects’ feelings of stress in the workplace after 90 days, causing the researchers to suggest Bs as a cost-effective treatment for job-related strain.

Vitamin C. Necessary for protein metabolism and the creation of collagen, C is a major factor in healing wounds. An antioxidant, it fights free radicals and helps regenerate other antioxidants within the body.

Vitamin D. Helps promote immune and heart health as well as regulate mood. D also increases the body’s ability to utilize other minerals, such as calcium.

Vitamin E. A powerful antioxidant, it helps with immune function and metabolism.

Vitamin K. Helps regulate blood clotting, so wounds stop bleeding and can begin to heal.

Calcium. You already know it helps fortify bones and teeth, but calcium also lets your muscles contract and aids in the secretion of hormones like insulin.

Iron. Helps red blood cells carry oxygen around the body, supporting energy levels.

Magnesium. More than 300 different metabolic reactions depend on magnesium, including the body’s ability to burn carbs and fat for energy. Similar to calcium, it can promote bone mineral density.

Phosphorus. Every cell in the body needs phosphorus to function. It helps filter waste out of the kidneys and manages energy.

Potassium. Helps maintain fluid balance in the blood and muscles; supports muscle, heart, and nervous system functions.

Zinc. Your sense of taste and smell rely on it.

Can’t I Get The Nutrients I Need Through Food?

Eating a balanced diet with animal foods, vegetables, fruits, and whole grains will supply the lion’s share of vitamins and minerals you need. For this reason, some pundits have argued that multivitamins are a waste of money. Eat well, they say, and your micronutrient requirements are covered.

The trouble is, however, that most people don’t eat well. Especially kids, and their poor eating habits can not only make them perform worse in school but also be more disruptive. A California State University study supplied a group of schoolchildren with a multivitamin supplement and tracked their behavior for four months. Ultimately, the kids’ whose diets were bolstered by the extra vitamins and minerals exhibited less “antisocial behavior”—that is, less fighting, cursing, vandalism, and other offensive conduct.†

And how about multivitamins helping them think better too? The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine revealed that supplementation could dramatically raise “the non-verbal intelligence” of some school kids, “presumably because they were too poorly nourished before supplementation for optimal brain function.”†

While it’s true that major vitamin and mineral deficiencies (to the point where diseases result) are hard to come by in developed nations like the U.S., recent research indicates that the vast majority of us still aren’t getting enough of what we need. A 2016 article in the Journal of Family Practice states that more than 90% of Americans don’t get adequate amounts of at least one vitamin or mineral in their diets. This can be due to lack of access to certain foods or avoidance of such foods for cultural reasons. As a result, the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services and of Agriculture note that dietary supplements “may be useful in providing one or more nutrients that otherwise may be consumed in less than recommended amounts or that are of particular concern for specific population groups.”

Furthermore, a study in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition showed that, when subjects combined a good diet with a multivitamin, they were more likely to meet their minimum vitamin and mineral requirements.

Nevertheless, there’s a persistent myth that multivitamins don’t get absorbed—you just pee them right out. First of all, this could only be true of water-soluble vitamins, not those that are stored in fat. Secondly, pissing out good nutrition will only happen when your body senses an excess of vitamins and minerals. Unless you have some serious gut health issues that prevent absorption, your body will take in most of what you consume if you need it—food or supplement. “Multi-vitamins work as a great catch-all,” says Carla Nowicki, R.D., an Austin, Texas-based dietitian and owner of Pursuit Nutrition. “It is hard to track all the trace amounts that each individual needs, so a multi-vitamin will make sure you are covered.”

Which vitamins and minerals am I not getting enough of?

Research consistently shows that Americans have trouble meeting their requirements for the following.

B vitamins. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 30 million Americans have a B6 deficiency, and African Americans are at a particularly high risk. Furthermore, data from Tufts University shows that 40% of people aged 26 to 83 have B12 levels that are on the low end of normal—bad enough that they may exhibit lack of focus. Aside from assisting with feelings of alertness, B12 is thought to protect the sheaths that cover nerves.† So failing to maintain B12 levels is like neglecting to maintain electrical wires—they’ll fray, and the signals they carry won’t get relayed efficiently.

If you follow a plant-based diet, you’ll almost certainly need to supplement with B vitamins, as they’re not available outside of animal foods. A review of 40 studies in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that as much as 86.5% of vegetarians—and even more vegans—were at risk for B vitamin deficiency.

Calcium. Studies show that teenagers tend to replace milk in their diets with soda, leading to a lower calcium intake that can hinder their overall development. As for grownups, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) indicates that the average dietary calcium intake for both men and women is likely several hundred milligrams below the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA).

Vitamin D. Yes, your body can make its own when you’re exposed to sunlight, but it’s not as easy as a day at the beach. Atmospheric conditions (like cloudy days) and geographical location can filter out much of the sun’s rays—not to mention any clothing or sunblock you wear. This is one vitamin where it seems better to err on the side of more rather than less. A 2014 study from the University of Alberta concluded that the current Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for vitamin D, 600IUs daily, was not enough to support bone and immune health. Researchers go on to suggest that more than 10 times that amount may be necessary to provide the benefits that D is touted for.

Iodine. In 2012, the journal Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology reported that iodine requirements increase 50% during pregnancy. Failure to take in more can actually cause a woman’s baby to be born dumber. Say the paper’s authors: “Two meta-analyses have estimated that iodine-deficient populations experience a mean reduction in IQ of 12–13.5 points.” Meanwhile, the CDC says that one-third of pregnant women in the U.S. are borderline iodine deficient. In addition, according to the Linus Pauling Institute, a non-profit research center at Oregon State University, iodine intake has been decreasing in recent years.

Iron. Females are again at the greatest risk. The CDC claims 7.5 million women ages 12 to 49 have low iron (African- and Mexican-Americans are again the most susceptible among them).

Magnesium. In developed nations, deficiency of magnesium is more common than a deficiency of any other vitamin or mineral, with the exception of vitamin D. Though the RDA is 400–420mg/day for men and 310–320mg/day for women, NHANES found that Americans’ average magnesium intake is much lower—350mg for men and 260mg for women. Older people (age 50+) exhibited even worse numbers.

The problem is how Americans eat. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) states that “The diets of most people in the United States provide less than the recommended amounts of magnesium.” People fill up on grains, and while bran flakes and other cereals come up on lists of foods that are magnesium-rich, the magnesium they offer is poorly absorbed by the body.

According to the NIH, other health factors can drain your magnesium levels as well, such as gastrointestinal problems or being very overweight. Low magnesium can exacerbate these troubles further, as too little magnesium is bad for blood pressure and insulin sensitivity.

One of the main reasons otherwise healthy people can come up short on certain vitamins and minerals is because of activity levels. People who weight train and play sports burn through nutrition more quickly than sedentary people do, so if that sounds like you, it’s likely that your micronutrition needs aren’t being completely met, even by your healthy diet. The government’s 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggest that dairy, fruit, and vegetable intake is suboptimal among the populace, and that athletes in particular may be under-consuming vitamins A and C, along with calcium, iron, and zinc.

Is It Dangerous to Take Vitamins and Minerals?

Scientists have established upper limits for micronutrients, and consuming greater amounts has been shown to have adverse effects, but mainly in special populations. According to the National Institutes of Health, smokers should avoid multivitamins that provide a large amount of vitamin A or beta-carotene, as they may increase the risk of lung cancer (remember, this is in people who already smoke cigarettes). Additionally, pregnant adult women who exceed the 10,000 IU/day upper limit for vitamin A may put their babies at increased risk for birth defects.

In 2017, there was a scare over B vitamins and lung cancer when Ohio State University claimed a link between B6 and B12 and an increased risk for the disease. Again, as with the vitamin A report, the subjects were smokers, between the ages of 50 and 76, and taking huge amounts—20mg of B6 and 55 micrograms of B12 (the RDA is only 1.3mg and 2.4 micrograms, respectively). Interestingly, the risk of cancer was not found to increase among the women studied.

The study’s head researcher, Theodore Brasky, summed up the findings by saying, “If they are men and they are smoking and taking B vitamin supplements, they really need to quit smoking. Smoking is the number one cause of lung cancer.” It’s also worth noting that a study by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) found that people—including smokers—who had high levels of B6 and the amino acid methionine in their blood for five years were at a 60% less risk of getting lung cancer. Methionine is common in lean meats such as chicken breast.

Finally, excessive iron (greater than 20mg per kilogram of body weight) has proved to be problematic, leading to stomach trouble, especially if taken without food. It can also interfere with zinc absorption.

Taking medication can also change your tolerance for certain vitamins and minerals, so if you’re on drugs, speak with your doctor before adding any supplements to your diet.

But a greater health concern than getting too much of a micronutrient (or even too little) may be where that micronutrient came from. To save on costs, many multivitamin sellers source their products from China, where pollution is a major public health problem. As The Epoch Times reported in 2014, “Vitamins and nutritional supplements usually use agricultural products as key raw materials. The top vitamin exporting province, Zhejiang, has an alarming level of soil pollution from heavy metal. As matter of fact, one-sixth of China’s farmlands are heavily polluted.” To make matters worse, only two percent of imported vitamin supplements are inspected.

The best way to ensure that you get a safe, quality multivitamin is to choose one that has been third-party tested. “That’s the only guarantee that what the label says is in the bottle is actually what you’re getting,” and that the ingredients are pure, says Shannon Ehrhardt, R.D., a performance dietitian with EXOS (Onnit’s partner in performance nutrition).

Products that bear the NSF or USP seal have been manufactured in a GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) facility. If you’re a college or pro athlete, you should supplement with products that have also been deemed free of any banned substances—the type that can ruin a career if they turn up on a drug test. “NSF Certified for Sport, Banned Substance Control Group (BSCG), and Informed Choice are three companies that have a respected reputation in this part of the supplement world,” says Ehrhardt. “I won’t even give something as simple as B vitamins or vitamin C to my athletes unless it has one of those three stamps of approval.”

Does the Type of Vitamin Matter?

Not all vitamins are created equal. Your body will absorb some forms better than others. A study in the International Journal of Clinical Pharmacology found that benfotiamine—a type of B1—assimilated best inside the body, peaking B1 levels five times more than other B derivatives, and its bioavailability was more than 3.5 times greater.† In general, you’ll also want your multi to include B vitamins that are methylated. A 2013 review showed that methylated folate (B9), which is how folate appears in nature, is more readily absorbed. And when it comes to vitamin D, the D3 vitamin is the best choice, as it’s the same kind your skin synthesizes with sunlight.

The delivery mechanism you choose for your multivitamin also affects its potency. These days the options range from capsules and tablets that you swallow to tabs you can chew and liquid shots that you drink. Capsules typically absorb well, have a long shelf life, and contain the greatest amounts of the nutrition they purport to. Tablets are usually a good option too, but they can break during travel, leaving a messy powder that makes consumption more difficult. According to Carla Nowicki, there’s a simple at-home test you can put your tablets through to see if they work well: drop them in water. They should dissolve in eight hours. “If they don’t dissolve and they sink to the bottom of your glass,” says Nowicki, “they probably won’t be absorbed as easily.”

Chewable tablets and liquid vitamin cocktails may taste good, but the extra ingredients manufacturers need to add to make them palatable (sugar, artificial flavorings) dilutes the amount of micronutrition that can go into them. These products typically won’t include chromium, magnesium, selenium, or zinc either, as their flavors are hard to mask.

Gummy vitamins can be alluring because they seem like candy, and they basically are. (Nature Made Gummy Vitamin C contains two grams of sugar per serving.) But according to ConsumerLab.com, a group that conducts independent testing of consumer health products, most gummies simply can’t be trusted. In tests conducted on 50 different multivitamins, 80% of the gummies did not meet dietary supplement standards. Furthermore, 12 of the products contained as little as 24% of the micronutrients that were advertised, and, simultaneously, a frightening 157% more than promised.

When Should I Take a Multivitamin?

Some vitamins and minerals benefit you more at one time than at another. For instance, you should take calcium before bed. The Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand showed that supplementation with calcium before bed helped reduce markers of bone loss compared to supplementation at breakfast.† To help with sleep itself, magnesium can be helpful. A 2012 study showed that, taken before bed, it helped increase sleep time and efficiency.†

B vitamins, on the other hand, will be most beneficial during the day. “They help convert the carbs and fat you eat into energy,” says Shannon Ehrhardt, so take them before or with a meal. In general, because vitamins A, D, E, and K are fat-soluble, you’ll get better absorption of them if you take them with a fat-rich meal.

There are also less than ideal times to take certain micronutrients. Calcium can compete for absorption with strontium—another bone-friendly mineral—so it’s best to take those separately. The same goes for calcium and iron, says Ehrhardt.

What Else Do I Need To Be Optimized?

A good multivitamin will cover the most essential micronutrients you need to feel and perform at your best, but there are a handful of compounds that most brands don’t include that we like to take along with multis for extra credit. Below are our favorites.

Ashwagandha. A review in the Journal of Biological Sciences concluded that this diverse Indian herb may assist with endurance, immune function, mood, memory, and stress relief.†

Astralagus. This Chinese herb, popular in traditional therapies, supports immune health and regulating inflammatory responses.†

Chaga. A 2015 study indicates that this mushroom may help support a strong immune system.†

Cordyceps. Another mushroom, cordyceps was shown in a 2016 study to increase time to exhaustion in cyclists (by about 28 seconds).† It also seems to promote normal immune function.†

Krill oil. Virtually everyone is aware that fish oil is beneficial, but krill oil may be the better investment. The journal Lipids found that considerably smaller doses of krill oil had the same positive effect on cellular health, while a 2013 trial discovered that it boosted omega-3 fats to a greater degree.†

Strontium. Calcium gets all the glory for bone health but strontium deserves credit too. Though it’s a mineral like calcium, most multis don’t include it. If you’re an older individual, or you participate in high-impact sports, you may want to make a point of including strontium. The New England Journal of Medicine showed that strontium supplementation demonstrated a remarkable decrease in bone damage risk—41% after three years.†

The Better Than a Multivitamin

Most “all-in-one” supplements just don’t cut it. They aren’t targeting specific systems, and the inclusion of vitamins and minerals are often at bare minimum levels. There is not one single “magic pill” you can take that could possibly provide your body with optimum support, and if recommended daily allowances were all you needed, most everyone would be thriving. That is part of why recent reports have come out saying “multivitamins don’t work.”

That’s also why Total Human® was created to be a rich collection of high-quality nutrients, each purpose-driven to provide a tide of benefits to support your body, mind, joint health, immune system, energy, mood, and other aspects of your well-being.†

Believe it or not, rice protein powder can deliver the same gains as whey, when taken in adequate amounts and complemented with other high-quality foods. In addition, rice protein is allergen- and gluten-free, easy to digest, and Earth-friendly.

The Complete Guide To Rice Protein Powder

If you’ve been avoiding rice products because you think of them as “carb foods,” it’s time you tapped into the power of rice protein.

What is Rice Protein?

Despite its rep as a carb source, rice contains a fair amount of protein—around four grams per cup of white rice, and more than five grams per cup of brown rice. Because brown rice offers slightly more protein, most rice protein supplements are derived from it. Rice protein powder is made by grinding up rice grains and treating them with an enzyme that separates the starch (carbohydrate) from the protein.

Rice protein is considered a medium-digesting protein. It absorbs more slowly than whey (which is the speediest one on the market), but it’s faster than casein (the slowest-digesting protein).

Rice protein is not technically a complete protein, but, as we’ll discuss below, it contains enough of the nine essential amino acids (EAAs) to be a great plant-based muscle-builder regardless.

What are the Benefits of Rice Protein?

Because it’s plant-based, rice protein is a viable supplement option for vegetarians and vegans who don’t want to look like your stereotypical vegetarian or vegan (just kidding!). But even carnivores can appreciate rice protein’s various benefits.

Helps Build Muscle

It’s a common perception that plant-based proteins don’t support muscle and strength gains like dairy, egg, and meat sources do, but science suggests otherwise. A 2018 study had MMA fighters split into two groups and supplement with either rice protein or whey to determine the effect. After six weeks, both groups had gained muscle and lost fat, with no discernible difference between them.

“Plant proteins are usually absorbed slower than whey protein due to their composition of more complex carbohydrate structures,” Says Ralf Jaeger, Ph.D., co-founder of the food, beverage, and supplement consulting firm Increnovo, and a co-author on multiple rice protein studies. “However, leucine, the most important amino acid for muscle building, is actually absorbed faster from rice than from whey.” (To be clear, when you take rice protein, you’re getting mostly protein, but, as with whey concentrate powders, there are usually three to four grams of carbs per serving as well.)

No Allergens, No Gluten

Individuals with allergies or sensitivities to soy, lactose, eggs, nuts, and gluten have nothing to worry about with rice protein.

Sustainable and Easy on the Environment

It takes fewer natural resources to produce rice protein than dairy proteins like whey and casein, and growing rice emits less carbon than raising cattle.

Digests Easily

Consuming rice protein usually does not result in bloating, cramping, or other gastric discomfort (many people can’t say the same about whey). According to research in Food Chemistry, rice protein is easier to digest than whey.

To get a little more technical, rice protein has greater than 90% digestibility and a relatively high bioavailability (how much of the protein is actually utilized by the body). For perspective, its ratings compare favorably to soy protein and are on par with pea protein, but rice protein isn’t quite as bioavailable as whey.

Is Rice Protein a Complete Protein?

Technically, rice protein does not meet the criteria to be considered complete (and neither does hemp or pea protein, FYI). To be complete, a protein must not only contain all nine EAAs (tryptophan, threonine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine+cystine, phenylalanine+tyrosine, valine, and histidine), but also offer them in adequate amounts. Animal-derived proteins such as whey, egg, and beef have all of these aminos, and in large amounts, so they get more glory than their plant-based alternatives.

With that said, rice protein isn’t too far off the mark. It provides all of the EAAs, but falls short on lysine. The adequate amount here is 51 mg/g of protein, and rice protein contains only 31 mg/g. Lysine plays a vital role in supporting calcium production, aiding fatty acid metabolism, maintaining healthy cholesterol levels, and the nurturing of connective tissues like tendons and cartilage, so it’s certainly an important amino acid to consume. Fortunately, lysine can be found in a number of other commonly-eaten foods, including red meat, pork, poultry, cheese, cod, eggs, soybeans, tofu, spirulina, and fenugreek seed.

Lysine is also found in sufficient levels (71 mg/g) in another popular plant-based protein powder: pea protein (see our guide to pea protein HERE for more info). Interestingly, pea protein misses complete protein status by being low in only one amino acid also—methionine+cystine. Therefore, if you combine rice and pea proteins (as many plant-based protein supplements do), you’ll get all nine EAAs in adequate amounts.

Rice Protein vs. Whey

In a head-to-head comparison between rice protein and whey, most muscleheads would expect whey to win in a landslide—but it doesn’t.

As discussed in our guide to pea protein article, when looking for a protein powder to help stimulate muscle protein synthesis—and, as a result, drive muscle recovery and growth—there’s one amino acid, in particular, you need to focus on: leucine. It’s one of the three branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), but more specifically, it’s the only one that’s been found to stimulate muscle growth on its own.

Whey contains more leucine than any other protein source, at 104 mg/g of protein. (Adequate leucine levels for complete proteins are 55 mg/g and up.) That’s why whey is widely considered the best protein for building muscle. But with that said, rice protein contains plenty of leucine in its own right, at 80 mg/g. And while it will never match the leucine content of whey, if you take in a sufficient amount of protein in your diet overall, it probably doesn’t matter. Why? Because once you reach a certain amount of leucine (achieved with only 1–2 scoops of virtually any protein powder), getting more of it provides no additional benefit.

Here’s what the science tells us¦

It takes 0.7–3 grams of leucine per serving of a protein source to stimulate muscle growth. Take in less than 0.7, and you risk leaving gains on the table, but consuming more than 3 appears to be overkill (not harmful, but produces no additional results). Coming in at the top end of that range takes right around two scoops of rice protein, or a little less than two scoops of whey.

So while whey does the job a bit more efficiently than rice protein, if you take two scoops of a rice protein supp post-workout, you can feel confident that you’re giving your body enough leucine to make the most of the session.

Research bears this out, specifically a 2013 Nutrition Journal study, co-authored by Jaeger. In the experiment, subjects consumed either 48 grams of rice protein or 48 grams of whey post-workout for eight weeks while following a standardized three days per-week resistance-training program. (Forty-eight grams represents right around two scoops of protein powder, or slightly more, as most products deliver 20 grams or so per scoop.)

Results showed that subjects in the rice and whey protein groups experienced equally positive gains in muscle thickness, body composition, and upper- and lower-body strength.

The study shows that rice protein can be on par with whey, but it also begs the question: can you still build muscle with less rice protein—say, one scoop of rice protein instead of two? As the amount of leucine in rice is less, would taking in less rice protein cost you gains?

Jaeger responds: “Twenty-one grams of rice protein would allow you to hit the minimum leucine threshold, and half of what we used in our study [24 grams] should get you there. We’re actually running exactly that study right now: 24 grams of rice protein versus 24 grams of whey. When we did the original study, plant proteins were generally considered to be not as effective for muscle protein synthesis, and we picked a dose that would safely put us over the max of the leucine threshold for both protein sources—that’s why we picked 48 grams.”

If you want to be certain you’re doing all you can for muscle growth, aim for two scoops of rice protein to be sure it loads you up with as much leucine as whey.

Does Rice Protein Cause Bloating?

Many people complain that whey protein makes them feel bloated and gassy, but we haven’t found any such criticism of rice protein supplements. This is likely due to the fact that nearly all of the fiber is stripped from the rice when the starch is separated from the protein during processing. Rice is also a hypoallergenic food.

Is Rice Protein Good for Weight Loss?

Research looking specifically at rice protein’s effectiveness for weight loss is limited, but the 2013 study referenced above found that subjects taking rice protein experienced the same fat loss as those taking whey.

Consistent protein intake in general has been linked to fat loss in numerous studies. High-protein foods tend to make you feel fuller than high-carb foods, and so they can help to control appetite and lead to a lower daily calorie intake.

This seems to hold true whether the protein is plant- or animal-based. One 2015 study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed comparable weight loss results in overweight subjects following diets high in either plant proteins or animal sources.

“Overall, protein is beneficial in increasing and maintaining weight loss due to effects on appetite regulation and energy expenditure,” says Jaeger. “It has been speculated that slow-release proteins have greater satiating effects [due to a steady release of amino acids]; however, data on this is inconclusive. This theory would favor rice over whey, as rice is more slowly digested than whey. In addition, the complex carbohydrates in rice should have a greater satiating effect than the simple sugars in whey [lactose]. Either way, I would expect rice protein to be as effective as animal proteins to support weight management.”

How Does Rice Protein Taste?

Better than you’d think. As with whey products, rice protein powders come in a variety of appealing flavors, from vanilla to chocolate to strawberry. Rice protein is slightly sweet and mixes easily in liquids. That said, many people describe its consistency as “chalky.” If possible, purchase individual (one-serving) samples initially instead of an entire container, so you can test the flavor before you invest in a big tub of it.

You can also mix rice protein into a smoothie with other ingredients you enjoy that can mask the powder’s flavor. Almond or coconut milk, fruit, peanut butter, and cocoa can all help cut a chalky taste and offer other nutritional benefits.

Who Should Take Rice Protein?

Vegetarians, vegans and anyone steering clear of dairy for any reason will want to consider rice protein in lieu of whey or casein. This holds whether you’re trying to support muscle and strength gains or just boost your overall protein intake for weight loss or health. Rice protein can be taken throughout the day just like any other protein powder. Mix a scoop into the liquid of your choice and take it with meals, or as a meal-replacement.

Which Rice Has the Most Protein?

Technically, brown rice contains slightly more protein than white rice, and most rice protein powders are made from brown rice. According to Jaeger, though, there’s no need to discriminate between white and brown. “The type of rice doesn’t matter,” he says, “as all same-source proteins will have similar amino acid profiles.”

What to Look for in a Rice Protein Product

When shopping for rice protein, you have the option of going with either a pure rice protein product, where rice is the only protein source, or a plant-based blend, where rice is one of multiple protein sources. Blends often contain pea and hemp protein in addition to rice.

The benefit of a protein blend is that you get a more diverse amino acid profile. This would mean that you’ll get more lysine, the one EAA that’s lacking in rice protein but isn’t in, say, pea protein. But, as mentioned earlier, lysine is found in a host of other foods, so you don’t absolutely have to make sure your protein supplement covers it.

“I personally would be looking for either straight-up rice protein or for a rice/pea protein blend,” says Jaeger, but he recommends looking for one that tastes good to you and dissolves easily.

Everyone wants a quick fix; that’s human nature, right? People tend to be lazy. They want to do something the easy way and expect to see great results. Well too bad! If you want to have low body fat and a lean looking body, you probably need to make a lifestyle change.

I can’t tell you how many people have come to me and said, “I lost 50 pounds last year when I was on the “blah blah” diet, but then gained it back after a year.”

I don’t want to get into any trouble by listing the diet companies out there that rely on calorie counting and point systems, but these are the stories that I hear day in and day out.

When someone attempts a calorie-obsessed and counting diet, they will most likely lose some weight in the beginning. However, the failure rate over time is around 95%, with most of those people gaining all the weight back and sometimes more.

“I feel like a broken record, but I don’t think that people are getting the concept of “dieting.”

One client said to me, “I liked such-and-such diet because I was able to eat whatever wanted. I just had to be conscious of calories. The down part was that I was hungry all the time and sometimes I wasn’t able to control my appetite.” That is no way to live in my book.

It’s tough to go around starving all the time, especially with the amount of tempting food that surrounds us every day. It is human nature to not only succumb to the temptations but to over indulge. This overindulgence makes you feel like a failure, which in turn causes people to give up entirely.

If a calorie-obsessed, point system or extreme diet is what you want to be on, then I suggest you stop reading this article (if you’ve miraculously made it this far) and I wish you the best of luck.

How to Achieve a Healthy, Lean Body

Having been a Nutritionist actively working in the fitness industry for over ten years, I have had the privilege of helping hundreds of people change their eating habits by merely educating them. Not only have these people lost weight, but they have managed to keep it off.

They feel great, hardly get sick anymore, and are stronger and leaner. The weight they lose stays off, they don’t feel like they’re starving all the time, and they can indulge from time to time.

People should be striving towards implementing this type of nutrition into daily life; forget about portion control and eating the 100 calorie packets of cookies or eating a protein bar that’s full of highly heated, cheap, protein fillers that don’t even absorb properly and have artificial sweeteners added. “But Lauren, I know they’re cookies, but it’s only 100 calories. But Lauren, there are zero carbs in that bar and 20 grams of protein.”

“Eating a high processed cookie made from refined flour, sugary corn syrup, and other additives will set something off in your brain. Every time they eat those foods, it strengthens their neuro-circuitry to eat that food again.”

That’s great, but soon you’ll be craving other junk foods since your brain naturally becomes addicted to the sugary, processed foods once you’ve eaten them. According to Dr. David Kessler, former Head of the FDA, there are documented studies that show that when eating a particular combination of sugar, fat, and salt, your brain will trick you into wanting to eat more, even if you aren’t hungry.

Eating a high processed cookie made from refined flour, sugary corn syrup, and other additives will set something off in your brain. “Every time they eat those foods, it strengthens their neuro-circuitry to eat that food again,” says Dr. Kessler. You might feel satisfied temporarily after your craving is met, but chances are you will make up for it later by eating more for dinner than you would normally have.

The same goes for ingesting artificial sweeteners. Your brain is expecting to get sugar when you are tasting that sweet protein bar filled with sugar alcohol. Therefore, your body will end up craving sugar later which will result in eating an increased amount of food that your body doesn’t need.

So let’s get to what we SHOULD be eating to achieve a healthy, lean body. I am going to lay out a sample day of eating that consists of foods that don’t take long to prepare. In this busy day and age, with everyone racing against the clock, I feel it’s important to have healthy choices which can be prepared quickly.

For those of you who do have ample time to prepare your meals and enjoy cooking everything from scratch, then that’s better. For the sake of this article, I will just provide sample meals and snacks that don’t take too long. In the sample day below, take note that I refer to breakfast as “Meal 1” and lunch as “Meal 3.”

I prefer to call them meals since I don’t believe in feeding yourself if you have no desire to eat just because it’s supposed to be “lunch time.” Some people do better without even eating lunch and having just a snack instead. Everyone is different, so follow your hunger. Turn to a snack if your body isn’t telling you to eat one of the larger meals. The following diet also provides two options per meal.

The diet outlined below is not an exact nutrition plan for you to follow but merely a template. For some, it may be too much food for others not enough. Use the following diet as a guideline to give you an idea how you should outline your 2017 nutritional lifestyle.

The No Nonsense Shredded Diet Plan

Meal 1

2 Organic Free Range Eggs Omelette
Handful of Spinach
1 tsp of Hummus
1 tsp of Roasted Tomato Salsa
¼ cup of Oatmeal (Optional)

or

Hemp Protein, Sprouted Rice Protein or Grass Fed Whey Protein
1 cup of Organic Blueberries
1 Tbs of Flaxseeds or oil
8oz of Water

Meal 2

Handful of Raw Almonds and Walnuts
1 small Organic Apple

or

Organic Full Fat Greek Yogurt
1 tsp of Flaxseed oil
½ cup of berries

Meal 3

2-3 Cups of Organic Mixed Greens
topped with Green Onions, Tomatoes, Cucumbers
3-5oz Chicken
Slices of Avocado

or

1 serving of Quinoa
3-5oz Chicken or Turkey
2-3 cups of chopped Cucumbers, Tomatoes, and Avocado
1-2 Tbs of Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar

Sweet Craving or Afternoon Pick me up (If NEEDED)

1-2 Squares of Dark Chocolate of greater than 73%
Green or Herbal Tea

Meal 4 or Pre/Post Workout Snack

2 Scoops Grass Fed Whey Protein
½ banana
6-8oz of Cold Water

or

1 or 2 Hard Boiled Eggs
Organic Pear

Meal 5

5-6oz Baked Wild River Salmon
Half a bunch of Grilled Asparagus
Fist Size portion of Quinoa
1-2 Tbs of Balsamic Vinaigrette
1 serving of Rice or Almond Crackers (if desired)

or

Veggie Tacos
½ cup Low Sodium Black Beans
Roasted Tomato Salsa
1/3 Avocado smashed placed in Corn Tortilla with Grilled Zucchini and Peppers

Evening Snack (if still hungry)

Herbal Tea such as Chamomile or Bed Time tea
Apple Sauce with Cinnamon or Lightly Popped Low Sodium Popcorn

“Male Reproductive Disorders and Fertility Trends: Influences of Environment and Genetic Susceptibility. It is predicted that Japan and European Union will soon experience appreciable decreases in their populations due to persistently low total fertility rates (TFR) below replacement level (and the US is getting there)¦we conclude that environmental exposures arising from modern lifestyle, rather than genetics, are the most important factors in the observed trends…there is an urgent need to prioritize research in reproductive physiology and pathophysiology, particularly in highly industrialized countries facing decreasing populations (Skakkebaek, et al.)”

I am 8 chapters deep into the book on Testosterone levels and Male Health. We are going to have to lock me in a garage in Costa Rica for a month to get this thing done. It will be above all – two things – entertaining and informative.

I really don’t like health-ish books for the general public. There is too much boring background info that anyone could get on Wikipedia and then there is generally not enough meat and potatoes or the meat and potatoes are suspect and presented as fact. There are exceptions to every rule.

I do much better in short and medium form content. People read it. It’s generally free. I enjoy producing it. Everyone wins.

Helping dudes in an educated manner is my passion. I get to do that on a daily basis. It’s a blast and like anything, I think there is a lot of science that still needs doing.

I also think there are a lot of functional medicine practitioners who are making some fairly bold jumps in the purported efficacy of their protocols. Just like anything, this too, comes back to dollars. And the wave that plows through both the functional and conventional flaws is unbiased science, education, and questioning. Start paddling.

When I think of male hormonal health, I think of these five basic aspects.

1) Lifestyle

(Sleep, stress management/mindset) Want to tank your testosterone levels? Pile on the stress and don’t sleep. Simple. We don’t fix anything without these two on board.

2) Estrogen

Endogenous or Exogenous, too much estrogen shuts down testosterone production at the level of the brain. We are all swimming in estrogenic endocrine disrupting compounds. Sorry. Write a letter to Obama or better yet, go back in time and write it to Truman or Eisenhower.

3) Blood Sugar, Insulin, and Body Fat

If you have diabetes, you have endocrine dysfunction. Conversely, hypogonadal males are at three times greater risk of metabolic syndrome (Kaplan and Crawford).

If you are a fat and diabetic man, you are also very likely going to be estrogen dominant and testosterone deficient. As Charles Poliquin puts it: “To give fat guys exogenous testosterone is a crime against humanity because they will just aromatize it into estrogen.”

Enter the second drug on your conventional treatment model – estrogen blockers or aromatase inhibitors – Armidex. Solution. I think not.

4) Inflammatory or Immune Challenges

(Foods, Heavy Metals, Infections, and/or Toxins) The average American adult eats two tons of food a year. That food can either break you down, stress you out, and cause inflammation or it can nourish you, support you, and build you up. Your choice. Spend the rest of your life figuring out what that “food” is for you.

Bugs – you live on this planet long enough and you are going to catch things that piss off your immune system. How big a deal this is comes down to how resilient we are genetically and physiologically. For some, these bugs become a constant internal stressor.

Also, when the immune system ramps up, it eats up zinc faster than normal.

We also have 1000x the lead of preindustrial humans. Heavy metals wreak havoc on our system and our susceptibility to symptoms is again genetic, but nevertheless getting rid of heavy metals also eats up zinc. Fixing these issues involves science, individualization, support, and having all the fundamentals dialed in.

5) Nutrient Deficiency or Inadequacy

Adequate amounts of vitamin A,B,C,D,E, selenium, magnesium, and zinc are needed for protecting the testicles and for testosterone production.

I always go back to the simple – if the body is malnourished or stressed, it isn’t going to grow or reproduce AKA testosterone. For example, proton pump inhibitors are 14+ billion dollar market and are not supposed to be used longer than 8 weeks.

PPIs are directly related to lowered testosterone production. Hmmm, you can’t absorb zinc, iron, and B vitamins without stomach acid. Go figure.

Are you starting to see the complexity of this issue?

We did a study and we gave 27 fat, sedentary, sleep deprived, toxic subjects Peruvian Maca for 6 weeks but their testosterone levels didn’t go up. NO shit. You think any one supplement is going to fix that poop sandwich of a problem…and exogenous testosterone doesn’t even begin to fix that problem either.

How Do You Increase Testosterone Levels?

What we need is unbiased efficacy trials with all the above factors used in a systematic fashion.

You take the Functional Medicine approach, see if it works, how well, and for who. And then you take the deep dive into why.

We are getting there and if anyone wants to help me write an R01 grant or crowdsource a few million dollars, I will very happily run this experiment.

In all honestly, the way Dr. Mark Hyman is pushing things forward, this may not be outside the realm of possibility and may be closer than we think.

In the heart of the storm the future is still bright, and even The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology recently made the statement that we need to look to lifestyle changes before moving to hormone replacement therapy (Travison et al.).

This is huge and not good for the pocket books of the Low T Clinics – who are likely undereducated, not reading this, taking hormones themselves, and highly motivated to attach men to a lifelong EFT delivery of exogenous hormones to not fix an environmental/social/lifestyle issue.

and I’m done…for now.

References

1. Kaplan SA, Crawford ED. Relationship between testosterone levels, insulin sensitivity, and mitochondrial function in men. Diabetes Care. Mar 2006;29(3):749; author reply 749-750.
2. Travison TG, Araujo AB, Kupelian V, O’Donnell AB, McKinlay JB. The relative contributions of aging, health, and lifestyle factors to serum testosterone decline in men. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. Feb 2007;92(2):549-555.
3. Skakkebaek NE, Rajpert-De Meyts E, Buck Louis GM, et al. Male Reproductive Disorders and Fertility Trends: Influences of Environment and Genetic Susceptibility. Physiological reviews. Jan 2016;96(1):55-97.

Despite its classification as a complex carbohydrate, maltodextrin is quickly absorbed by the gut and can elevate blood sugar faster than glucose. On the glycemic index, a relative scale of how quickly a ingested carbohydrate affects blood sugar, maltodextrin ranges between 85-105, where the standard glucose is set at 100.

Sugars that induce a rapid rise in blood glucose content are typically considered poor sources of energy and nutritionally deficient. Though it is generally true that a diet comprised of mostly high glycemic carbohydrates would be unsatisfactory, they do have an important role in athletic performance and recovery.

Why You Need Carbs

During intense exercise, active muscle tissue relies heavily upon stored sugars in the form of glycogen for energy. Depending on the muscle type, exercise intensity and duration, the ability for glycogen stores to maintain the metabolic demand diminishes over time.

Many endurance athletes utilize energy gels whose main ingredient is maltodextrin. One study supplemented marathon runners with 60 grams of maltodextrin spaced throughout a race and compared it to runners who were free to consume their desired amount.

The runners who took 60 grams of maltodextrin averaged significantly shorter marathon completion times by more than 10 minutes compared to runners assigned to freely consume the carbohydrate supplement [1].

Maltodextrin & High Glycemic Carbs for Post-Workout Recovery

The post-workout period is a crucial time to refuel. Consuming high glycemic carbs will increase the release of insulin, an anabolic and glucose-regulating hormone that facilitates the influx of sugars and amino acids into muscle cells.

In an often cited study by Borsheim, post-workout supplementation with 100 grams of maltodextrin significantly improved the net protein balance by reducing muscle breakdown[2].

Further studies have shown that 30 grams of carbohydrates were comparable to 100 grams. The post exercise period has been studied using multi-ingredient post-workout formulas that contain various ratios of carbohydrates, protein and fat.

A 4:1 ratio of carbohydrates to protein has been shown to benefit muscle recovery through a similar mechanism. Other studies using variations of carbohydrates to protein have proven beneficial, yet It is challenging to discern a single best ratio for recovery given the lack of direct comparison studies.

The bottom line is that large amounts of high glycemic carbohydrates like maltodextrin are appropriate in the post-workout phase to reduce muscle breakdown and aid recovery.

Consuming small quantities, such as 1-10 grams, of high GI carbohydrates that are added to food are unlikely to cause large changes in blood glucose and are essentially equivalent to other added sugars.

Low glycemic carbs, such those present in most fruits and vegetables, are better for long term energy storage and tend not to spike and crash blood sugar levels. Furthermore, despite its origin from grain, maltodextrin is synthesized using enzymes making it gluten free and safe for nearly all to consume.

References:

[1] Improved marathon performance by in-race nutritional strategy intervention Hansen EA1, Emanuelsen A, Gertsen RM, Sørensen S SR. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2014 Dec [2] Effect of carbohydrate intake on net muscle protein synthesis during recovery from resistance exercise Børsheim E1, Cree MG, Tipton KD, Elliott TA, Aarsland A, Wolfe RR. J Appl Physiol. 1985 Carbohydrate supplementation increases intramyocellular lipid stores in elite runners. Sousa M1, Simões HG, Castro CC, Otaduy MC, Negrão CE, Pereira RM, Madsen K, Silva ME. Metabolism. 2012 Aug

OK¦ If you woke up and looked in the mirror this morning to see a painful reminder of all your holiday season overindulgences firmly attached to your waistline, the last thing you might be feeling right now is “happy.”

But what if I told you that in 12 weeks you could not only get back to fighting form—ripped even, beyond where you’ve ever taken your body before—and you wouldn’t have to count a single calorie or give up your favorite foods to get there?

No, I’m not promising a quick, easy fix. I’m not telling you that you can keep eating and drinking the way you did over the holidays (or the past few years) and expect a different result. But I do have a foolproof plan to knock the weight you’ve added to your belly/ass/thighs off of you and get you a beach-ready body by the start of spring. And it doesn’t require you locking yourself in at night and subsisting on lettuce and protein powder. In fact, you’ll be amazed at how taking the most basic of steps will yield significant results in just the first four weeks alone.

Begin following the first month-long phase of this 12-week program as outlined below, and then see the next two parts, linked at the bottom. Combine these nutrition guidelines with any Onnit 6 or Onnit in 30 program, you’ll have both the fuel and the fire to transform your physique and performance.

Ready? Then without further ado, Onnit and I proudly present the 12-Week Fat Loss Nutrition Plan.

The First 3 Rules of Eating For Rippedness!

#1 Only Eat When It’s Time To Eat

Losing weight is primarily about controlling calories. The easiest way to start doing that—without having to count your calories or weigh your food—is to simply stick to planned, structured meals. I.e., breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

“But wait, I thought small, frequent meals were best for getting ripped. That’s what all the bodybuilding magazines say.”

Yes, they do, and that’s an approach that can work. But I’d rather you keep it simple. Looking at it logically, the more times you sit down to eat, the more calories you’re likely to take in. Plus, the frequent-eating approach means taking the time to plan and cook your meals well in advance, which I know many of you just won’t have the time to do. And let’s face it, it’s also a hassle. Think of spending your Sunday grilling chicken breasts instead of watching football. It could also mean having to grab food on the go every couple hours when you’re working or running errands. It’s not practical for most people who have busy lives (or, ahem, lives they’d like to enjoy).

“What about fasting?”

If eating often leads to taking in more calories, then it stands to reason that skipping a meal entirely, or at least going a long time without one, would mean you’d eat less food. So, if you think that will be the case for you, then go ahead and fast. Most people who like the intermittent fasting style of dieting prefer to skip breakfast, which usually gives them about 16 hours without food. This can work very well, provided that you’re not the type who goes mad with hunger and overeats at their next meal, which research has shown is a possibility. Ultimately, the frequency with which you eat comes down to a matter of preference, but I recommend sticking to three normal meals a day for simplicity’s sake. It’s the easiest schedule for most people to stay on.

Cut out all snacking. No more pretzels from the vending machine, lattes on the way to work, or late-night brews. This may sound brutal at first, like you’ll starve, but in Rules #2 and #3 I’ll show you how to fill up on healthy food so you don’t have these cravings anymore.

And, like most rules, there are some exceptions. If you normally work out after dinner, you can (and should) have a snack afterward so you don’t go to bed on an empty stomach (more on what this should be later). Or, if you typically eat lunch at noon, work out mid day, and won’t be eating dinner until later that evening, a post-workout snack should be added as well. Heck, even if you don’t plan to work out mid-afternoon, if you eat an early lunch and can’t have dinner until 8 or 9 p.m., you should have a snack sometime in between to tide you over.

What exactly is a snack?

● Veggies and hummus? Great.
● Berries and nuts? Yep.
● Apple and peanut butter? Perfecto.

Almost any combination of protein, fiber, and whole-food fat is a winning trio. Chips, dip, soft drinks or sugar-bomb lattes? No.

Apart from these snacks, don’t eat anything unless you’re sitting down for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. When you’re done with your meal, the kitchen is closed.

One of the biggest obstacles to weight loss is eating out of sheer boredom, not physiological hunger. Maintaining the “kitchen closed” policy will help break that cycle.

#2 Control Portions With Your Hands

All of your meals should be structured the same way. They should contain at least one handful of protein, a minimum of two handfuls of vegetables (or one piece of whole fruit and one handful of veggies), and one handful of starchy carbohydrates.

Protein, if you weren’t sure, is any type of meat or fish. A handful-size chicken breast or a hamburger patty is one serving of protein. The same goes for whole cuts of beef, turkey, pork and salmon or tuna fillets. Similar amounts of eggs, cottage cheese, Greek yogurt (no sugar added), and protein powder supplements are also good sources.

Fatty, processed foods like hot dogs and bacon are permissible in this first four-week block, but use common sense and avoid them most of the time. If you’re at a football game and can’t get a lean chicken breast, a ballpark frank is better than starving (unless you prefer to fast), but don’t convince yourself that you don’t have better options most of the time. Because protein is filling and it supports muscle growth, I’m not putting a firm limit on it. Have at least a handful in every meal, but if two or three handfuls is what it takes to keep you full and feel like you’re recovering from workouts, then go ahead. Again, the leaner and plainer the protein source the better. Think meat and fish, not In-N-Out Burger, even if you do toss the bun.

Starches include potatoes, sweet potatoes, beets, beans, and whole grains like rice, oats, and quinoa. A slice of whole-grain bread like Ezekiel is great too.

Beyond just making your meals easier to control and stick with, there is some solid nutritional science behind my recommendations. A palmful of protein, regardless of the source, will usually give you 25–35 grams of the stuff (depending on the size of your hand).

Vegetables and fruits are foods you can eat liberally. Fruits don’t rank quite as high as veggies since some are higher in sugar and calories, but no one ever gained weight because they couldn’t stop eating fruit. As long as you’re eating whole fruit—say, a peach as opposed to canned peaches that have marinated in a pool of syrup—you can count on its fiber slowing down the digestion of the sugar, keeping your energy steady and your belly full.

In fact, if in the first few weeks you find yourself absolutely unable to adhere to the “eat only at breakfast, lunch, and dinner” rule, there’s no harm in breaking it with veggies and fruit and more protein as well. I’d still prefer you eat three meals a day and that’s it, but if you’re going to fall off the wagon, I’d rather you crashed into a bed of celery, carrot sticks, and a hamburger patty than a pile of potato chips or bowl of ice cream. Overeating with natural, healthy food always trumps gorging on more calorie-dense junk. Make sense?

Veggies in particular are naturally low in calories and high in fiber—not to mention numerous essential vitamins and minerals—so they help your weight loss in multiple ways. When I say to serve yourself a “handful” in this case, it’s just for the sake of practicality. Don’t feel you need to limit your intake of greens in any way. If you’re using tongs to serve yourself veggies at a salad bar, feel free to squeeze as many between the claws as possible.

Because starches contain a fair amount of calories and raise blood sugar, they need to be contained—but not cut out, because they supply energy. A handful of starch is the amount that would fit in your cupped hand (in the case of potatoes, it’s typically one potato, and for bread, it’s one slice).

We’ll worry about maximizing the quality of what you’re eating in later installments of the program, but for the time being, it’s enough to just get in the habit of eating less and with balanced portions.

If your eating habits are so out of whack that you’re consuming Big Macs on a daily basis¦ Well, one Big Mac is better than two. It’s still more important that you focus on eating your meals—however imperfect they may be—according to the formula here than trying to make massive, sweeping changes that you can’t possibly sustain. I’d love for you to start eating lean chicken and broccoli every day, but if you’ve been eating fast food three times a day for years, I don’t expect you to make the switch overnight.

#3 Start Each Day With Protein

Studies have shown over and over that protein helps fill you up so you don’t overeat. It also helps you build and repair muscle, and burn more calories throughout the day—because it takes so much energy to digest.

Most people eat no protein in the morning and not enough throughout the day, so simply resolving to eat a high-protein breakfast can make a huge difference—and it doesn’t have to take long. The following are a few examples of protein-rich starters that you can make in minutes and take with you, or simply grab off a shelf in a deli or gas station.

● 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
● 1 cup cottage cheese
● 4 whole eggs (or a few whole with a few whites, if you prefer)
● 2 whole eggs and 2 oz of steak or chicken
● 1 handful smoked salmon
● protein smoothie made with 1 scoop protein powder

Each of these counts for about one serving of protein, and should be balanced with veggies/fruit and a starch. The next time you rush off to work in the morning, think about grabbing a yogurt, one piece of whole fruit, and a slice of toast, or a single-serving package of instant oatmeal.

One Perfect Day of Eating

Use the following sample menu as a guide for how to eat over the next four weeks. Note that this plan does not need to be followed verbatim every day, but is an example of how to portion your meals and choose your foods. Adjust it to your own tastes—if you don’t enjoy the process, you won’t stick with it.

Breakfast

Egg Scramble and Oatmeal

● 2 whole eggs
● ½ handful smoked salmon
● 2 large handfuls of spinach (cooked into the eggs)
● 1 small handful of cheese* (melted on the eggs)
● 1 handful oats (cooked as oatmeal)
● 1 handful berries (fresh or frozen)

*I don’t recommend you eat cheese by itself, but a handful (just enough to fill your palm, not all the way up to your fingers!) can be added occasionally to round out your protein serving.

Lunch

Tuna Salad

● 1 can tuna
● 1 tbsp balsamic vinaigrette*
● 1 handful cherry tomatoes
● 1 handful mixed greens
● 1 cup brown rice (tip: you can buy packs of brown rice that can be microwaved and are done in 90 seconds)

Mix all ingredients and enjoy

*Seasonings and condiments that contain sugar and fat should be limited to the serving size recommended on the container.

Afternoon Snack*

● 1 handful mixed nuts
● 1 apple
● Protein shake blended with a banana

*This is optional, and you should only consume a snack if it’s going to be several hours before you have dinner and you know you’ll feel like you’re starving otherwise. Additionally, you can have a snack if you’ve just worked out.

Dinner

● 1–3 handfuls portion of rotisserie chicken (from any grocery store)
● 2 large handfuls of arugula
● 1 large handful mixed, colorful veggies (picked up from the salad bar at your grocery store to make it easy)
● 1 cup black beans
● 1 tbsp oil
● 1 tbsp vinegar

Post Workout*

● 1 cup Greek yogurt
● 1 cup berries
● Protein shake blended with a banana

*Only have this snack if you work out after dinner.

Alcohol and Dessert

We won’t ban these in this stage of the plan but, as with obviously sub-par protein choices like hot dogs, we have to limit them. Here’s the rule: you can enjoy booze, cookies, soda, etc. only when you’re with other people at a social event. You will never consume them alone.

Not going out Friday night? That doesn’t mean you can stay in and throw a party for yourself. And when you do go out, give yourself a maximum of two alcoholic drinks or servings of junk food. No more than two nights per week also.

There you go. Get on it (er, Onnit!), and check out the next two installments when you’re ready!

In fact, the total number of foreign microbial cells in the human body is roughly equivalent to the number of human cells. The human body is like any other ecosystem – the survival of one species is dependent upon the functions of many others.

The variety foreign microbial cells throughout our bodies serve to maintain healthy daily processes and a growing body of evidence suggests that they play a major role in our moods and cognitive processes.

Diverse species of bacteria, fungi and yeast reside on every square centimeter of skin exposed to the outside world. Every crevice and fold of our skin are tiny habitats that foster the life of bacteria like staph and streptococcus, surviving symbiotically by producing antimicrobial substances that ward off more pathogenic invaders.

Internally, the bacteria that occupy the lower parts of our gastrointestinal tracts aid in digestion. These bacteria live in us and work for us every day recycling waste and protecting delicate tissue that could easy be overtaken by microbes with more malicious intent.

These microbes also work on our behalf beyond local symbiosis, elicitingwidespread influences on human health and behavior. The development of immunity, metabolism and body type, and even cognitive development and functioning have all been linked to relative health of bacteria in the GI tract.

Elegant animal studies have highlighted these relationships, which has since spurred a wave of funding by groups like the National Institute of Health (NIH), giving millions of dollars to the studying the “mind-gut-brain” axis.

Despite the growing research initiative, illuminating a causal link that microbiota are responsible for other realms of human health has been challenging, as many of the relationships between gut health and overall well being are not immediately evident.

The Mind-Gut Connection

The relationship between the mind and the gut may not seem obvious until we take a moment to examine our most common cognitive states in relation to the functioning of our digestive system.

Anxiety and nervousness are both feelings that can manifest throughout the body and often localize to the belly. This connection is facilitated by a large interconnected body of nervous tissue, known as the enteric nervous system.

The enteric nervous system is responsible for initiating the rhythmic peristaltic movement of the gut, as well as relaying important signals to and from the brain.

The basic sensations of hunger, pain and satiety are examples of signals that require efficient bidirectional communication between the enteric nervous system and the brain.

These signals are strong enough to drive behavior necessary for survival and subsequently influence mood and affect.

The mind-gut connection becomes more complex when the role of microbes is considered. The initial colonization of the gut during infancy is likely to have the most profound influence on developmental processes.

As an example, a study that compared mice born by cesarean section to those delivered vaginally showed distinctly different mircobiomes that correlated with differences in behavior (1).

Mice born by cesarean section with sterile microbiota were significantly more anxious and showed more depressive symptoms during development compared to the vaginally delivered mice with microbiota passed on from their mother.

Other studies have shown similar results by wiping out gut bacteria and studying the resulting behavior. This research found that both gut infections and the antibiotic treatment used to resolve those infections can induce cognitive impairments (2).

Eliminating our natural gut microbiota reduces circulating lipid metabolites and neuronal signaling molecules known to be instrumental in dynamic cognitive processes, including memory formation (3).

The mechanisms by which gut flora influence mood and shape personality remain largely undescribed. The chemical byproducts of certain bacterial species are hypothesized to be large contributors.

For example, two species of gut bacteria are known to produces the anxiolytic neurotransmitter, GABA, which may influence the brain through the vagus nerve (4).

The knowledge base of the adult gut microbiome is growing exponentially. In 1978, the diarrhea producing illness, pseudomembranous colitis, was shown to be caused by the colonization of the virulent bacteria C. difficile in the gut following eradication of normal gut flora by antibiotics.

This highlighted the importance of normal gut bacteria and initiated an effort to improve the natural protective lining through fecal transplantation (5). In this procedure, individuals who have suffered from recurrent

Pseudomembranous colitis may elect to utilize the living contents in waste from screened, healthy humans. Though now widely implemented with successful results reported in many studies, the regulation of the therapy continues to be a challenge for the FDA and the use is confined to recurrent pseudomembranous colitis.

The way that we conceptualize the many foreign microbial bodies that thrive in our own systems has shifted in a dramatic way. Starting at birth and throughout adulthood, the human body is a welcoming host to thriving microscopic life.

In fact, the total number of foreign microbial cells in the human body is roughly equivalent to the number of human cells. The human body is like any other ecosystem – the survival of one species is dependent upon the functions of many others.

The variety foreign microbial cells throughout our bodies serve to maintain healthy daily processes and a growing body of evidence suggests that they play a major role in our moods and cognitive processes.

Diverse species of bacteria, fungi and yeast reside on every square centimeter of skin exposed to the outside world. Every crevice and fold of our skin are tiny habitats that foster the life of bacteria like staph and streptococcus, surviving symbiotically by producing antimicrobial substances that ward off more pathogenic invaders.

Internally, the bacteria that occupy the lower parts of our gastrointestinal tracts aid in digestion. These bacteria live in us and work for us every day recycling waste and protecting delicate tissue that could easy be overtaken by microbes with more malicious intent.

These microbes also work on our behalf beyond local symbiosis, elicitingwidespread influences on human health and behavior. The development of immunity, metabolism and body type, and even cognitive development and functioning have all been linked to relative health of bacteria in the GI tract.

Elegant animal studies have highlighted these relationships, which has since spurred a wave of funding by groups like the National Institute of Health (NIH), giving millions of dollars to the studying the “mind-gut-brain” axis.

Despite the growing research initiative, illuminating a causal link that microbiota are responsible for other realms of human health has been challenging, as many of the relationships between gut health and overall well being are not immediately evident.

The Mind-Gut Connection

The relationship between the mind and the gut may not seem obvious until we take a moment to examine our most common cognitive states in relation to the functioning of our digestive system.

Anxiety and nervousness are both feelings that can manifest throughout the body and often localize to the belly. This connection is facilitated by a large interconnected body of nervous tissue, known as the enteric nervous system.

The enteric nervous system is responsible for initiating the rhythmic peristaltic movement of the gut, as well as relaying important signals to and from the brain.

The basic sensations of hunger, pain and satiety are examples of signals that require efficient bidirectional communication between the enteric nervous system and the brain.

These signals are strong enough to drive behavior necessary for survival and subsequently influence mood and affect.

The mind-gut connection becomes more complex when the role of microbes is considered. The initial colonization of the gut during infancy is likely to have the most profound influence on developmental processes.

As an example, a study that compared mice born by cesarean section to those delivered vaginally showed distinctly different mircobiomes that correlated with differences in behavior (1).

Mice born by cesarean section with sterile microbiota were significantly more anxious and showed more depressive symptoms during development compared to the vaginally delivered mice with microbiota passed on from their mother.

Other studies have shown similar results by wiping out gut bacteria and studying the resulting behavior. This research found that both gut infections and the antibiotic treatment used to resolve those infections can induce cognitive impairments (2).

Eliminating our natural gut microbiota reduces circulating lipid metabolites and neuronal signaling molecules known to be instrumental in dynamic cognitive processes, including memory formation (3).

The mechanisms by which gut flora influence mood and shape personality remain largely undescribed. The chemical byproducts of certain bacterial species are hypothesized to be large contributors.

For example, two species of gut bacteria are known to produces the anxiolytic neurotransmitter, GABA, which may influence the brain through the vagus nerve (4).

The knowledge base of the adult gut microbiome is growing exponentially. In 1978, the diarrhea producing illness, pseudomembranous colitis, was shown to be caused by the colonization of the virulent bacteria C. difficile in the gut following eradication of normal gut flora by antibiotics.

This highlighted the importance of normal gut bacteria and initiated an effort to improve the natural protective lining through fecal transplantation (5). In this procedure, individuals who have suffered from recurrent

Pseudomembranous colitis may elect to utilize the living contents in waste from screened, healthy humans. Though now widely implemented with successful results reported in many studies, the regulation of the therapy continues to be a challenge for the FDA and the use is confined to recurrent pseudomembranous colitis.

Probiotics & Gut Health

Fortunately there are easier, less invasive ways to improve one’s microbiota. Probiotics are forms of bacteria and yeast that confer benefits to the digestive tract. Many food products, such as yogurt and kombucha, contain living cultures that take up residence in the GI tract.

Encapsulated probiotic supplements are also teeming with similar health benefits that can directly influence individuals microbiomes. Probiotics are effective in preventing the inoculation of harmful bacteria, reducing the need for antibiotics and averting associated cognitive dysfunctions.

Administration of probiotics has also been shown to directly influence psychological processes in human studies. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, volunteers who took probiotics for 30 days significantly alleviated factors of psychological distress, exhibiting decreased symptoms of anxiety, depression and anger (6).

The relationship between a sound mind and a healthy gut is becoming clearer each day. The reliance upon healthy microbiota and the influence on widespread functional processes, such as mood and personality, demonstrate the complexity of the dynamic ecosystem of the human body.

As genomic sequencing accelerates and research on the mind-brain-gut axis grows, we will yield to an age of personalized health information useful in determining microbiota insufficiencies with specific remedies.

Until that time arrives, a diet rich with living cultures and probiotics are ideal to foster the life of the inner gut and keep the mind in harmony.

References

1. Clarke G, O’mahony SM, Dinan TG, Cryan JF. Priming for health: gut microbiota acquired in early life regulates physiology, brain and behaviour. Acta Paediatr. 2014;103(8):812-9

2. Gareau MG, Wine E, Rodrigues DM, et al. Bacterial infection causes stress-induced memory dysfunction in mice. Gut. 2011;60(3):307-17.

3. Fröhlich EE, Farzi A, Mayerhofer R, et al. Cognitive Impairment by Antibiotic-Induced Gut Dysbiosis: Analysis of Gut Microbiota-Brain Communication. Brain Behav Immun. 2016;

4. Bravo JA, Forsythe P, Chew MV, et al. Ingestion of Lactobacillus strain regulates emotional behavior and central GABA receptor expression in a mouse via the vagus nerve. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2011;108(38):16050-5.

5. Allegretti JR, Korzenik JR, Hamilton MJ. Fecal microbiota transplantation via colonoscopy for recurrent C. difficile Infection. J Vis Exp. 2014;(94)

6. Messaoudi M, Lalonde R, Violle N, et al. Assessment of psychotropic-like properties of a probiotic formulation (Lactobacillus helveticus R0052 and Bifidobacterium longum R0175) in rats and human subjects. Br J Nutr. 2011;105(5):755-64.

But beef has another opponent to contend with, and it’s been here for centuries: bison.

Similar to beef both nutritionally and in terms of flavor, buffalo meat is an alternative to the cow (incidentally, “bison” is technically the correct term for the animal, but it’s come to be used interchangeably with “buffalo”).

Both bison and beef can be part of a healthy diet. But if you had to pick one big animal to take a bite out of, which one should you choose?

We compared beef and buffalo in every important category to determine the alpha protein on the range.

Is Bison Better than Beef?

*There are many cuts of both bison and beef available. To equate them as closely as possible, we chose top sirloin—a very lean cut preferred by athletes—for the macronutrients in the table. Also, as bison is mainly raised on pasture, we went with grass-fed beef in the example to match it. In other words, the table compares buffalo to the very best the beef world has to offer. More commonly found conventional beef would have approximately 230 calories, 23g protein, and 15g fat per four-ounce serving.

WINNER: Bison

Why Bison Wins (By A Horn)

Buffalo Meat is Better Quality

Across all cuts, buffalo meat is lower in calories and fat than beef is, and higher in protein. A three to four-ounce serving of bison ribeye has 177 calories, 6 grams fat, and 30 grams protein compared to a typical beef ribeye, which contains 265 calories, 17 grams fat, and 27 grams protein. According to the USDA, bison burgers have 152 calories and 7 grams fat, which is less than even a 90% lean beef burger (184 calories and 10 grams fat) and a 93% lean turkey burger (176 calories and 10 grams fat). Bison offers more omega-3 fats than beef, and a better omega-6 to omega-3 ratio.

Bison doesn’t give up any micronutrition to beef either. It’s higher in B vitamins than beef—critical nutrients that support energy levels, memory, and mood—as well as copper, potassium, and zinc. Reader’s Digest even recommended it as one of the best sources of iron for pregnant women, who tend to be anemic more often than men due to menstruation.

Research supports bison as being heart-healthier too. A study published in Nutrition Research in 2013 compared the effects of consuming bison versus beef. Ten healthy men ate 12 ounces of either beef or bison per day, six days per week, for seven weeks. Then, after a 30-day “washout” to clear their systems, the bison-eaters switched to beef and vice versa for another seven weeks. Researchers concluded that “in terms of vascular health, bison meat appears to provide a healthier alternative to red meat.” In fact, after a single beef meal, harmful oxidized LDL cholesterol levels were elevated. The same changes did not occur after eating buffalo.

If you’re concerned about how your meat was raised (and you should be), bison is the safer choice every time. “All bison spend the majority of their life grazing on pasture,” says Dave Carter, Executive Director of the National Bison Association, a non-profit organization of bison producers. “Some are finished with grain, sometimes in a feedlot,” meaning that they’ll eat grain feed just as most cows do to fatten them up a bit in the last few months before slaughter so they yield more meat. But Carter says that, even if the bison are forced to spend some time fenced in, they get a lot more space than cows do. Bison aren’t as easily controlled as cattle, so it’s much harder for ranchers to keep them in confined quarters like cows are where they can be mistreated and develop diseases.

In fact, it’s more advantageous for buffalo ranchers to treat their livestock well. “If there’s stress on the animal, it won’t produce good meat,” says Carter. “One thing you can be sure of with all bison is that it’s produced without growth hormones or antibiotics. It’s illegal to use them. And most of the bison producers have independent auditors come in to test them.”

OK, But How Do I Cook Bison?

Buffalo meat is drier than beef due to its leanness, so it cooks faster. Carter recommends salting it and brushing it with olive oil to lock in the natural juices. Then be careful not to cook it past medium or it will be too tough. “The biggest mistake is that people dump on so many seasonings they lose the great bison taste,” says Carter, so keep it simple. “If you’re going to pay a premium for bison meat, you should taste it.”

Raising Buffalo is Better for the Environment

According to Carter, 30–40% of ecosystems around the world are grasslands. These draw in carbon, taking it out of the atmosphere and producing oxygen, thereby fighting climate change. “Whether it’s the high plains of North America or the Sahara in Africa, they evolved with grazing animals. These animals get a black eye for being so-called terrible carbon producers, but if you didn’t have them, the environment would collapse.”

Carter says grasslands overgrow, creating 30% more matter than can decompose every year. Without bison to chew some of it up, “grassland will essentially choke itself out.” To be fair, buffalo do fart out carbon just as cows do, but there are far fewer of them—there are a mere 500,000 in the U.S. versus nearly 100 million head of cattle. And bison consume less. “It takes 35 acres to support one cow,” says Carter. Bison by nature must eat different grasses at different times of the year, so the animals are cycled through grazing lands, which promotes sustainability.

Furthermore, Carter says bison are better designed by nature to care for the earth. “Bison hooves are more pointed than cattle hooves, so they tend to stir the soil and push seeds down further. Their bodies make depressions in the ground that capture moisture and return it to the soil.” Buffalo drink less water than cattle and are more resistant to extreme weather, so they can forage for their own food even in a harsh winter and don’t require the same amount of resources that cows do.

Buying Bison Can Support Native Americans

Bison were the staple food of Native American tribes until the latter half of the 19th century, when their population was decimated by disease (brought over from European cattle, says Carter), reckless over-hunting, and anti-Indian U.S. government policy at the time. As a result, the health, culture, and economy of Native Americans has suffered since. Fortunately, a large contingent of the bison industry supports the restoration of bison on Native American land and the resurgence of their community.

The Tanka Fund, created through a partnership between Native American Natural Foods (NANF) and the Indian Land Tenure Foundation, develops the assets needed to supply land to Native Americans to raise their own bison and bring it to market. Their goal is to convert one million acres of land to Native American buffalo producers in order to benefit tribal nations.  You can make a donation at the link found here

https://tankafund.org/return/

Resources

1. National Bison Association

https://www.bisoncentral.com/

2. Bison edges beef in nutrition study

https://www.research.va.gov/currents/summer2013/summer2013-10.cfm

3. 5 Super Foods For Women

https://www.rd.com/health/healthy-eating/5-super-foods-for-women/

4. Feeding Bison

https://extension.usu.edu/behave/files/uploads/Bison-Choice/Feeding%20bison.pdf

#1 Salmon

This pink-fleshed fish is packed with muscle-building protein and heart-supporting omega-3 fats, but also vitamin D, which has been linked to a host of good things ranging from immune health to a positive mood—and solid sleep. A 2014 study demonstrated that eating three to four servings of salmon (about three ounces each) three times a week for six months helped people fall asleep more quickly—and feel more alert the next day—than eating poultry, beef, or pork.

#2 Kiwi

In addition to being low in calories and delicious, these little green guys contain serotonin, a chemical that helps regulate your sleep cycle. A study in Taiwan found that people who ate two kiwis one hour before bed every night for a month fell asleep more quickly than when they didn’t eat anything beforehand. Their ability to sleep straight through the night also improved, as well as total time spent sleeping.

#3 White Rice

Unlike brown rice, the white stuff has had most of its nutrients removed, including fiber. As a result, it’s not very nutritious, but, used strategically, it could be your secret weapon for a good night’s sleep—even if you follow a low-carb diet overall.

White rice is a very fast-digesting food. It spikes blood sugar quickly, and then lets it crash. That crash is what makes you tired in the afternoon if you’ve had a big, carb-rich lunch, and that’s a nuisance if you want to be alert at work. But right before bed, it’s perfect for helping induce sleep. A 2014 study found that high intakes of white rice were associated with good sleep, and longer sleep duration. Another study from the same year showed that eating rice more than an hour before bedtime helped improve sleep in elite athletes.

#4 Cherry Juice

Melatonin is a natural hormone that your body releases at night to promote sleep. “Everything you put in your belly is influencing melatonin production, storage, and utilization,” says Shawn Stevenson, author of Sleep Smarter. He recommends drinking tart cherry juice, which is a natural source of melatonin. A study in the European Journal of Nutrition found that subjects who drank cherry juice had an increase in melatonin levels that helped significantly to promote sleep.

– Rhodiola rosea is an adaptogenic herb that helps support the body’s management of stress

– Rhodiola may aid cognitive function, work capacity, and perceptions of exertion

– Rhodiola can be taken in the morning to help cortisol release

What Is Rhodiola Rosea?

Rhodiola rosea is a perennial flowering plant—an herb—that grows in cold, mountainous areas of Europe and Asia. It is considered an adaptogen—a plant that contains compounds that help support the body’s management of stress. In eastern and northern Europe, rhodiola has been used as a traditional medicine for centuries.

To understand how rhodiola works, you need to know about cortisol, a stress hormone produced by the adrenal glands. Cortisol levels are naturally higher in the morning. According to Craig Koniver, M.D., founder of Koniver Wellness, a performance medicine clinic in Charleston, SC, this is a holdover from caveman times, when humans woke up with the sunrise and immediately set out for food and shelter. “That required our highest concentration, arousal, and alertness,” says Koniver, “and that’s what cortisol release gives you.” So, while cortisol is associated with stress, it’s not necessarily bad. At the right time of day, that stress is appropriate, and it helps you focus and be productive.

As the day goes on and the sun goes down, cortisol levels are supposed to drop so that you can relax and recover, but for many people these days, this doesn’t happen to the extent that it should. Interacting with electronics, such as the TV and cell phone, cause us to produce more cortisol, and that keeps us in a stressed state throughout the day and into the night. All day long-stress is unhealthy, and can really tax your adrenal glands.

“Adaptogens support the output of cortisol,” says Koniver. “They nurture the adrenals so they don’t have to work as hard.” Coupled with better nighttime habits (such as turning the TV off, leaving your phone outside your bedroom, etc.), adaptogens like rhodiola can ease the demand on your adrenal system, and help you get more out of the natural cortisol spike you experience in the morning.

“Rhodiola, in particular, is a good choice when people are feeling worn out,” says Koniver. “If you wake up and you don’t feel refreshed, rhodiola can be helpful,” promoting the alertness and cognition effect that cortisol offers. 

Benefits of Rhodiola

Rhodiola is thought to be beneficial for managing overall stress and aiding athletic performance.

A study in Phytotherapy Research had 101 subjects take rhodiola for four weeks, and assessed their stress levels through a battery of tests. All the tests showed that rhodiola assisted with stress to a clinically relevant degree—and some subjects saw results after only three days. No serious adverse effects were reported. However, the study was not blinded. That means the subjects knew they were taking rhodiola, and that could have affected the findings.

Another trial in Phytomedicine looked at rhodiola’s effect on young, healthy doctors working night shifts. Subjects were given tests to determine the effect working late nights had on their energy and cognitive function, including short-term memory, ability to concentrate, and speed of audio-visual perception. This time, the trial was done double-blinded, meaning that neither the doctor subjects nor the researchers knew who was getting rhodiola versus a placebo. The result: rhodiola helped with mental weariness and aided performance on work-related tasks by 20%.

A similar study, also published in Phytomedicine, examined 161 military cadets on night duty. They were given rhodiola to see if it helped them battle tiredness. Though the subjects were given two different doses, both were found to be effective in supporting the cadets’ cognitive processing.

A third Phytomedicine study had students take rhodiola during a stressful exam period. They reported less mental stress, better sleep patterns, and greater motivation to study.

As for athletic performance, rhodiola seems to hold promise for those engaging in long-duration exercise. A study in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism showed that rhodiola aided work capacity in subjects performing endurance training. It actually helped them extend their time to exhaustion by 24 seconds.

Moreover, the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research reported a trial in which subjects performed a simulated cycling race and, when given rhodiola, completed it significantly faster than the placebo group.

While rhodiola may aid performance by helping to manage stress on the heart, it also seems to alter the exerciser’s perceived level of exertion. In other words, you may be pushing yourself hard, but it doesn’t feel so hard to you, and so you can push even harder, keeping your pace up for longer. Such were the findings of this Journal of Sports Medicine study.

Is Rhodiola a Stimulant?

Technically, rhodiola is a stimulant, because it helps fight off tired feelings. Rhodiola is thought to work by stimulating neurotransmitters such as dopamine, noradrenaline, and serotonin, which help regulate cognitive processes, arousal, and perception. According to Mental Health America, it may also promote the effects of other stimulants, such as caffeine.

However, that said, rhodiola is an unusual stimulant in that it does not seem to increase the heart rate and blood pressure, or decrease appetite, as most stimulants do. “Instead of increasing activity of the central nervous system like [well-known] stimulants do, it helps the body better adapt its response to stress-inducing events,” says Shannon Ehrhardt, RD, CSSD, a Sports Dietitian with EXOS.

Nevertheless, Koniver recommends taking rhodiola in the morning, to support cortisol levels. “If you take it in the evening,” he says, “you could potentially elevate cortisol when it should be on its way down.”

Who Should Take Rhodiola?

Rhodiola appears to be safe and at least mildly effective in normal, healthy populations. It may be beneficial to endurance athletes, those who exercise, and virtually anyone who wants help managing stress that impairs function.

“I think it’s smart for people to rotate adaptogens, or take time off from them,” says Koniver, “because you can adapt to them with consistent use. I often tell patients to take their herbal supplements during the week, and then take weekends off from them. You’ll get more out of them that way, long-term.”

Side effects of rhodiola use, if any, seem to be mild, and, according to the National Institutes of Health, include dizziness and dry mouth. A review in Phytomedicine concluded that a lack of “adverse effects in the course of clinical trials make [rhodiola] potentially attractive for use” in helping with lethargy and supporting cognition and mood.

Get More Reps: How Beta-Alanine Helps Build Work Capacity

While it works via a different mechanism than creatine, beta-alanine offers similar benefits, including supporting your ability to train more intensely and produce explosive power. Simply put, beta-alanine can help you go harder for longer, whether that means getting more reps on your weight-training sets, more takedowns on your opponents during MMA practice, finding a second wind when you’re finishing a sprint race, or standing on the pedals another 10 seconds at spin class.

Here’s everything you need to know about this underrated muscle supplement.

What Is Beta-Alanine?

Anyone who’s ever worked out hard knows about the “burn.” When you lift weights, run, swim, or do any other strenuous activity that lasts more than a few seconds, lactic acid builds up in your muscles. Lactic acid is a byproduct of the muscles burning carbs for fuel, and consists of a molecule called lactate and hydrogen ions. The lactate goes back to your liver and is recycled as an energy source to keep you working hard, but the hydrogen ions stay in your muscles, making them sting and ache. Not only is it an uncomfortable feeling that may make you want to quit what you’re doing, but research from the University of Utah shows that hydrogen ion buildup actually works to shut your muscles down so you have to stop and rest. This hinders performance, and, ultimately, your ability to make gains.

Beta-alanine is a precursor to the amino acid carnosine, which is found naturally in animal foods. Carnosine acts as a lactic acid buffer, helping the muscles defend against the buildup of hydrogen ions in your muscles, and therefore the burn you feel during a workout. Consuming supplemental beta-alanine has been shown to help boost levels of carnosine in the body, blocking lactic acid and supporting anaerobic performance.

What Are The Benefits of Beta-Alanine?

As with creatine, an abundance of research has demonstrated that taking beta-alanine can aid high-intensity, short duration exercise performance. Specifically, beta-alanine’s effect on carnosine levels translates to better workouts in the following ways.

Boosts Work Capacity

A study in Nutrition Research looked at college football players taking beta-alanine for 30 days. Their training volume across all strength workouts ended up being higher than that of the control (placebo) group, and the total amount of weight they lifted on the bench press in particular was significantly greater. Researchers also observed a trend toward lower rates of fatigue in the athletes during anaerobic power tests, and the players themselves reported feeling less fatigued.

Interestingly, when taking beta-alanine, improvements in work capacity may be possible independent of exercise. A study in Amino Acids had subjects use the supplement without following a training program. Muscle carnosine levels increased by a whopping 58.8% after four weeks, and 80% after 10 weeks, and the subjects saw significant improvements on work capacity tests administered at both times.

Promotes Power Output

A 2013 study followed jiu-jitsu and judo competitors who used beta-alanine. Before and after four weeks of supplementation, they were tested on four different anaerobic power tests lasting 30 seconds each. The martial artists’ performance scores significantly improved in the second and third tests, and tended to improve in the fourth, showing that not only did the players see gains in power, but their ability to produce it in a fatigued state (after previous power tests) also improved.

Aids Body Composition

A trial published in The Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition showed that subjects who took beta-alanine got better results from high-intensity interval training (HIIT), gaining more lean body mass and endurance compared to placebo.

Can I Get Beta-Alanine From Food?

Beta-alanine is a component of carnosine, which, like all amino acids, is present in meats. Interestingly, some research suggests that the amount of physical activity an animal gets in its lifetime can determine how much carnosine it stores in its muscles. Therefore, game animals such as elk and bison could offer greater carnosine levels than more popular fare like beef and poultry.

Nevertheless, you need a significant intake of beta-alanine to reap the performance benefits (see “Do I Need To Load Beta-Alanine” below), so your best bet is to consume it in a concentrated supplement form—as a tablet or powder. This is even more important for those who eschew animal foods. The European Journal of Applied Physiology reports that vegetarians often have lower levels of carnosine than those who eat mixed diets.

Do I Need To Load Beta-Alanine?

Like creatine, beta-alanine has to build up in your system to be maximally effective. “Athletes should follow a loading phase of two to five grams daily,” says Shannon Ehrhardt, R.D., a performance dietitian with EXOS, Onnit’s partner in performance nutrition. (The larger the person, the more he/she will need to saturate the muscles, so you may need to experiment with your intake to find the right amount.) At that point, you can cut back to a maintenance protocol of two to three grams daily.

When Should I Take Beta-Alanine?

While it’s a common ingredient in many pre-workout products, beta-alanine doesn’t have to be taken at any specific time. Once levels reach four to six grams in your body, you should be able to see the difference in your workouts.

Is Beta-Alanine Safe?

You’ve probably heard of or experienced what many athletes describe as a tingling sensation from products that contain beta-alanine. The reason for this is unknown, but scientists think it may be beta-alanine acting on parts of the nervous system that end in the skin, and the effect is similar to the pins-and-needles feeling of when a hand or foot falls “asleep.” Assuming you’re healthy, this feeling is temporary and harmless.

In the International Society of Sports Nutrition’s official position stand on beta-alanine, it stated the following: “To date, there is no evidence to support that this tingling is harmful in any way. [The tingling side effect] is typically experienced in the face, neck, and back of hands. Although not all individuals will experience [it], it is typically dose-dependent, with higher doses resulting in greater side effects.”

If you want to do all you can to avoid the tingling sensation, you can take smaller amounts of beta-alanine at each serving, or look for a brand that offers a more sustained-release formula so it absorbs more slowly during digestion.

Downing food that doesn’t get properly assimilated is like trying to fill a gas tank that has a hole in it—good nutrition could be leaking right through you.

The solution, however, can be as simple as taking a few capsules with your food. Digestive enzymes, among other supplements, can help you get the most out of every meal.

What are Digestive Enzymes?

Digestive enzymes are proteins that help break down the food you eat so it can be absorbed by your body. Most of them are made by your pancreas and are sometimes called pancreatic enzymes. The main ones to be familiar with are amylase, lactase, lipase, and pepsin, which break down carbohydrates, lactose, fat, and protein, respectively.

Your body produces enzymes, but, for various reasons, your own personal store probably isn’t sufficient for great digestion (See “How Do I Know If My Food Is Digesting Properly?” below). You should aim to get some enzymes through your diet and may also benefit from supplements. Two whole-food options for boosting digestive enzymes are pineapple, which contains bromelain, and papaya, which offers papain—both enzymes break down proteins.
“Most people don’t absorb fats as well as they could,” says Carla Nowicki, R.D., C.S.S.D., a sports dietician in Austin, TX (follow her on Instagram at @carla_pursuitpn), “so they should try lipase.” This goes double for those following higher-fat diets and may be consuming more fat than they can currently break down. Enzymes are available in most health food stores and pharmacies, and are usually combined into one supplement you can take in capsule form.

There is some back and forth on the Internet about the effectiveness of supplemental enzymes. Some critics argue that, like your food, the enzymes also get broken down by stomach acid, and this may render them useless before they can go to work in your digestive tract. Nowicki fires back that “stomach acid will kill some enzymes, but enough will make it through to help digestion.” Still, it may be worthwhile to look for products that offer “acid stable” or “acid-resistant” enzymes for extra protection.

How Do I Know If My Food Is Digesting Properly?

You have to know your shit. (This gets kind of gross, so apologies in advance.)

“Having loose stools is a sign you’re eating too much fat or not breaking it down, absorbing it, and putting it to use,” says Nowicki. “Even a stool with a soft-serve ice cream-like consistency is not what you want. You want a formed stool.” Think: a log in a still pond. Bad dumps also tend to float more—a sign of a higher fat concentration.

Another telltale can be slow absorption. “Your body should absorb most foods within 24 hours,” says Nowicki. There are exceptions (ahem, corn, which you can pass in an hour or two), but generally speaking, anything that takes days to come out of you is evidence that you didn’t digest it well. “For example, if you eat tomatoes on Friday and you see the skins on Sunday, you have a problem. You don’t want food sitting in your gut fermenting for days on end.”

Rarely feeling hungry can also indicate poor digestion. “If after a meal you’re like an anaconda that just swallowed a deer—the feet are hanging out of its mouth and it just lies there swollen for days—you probably have a problem digesting food normally.” Of course, bloating and gas are signs you’re not digesting food properly, and often occur when you eat high-fiber vegetables (hint: beans).

Inefficient digestion can have many causes, but Nowicki warns that “there’s not a single person who absorbs everything optimally,” due to stress, bad food choices, and activity levels. Even fit people who follow perfectly balanced diets aren’t immune. They generally eat more food to support their active lifestyles, she says, and so the challenge to the digestive system is greater. “If you don’t digest well you won’t see as good gains in the gym. Don’t let your food and supplements go to waste.”

Do Digestive Enzymes Cause Gas?

Some people report that supplemental enzymes give them gas, and even constipation, cramps, and diarrhea in certain cases. But this may be a sign that the products they used are not of the best quality. Looks for enzymes that are third-party tested for purity and safety.

Can Digestive Enzymes Help with Bloating?

Yes. A 2015 study in Gut and Liver found that an acid-resistant lipase—the enzyme that helps dissolve fats—reduced sensations of stomach fullness significantly in subjects after a fatty meal.

What Other Supplements Can Help Digestion?

In addition to digestive enzyme supplements, probiotics, prebiotics, and betaine HCL have been shown to aid digestive health.

How Do Probiotics Help Digestion?

Probiotics are bacteria and yeasts that set up camp in your gut. They work to break down food during digestion and have a positive impact on the immune system, fighting off the bad bacteria that can make you sick. The two most common strains are lactobacillus and bifidobacterium, which are both easily gotten through dairy products.

Newer research indicates that another probiotic, Saccharomyces Boulardii (SB), shows promise for alleviating various digestive problems. A 2017 study in Gut Microbes found that it restocks good yeast in the gastrointestinal tract, supporting a healthy gut microbiota.

“The Western diet doesn’t promote a healthy gut at all,” says Nowicki, who recommends getting in supplemental probiotics for both better digestion and overall health. Part of the problem is the lack of diversity in our food. According to a 2016 article in Molecular Metabolism, 75% of the world’s food is generated from only 12 plants and five different species of animals. Modern agricultural practices, including the use of antibiotics in livestock, reduce the range of probiotics the gut is exposed to even more. Since most of us draw from such a small pool of food sources—and, therefore, ingest a very limited range of useful microbes—the need for probiotic supplementation may be dire.

As with pancreatic enzymes, there’s some danger of probiotics being destroyed during the digestive process before they can act on it. Therefore, it’s a good idea to seek out strains that are resistant to stomach acids, such as L. acidophilus DDS-1, L. plantarum, L. rhamnosus, B. infantis, and B. lactis.

How Do Prebiotics Help Digestion?

Probiotics aren’t much good without their counterpart—prebiotics. While indigestible for us, these carbohydrates serve as food for probiotic bacteria and yeasts, promoting their growth and the good work they do for our bodies. Prebiotics exist in bananas, garlic, onions, and whole grains.

Jerusalem artichokes are another good source, and are used for supplements. A British Journal of Nutrition study found that a fruit and vegetable shot containing Jerusalem artichoke fiber had a helpful prebiotic effect in subjects.

What Is Betaine HCL?

When it works right, your stomach is like a bubbling cauldron of acid. That’s a good thing, because optimal acid levels break food down easily. Research from Molecular Pharmaceutics indicates that the chemical betaine hydrochloride (HCL) promotes an acidic environment in the stomach, and is well-tolerated by healthy people. Another trial in Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications showed that it improves digestion.

When Should I Take Digestive Supplements?

Enzymes, probiotics, prebiotics, and betaine HCL can all be taken at meal times separately or together. Take them with water shortly before you eat any big meal—especially one that’s high in fat or fiber, says Nowicki. Snacks on the other hand, such as a handful of nuts or a piece of cheese, don’t warrant enzyme use. Nowicki says, “don’t waste your money.”

The Benefits of Digestive Supplements & Total GUT HEALTH™ with Probiotics

Whenever you feel gassy, bloated, or tired after a meal, it becomes crystal clear that good digestion is essential to overall well being. But optimizing the gut isn’t only about digestion.

Recent research suggests that the gut biome could serve as the foundation for a strong immune system and optimal brain function. Total GUT HEALTH™ contains probiotics, prebiotics, enzymes, and HCl. If there is a single thing you can do to help optimize performance and health, this is it!†

1. Fast Food

You already know it’s not healthy, but the convenience of a drive-thru window when you’re tired and feeling lazy can be too much to resist. Try to anyway. A Spanish study showed that eating fast food can increase the risk
of depression by 51%. Foods such as processed baked goods, hamburgers, hot dogs, and pizza were cited in particular. This echoes the findings of an Australian study that concluded: “Those with better quality diets were less likely to be depressed, whereas a higher intake of processed and unhealthy foods was associated with increased anxiety.”

2. Coffee

It might seem like not being able to get coffee when you really need it would add to your stress, but it could actually be the best thing for you. If you’re the type who relies on copious amounts of caffeine to get focused and face the day, the stimulant effect can make any agitation you’re already feeling significantly worse. A study in Psychosomatic Medicine had subjects perform a stressful task and found that people who drank 300 milligrams of
caffeine per day—about three cups of coffee, or what you’d get from a grande at Starbucks—reported having more than double the stress response of a control group. Furthermore, the researchers said that habitual caffeine use wouldn’t necessarily improve tolerance to these effects.

3. Non-Dairy Creamer

OK, we can accept that we may not be able to get you to ditch coffee, but at least consider giving up any non- dairy creamers you use in it (except for MCT oil, which has all kinds of benefits). Most milk/cream substitutes
contain hydrogenated oils that negatively affect cholesterol levels and have been linked to depression, anxiety, and overall poorer mental performance. Don’t be fooled by labels: a nutrition panel might claim “0 grams” trans fats, but if you see “partially-hydrogenated oils” on the label, they’re in there in small amounts. If you drink multiple coffees with a serving of creamer
each time, or use numerous servings in a cup, trace amounts of trans fats will add up to something significant fast—and it doesn’t take much to do your body damage. The government recommends no more than 2 grams per day.

4. Soda

Cracking open a cold soft drink is associated with chilling out and feeling good (or at least that’s what TV commercials would have you believe). The truth, however, is that consuming lots of sugar can make you feel worse—and not just because it makes you fatter. Research from Emory University states that diets high in fructose can negatively affect behavior, and even
worsen symptoms of depression and anxiety. Excess fructose is especially harmful for adolescents, whose brains are still developing. Fructose is the sugar found naturally in fruits and vegetables, but no one is suggesting curbing your intake of whole foods. The danger comes when fructose is consumed in large doses, and that’s easily done when eating processed foods and drinking soda.

It makes sense – athletes of all levels place a high value on developing lean muscle tissue, and protein consumption is what delivers the amino acids necessary for building and maintaining muscle.

The good news is the sheer popularity of whey protein means that it’s been studied, studied and studied some more, so there are fewer questions regarding when to take whey protein.

If you’ve made the decision to supplement, and you’re looking to add whey protein to your diet, here’s what you need to know.

Types of Whey Protein

Not all whey proteins are the same – in fact, you’re likely to be overwhelmed by all the options available if you take a jaunt down the aisle at your local nutrition store. Generally speaking, there are three common forms of whey protein.

Whey Protein Concentrate

This is the less processed, more “natural” form of whey protein. For clean-eating fans, less processing probably sounds like a good thing, but in this case, less processing actually means less pure.

Whey protein concentrate contains more fat and lactose, and less total protein – ranging anywhere from 70% to 85% of the product – than isolates.

Whey Protein Isolate

Whey protein isolate, on the other hand, goes through more processing to remove the extra lactose and fat, delivering a product that’s typically 90% protein or more. The isolate form of whey protein generally costs more than concentrate, and it’s also considered a “safer” supplement for those who are lactose intolerant.

Hydrolyzed Whey Protein

Hydrolyzed whey products are those that have gone through additional processing, essentially breaking down the protein into groups of amino acids that are theoretically faster to digest.

The problem is, research doesn’t necessarily indicate this is true, so spending more money on a hydrolyzed product when other options are as, or more, effective, doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.

Functionally speaking, any whey product you choose should be more than capable of putting your body into a state of positive nitrogen balance – the most beneficial state for muscle recovery and hypertrophy – as long as you time your protein supplementation correctly.

When to Take Whey Protein

Whey protein is a highly bioavailable protein that boasts fast absorption rates. This makes it an ideal protein for post-workout recovery.

In fact, Brandon Mentone, a Strength and Conditioning Coach and Sports Nutritionist, puts it this way, “Whey has the highest bioavailability of all the protein analogues, which makes it the most potent and rapidly utilized agent post-workout.”

When you exercise, you’re placing a high level of stress on your body that actually causes damage to your muscles and tissue.

Building muscle doesn’t actually take place during your workout; rather, your workout is the tool you use to put your body in the necessary state for muscular hypertrophy during recovery.

Proper post-workout nutrition stimulates the repair of tissues in a way that leads to muscle growth.

Immediately following a workout, the blood flow to skeletal muscles is stimulated, and the act of working out “opens up” muscles to function a bit like a sponge – they’re primed and ready to absorb nutrients.

By consuming a fast-absorbing protein like whey protein immediately after your workout, you’re supplying your muscles with the amino acids they need to repair and grow, precisely when they benefit the most.

The sooner you can consume whey protein following your workout, the better. Generally speaking, you have up to a two-hour window (the “anabolic window”) post-workout to consume a protein-carbohydrate meal.

This is the two-hour period in which your muscles are primed and ready to accept nutrients, taking them from a muscle-wasting state of negative nitrogen balance to a muscle-building state of positive nitrogen balance.

But just because you have up to two hours, doesn’t mean you should wait to supplement. The longer you wait, the less “sponge-like” your muscles will be, and the less benefit you’ll derive from your whey protein supplementation efforts.

Who Should Take Whey Protein

Because whey protein is affordable, popular and highly bioavailable, It’s a great option for most active individuals looking for a way to easily increase protein consumption.

One of the biggest arguments against protein supplementation is that, in theory, it’s easy for people to consume enough protein in their diets to meet the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of .8 grams per kilogram body weight.

While technically this is true, the RDA is based on the protein needs of a sedentary individual, not the needs of anyone who is active, growing, trying to build muscle mass or who is recovering from an injury.

Most studies indicate that under circumstances such as these, protein intake ranging from 1.2 to 1.6 grams per kilogram body weight is ideal. While it’s perfectly possible to consume this level of protein from food sources, it’s not always convenient.

Anyone who has ever tried to squeeze in a workout right before running to a meeting or whose training schedule butts up to their children’s bedtimes knows that it’s not always possible to sit down for a meal right after working out.

Because the timing of protein consumption post-workout is vitally important to muscle hypertrophy and recovery, it must be easy and convenient to consume.

Protein supplements – particularly whey protein powders that can be mixed with water, bars and pre-made shakes – are incredibly convenient, and a great option for anyone who’s “on the go” and unable to turn to whole food protein sources after  workout.

It’s important to realize, though, that whey protein isn’t appropriate for everyone. As a product derived from milk, it’s not a good choice for vegans, and some whey protein concentrates may cause gastrointestinal distress to those who are lactose intolerant.

In these situations, other protein supplements, such as vegan-friendly, stomach-friendly hemp protein, may be a better option.

– Nearly all supplements marketed as pre-workouts contain caffeine or some other stimulant, but there are ingredients that can support exercise performance with little to no stimulant effect.

– Huperzia serrata, arginine and citrulline, cordyceps, rhodiola rosea, essential amino acids, sodium bicarbonate, and chocolate milk may all help performance when consumed before activity.

– Ingredients may need to be taken at different times to maximize their effects.

– Pre-workouts are generally considered safe, but there is little research on their long-term effects.

Caffeine-Free, Non-Stimulant Pre-workouts: Do They Work?

If there’s one common denominator underlying most nutrition products that are marketed as pre-workout supplements, it’s the inclusion of caffeine. The majority of pre-workout formulas that have been shown to be effective contain some amount of the stuff, and the fact is that the pre-workout category was born for the sake of helping people feel more energized when they go into the gym. But not every supplement designed to be taken before training is intended to have a stimulant effect.

If you’re someone who chooses to avoid caffeine, or you want something besides alertness and focus from your pre-workout supp—such as a better pump, or support with endurance or strength gains—you have other options. We looked into the best caffeine-free, non-stimulant pre-workouts that may help you perform well without a high risk of feeling wired.

Do Caffeine-Free Pre-workouts Actually Work?

First thing’s first: there is a strong body of evidence showing that pre-workout supplements of all kinds can help you achieve fitness goals. A 2018 review in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition looked at 80 different studies done on pre-workout formulas and concluded that they may benefit both muscular endurance and mood during a workout. The authors noted that, when combined with resistance training, pre-workouts can support positive long-term changes in body comp via lean muscle gains.

Nevertheless, most pre-workout formulas contain a mix of ingredients, so trying to pick out exactly which ones are having the intended effect versus those that don’t live up to the hype, or are mere filler, has presented a challenge for scientists. Furthermore, most pre-workouts contain caffeine, and lots of it (upwards of 300 milligrams in a dose—equal to about three cups of coffee). As caffeine has been shown to promote power output, endurance, and alertness, and aid the body in managing stress in multiple ways, it can be difficult to tell what’s really working in a given supplement: the “proprietary blend,” or the caffeine.

With that said, there are several other ingredients that are common in pre-workouts that have been found to be beneficial, although not for the stimulant effect that caffeine promises. We’ll explore these further down under How Do Most Pre-Workouts Work?

What Pre-workout Supplements Contain Stimulants?

It’s important to understand that caffeine isn’t the only stimulant that might appear in a supplement. Many supplements may claim to be caffeine- or stimulant-free but can still have a stimulant effect, especially if a person is sensitive to one or more ingredients. The body’s reaction to any kind of supplement can be very individual.

Most people think of stimulants as chemicals that raise heart rate and ramp up the central nervous system, but the category is broader than that. The FDA defines a stimulant as a drug or substance that helps restore mental alertness or wakefulness in a fatigued state, so, going by that, virtually any product that helps you feel more mentally energized can be considered to have a stimulant effect.

Don’t misinterpret “caffeine-free” on a label as stimulant-free. If you want something that’s completely sans stimulants, you’ll have to be sure it says so on the bottle, and check that the label’s promises have been vetted by a third-party such as Informed-Sport, which tests supplement batches to determine their safety and purity. However, if you’re on the hunt for stimulant-free pre-workouts simply because you have a problem with caffeine, you may find that you don’t mind a supplement that contains other compounds that may act as stimulants, but have a less-potent stimulant effect.

Technically, the following ingredients fall under the stimulant banner (largely because most contain some amount of caffeine), so, if you’re concerned about consuming stimulants, be wary of any product that advertises them. 

• B-complex vitamins
• Caffeine/caffeine anhydrous
• Carnitine
• Cocoa
• Ginseng
• Green coffee bean
• Guarana
• Ma huang
• Taurine
• Yerba maté
• Yohimbe/yohimbine

You can find a more complete list on the Operation Supplement Safety website, a division of the U.S. Department of Defense.

At the same time, be aware that all of these compounds are considered safe by the FDA when consumed by adults in moderation. They’re not controlled substances that can get you in trouble or pose serious risks to your health, provided that you’re a typical healthy adult. And if you consume energy drinks, sodas, or teas, or you eat chocolate, you’ve probably ingested some of these ingredients before.

How Do Most Pre-workouts Work?

Supplements can prepare you for more effective workouts by many different means. The following are some of the ingredients that science has shown to have the most promise for promoting higher performance.

Huperzia Serrata (Club Moss)

If you’re interested in a pre-workout for the sake of mental energy, alertness, or focus, but you want to steer clear of caffeine and other stimulants, club moss should be on your radar. We can’t promise that it won’t have any stimulant effect in your body, but it’s certain to be less stimulating than massive amounts of caffeine, as its effects support a brain environment that allows for clear thinking—it doesn’t cause a ramp-up of the nervous system.

Huperzia serrata has been shown to have neuro-protective properties, helping to support cognitive function. It can also promote concentrations of acetylcholine, the neurotransmitter responsible for muscle functions. Huperzia serrata is a key ingredient in Alpha BRAIN®. 

Arginine and Citrulline

Nitric oxide (NO) supplements are some of the most popular in the stim-free pre-workout category. They don’t act directly on the brain or central nervous system but instead on the vascular system, dilating the blood vessels to allow greater blood flow to working muscles. If you can get more blood in and out of your muscles during training, you can potentially deliver more nutrition to them and promote better performance and recovery. For gym rats who like to get a big ego-inflating pump from their strength workouts, NO supplements have the potential to make your muscles swell to an even greater degree.

Nitric oxide exists naturally in the body, but you can’t supplement it in that form. To raise NO levels, you need to take the amino acids L-arginine and L-citrulline (also available as citrulline malate).

A study in the Journal of Applied Physiology showed that joggers who used arginine were able to extend their runs by more than two minutes. Another trial in the European Journal of Nutrition demonstrated that citrulline malate helped women perform more volume on the leg press exercise (an increase of 12 reps in a single workout).

Vasodilation (the condition of dilated blood vessels) helps the bloodstream shuttle metabolic byproducts out of the muscles more quickly. These byproducts can contribute to muscle soreness. A study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that when lifters took citrulline malate before training, they were 40% less sore one day—and then two days—later.

Arginine and citrulline may also help your workouts seem less grueling. A 2019 study concluded that a combo of both aminos assisted with power production in soccer players training on a cycle ergometer and, despite their putting out a greater effort, the subjects reported that the workout felt easier than sessions in the past. A 2016 study’s findings were similar—cyclists reported less fatigue after a workout. 

You can read more about arginine and citrulline in our guide to nitric oxide supplements. 

Cordyceps

A type of fungus that grows in the Himalayan mountains, cordyceps sinensis (and its less expensive lab-grown alternative, cordyceps militaris) are rich in adenosine triphosphate (ATP)—the energy source for muscle contractions. As a result, cordyceps may help the body produce more ATP, which could allow you to train more intensely.

A Chinese study indicated that cordyceps supports gains in aerobic fitness, as subjects cycling on stationary bikes saw a seven percent increase in VO2 max in just six weeks. A similar study in Japan found that cordyceps helped individuals train more efficiently on a running test.

In 2017, researchers had cyclists take a mushroom blend that contained cordyceps; the subjects had longer times to exhaustion (by about 28 seconds) after only one week of supplementation, and their VO2 maxes shot up by 11% after three weeks of supplementation.

Read more on cordyceps in our cordyceps sinensis report.

Rhodiola Rosea

Rhodiola is an herb with adaptogenic properties, meaning that it can support the body’s management of stress. Scientists hypothesize that it may aid performance by helping the heart keep up with demand, but rhodiola also seems to help with perceived levels of exertion. A Journal of Sports Medicine study found that rhodiola supplementation before cycling helped subjects train hard (70% of VO2 max) without feeling like it was so intense.

Another trial revealed that, when taken one hour before activity, rhodiola promoted work capacity, helping users extend their time to exhaustion on endurance exercise by 24 seconds.

Find out more in our rhodiola rosea guide.

Essential Amino Acids (EAAs)

EAAs are amino acids your body can’t synthesize, so you have to get them from food or supplements. There are nine of them: histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine. Three of these—isoleucine, leucine, and valine—are known as branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), which scientists recognize as being especially important for strength and performance.

Research from Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism demonstrated that BCAAs taken one hour prior to running tests supported better reaction times in soccer players. Furthermore, Nutrition published a study showing that women who took EAAs before and after training, and on off days as well, saw gains in aerobic endurance. What makes this even more impressive is that the subjects were eating roughly 400 fewer calories daily than the ladies in the placebo group, which suggests that EAAs might help performance when dieting.

Sodium Bicarbonate

This is plain, old-fashioned baking soda, and while it’s still great for keeping your refrigerator smelling fresh, it can also help you keep your intensity up on your cardio. Sodium bicarbonate has an acid-buffering effect, and several trials (1, 2, 3) have shown that it promotes faster finishes in sprint and middle-distance cycling and running tests, where athletes are likely to slow down or become distracted by the searing feeling of lactic acid buildup (the byproduct of your body burning stored carbohydrate for energy).

However, some people find that sodium bicarbonate upsets their stomach, and if you’re watching your salt intake, you’ll want to avoid it outright.

BONUS #1: Beta-alanine and Creatine

There are many other safe and legal performance aids that are also caffeine-free, but the timing of their ingestion doesn’t matter. In addition to the above, you may find that beta-alanine and creatine (amino acids) help you to perform more reps in your strength workouts. While they’re popular ingredients in many pre-workout products, they can be consumed before or after training, and on off days, and need to build up in your system over time before they can take effect.

You can read about them in our separate creatine and beta-alanine articles.

BONUS #2: Chocolate Milk

If you’re really concerned about keeping stimulants of any kind out of your diet, or you just don’t like swallowing powders or pills, you can eat like a kid again and tell your friends it’s highly sophisticated performance nutrition. “A drink with a little bit of protein and carbs 30 to 60 minutes before training can provide energy,” says Chris Mohr, Ph.D. R.D., a nutrition and wellness consultant (follow him on Instagram, @mohrresults), “and chocolate milk is perfect. That’s what I do when I work out in the morning, but you can drink it anytime. The protein helps prevent too much muscle breakdown during your workout, and the sugar provides quick energy. I like a low-sugar chocolate milk, like Fairlife’s Chocolate 2% Ultra-Filtered, which has about a 1:1 ratio of protein to carbs.” (There are 13 grams of protein and carbs in an eight-ounce serving, and Mohr drinks the 11.5-oz single-serving bottles.)

When’s The Best Time To Take A Pre-workout?

You’re probably best served by following the label directions on any pre-workout product you use, but Vince Kreipke, Ph.D.—a performance specialist and member of Onnit’s advisory board—cautions that different ingredients kick in and peak at different times, so, for the best results, you’ll have to time your consumption accordingly.

“Optimal timing is going to depend greatly on the speed at which the ingredients are absorbed and ready to be used by your body,” says Kreipke. “This is going to be somewhat variable when you look at different ingredients. Arginine has been shown to reach peak concentrations at one hour after ingestion, whereas the active ingredients in rhodiola rosea weren’t shown to peak out until about two hours.” Timing is everything.

A recent study demonstrated that optimal muscular performance via caffeine use is achieved when caffeine is consumed one hour before performance (it beat 30 minutes and 2 hours in the study). “Caffeine has been shown to be 99% absorbed within about 45 minutes,” says Kreipke. “If we take that in and use that as the model, it would suggest that peak absorption means peak benefits.”

So, if you want to take more than one of these ingredients before your workout, you may want to do a little bit of planning—such as taking rhodiola one to two hours before, and then arginine and caffeine a little later. It’s also important to know that ingredients can stay in your system for a while once they have been absorbed. Caffeine, for example, has a half-life of about six hours, meaning that it takes that amount of time for the concentration in your system to drop to 50% of the initial dose. If you take a pre-workout that packs a lot of caffeine, that’s a long time to have high levels of caffeine in your body. (This is one reason it’s wise to avoid pre-workouts with caffeine at night, so they don’t prevent you from sleeping.)

Are Pre-workouts Bad For You?

Overall, research suggests that pre-workouts are safe, and that adverse effects are generally mild. Subjects sometimes report stomach upset and trouble sleeping, or a general decrease in calmness, although the latter applies more to pre-workouts that contain caffeine.

Research on pre-workouts is young, however, and most studies haven’t looked at the effects of long-term use (pre-workout formula trials tend to run for eight weeks or less). For maximum safety, consumers would be wise to research any supplement they’re interested in before use. Due to weak enforcement of FDA regulations, supplements of all kinds have been found to contain many things they shouldn’t, including heavy metals, hormones and prohormones, banned substances, harmful chemicals, and stimulants (1, 2).

An article in the New England Journal of Medicine points out that hidden stimulants may be the most common problem, and that dosages can range from negligible to toxic levels. 

For these reasons, it’s best to look for products that have received third-party verification (as mentioned above), and are transparent about their ingredients. “Look for a seal that says it’s certified for sport by a group like Informed Sport or NSF,” says Mohr.

Pre-workouts Banned By The NCAA

If you’re a student athlete, you should know that the NCAA expressly bans the use of all stimulants, including caffeine in large quantities. If you like to have coffee in the morning or a Diet Coke at lunch, you needn’t worry, as urine concentrations of caffeine would have to test in excess of 15 micrograms/ml for you to get busted, which would mean consuming around 500 milligrams of caffeine (or the equivalent of six to eight cups of coffee) two to three hours beforehand.

It gets tricky, though, if you consume normal amounts of caffeine and a pre-workout on top of it. As many pre-workouts pack 300 or more milligrams of caffeine, as well as other potential stimulants, your chances of “pissing hot” go up significantly. So read labels, and be cautious.

Also, “make sure that whatever supplements you use you experiment with beforehand on practice days,” says Mohr, “not performance days.” A competition is no time to test-drive a new formula whose effects on your body are unknown.

The truth is, animal protein supps are highly effective, but plant proteins can match the likes of whey, casein, and egg—and pea protein is a fine example. Aside from delivering comparable anabolic benefits to animal proteins, the power of peas is displayed through a number of other attributes, including high digestibility, a broad range of amino acids, and the absence of common allergens.

Below is everything you need to know about making pea protein powder an integral part of your muscle- and health-boosting nutrition plan.

What is Pea Protein

Rest assured, it has nothing to do with urine (although many a musclehead would gladly drink his own piss if he thought it built muscle¦ but we digress). Pea protein comes from grinding dried field peas—the same type used to make split pea soup—into a powder. The starches and fiber are then extracted so you’re left with just the protein.

Peas naturally contain protein, at around eight grams per cup, although the protein is not considered complete (more on this polarizing subject further down, under Is Pea Protein A Complete Protein?). In terms of speed of digestion, pea protein is considered medium-fast absorbing. Its amino acids (the components of protein) aren’t taken up by the muscles as fast as whey’s are, but they’re not as slow as casein

What Are the Benefits of Pea Protein?

Ralf Jaeger, Ph.D., co-founder of Increnovo, a research-based consulting company serving the food, beverage, and supplement manufacturing industry, can rattle off a number of pea protein positives. “There’s no gas or bloating from pea protein like some may experience with whey,” he says, due to its digestibility and lack of allergens. “Pea protein is plant-based and sustainable, made with nitrogen-recycling, earth-friendly peas, and it’s rich in plant-based iron.” Pea protein also has an array of amino acids.

Let’s take a closer look at these qualities, one by one.

Easily Digestible and Bioavailable

If gastric discomfort via protein powders is an issue for you, you should be in the clear with pea protein, which has a 94% rate of digestibility (i.e., almost all of it will break down during digestion and not stress your gut).

Pea protein also scores decently for bioavailability—the amount of protein actually absorbed and utilized by the body. It’s not quite as good on this front as the animal proteins whey, casein, egg, and other meat sources, but it’s higher than soy, hemp, and bean proteins.

Allergen- and Gluten-Free

The “no allergens” label is generally the biggest selling point for pea protein. The foods people most commonly have allergies or intolerances to include milk/dairy, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat (gluten), and soy, and that can make many commercial protein powders a no-go for them. You don’t have to worry about any of these with a pure pea protein supplement.

Plant-Based, Sustainable, and Earth-Friendly

If you’re even half as concerned about your carbon footprint as you are with building a better body, you’ll appreciate pea protein even more. Unlike whey, peas are relatively easy to produce. They don’t fart carbon into the air or pollute water supplies as cows do. Pea is as “responsible” a protein as any you’ll find.

Rich in Iron

Iron is critical for transporting oxygen throughout the body. Roughly 10% of American women are iron-deficient; fatigue, shortness of breath, and restless legs are among the common symptoms.

Pea protein is high in iron, with most products containing five or more milligrams per serving, which represents at least a quarter of the recommended daily iron intake for adults (19.3–20.5 mg per day for men, 17–18.9 mg for women). Plant-derived iron isn’t absorbed well by the body, but supplementing with vitamin C helps. If you’re a vegetarian or vegan who doesn’t get iron from animal foods, pea protein can provide an important boost for you.

Contains Key Amino Acids

Plant-based proteins are often bashed for not having the muscle-building capabilities of dairy (whey, casein), meat, and egg sources. This is because they don’t have all the amino acids that are considered essential. Yet pea protein has a handful of aminos that are well-known for improving performance and muscle recovery—namely, branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) and arginine.

BCAAs, which include isoleucine, leucine, and valine, drive protein synthesis, and, as a result, muscle mass. Around 20% of the aminos in pea protein come from this trio. Whey protein, by comparison, is 25% BCAAs, but arginine is involved in protein synthesis as well, and pea protein has roughly three times the arginine content of whey.

Pea protein contains lysine, an important amino for the health of connective tissue—cartilage, skin, and bones.

Is Pea Protein a Complete Protein?

Technically, the answer is no, but that doesn’t mean that pea protein is inferior to other sources. To answer this question thoroughly, consider the precise definition of a complete protein. It all comes down to the amino acids it contains.

Your body requires 20 amino acids to stay alive. Eleven of these can be produced by your body itself, while the other nine must be obtained from food. These nine are called essential amino acids (EAAs for short).

The nine EAAs are tryptophan, threonine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine+cysteine, phenylalanine+tyrosine, valine, and histidine. Having all these aminos is one thing, but a protein isn’t considered complete if it doesn’t contain adequate amounts of each one.

Pea protein contains all nine EAAs, but it’s not officially a complete protein because it’s an inadequate source of methionine+cysteine. A complete protein provides at least 25 mg/g of this amino, and pea protein only delivers around 11 mg/g.

Methionine+cysteine, however, is found in adequate amounts in many other foods, including eggs, cheese, chicken, beef, fish, wheat germ, oats, and even rice protein powder—so pea protein’s deficiency is only an issue if you’re not eating any other sources of this amino. This could be a problem if you’re a vegan or vegan keto dieter, but most people are likely to get enough methionine+cysteine without having to make a concerted effort.

Many vegetarians and vegans purposely combine food sources to fill in their EAA voids. But since pea protein is only short on one amino acid, you should be able to get the maximum benefit from it if you’re eating a well-rounded diet in addition to supplementation. Also, as you’ll see in this next section, provided it’s taken in sufficient amounts, pea protein can provide the right dose of amino acids you need, and can even stand toe-to-toe with whey for muscle boosting.

Pea Protein vs. Whey

When comparing pea and whey protein powders, the first distinction has already been established: whey is a complete protein and pea technically is not, due to its lower levels of methionine+cysteine.

However, it’s another EAA—leucine—that’s the bigger story here. The three BCAAs are superior to all other amino acids for stimulating muscle protein synthesis (MPS, the process of building muscle), and leucine in particular is the only amino shown to stimulate MPS independently. In other words, leucine is the most anabolic amino acid in the body. Whey has the highest leucine content of all protein sources, and that’s why whey has long been deemed the king of protein supplements, plain and simple.

To put this in perspective, whey contains 105 mg of leucine per gram of protein; pea protein contains roughly 81 mg of leucine per gram. That’s about a 25% difference in leucine between whey and pea proteins, which is significant, but it doesn’t mean that pea protein is a poor choice for muscle gains, and here’s why¦

According to the International Society of Sports Nutrition, the optimal amount of leucine for stimulating MPS is somewhere between 0.7 grams and 3 grams per serving, and research shows that getting more than the top end of that range does not stimulate MPS to any greater degree. The discrepancy between whey and pea proteins simply means that it takes less whey to deliver optimal leucine than it does pea.

In other words, you can achieve the same level of MPS as whey with pea protein by simply taking a little bit more of it—enough to put you in that 0.7–3-gram window. This typically ends up being a little more than one scoop, maybe two, depending on the serving size of the product you’re taking.

In a 2015 study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, male subjects ages 18–35 followed the same 12-week upper-body lifting program. Researchers tested biceps muscle thickness at the beginning and end of the training plan. One group of lifters supplemented with 25 grams of pea protein twice a day, and another took the exact same amount of whey protein. Each 25-gram dose of pea protein delivered around two grams of leucine, versus 2.65 grams for whey, but both fell right in the middle of the optimal leucine range.

At the end of the 12 weeks, subjects in the pea and whey protein groups showed identical increases in biceps muscle thickness—both protein types showed greater results than placebo. The take-home here: As long as you’re getting sufficient leucine from your pea protein supplement, the muscular gains are comparable to those from whey.

Does Pea Protein Cause ?

In a word, no. Some people imagine bloating would be an issue with pea protein, as it often is when eating peas, beans, and other legumes in whole-food form. But the process of making pea protein powder removes the fiber and starch from the peas, and essentially removes the risk of digestive stress with it.

“I would recommend pea protein for people who have digestive issues in general,” says Jaeger.

Is Pea Protein Good For Weight Loss?

Nutrition experts and scientific literature alike indicate that pea protein can aid in weight loss. “Pea protein is a natural thickener, so it will especially help with satiety,” says Jaeger, by filling up room in your stomach.

Satiety is tied to decreased appetite, and, consequently, weight loss. In a 2011 Nutrition Journal study, subjects consumed 20 grams of either casein protein, whey, pea protein, egg albumin, a maltodextrin-carbohydrate drink, or water 30 minutes before a meal. Pea protein ranked second, behind only the super slow-digesting casein, in lowering appetite, resulting in subjects consuming fewer total calories for the meal.

Like most protein powders, pea supplements do contain a small amount of carbs. Pea powders generally have roughly the same amount of carbohydrate as whey concentrates—two or three grams per serving. However, the carbs found in peas are naturally complex and relatively low on the glycemic index (GI) chart. So, if you’re following a keto or low-carb diet and want to be aware of every gram of carbs you take in, pea is a good choice.

What to Look for in a Pea Protein Product

Pea protein products deliver anywhere from 15 to 25 grams protein per 1–2-scoop serving, and you can expect calories per serving to come in somewhere between 100 and 150. The calories and macros are pretty much the same as you’d find with whey and other animal-protein products.

A lot of brands combine pea protein with other protein types (such as soy and rice) for a plant-based protein blend. Right away, this remedies the problem of pea protein being low in methionine+cysteine, but it may present other problems, such as the allergenic issues associated with soy, so read your labels. Many of these blended products list pea protein first in the ingredients list, meaning that it’s the most abundant source of protein in the powder.

Jaeger recommends getting a pea protein that has digestive enzymes added in. A 2015 study found that ingesting enzymes along with a pea-rice protein blend improved protein absorption, bringing it closer to the rate at which whey concentrate gets soaked up by your muscles. “Digestive enzymes are even more important as we age,” says Jaeger, pointing out that older individuals don’t absorb protein as well as younger people. “As a consumer, I would pick a plant protein with digestive enzymes over one without.”

How Does Pea Protein Taste?

Like piss! (Just kidding.) Reviews are generally mixed on the overall taste and texture of pea protein, but it’s safe to say that most people don’t enjoy drinking pea protein as much as whey and casein.

However, this is not to say that pea protein tastes awful, or always pales in comparison to whey in the flavor department. Some users report pea protein having a subtle sweetness that they like (despite it only containing one gram of sugar per serving). It’s also been said to be less gritty than other proteins, and has a good consistency.

If you try pea protein and aren’t digging it, the easiest thing to do is combine it with other ingredients to mask the taste. Mix it with almond or coconut milk instead of water, and add fresh or frozen fruit to it in a blender, or nut butter. Bananas, berries and/or almond butter can make a tasty smoothie out of almost any powder, no matter how bitter.

Who Should Take Pea Protein?

Pea powders will obviously have the greatest appeal among vegetarians and vegans who are looking to up their protein intake to support an active lifestyle and promote muscle and strength gains. Pea protein is also a great option for anyone, meat-eater or otherwise, looking to avoid whey or casein due to an intolerance or allergy to dairy.

“I recommend pea protein not just to those adhering to strict plant-based diets, but also to ’flexitarians’ [flexible plant-based dieters],” says Jaeger. “Pea is also good for people who have digestive issues in general and may have experienced gas and bloating with whey.”

– Dairy-free protein supplements are a good option for those who have trouble digesting the lactose and/or peptides in whey and other dairy-based powders.

– Pea, rice, and hemp are among the best plant-based, dairy-free protein supplements. Good animal-sourced ones include egg white and beef protein isolate.

– Many types of protein powder have been shown to be effective for building muscle, and may be on par with whey in that regard, but they often require larger servings to have the same effect.

– Dairy products have been linked to pimples, but it isn’t clear if they actually cause skin problems.

The Truth About Dairy and Lactose-Free Protein Powder

If you’re sensitive to lactose, or otherwise avoid dairy, it can sometimes seem like the world is made of milk—especially when you’re shopping for a protein supplement. As whey protein has exploded in popularity, most commercial protein powders are dairy-based, and that can leave you feeling like you’re without options, or that the dairy-free ones are inferior.

There are, however, viable dairy-free protein powders out there that can help you build muscle and support your weight management efforts, but you may have to augment them to maximize results. Here’s what you need to know about milk-less muscle supps.

What is Dairy-Free Protein?

A dairy-free protein powder is one that doesn’t come from the milk of lactating animals such as cattle, buffalo, sheep, goats, or camels. As whey and casein (two of the most popular types of protein powder) are derived from cow milk, they aren’t dairy-free. Many people choose dairy-free protein supps to avoid lactose, the sugar in milk that can be troublesome to digest.

Since there is ample protein in several types of plants, as well as other animals, protein supplements can be made from them. Widely accessible plant-based, dairy-free powders include soy, rice, pea, and hemp, while hydrolyzed beef, collagen, and egg powders exist as animal-based options.

All protein powders have their pros and cons, and the best one for you will depend on your taste, fitness goals, and food sensitivities or intolerances, if you have any.

Why Would I Not Want Lactose in My Protein? 

If you’re lactose intolerant (you have an allergy to milk sugar), or have some degree of insensitivity to lactose, you may be better off using protein supplements that are lactose-free to avoid bloating, gas, and other gastrointestinal problems. Many individuals have a shortage of the lactase enzyme in their small intestines that’s necessary for proper lactose digestion. Without lactase, unabsorbed milk sugar is left in the colon, and becomes the culprit for gastric discomfort.

According to the National Institute of Health, approximately 65% of the human population has trouble digesting lactose in adulthood. Lactose intolerance is most common in people of East Asian descent (between 70% and 100% of them may not be able to digest it). West African, Arab, Jewish, Greek, and Italian people often have trouble with lactose as well.

Whey protein powder is made from whey, the watery portion of milk. Straight from the cow, whey is 75% lactose, but when it’s used in foods and supplements, whey must be filtered, and that reduces its lactose content considerably. Whey isolate protein powders are the most stringently filtered, resulting in whey protein with very low levels of sugar and fat. Whey isolate powders are about 90% protein, and, according to The Whey Protein Institute, are generally considered lactose free, but it’s important to check product labels if you are unsure. “There could still be a slight concern for gastrointestinal upset with a whey isolate,” says James Lucas III, RD, CSSD, owner of the Dallas-based JLucas Nutrition, “particularly if you’re sensitive to lactose.”

Aside from the sugar in dairy, there’s another component of whey powders that could be trouble for some users. If you still experience sensitivity using a lactose-free whey isolate powder, Lucas says it could mean that you aren’t digesting the bioactive peptides in the protein correctly.

Peptides, such as β-lactoglobulin, are small chains of amino acids (compounds that form protein) that are not completely broken down by the digestive system. As a result, some people can be sensitive or allergic to them. These peptides can be beneficial, accounting for some of the health-supporting aspects of whey protein, but they can also cause a reaction if your body identifies them as foreign substances, and, in an effort to protect you from potential pathogens, triggers an inflammatory defense response. Think of it as your body sounding an alarm to scare off an unwelcome intruder. The result might be some temporary pot-bellied bloating, or running to the toilet, but other more potentially life-threatening allergic reactions can occur—i.e., the same kind that those who have allergies to peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, milk, and eggs experience. Still, these are very rare as a result of ingesting whey protein isolate alone.

For those who have trouble digesting whey isolate, Lucas recommends whey protein hydrolysate. Hydrolysates are protein powders that are not only lactose free but are also “pre-digested.” That is, their peptides have been broken down in processing, which helps them absorb more easily. Unfortunately, processing the peptides strips whey hydrolysates of many of their health benefits, such as supporting the immune system and healthy blood pressure, and helping to control appetite and blood sugar.

Can I Build Muscle with Dairy-Free Protein? 

Ultimately, you can build muscle using virtually any kind of protein supplement, but none are quite as efficient as whey (you’ll read more on this in the next section). Plant-based protein powders, while useful, are not optimal. A 2019 review in Nutrients reported that “plant-based proteins have less of an anabolic effect than animal proteins due to their lower digestibility, lower essential amino acid content (especially leucine), and deficiency in other essential amino acids.” They’re more likely to be oxidized, the review states, than used for muscle protein synthesis (the process by which muscles grow).

Another 2015 review of animal and plant-based proteins published in the Journal of Nutrition echoes these points, explaining that proteins in soy and wheat are converted into urea (the main compound in our urine), and can’t be utilized by the body as easily as animal proteins can to promote muscle growth.

With that said, plant proteins have been shown to be effective for supporting muscle gain. Soy is the most thoroughly studied plant-based protein, and it’s widely available. Much research has shown that it can nearly match whey on many fronts. However, it has also been shown to lower the body’s absorption of iron and zinc (1, 2). In addition, soy has been criticized because it can bind to the estrogen receptors in the body. This impacts hormones levels, making it one of the more controversial plant-based proteins, according to research from the Harvard School of Public Health.

A better choice, then, might be hemp. As we reported in our guide to hemp protein, a Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry study found that the protein absorption rate of hulled hempseeds is comparable to casein—whey’s counterpart dairy protein. It also doesn’t contain trypsin inhibitors like many soy protein powders do. These compounds hinder protein digestion. 

Rice protein is another smart option. A rice vs. whey study from 2013 showed that subjects experienced equal gains in muscle thickness, body composition, and strength, regardless of which supplement they were on. 

Pea protein stacks up well too. In our guide to pea protein, we referenced a 2015 study where subjects ingesting pea protein drinks made identical muscle gains as whey drinkers, while both groups outperformed the placebo.

If you want a dairy-free protein powder but aren’t interested in going plant-based, egg-white protein may be your second-best bet to a whey powder. Research has determined that egg protein ranks just below whey in its leucine content. Leucine is a branched-chain amino acid that scientists have determined to be the most important amino for muscle growth.

Beef protein isolate should also be on your radar. A 2019 meta-analysis found that it worked just as well as whey for promoting changes in body composition.

Is Lactose-Free Protein a Complete Protein? 

One of the reasons that non-dairy proteins don’t get the credit whey does is that many of them—including hemp, rice, and pea—are not complete. That means that their protein doesn’t contain all nine essential amino acids (EAAs), or that it doesn’t contain them in amounts that are deemed significant. EAAs are aminos that you have to get from food, because our bodies can’t produce them on their own. It should be noted that all animal-sourced protein powders contain all the EAAs and are therefore complete. This includes egg and beef powders.

However, if you do choose a plant-based protein, you really should be able to make good gains, regardless of whether the protein is complete. For one thing, the problem is easy to fix. The same Journal of Nutrition review linked above noted that you can fortify your plant protein powder by adding in the EAAs methionine, lysine, and/or leucine (the ones that are generally lacking in plant powders) or, if you don’t feel like playing mad scientist in the kitchen, you can simply mix two or more plant-based powders together and get a pretty well-rounded supplement in seconds.

For example, pea protein contains all nine EAAs, but it’s low in methionine+cysteine. Rice protein is low in lysine. Mix the two together, and you have a balanced amino acid profile. But many protein powders are available that already contain a mix of proteins to offer a complete amino profile, so you don’t need to buy multiple powders if that’s out of your budget.

The real sticking point most people have with plant-based powders is their leucine content. Leucine is so powerful that it may stimulate muscle growth independent of all other aminos. Whey protein has the highest amount of leucine, gram for gram, of any protein source—whole food or supplement. Plant powders, on the other hand, are generally a little lower. Pea protein, for instance, has about 81 mg of leucine per gram, while whey has 105 mgs.

According to the International Society of Sports Nutrition, the optimal amount of leucine for stimulating muscle growth is somewhere between 0.7 grams and 3 grams per serving, and research shows that getting more than the top end of that range does not promote gains to any greater degree. While the difference seems daunting at first, all it means is that it takes less whey protein than pea protein to spike leucine in your body. It’s merely a matter of efficiency. Want to get just as much leucine from pea protein? All you have to do is take a little more of it. And the same goes for virtually all plant proteins. This typically ends up being a little more than one scoop, maybe two, depending on the serving size of the product you’re using. Over time, running through plant powders more quickly can lead to them being more expensive than supplementing with whey, but you shouldn’t sacrifice any strength or muscle in the process.

Pros and Cons of Whey Protein

In terms of overall efficiency and maximizing muscle growth, it seems you can’t top the benefits of whey protein supplementation. Not only does whey support weight training to build muscle, it also appears to promote faster recovery, aid body composition, and help maintain overall health (see our guide to whey for more info). Since whey is derived from cow’s milk, it’s a complete protein, so there is no need to mix powders to get the full spectrum of EAAs. It also has more leucine per serving than any other type of protein. Whey might be more expensive per ounce compared to plant-based protein, but you won’t go through your supply as quickly.

The speed of recovery factor is one of whey’s key selling points. If you’re an athlete who trains or competes two or more times per day, getting enough protein to help your muscles recover between sessions is extremely important. A study in the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport found that subjects taking hydrolyzed whey were fully recovered six hours later. Nevertheless, even though whey hydrolysates absorb faster due to their pre-digested peptides, it’s not certain that they work better than an old-fashioned whey isolate. A trial in the International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition determined that whey isolate resulted in more rapid absorption of leucine than a whey hydrolysate. Whey isolate is also the less expensive option between the two, and will be enough for most people.

On the downside, as explained above, whey’s lactose and peptides can be hard to digest for some people. Whey concentrates contain more sugar than isolates, and isolates contain more unbroken peptides than hydrolysates, so none may be appropriate for someone with digestion issues. 

Krista Large, an Austin, Texas-based nutritionist and owner of Living Large Wellness states, “If you are in digestive distress, it’s going to inhibit performance. Different people are going to have very different reactions to whey vs. brown rice, vs. pea protein… It really comes down to how well does it digest for you?”

Large says that regardless of what supplements they prefer, she focuses on making sure her clients’ protein intake is consistent, and primarily from whole-food sources.

Another consideration on whether to choose a whey protein is the environment. Most whey protein supps come from cows raised in a factory farm system, where humane treatment and environmental sustainability cannot be ensured. Cows living in these conditions typically produce large amounts of waste that hurt water and air quality. If you want your protein supplement to leave a lighter carbon footprint, you might consider whey protein drawn from grass-fed cows, or a brand that’s certified organic. As we explained in our rebuttal to the infamous What The Health documentary, grass-fed meat and dairy has been shown to offer more health benefits and fewer toxins than come from factory-farmed animals.

Pros and Cons of Plant-Based Protein 

In terms of global sustainability, plant-based products are generally considered to have less of an impact on the environment. Research suggests that plant-based diets require less water, land, and energy, and that food production to support them is cheaper. So, if the health of the planet is as important to you as the health of your body, plant-based proteins are a wise and considerate choice.

If you’re shopping for a plant-based powder because dairy-based ones give you digestive troubles, plant proteins score again. With the exception of soy protein, most plant powders are easy for the body to process and won’t inhibit your gut’s ability to absorb nutrients. Rice protein typically isn’t associated with bloating, cramping, or other discomfort, and research in Food Chemistry shows it may be easier to digest than whey. Rice is a hypoallergenic food, and any difficulty you might have digesting brown rice due to its hull is negated by the fact that rice protein powders are made from grains where the hull (fiber) is removed.

The same holds for pea protein, which has had its fiber and starch removed in processing, making it highly digestible and bioavailable. Pea protein is also a natural thickener, and that can help to fill up the stomach, curbing your appetite, and, in turn, promote weight loss. A Nutrition Journal study had subjects consume 20 grams of either casein, whey, pea protein, egg albumin, a maltodextrin-carbohydrate drink, or water 30 minutes before a meal. Pea protein ranked second, behind only the super slow-digesting casein, in lowering appetite, resulting in subjects consuming fewer total calories for the meal.

On the other hand, you may find that plant protein powders don’t taste as good as dairy-based ones, and are therefore harder to use consistently. Many people report that plant-based shakes have a chalky texture, but sugar-free sweeteners such as monk fruit extract are becoming more common additions to plant powders, and could help on the flavor front. Avocado powder is sometimes added as well to improve flavor and mouthfeel.

As explained above, the big strike against many plant proteins is their incomplete amino acid profile and lower leucine content, but this can be compensated for by buying powders that contain a mix of proteins, and simply taking larger servings at a time. 

Can Whey Protein Cause Acne? 

Despite the numerous benefits of whey, if you have trouble keeping your skin clear, it may not be the best protein supplement for you. While pimples are caused by a number of factors, they have been linked to milk ingestion. Some research points to milk and whey-protein based products in particular as being problematic because they increase insulin secretion, causing sebaceous glands to kick into overdrive. Zits may pop up as an inflammatory response.

Nevertheless, it’s hard to say if whey or dairy are really the cause. Heather McConochie, RN, nutritionist and host of The Positive Thread Podcast, says there is a lack of research linking dairy to acne over time. “We have some experiential data [on the subject], meaning we talk to people and we observe our own bodies, but it’s really hard to do good research on this subject because most research studies are done for short windows of time—usually six to 12 weeks. If we’re really critical about the study design, we don’t know how dairy impacts acne over a period of one year or five years or 20 years because the research studies just aren’t there.”

McConochie notes the connection between dairy and skin problems can be different in women than in men. “We know that acne is impacted by hormones, particularly in women. There are other contributing factors such as stress and genetics that can also play a role. And synthetic hormones in commercial dairy that are given to cows could also be a factor.”

If you are experiencing skin flare-ups, try eliminating dairy from your diet for a month or more, and see if your symptoms improve. Plant-based alternatives could serve as a replacement protein supplement while you do so.

“Russian weight gainer? I’m not buying you anything that has a hammer and sickle on the bottle.”

“Ultimate Orange? Isn’t that the stuff your father used in Vietnam?”

“Creatine? I heard this gave the Thompson boy kidney stones!”

Admit it. You couldn’t wait to try ’em all.

The poor lady, bless her heart, was only trying to keep you safe. And the truth is, she was right more often than not. Most supplements that purport to aid performance will at best drain your wallet and at worst drain your fluids—while you sit on the toilet excreting them. But creatine is different. You’re still hearing about it now because it’s worked great since then. In fact, creatine monohydrate has been a favorite of strength athletes for some 25 years, and the research consistently shows it’s safe and effective.

Creatine: A Guide To The Ultimate Natural Muscle Supplement

If you’ve been skeptical in the past, it’s time to grow up and consider giving creatine another try. Let this guide answer all your questions about the world’s most popular (safe and legal) muscle supplement.

What Is Creatine?

Creatine monohydrate is a molecule found naturally in meat, fish, and eggs. Unfortunately, you’d have to eat pounds of steak to get enough from your diet alone to have an ergogenic effect (which might not be a problem if you’re following the carnivore diet, but for the rest of us, we’ll need to supplement). Available since the early 1990s, creatine powder has become one of the best-selling sports nutrition products of all time. It’s sold on its own, and as an ingredient in other pre- and post-workout nutrition formulas.

How Does Creatine Work?

The fuel source for muscle contractions is a molecule called adenosine triphosphate (ATP). When your muscles contract, ATP loses a phosphate and becomes the byproduct ADP. For the muscles to keep working at a high intensity, they must receive another phosphate molecule that transforms ADP back into ATP. Creatine monohydrate binds to phosphate, supplying that crucial molecule to ADP and completing the cycle that recharges your muscles. The process boosts your capacity for explosiveness and extends the time you can perform high-threshold activity. That means getting more reps on sets of squats, presses, and other weight-training exercises in the gym, running at your top speed a few moments longer on the track, and maintaining your hops late in the fourth quarter of a basketball game. In short, creatine can lengthen the duration you perform an all-out effort in virtually any anaerobic (quick-burst) activity.

What Are The Benefits of Creatine?

The ability to achieve higher outputs and do more work at a high intensity has powerful implications for anyone looking to gain muscle and strength or support sports performance.

The International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism published an enormous meta-analysis of 100 studies, concluding that creatine improves body composition and resistance training performance regardless of gender or training experience. Meanwhile, a review of 22 studies found that subjects taking creatine averaged eight percent greater strength gains than those on a placebo, with an average 14% increase in reps performed at a given percentage of the lifters’ maxes. Gains on the bench press were particularly impressive, with one-rep maxes shooting up as much as 43%.

Athletes on creatine have fared equally well outside the weight room. A study on elite wrestlers found that creatine boosted their average and peak power on an anaerobic endurance test. In 2014, a trial on elite soccer players showed that those on creatine sustained jumping power while a control group succumbed to fatigue. And in a similar study on collegiate volleyball players, creatine maintained the subjects’ repeated block jump height.

Do I Need To Load Creatine?

Experts used to recommend a “loading” period for creatine, in which you would take 0.3 grams per kilogram of your body weight for five to seven days to maximally saturate the muscle tissue, followed by a maintenance dose of three to five grams daily. While this approach works and may cause you to see results more quickly, it is unnecessary. Skipping the loading phase and taking only three to five grams daily works fine. For larger individuals who carry a lot of muscle mass or have higher activity levels, higher doses (up to 10g daily) may work better.

After three to four weeks, some experts recommend that you stop taking creatine for a week or two before supplementing with it again. There’s no danger in continuing to take creatine without cycling off of it, but your muscles may be more sensitive to it after they’ve had a break from it, and so your gains may be greater if you take some time off. However, there is no research to confirm this, and no studies to show that taking creatine indefinitely can be problematic (see “Is Creatine Safe?” below).

Unlike with steroids (to be clear, creatine is NOT a steroid), you don’t risk losing the gains you’ve made if you do go off creatine, or at least not for a while. Research showing performance losses when cycling off creatine is wide ranging, but suggests that you can maintain the progress you’ve made for four to 12 weeks, creatine-free.

When Should I Take Creatine?

There doesn’t appear to be a bad time to take creatine, so whatever time of day you’ll be sure to get it in is the time you should aim for. With that said, there is evidence that consuming creatine post-workout could lead to the better results. A 2013 study found that post-exercise creatine led to better body comp and strength gains than taking it pre-workout. Another trial showed that subjects who trained arms grew bigger guns when they took creatine after workouts.

Is Creatine Safe?

For as long as the internet rumor mill has tried to drag creatine through the mud, it’s never been able to produce compelling evidence for most people to avoid the supplement. The International Journal of Sports Medicine found “few adverse effects” of long-term creatine supplementation, with those they did cite including nausea, gastrointestinal discomfort, and diarrhea. It should be noted that the subjects took a large dose—10 grams daily—for nearly a year, yet only three of 175 people reported problems. Another report showed that five grams of regular supplementation—the amount most users take daily—was safe, and explained that much higher levels have been tested without adverse reactions. There are no studies that link creatine to kidney problems in people who had otherwise healthy kidneys, and the same goes for cancer.

Problems with creatine seem to arise when too much is taken at once or when not drinking sufficient amounts of water.

Interestingly, creatine may actually help to minimize certain problems that plague athletes. The Journal of Athletic Training revealed that Division I football players using creatine had a lower incidence of cramping than those who went without.

Furthermore, in 2017, the International Society of Sports Nutrition released a position statement on creatine’s safety, declaring that not only is it safe, it may actually have neuroprotective properties as well. “Given all the known benefits and favorable safety profile of creatine supplementation reported in the scientific and medical literature, it is the view of ISSN that government legislatures and sport organizations who restrict and/or discourage use of creatine may be placing athletes at greater risk—particularly in contact sports that have risk of head trauma and/or neurological injury.”

What’s The Best Type of Creatine?

The majority of the research that connects creatine with positive results has been done on creatine monohydrate. Still, that hasn’t stopped supplement companies from trying to cash in on the craze by offering similar, yet inferior, products that promise more benefits but under-deliver. A 2012 study put buffered creatine head to head against old-fashioned creatine monohydrate, only to find that it was no safer or more effective. Another trendy option, creatine ethyl-ester, was found to be less effective than monohydrate for increasing muscle creatine levels, improving body composition, muscle mass, strength, and power.

Your friends call you “Captain Caveman,” “Geico™,” or “Paleo Pete.” You’ve cut dairy, grains, legumes, and all processed foods from your diet, and instead embrace local, organic produce and grass-fed beef. You snack on nuts and pass on starches, and the fish you eat all but leap into your skillet from a nearby stream.

In short, you’ve “gone Paleo.” You’ve committed to the Paleo Diet™, or some similar approach to caveman-style eating where you hardly ingest anything that wasn’t available to humans two million years ago. (Or, maybe you’re just curious about caveman diets and are wondering if they’re something you could do, in which case, see our guide HERE, first).

The Paleo Guide to Restaurants, Fast Food, and Takeout

Cutting all kinds of allergenic and inflammatory foods out of your diet will usually leave you looking great and feeling even better¦ there’s just one problem: You may feel like a prisoner in your own kitchen.

Strict caveman eating requires that you prepare most of your meals yourself, to ensure that your food is of the highest quality and no forbidden ingredients sneak in. Going out to a restaurant, or hitting a drive-through window when you’re short on time, is a big gamble, but you’re living in modern times, and you know that a hectic schedule and (hopefully) an active social life is bound to lead you to temptation now and then.

In those moments, you could be swept into a gastronomic time warp that sends your body screaming back to the 21^st century—potentially in a vortex of processed grains and sugar. But for all the temptations and nutritional abortions that modern living poses, there are nearly as many ways to get your meal the way you want it virtually anywhere you eat. Here’s your guide to staying (mostly) Paleo when it seems like you can’t.

Challenges of Eating Out On A Paleo Diet

Paleo basics aren’t hard to understand. Eat the meat, skip the potatoes; eat the veggies, skip dessert. But there are variations to the way caveman dieters eat, and you’ll have the best chance of staying true to your version of the diet when you’re eating out if you clearly define what you want it to be first.

Hardcore Paleo dieters avoid literally anything that couldn’t be hunted or gathered during the Paleolithic Era. They will have the most trouble sticking to the program while on the road or out on the town. The classic Paleo Diet™ doesn’t even allow salt, which most restaurants include in the cooking process, so if this is a point of contention for you, make sure to specify to your server beforehand that you want your meal sans flavor—er, salt. Farm-to-table restaurants may be your only refuge, unless you’re willing to limit yourself to only the most basic roadside pitstop foods such as hardboiled eggs, raw, unsalted nuts, whole fruit, and pre-packaged salads (hold the dressing).

If you’re the kind of caveman/woman who bends the rules and eats tubers (such as sweet potatoes) and/or dairy, your options open up much more. But you’ll still have to look closely at menus and ask questions to see that the cook isn’t sneaking forbidden foods into your meals, and, unfortunately, research shows that the nutrition info on restaurant menus tends to be highly inaccurate.

According to two recent studies, the nutrition numbers many chain restaurants make available on their menus contain more understatements than an Al Capone tax return. Research from 2011 found that one in five chain-restaurant products contained at least 100 more calories per serving than was listed; one in 10 averaged nearly 300 more. Meanwhile, a 2010 study found that even reduced-calorie entrees in chain restaurants were usually understated as well—sometimes by nearly 20%. That doesn’t automatically disqualify these items from being Paleo, but in most cases, it’s a safe bet that the majority of those calories are coming from foods that aren’t caveman-friendly—butter, processed vegetable oils, and sugar.

One of the biggest criticisms of Paleo eating in general is how expensive it can be, as grass-fed meats and organic produce always run a few dollars more than their conventional counterparts. Eating out is no exception. It can be difficult to find restaurants that serve organic food in the first place, and when you do, prepare to pay a little more. Burger Lounge™, a chain popular throughout California, offers an amazing Paleo Burger, featuring grass-fed beef, nitrate-free bacon, and a heap of vegetables—but you’ll pay $12 for it (a good-sized half-pound patty). Bareburger™, another Paleo-friendly franchise, offers similar hookups nationwide and internationally, but at similarly steep prices.

What To Avoid Eating At Restaurants On Paleo

If you’re eating like a caveman, you can’t have the following (with some exceptions).

Butter

Some cavepeople consider butter—particularly organic butter from grass-fed cows—a legit exception to the no-dairy rule. But if you’re strict Paleo, you’ll have to make frequent requests that your servers hold the butter and any other milk products, as these are staples in many types of cuisine. Dairy products in general show up in the darnedest places, such as the crispy Brussels sprouts and six-ounce sirloin at T.G.I. Fridays™ (according to their allergen menu HERE), for example. Same goes for the house salad and herb-grilled salmon at Olive Garden™. As Paleo as an item may seem, make sure you research it before you order.

Processed vegetable oils

Inflammation-promoting hydrogenated oils are fortunately becoming scarce at restaurants as the food- service industry bows to tougher regulations. But most chains still use many of the vegetable oils Paleo dieters try to avoid. Just about everything you could order at McDonald’s™—from the burgers to the salads—contains canola, corn, and soybean oil (see their nutrition calculator HERE). The asiago chicken sandwich at Wendy’s™—which looks pretty Paleo if you leave the bun and condiments off—does too.

Sugar

Until archeologists discover cave paintings of high-fructose corn syrup, refined sugar will remain firmly in the “hell no” column for Paleo dieters. But sugar, and other ingredients ending in “ose” (always a tell for the sweet, white stuff) proliferate in nearly all chain eateries. With its veggies, seeds, and fruit, the Apple Harvest Chicken Salad at Quiznos™ appears to be almost perfectly Paleo, and yet it packs 29 grams of sugar (more sugar in one meal than what the World Health Organization recommends you should consume in a day, regardless of which diet you follow).

Gluten

Wheat is hard to escape too. Of course it’s in hamburger buns and baguettes, but it can also end up in your eggs, and it does in IHOP’s™ omelettes. Wheat flour is cheap and adds flavor, so many restaurants just toss it into their recipes. Unless you have celiac disease, small amounts of wheat aren’t dangerous—but they aren’t Paleo, either. And if you hit fast-food joints or takeout regularly, these small amounts add up.

While staying 100% Paleo is admirable and manageable with a lot of planning and foresight, many experts suggest you bend the rules when you eat out—for the sake of your own sanity. “When they go out, I try to get my clients to stick to a plan that’s 80% Paleo, 15% minimally-processed foods, and five percent off-plan foods,” says lifestyle coach and exercise physiologist Dr. Mark J. Smith (docsmith.org). That’s doable just about anywhere, he says. “Nearly every restaurant will grill you some animal protein and sautée some veggies if you ask.” The meat may not be organic, and the oil might be non-Paleo—but other than that, you’re doing pretty well. Following this advice, you certainly won’t take in the massive amounts of calories or sugar that are sure to put weight on you and damage your health.

Before you hit a restaurant, says Smith, “Decide whether you’re going to more or less stick to your plan or just go for it and have fun with your friends.” As long as you don’t make a habit of throwing your meal plan out in favor of French Fries and ice cream, either choice is fine. “At the end of the day,” says Smith, “You have to live.” And it’s what you do and eat consistently—not one night a week—that determines how you look and feel.

If you want to be absolutely sure that what you’re eating is Paleo all the way, order a plain salad with some meat or fish on top, nuts, and olive oil. If you’re willing to risk a few not-quite-caveman ingredients, the options below will open up a world of flavor for you (not to mention convenience), even though they might still contain small amounts of salt, wheat, butter, or vegetable oils.

What Can I Eat at a Mexican Restaurant?

Oh dear. What can you order at a place where the staples are beans, tortillas, and cheese? The good news: many Mexican dishes feature separated rather than mixed ingredients. If you order fajitas, they bring a plate of meat and veggies and separate dishes with the tortillas and toppings, so it’s easy to filter out what you don’t need—or ask them to hold it.

Fajitas with chicken or beef are a good choice. Ask them to leave out the tortillas, beans, and rice (or give them to a hungry fellow diner). As for sides, forgo the sour cream (dairy), and ask for double guac, which is loaded with healthy fats and totally Paleo. Ceviche is great if you’re down for raw fish, and carnitas (pork shoulder) is a classic—on a salad rather than in a taco, naturally. Carne asada should be OK in theory, as it’s just steak, but it’s often made with soy sauce, which contains wheat, just so you know.

What Can I Eat at a Japanese Restaurant?

Japanese cuisine rarely includes much dairy or wheat (score!), but always offers soy, rice, and rice noodles in abundance (boo!). Sugar in various forms also frequently lurks in the sauces and sides.

Go with sushi rolls without rice, or sashimi—raw fish on its own. Enjoy the wasabi, but don’t go crazy on the ginger (it’s candied). Grilled eel or other fish are good, as is shabu shabu—meats and vegetables that you cook yourself at the table in a hot broth. Some Japanese restaurants now offer coconut aminos on request—a salty-sweet soy sauce alternative you can use for extra flavor. As for veggies, edamame (soybeans) are out, but seaweed salad is right on the money.

What Can I Eat at a Chinese Restaurant?

You’d think that one of the world’s oldest civilizations would have Paleo down pat, but Chinese food is surprisingly tough to navigate: soy, rice, cornstarch, sugar, and other forbidden delights lurk in almost every entrée. Moo Goo Gai Pan—chicken and veggies, more or less—is a safe bet, as is beef or ginger chicken with broccoli (order gluten-free if that’s an option, as sometimes flour is added to the pan to thicken the sauce). Of course, hold the rice that comes along with it. Egg drop soup will have corn starch, but if you can stomach that, it’s not a bad option (without added tofu, that is).

If you’re eating at a truly authentic Chinese restaurant—aka not P.F. Chang’s™—you’ll do much better. Hot pots with meat and veggies, bok choy, steamed fish, cumin lamb, and saltwater duck should all be Paleo, or pretty damn close.

What Can I Eat at an Italian Restaurant?

The American way of eating Italian—open mouth, insert pasta and pizza till comatose—is about the farthest thing from Paleo imaginable. But you’ll rarely see a meal like that in Italy. Real, authentic Italian food—that is, not Domino’s™ or Olive Garden™—features fresh produce, high-quality meat, poultry, and seafood, and copious use of olive oil, all of which are perfectly Paleo. That makes an Italian restaurant a decent choice for the modern caveman, assuming you steer clear of the pasta.

Try to order an entrée salad. Many Italian restaurants have a meat-and-greens option on the menu. If not, special-order a salad with a serving of grilled meat, chicken, or seafood, topped with vinaigrette dressing. No croutons, cheese, or other creamy or bready toppings.

An excellent compromise, if you’re craving something with a traditional Italian feel, is to order a pasta dish like pesto or Bolognese, but substitute lettuce, raw spinach, zucchini pasta, or other greens for the noodles. It’s the Italian-restaurant equivalent of the lettuce-wrapped burger.

What Can I Eat at an Indian Restaurant?

The yogurt and creamy curries at Indian restaurants are an ethnic-epicure’s dream, but a Paleo dieter’s nightmare. Look for “masala” or “vindaloo” dishes—they’re tomato-based rather than cream-based—and avoid naan bread, Korma, biryani, and Tikki Masala. Ghee—clarified butter—is made from butter but is usually considered Paleo since the milk solids are removed. When ordering anything Indian, it doesn’t hurt to ask the waiter about your entrée—Indian chefs love to sneak dairy in where they can.

What To Eat At Olive Garden™ on Paleo

We won’t ask what you’re doing in a place that offers free, unlimited breadsticks. (Your friends dragged you there, kicking and screaming, of course.) But should you happen to end up at the place that treats you like family, you’ll have to err on the side of grilled animal protein and veggies, says Trevor Connor, a nutritionist and performance coach (thepaleodiet.com). “Some people think being ’that guy’—the finicky one who’s always ordering off menu—is a stigma, but I think it’s a valiant stigma,” he says.

Don’t want to make a scene? Go for the Taste of the Mediterranean menu and order the Herb-Grilled Salmon, Chicken Piccata, or Salmon Piccata. They’re all high in sodium, but are otherwise caveman appropriate, and you get more than 40g protein with just 20g of carbohydrate.

What To Eat At Buffalo Wild Wings™ on Paleo

Top choices at this heart-attack haven are the “protein options:” a grilled chicken breast or an all-beef hamburger patty. Add all the healthy fixings—lettuce, tomato, and red onion, and, except for having to watch all your friends down plates of Buffalo Loaded Tots covered in BBQ Pumpkin Ale Sauce, you’re good to go.

If you can’t help yourself and want to get in on the chicken wing-action without going hog wild, you can get your wings grilled for you if you ask. Opt for the dry seasonings—Desert Heat is great—and go easy on the high-sodium signature sauces.

What To Eat At Taco Bell™ on Paleo

Look to their Power Menu, which is, essentially, burritos and tacos without the tortillas or shells. The Power Menu Bowl with fire-grilled chicken, pico, guac, and romaine is 140 calories, 17g protein, and 4g carbs. Order the same meal with beef and you’re looking at 220 calories, 11g protein, and 9g carbs. The non-Paleo avocado ranch dressing adds a ton of flavor, but just a gram of carbs to either selection. Check out their user-friendly nutrition calculator.

What To Eat At McDonald’s™ on Paleo

Here it is: the granddaddy of all fast food. This may be the place to throw it all out and go for it. “If you’re going to hang yourself,” says Connor, “don’t skimp on the rope.”  

To be fair, the golden arches are making a serious effort of late to offer better quality goods. Their site even has a nifty nutrition calculator that allows you to customize your order, adding or subtracting ingredients to see exactly how many carbs are in the tortilla strips on your chicken salad, say, or how many calories are in the cheese.

Your best bet: order up an Artisan Grilled Chicken fillet, hold the bun and the herb vinaigrette sauce, and you’ll have yourself a decent 140-calorie snack with 29g of protein and just 2g of carbs.

Or you could go for a Southwest Grilled Chicken Salad, hold the tortilla strips, corn, beans, and cheese for a heartier 210-calorie meal with 30g of protein and just 13g of carbs. Or¦ what the hell, grab both of them: that’s 350 calories and about 60g of protein—more than enough to tide you over till you get to the next rest stop.

What’s The Best Paleo-Friendly Fast Food?

Drumroll¦ And we gotta go with Chipotle™. But let’s be clear: even if you order well, eating at Chipotle™ is decidedly not Paleo. The meat isn’t organic, it’s loaded with salt, and they use vegetable oils to prep most items, but other than that, Connor says this is a good spot to hit in a pinch, and probably the most Paleo-friendly of the big chains. You get to handpick from simple ingredients—so avoid the dairy, the tortillas, and the beans.

Salad bowls with lettuce and pico de gallo are great—but watch out for the vinaigrette (it has bran oil). Or just go with a custom bowl of double-meat and double guac, which is fast, delicious, and (virtually) guilt-free.