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Food Babe Investigates: Is Your Protein Shake Safe?

This is a guest post from Vani Hari (a.k.a. The Food Babe) and New York Times Best Selling author. You can read more about her take on the food industry in her second book, Feeding You Lies!

Protein shakes, powders, and supplements are incredibly popular with the health conscious crowd. Considering what typical protein shakes promise - sleek muscles, weight loss and a quick, easy "healthy" meal replacement - it's logical to see why.

Unfortunately, the food industry is making an absolute killing (maybe literally) selling ones that are filled with highly processed denatured proteins, chemicals, preservatives and other additives. There’s one thing in common for all of them – they are all processed and deciding on whether or not they are actually "real food" comes into question.

Now not all processed things we put in our body are technically bad for us – but understanding what exactly is in your protein shake is critical to deciding whether to consume it, select an alternative, or discontinue use all together.


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 "?" indicates protein supplement has not been tested or proven to have that specific ingredient

GET INFORMED

We've discussed GMO's here, Artificial Colors here, Carrageenan here, Antibiotics here, and rBGH here before so I won't go into them again in detail specifically. Regardless, you should know consuming a protein drink with any of those ingredients is a risk to your health and if you don't know why - please read up on those past posts to learn more.

NOT CERTIFIED ORGANIC

I should also mention that none of the protein brands listed here (Body by Vi, Slim Fast, Designer Whey, EAS Myoplex, Shakeology, Special K, Ensure, Isogen, Pure Protein, Herbalife, Atkins, Gatorade Recovery, Vega, and Muscle Milk) are certified organic nor are they Non-GMO project certified. That means all of them might contain GMOs and most definitely contain pesticides that are considered harmful and potentially toxic with long-term exposure. This increased exposure is linked to birth defects, nerve damage, and even cancer. 

The President’s Cancer Panel has urged us not to consume food sprayed with pesticides and doesn’t believe any amount is safe. Because of this reason, I can't imagine willingly wanting to spend a serious chunk of change (protein shakes are expensive!) to buy any of these listed products as a way to help build muscle, lose weight or replace a meal.

IS YOUR PROTEIN DRINK SAFE? Hmmm...NOT WITH THESE INGREDIENTS:

Heavy Metals

Consumer Reports conducted an eye-opening investigation that revealed several protein powders contain heavy metals - specifically arsenic, cadmium, and lead. EAS Myoplex tested for two heavy metals in higher amounts than the USP limit of exposure per day. Muscle Milk had the highest of all levels of all brands tested.

Here's an excerpt taken from the Consumer Reports investigation on Protein Powders:

Cadmium raises special concern because it accumulates in and can damage the kidneys, the same organs that can be damaged by excessive protein consumption. And it can take 20 years for the body to eliminate even half the cadmium absorbed today." This is a highly toxic metal, and while there are some cases where decisions have to be weighed against relative risks, accepting that you have to be exposed to any cadmium at all in your protein drink after your workout is definitely not one of them," says Michael Harbut, M.D., director of the Environmental Cancer Initiative at the Karmanos Cancer Institute in Royal Oak, Mich.
"When these toxic heavy metals are combined in a product that is marketed for daily use, that raises serious public health concerns, especially for pregnant women, children, and young adults," says Burns, who has been a toxicology consultant to state and federal government agencies.

Soy Protein

Many protein drinks use soy protein concentrate or soy protein isolate in conjunction with other proteins. Over 90% of the soy produced in this country is GMO - but that's not the only reason to avoid soy protein.

When soy is looked at from a macronutrient perspective, it can give the illusion of a very healthy food - full of plant based protein, essential amino acids and fiber. However, the soy that is grown and produced today is largely hybridized, making the amino acids largely indigestible leading to digestive issues that have caused many people to be allergic to soy.

What's worse is when soy is isolated to just its protein state, it becomes severely denatured and can cause hormonal disruptions because of the excessive amount of estrogen contained in it. Soy also has an abundance of phytic acid that leeches calcium and other vital minerals from your body.

Maltodextrin

Calling out an ingredient filler like maltodextrin may make you think I'm being nitpicky - but is this carb substitute that is likely derived from genetically modified corn really necessary in protein powders?

Maltodextrin can be used to make a substance like "fibersol" that, for instance, is in the Body by Vi Shakes. This fibersol is made by heating maltodextrin at very high temperatures and treating it with enzymes and acids to make a fiber your body simply can't digest and makes you feel artificially full. If you are eating enough plant-based foods, there is no reason to supplement with this type of chemically derived fiber.

Fibersol is just another additive that does absolutely nothing for your long term health. Why not add a real food like spinach or a banana to your smoothie instead?

Acesulfame Potassium or Acesulfame K 
This is the most common form of artificial sweetener available in protein drinks (and tons of other processed foods) today and according the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) it is anything but safe. CSPI reported the safety tests of acesulfame-K that were conducted in the 1970s were inadequate.

Specifically, two rat studies suggest that the additive might cause cancer, but these studies were never addressed by the FDA before they approved the substance to also be used unregulated in soft drinks. In addition, it is mentioned that large doses of acetoacetamide (a breakdown product of this sugar) have been shown to affect the thyroid in rats, rabbits, and dogs. This toxic sugar substitute can be found in EAS Myoplex, Isogen, Pure Protein, Atkins, and Muscle Milk.

Whey Protein Isolate
Whey protein isolate is highly processed, unlike whole protein food concentrate. Most whey protein isolates start from ultra-pasteurized conventional milk that has antibiotics and growth hormones and are then exposed to acid processing, stripping alkalinizing minerals, naturally occurring vitamins and lipids. This processing makes whey protein isolate over acidifying in the body.

Chronically consuming whey protein isolate without appropriate balance of alkalizing foods, can acidify your body and over time increase your vulnerability to degenerative disease. This overly processed form of whey can be found in a lot of popular protein drinks that are not included in this list but marketed under generic or store brand names including the one by Gatorade called "Recover."

Luckily, you don't have to rely on protein drinks because simply eating a variety of real food alone gives you plenty of protein. 

But, if you are still concerned about protein you could make a nut butter based smoothie like Lisa's PB & J Smoothie or choose from any of these real food sources of protein below:

Meat sources of protein - beef, pork, poultry, eggs, yogurt, cheese, fish (very important to choose organic when possible if you go this route)

Vegetarian sources of protein - legumes (dry beans, lentils, and peas), nuts and seeds (almond butter, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds), whole grains (oatmeal, quinoa, brown rice, pasta), dark leafy vegetables, and some fruits like avocado

SO ARE THERE ANY HEALTHY PROTEIN POWDERS?

Fortunately, there are a few Food Babe approved protein powders (including Warrior Food Extreme, Tera’s Organic Whey, Nutiva’s Hemp Protein, and Garden of Life Raw) that do not contain any of the ingredients mentioned here, and would fall under the definition of "real food" in my book.

If you decide to supplement your protein, it is very important to double and triple check the ingredient list and check with the manufacturer to see how they process their protein  - visit this post on FoodBabe.com to find out the protein powders that I personally buy and occasionally use in my smoothies.

Comments have been closed on this article, which was written by Vani Hari. If you have a question or comment you can reach her at http://FoodBabe.com.

More Real Food Defined

About Vani Hari

Named as one of the “Most Influential People on the Internet” by Time magazine, Vani Hari is a food activist, New York Times best-selling author of The Food Babe Way, and co-founder of Truvani. For most of her life, Vani ate whatever she wanted—candy, soda, fast food, processed food—until her typical American diet landed her where that diet typically does, in a hospital. Despite her successful career in corporate consulting, Hari decided that health had to become a priority. Her newfound goal drove her to investigate what is really in our food, how it is grown, and what chemicals are used in its production. The more she learned, the more she changed and the better she felt.

Encouraged by her friends and family, Hari started a blog called foodbabe.com and has led campaigns against food giants like Kraft, Starbucks, Chick-fil-A, Subway, and General Mills that have attracted more than 500,000 signatures and led to the removal of several controversial ingredients used by these companies. Hari’s drive to change the food system inspired the creation of her new company, called Truvani, where she produces real food without added chemicals, products without toxins, and labels without lies. Hari has been profiled in The New York Times and USA Today and has appeared on Good Morning America, CNN, The Dr. Oz Show, The Doctors, and NPR. She lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, with her husband, Finley, and daughter, Harley.

Comments

  1. Kenzie says

    I have been reading up on Vega.. does anyone know if this is a safe protein powder or if Vega One is a good nutritional shake to use?

  3. Crystal Um says

    Hi Food Babe! So I came across these shakes, which are made from pea protein--22 grams. Their whey shakes also come from grass-fed cows in New Zealand. I know they do extensive testing on their ingredients to test for purity and only natural ingredients, which are free of toxins (heavy meals). Let me know what you think!

    http://isagenix.com/en-US/products/categories/individual-items/natural-berry-harvest-shake
    http://isagenix.com/en-US/products/categories/individual-items/isalean-shake

  4. Julie says

    Food babe- what about juice plus complete shakes??They have soy but it's non gmo low processed water washed. Can you check those out?

  5. ardeetz says

    Sadly I haven't found one "safe" sounding nutrition label off of any protein powder mix. Anything made into powder is processed therefore not raw or completely natural..and obviously added flavor...so maybe we oughta just get protein the natural way by eating the foods that already have it. Sad we have come to being dependent on food that's giving us health issues...I am staying away from anything I don't prepare myself.

    • erin says

      Agreed 100%, ardeetz

  6. Michelle says

    Does anyone know. If the GNC Totsl Lean Shakes have anything bad in them or are they a good one?

  7. Tina says

    Whoops! That's Garden of Life, Raw Meal!

  8. Tina says

    Raw Meal is Non-GMO. The chocolate flavor is my favorite.

  9. Tina says

    Spoke with a Vega One representative today, 3/4/2014. They are working on their Non-GMO certification. They said it takes time to get officially certified. At least they are working on it and they are aware of it, which is very good. If you want pea protein, Sunwarrior is officially certified Non-GMO

  10. James says

    I've always used Optimum Nutrition and Now!Foods Natural Whey Powders. I wonder how they rank on this list?

  11. Amy says

    Any info on the Isagenix Shakes? I'm curious about Arbonnes as well.

    • kgh-nh says

      I use Isagenix products and did not find any of the ingredients listed here in their shakes.

    • Michele says

      Hi Amy did you find out what you needed to about Arbonne's shakes? I'm a rep, LOVE them! :)

  12. Laura McLaughlin says

    There is also a vegan Shakeology for those wanting to avoid animal protein. So obviously that was not factored into this chart either. The vegan is brown rice, amaranth, and pea protein. You won't find another shake on the market that has all the adaptogens, phytonutrients, pre/probiotics, and healthy protein sources that Shakeology puts together.

    • Noelle says

      fructose is in no way healthy or natural. it is a highly concentrated and processed form of fruits "sugar" that causes a significant spike in ones glycemic index. you could never eat the same amont of fruit that is needed to "sweeten" a drink with fructose, additionally, you completely remove the fiber that comes with eating the whole fruit, which helps your body in the process of digestion and PROPER absorption to need cells. fructose should be avoided as much as possible.

    • Amanda says

      uhmmmm they never declined it they said "to the best of their knowledge, no". Obviously they KNOW. They just dont want to openly admit it. They dont have the certified GMO free label. They say they are GMO free but from the research that has been done they DO have rbgh in it.

  14. Karen K says

    Hi there,
    I recently found out about Garden of Life Raw protein which I have used and loved for several years. Trying to find alternative I found this article. I am surprised that a whey protein powder is recommended. From my research whey is not as good as so many have been convinced. Here is a link to one article I had found. So many people are in love with meat and dairy they do not want to give up cow meat and milk products.
    http://durianrider.com/2013/06/24/whey-protein-cancer-risk/

    Best,
    Karen

    • Tina says

      The Garden of Life Raw Meal has more fiber than the The Garden of Life Raw Protein. I am a tongue cancer survivor. I rely on a G-Tube for feedings presently (until I heal from the radiation swelling) and the Raw Meal and Vega One works for me. I'm not sure if there is any other products that are Non-GMO for me, but these are the only two that I know of. I also juice greens. I only use one scoop of the Raw Meal because it thickens fast and I have to be careful that it gets down my tube fast enough before it thickens. It's great fiber too!

  15. Momof4busykids says

    I was just wondering if you had any info on Isagenix Products?

    • kgh-nh says

      I use Isagenix products and did not find any of the ingredients listed here in their shakes.

  16. Joe Maxwell says

    Vital Balance has no check marks in the 'Protein Supplement Ingredients To Avoid' chart. In fact it has no, added salt, sugar, animal protein, antibiotics, artificial chemicals, artificial coloring, artificial flavoring, aspartame, filler, fructose, gluten, GMOs, lactose, preservatives, soy, sucralose, whey, yeast, or stimulants. I'm very happy with the weight loss, but more importantly with my blood panel results; one take the day before I started Vital Balance and on the 29th day of having been on the product.

  17. Jamie says

    I wanted to start using Garden of Life Raw for meal replacement to jump start getting back in to healthy and clean eating. However, recently, their brown rice supply has been heavily contaminated with lead and cadmium. They are working on resolving this, but their line might not be safe again until 2015. So, do you think Shakeology would be ok to use meanwhile? I would probably drink 1-2 shakes a day, for a few months. SHakeology is not certified organic, but they use natural farming and are working on certification. I would love your opinion.

    • Michael says

      Looking to purchase shakeology. I would love to help you out
      I drink it daily and love it
      Check out my link or send me some mail
      http://Www.myshakeology.com/michaelgil

  18. Lauren says

    Actually Herbalife products DO contain Maltodextrin and Carrageenan.

  19. Rita says

    I would love to see the chart include whether the product includes artificial sweeteners, which are more tumorgenic than artificial colors - from the reports and studies I have read in holistic journals and health-zines. Look forward to a re review in the future. Thanks Vani

  20. Renee says

    Have you tried Arbonne's protein powder? 100% certified vegan and gluten free. All plant based. 20 grams protein.

  21. amiller says

    Have you looked at idnutrition? They havea great shake. Www yourbestidlife.com

  22. Alli says

    HealthForce/WarriorForce is the best powder on the market!

  23. deb says

    organic means non gmo seed, no pesticides, no hormones.
    if you are eating dairy or meat, make sure it is grass fed not grain fed since so many grains are gmo... same with eggs...

  24. Momof3boys says

    Any research/comments on Isagenix products?

    • kgh-nh says

      I use Isagenix products and did not find any of the ingredients listed here in their shakes.

  25. Peter says

    Is there any comparible data relating to the Aloe Vera products, Forever Living line I think it is? Is this good or bad option for detox etc?

  26. Katy says

    Just to clear up some confusion in the comments: if its organic it means it wasnt altered at all no pesticides and no genetically modified ingredients ... However non gmo doesn't necessarily mean organis because it is only saying no genetically modified ingredients were used but not guaranteed that no toxic pesticides or hormones etc were used... Sooo the safest way to avoid Gmos, pesticides, antibiotics, hormones , and so on is going with organic

  27. erin says

    someone @ Sprouts told me the same thing as the man @ natural grocers, that if its labeled organic, it is non-gmo, im scared that they may be giving false information.

  28. erin says

    I know that something may be grown organically, and still be from a gmo seed. but I thought that the whole process from beginning to end had to be completely non-gmo to gain the certified label. so if it says organic, but dosent have the nogmo label, isn't that something to be wary of?

  29. Carol says

    Organic does not necessarily meant non-GMO. Just an FYI Also just because a product uses non-GMO soy (Body by Vi) doesn't mean the rest of the products used are non-GMO.... Also things such as Artificial sweeteners are used in many Protein shakes--I personally would be more concerned about this as it is a Neurotoxin that over time causes major health issues and Body by Vi uses Sucralose an artificial sweetener. All the other ones except Vega, Isogen, and I believe Shakeology all use artificial sweeteners in them.

    • erin says

      hey carol, I was @ Natural Grocers and asked one of their employees that same question. his reply was that organic HAS to be non-gmo, but that non-gmo isn't always organic. whats up with that?

    • Kenzie says

      I'm confused by the last sentence.. are you saying that Vega does or does not use artificial sweeteners? Just doing some research

  30. Erin says

    I am so glad that Yoli protein does not have any of that junk! It is delicious and I love taking it!

  31. Fabio Okubo says

    It is funny how every Independent Rep for every Network Marketing company is defending their product like they are experts in the product. Most reps that I know are not product experts. I don't claim to be one, I do not know every single thing that is in my products. I just let people try the product, if they like the taste, try for 60 to 90 days and you will see a difference. Let the product speak for itself. http://www.fabio.vemma.com

  32. Arkadius Arky says

    No one shake from above can compare to 'bode'program by CHRIS POWELL by Vemma..clinically studied formula, all natural ingredients...best staff ever..thats why Extreme Loose Weight in ABC tv.is best to loose your weight to not damege your body

  33. Scott Londry says

    I encourage everyone to do a little research on the Vemma Bode product line. Specifically the Vemma bode shake. You can do so here. http://www.ahealthyyou.vemma.com

  34. Christian says

    How come so many people who are 40 pounds overweight preach about how they eat all organic? It's a slap in the face to eating right when a obese person preaches on organic!! Lose weight, be a product of ur product and then save the world....smdh

  35. Cathy says

    Wow, thank you for this list! Scary stuff in these so called health foods. I've always been a skeptic of magic type shakes. But what is even more scary is the cult like shakeology people here defending it. I mean honestly scary they rose to such defense. Please keep up the investigations! Don't let these huge companies snow people over! These reactions just fuel my suspicions even more. Yuck.

    • Stone says

      Beachbody is not a cult and you always need to read the fine lines. Her theory ends with "might". They don't their ingredients are picked and developed from organic farms. I agree with most of Foodbabe's post but I drink Shakeology and it's saved my life from IBS. I don't even drink some of those other shakes out there but I can vouch that this chart is inaccurate.

  36. jen says

    I have been drinking slimfast for a total of about 14 YEARS. I have just recently made the real food switch and got my cans of slimfast this past week and decided to check out the ingredients list. GASP! I couldn't believe all the crap in it. And to make matters worse, ASPARTAME was listed. I am a big anti-aspartame person, so you could imagine the shade of green I turned. I took them back to the store and will never buy them again. 14 years...ugh.

  37. Lauren says

    Healthforce and Garden of Life are great and organic. Both vegan. Vega has had a few recalls this year and I just don't believe they are GMO free. Seems to me they need to improve the quality of their product. Insane to spend big bucks on a non organic product.

  38. Gina Marie says

    I started using Phood shakes and so far so good, after tasting a sample at my local health food store. I've heard Arbonne also has a good one along the same lines. Do what's best for you.

    http://plantfusion.net

    • Gina Marie says

      Also heard sun warrior is another good brand.

  39. Sara says

    I have been using the nutiva hemp protein as recommended by FoodBabe blended with Frozen foot and its pretty good. But I still like the idea of Shakeology with all the extra superfood antioxidants etc already mixed in. Since this article was released Shakeology came out with a new vegan formula that does not have whey protein or rgbh. I'm wondering if the new vegan formula does have refined sugars or GMO's? Does anyone know or is Shakeology just a waste of money?

  40. Susan says

    Just found another GREAT CLEAN protein powder. Check out http://www.richvitality.com. All organic (therefore no GMO's), sun dried (not processed in high heat like many). It's good stuff :)