Protein shakes and bars - are they really all you need?

The recent press “revelation” that protein shakes and bars might not be all they seem is probably already common knowledge to many dedicated natural bodybuilders and athletes. Most of them will always have a preference for the wide and varied options of natural food protein. See our blog article listing the top 15 natural sources of protein that include, meat, cheese, eggs and fish. They can be included in just about any diet giving variety, good natural protein and lots of other good stuff that might not all be available from a protein shake or bar.

Popular but not the best
Protein shakes and bars are undoubtedly big business and there is a place for them as a protein top up on the go but relying on them for all protein requirements may be stretching their effectiveness. Current market trends suggest that protein supplements are more popular than all other dietary supplements by a large margin. This is backed up by specific market research which calculates that about 42% of UK consumers aged 16 to 24 have recently consumed sports nutrition products.

Natural food protein more effective
Many natural bodybuilders also use protein converting natural dietary supplements such as Ajuga Turkestanica Extract, which contains Turkesterone and Ecdysterone, to improve muscle mass. For this purpose, natural food protein will always be more effective than shakes and bars but as an occasional supplement they undoubtedly provide additional support to more traditional sources of protein but should probably never replace them.