Athletes are
among the most nutritionally conscious people in the world. They generally know
the precise timing for consuming carbohydrates, protein and other nutrients to
recover from the rigors of training. Many eat diets consisting mainly of whole
foods and very little processed food. This is why it's shocking that they put
supplements loaded with artificial ingredients in their bodies on a daily
basis. Now, of course, not all athletes see processed foods with preservatives
and artificial ingredients as harmful. For those that try to avoid such foods,
they may just think they are out of luck when it comes to their supplements.
When it
comes to all-natural alternatives to these supplements, it's unfortunately slim
pickings. The good news on this front is that the most popular supplement among
athletes, protein powder, happens to have the most natural options. Whey, soy,
casein and other protein varieties commonly use artificial sweeteners like
sucralose and aspartame, as well as artificial colors. So what about using a
natural plant based sweetener like stevia? Optimum Nutrition, MRM, and Dymatize
all offer proteins using the natural sweetener.
Don't care
for the taste of stevia? Isopure uses can sugar to enhance the flavor of their
protein and at only 5 grams per serving they keep it healthy. Optimum
Nutrition's 'Oats & Whey', utilizes the slow digesting carbohydrates from
oats to make their powder one of the best tasting on the market.
There is
still the issue of blended supplement powders containing creatine, amino acids,
beta-alanine, and other ingredients. Like protein powders, manufacturers use
large amounts of artificial colors and sweeteners to make the supplements more
palatable. Things get a little trickier down this path when looking for natural
alternatives. Until companies come out with naturally sweetened offerings, your
best bet is to start making your own blends. This can actually turn out to be
less costly than
purchasing pre-made blends of your favorite supplements. You
can buy unflavored bulk powders of just about any single supplement. Combine
the supplements of your choosing with an all-natural juice or beverage of your
choice. The best part is, you control how much of each supplement you're
putting in. Many companies use proprietary blends without telling you how much
of each ingredient is actually in the serving. Think of it as making your own
supplement cocktail!
To get
started check out several online retailers that offer bulk unflavored
supplement powders such as bodybuilding.com or Amazon. You should find that the
overall cost will be significantly lower when buying in bulk.
