Consumer Reports finds harmful contaminants in protein drinks

[beatchica]

Recently Consumer Reports tested several commercial and popular protein drinks and powders and found them to contain high levels of the following.
- Arsenic (inorganic)
- Cadmium
- Lead

Here is the link to the Consumer Reports article.
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/m...rink/index.htm

I personally am going to switch to organic based whey protein powders.

[videofit]

I don't like the taste of most canned drinks and they are too expensive anyway. I just use Designer Whey powder to make my own shakes and bars. I'm very interested in trying hemp protein powder, though.

[Juli]

Originally Posted by videofit

I don't like the taste of most canned drinks and they are too expensive anyway. I just use Designer Whey powder to make my own shakes and bars.

You better check out this link. Designer Whey chocolate powder has low levels of arsenic, cadmium, lead, & mercury. Not bad enough to be in bold but still concerning.

Thanks for the info beatchica!!

[videofit]

I only buy Vanilla!

[beatchica]

Your welcome Juli!

I was pretty bummed when I found out about this issue. I use Jarrow whey protein powder. But my sneaking suspicion is that the contaminants end up in the whey protein powders and drinks due to the equipment and manufacturing process. Which means potentially all commercial whey protein powders could be tainted.

Somehow I think organic whey powder may be manufactured in smaller batches and perhaps it might not have the same issues with the contaminants as the more commercial powders do.

I also feel hemp might not be affected by this issue due to it is created using a different manufacturing process from whey.

I for one love my protein shakes and smoothies. I am going to switch to Jarrow Hemp Protein powder and Source Naturals, Certified Organic, Whey.

[videofit]

Originally Posted by beatchica

I also feel hemp might not be affected by this issue due to it is created using a different manufacturing process from whey.

I for one love my protein shakes and smoothies. I am going to switch to Jarrow Hemp Protein powder and Source Naturals, Certified Organic, Whey.

Cheapest places to buy hemp powder? Does TJ's carry it? I've never really looked since I always buy whey

[Sarah-lara]

I buy the vanilla flavor at Trader Joe's. I like it in smoothies a lot. Can't remember what the price is offhand (10?), but it's cheaper than Nutiva, which is why I switched to it (and by the way, the cheapest place I found Nutiva here was at the local tiny vegan store, and not the bigger whole foods markets. But I don't know if that is still the case.)

[pbnj]

I think arsenic is present in most soils....so even organic foods have arsenic. Kind of like seeds have cyanide, no matter how you raise them. The lead and mercury is kind of odd though, I know combustion processes can release these compounds.

[Kathryn]

Originally Posted by beatchica

I also feel hemp might not be affected by this issue due to it is created using a different manufacturing process from whey.

I agree. It's also much less processed than most other protein powders.

[Kathryn]

Originally Posted by videofit

Cheapest places to buy hemp powder? Does TJ's carry it? I've never really looked since I always buy whey

Try online.
I've seen Nutiva in stores (the smoothie mixes) for much more than it costs to buy directly from the company (with free shipping for orders over $30---at least last time I ordered, which was a while ago).