Why not to buy "bulking" powders

[monkeymuscle]

Hi there,

I just joined this site, after lurking here for some months and I thought I should contribute something in return.

Seeing as how I'm naturally pretty lean (aka skinny), I used to buy bulking powders. However, I wanted to see how much cheaper it would be to make my own from a whey concentrate or isolate powder and with a few other ingredients.

Attached is an Excel spreadsheet summary of the popular brands that I found for sale online. I've also attached a screen grab below for those who don't want to download an .xls file.

I used the cheapest prices I could find via Shotgun Supplements and Punch Supplements and prices are correct as of August 4 2009.

Also, from this site I became aware of Eat Me Protein and I have included their products as well.

As you will see, Eat Me Whey Concentrate (which is listed with its current sale price) offers the best value for cost per serve and for cost per gram of protein. For that reason I used Eat Me Whey Concentrate to add to my home-made mass gainer, which includes 250mL standard milk, 1 tablespoon of peanut butter and 1 banana.

I use a blender to mix it up, because no matter how hard I try, I just can't get the banana to dissolve when I use my shaker... :doh:

You can see the protein/carbs/fat ratio for the drink is a pretty good 40/40/20 split and the overall cost per serve is less than any of the pre-made bulkers, whilst providing a much better macro-nutrient profile.

Whilst it might not be quite as straight-forward to mix as a pre-made powder, buying a good quality protein concentrate or isolate powder gives you the flexibility to add your own quality ingredients to provide the nutrition that suits you, or to just go with the protein if you want to cut down on your calories.

I've only tried the Eat Me samplers so far (email them for freebies), but will be ordering 4kg of their Natural Whey Concentrate when I'm done with my current batch of Balance 100% Whey.

I found the following points from the table interesting, too:

-The cost of a single serve of BSN TruMass is $6.59! :shock: As far as I'm concerned there are a lot of better ways to spend that much cash on getting a good amount of food into your system.

-The carbohydrates in the Balance Mass Gainer are made up of a lot of sugar (although the sales pitch says that the product is low GI, so it may have other ingredients that help with sugar absorption). Whilst my Home Made Power Drink :wink: has three quarters of its carbs composed of sugars, half of that comes from the banana in the form of low GI fructose, and the fiber and starch in the banana should help to regulate the uptake of the sugar, and most of the remainder is lactose from the milk, which is also low GI.

-The Musashi Bulk powder isn't giving you many calories, considering its intended purpose. If the average person needs a maintenance intake of 2,500 calories a day, and that is split over 5 meals, you get less than half of your requirements for one meal from Musashi Bulk. It certainly isn't a "meal replacement".

I hope you find the table interesting... it certainly opened my eyes.

And, does anyone else have a favourite home made bulking recipe?

protein_compared.xls

[weener lad]

Very interesting, will download xls shortly and have a good look. Nice first post :clap:

[shruglife]

I use a blender to mix it up, because no matter how hard I try, I just can't get the banana to dissolve when I use my shaker... :doh:

The idea of someone trying to shake up a banana is hilarious! Looks like you have done some good research but the only way your mass gainer shake differs from my regular shake is the peanut butter which I would have on toast with my post workout shake. If you were looking to gain weight you shouldn't really be relying on a shake to do the job, those mass gainer shakes are just a gimmick aimed at beginners who think they have found the perfect way to finally get big.

Your comment about how expensive BSN is rings true for all their supplements, the only thing that distinguishes their products is perhaps a slightly nicer taste and cool container which doesn't equate to paying an extra $40 imo :pfft:

I like the spreadsheet you wrote up, I've done a similair one including my other foods aswell but not as structured as yours :clap:

Could you tell me what the mixibility and taste is like of the Eat Me Whey Concentrate?

[modandm]

nice post - always good to see there are some geeks like me out there. :grin:

However good to point out that mass gainers arent all bad - they do generally work and even if they are more expensive per g of protein then a simple whey product they sell well and ppl do get good results.

Also your home made mass shake sounds great for normal times of day but pre and post workout one can consume high gi sugards with protein for better results. Often the mass gainers are very suitable for this purpose.

Also FYI to any interested in making their own mass gainer or purchaser of simple sugars - i am going to buy a 25kg sack of dextrose and a 25kg sack of malto dextrin and will be selling to my usual protein customers for around $15 per 2kgs of the 50:50 blend (packaged all nice too - I know many of you blend your own already but I will make it easy with a packaged product.

[shruglife]

nice post - always good to see there are some geeks like me out there. :grin:

However good to point out that mass gainers arent all bad - they do generally work and even if they are more expensive per g of protein then a simple whey product they sell well and ppl do get good results.

Also your home made mass shake sounds great for normal times of day but pre and post workout one can consume high gi sugards with protein for better results. Often the mass gainers are very suitable for this purpose.

Also FYI to any interested in making their own mass gainer or purchaser of simple sugars - i am going to buy a 25kg sack of dextrose and a 25kg sack of malto dextrin and will be selling to my usual protein customers for around $15 per 2kgs of the 50:50 blend (packaged all nice too - I know many of you blend your own already but I will make it easy with a packaged product.

Can you explain to me the benefit of blending Malto Dextrin with the Dextrose? Also why they are superior to normal sugar?

[Mr_Krabs]

Malto-dextrin is just a dextrose polymer potentially take a lil longer to digest...

Table sugar is a mixture mainly a disaccaride of glucose and fructose, your body runs best on glucose and it is commonly thought that fructose is more likely to be metabolised to produce fat stores.

So dextrose is the cleanest sugar/carb you can get

[Dragon]

Excellent post!

I've been buying Eat Me for the last year. I’m chuffed to get solid muscle gains and even more so to know that it's your price winner!

[laurasaur]

strong first post

[Hennie]

maltodextrin has a more complex structure than sugar but breaks down faster....it is not necessarily better, lots of companies claim complex carbs due it's structure but thats where its stops, just remember we are talking mass gainer here so quick carbs is needed post workout.

What is quite funny for me in BSN products:

Cellmass - They are proud there is almost no sugar but it contains glucose polymers - grand name for maltodextrin

Syntha 6 and LDP also contains maltodextrin and are hailed as lean proteins :shock:

D-Palatinose would have been a good carb source but trades at 5 times the price of the $3 per kilo maltodextrin, so thats obviously a profit consideration

[Specter]

milk, peanut butter, half a cup of oats, couple scoops of protein, banana and 100grams of cooked kumara in a blender and ur away laughing...

[modandm]

D-Palatinose would have been a good carb source but trades at 5 times the price of the $3 per kilo maltodextrin, so thats obviously a profit consideration

where do you get for that price - i been quoted 4.50 a kg for 25kgs.

I think the consensus generally is that a blend of dextrose and maltodextrin (as used in most sports drinks) make the idea insulin spiker post workout shake.

BTW I costed up buying blending and packaging the two 50:50. price would have to be $20 per 2kgs to make it viable. Is anyone interested in this sourt of product or should I forget it?

[Hennie]

D-Palatinose would have been a good carb source but trades at 5 times the price of the $3 per kilo maltodextrin, so thats obviously a profit consideration

where do you get for that price - i been quoted 4.50 a kg for 25kgs.

I think the consensus generally is that a blend of dextrose and maltodextrin (as used in most sports drinks) make the idea insulin spiker post workout shake.

BTW I costed up buying blending and packaging the two 50:50. price would have to be $20 per 2kgs to make it viable. Is anyone interested in this sourt of product or should I forget it?

Thats from the states $4.5 is good deal

[monkeymuscle]

Thanks for the feedback. Glad you found it interesting... I certainly did.

And thanks for the comments re: sugar types in mass gainers. I might look into adding some to my post-workout shake. And I'm guessing that a fast-absorbing sugar would help with creatine uptake in the PWO shake too...

But cooked kumera, Specter? :shock:

Yikes!

[monkeymuscle]

Could you tell me what the mixibility and taste is like of the Eat Me Whey Concentrate?

I found both the concentrate and the isolate mixed pretty well in a shaker (provided that damned banana doesn't get in the way), and they taste okay to me.

Like I posted earlier, I'm used to having bulking powders, which will inevitably taste a lot sweeter than Eat Me (and presumably any other) straight whey powder, which tastes a little plain in comparison.

But, after a hard workout I think it's much easier to down a fairly plain tasting drink than one that is too sweet. For that reason I'll probably order their natural, unflavoured whey, rather than my usual preference for vanilla powders.

Definitely give them an email (details on their website) and ask for some free samples if you're interested!

[Bain]

Nice Intro, I'm also no fan of bulking powders - carbs are cheap, and you get to manipulate adding high and low GI as you see fit or fat and no carbs.

Morning shake: 3 large bananas, 500ml milk, 50g whey, ice -> makes a good smoothie with breakfast.

Late night: 50g whey, few table spoons peanut butter, milk, instant coffee.:twisted:

[Kelly23]

[Kelly23]

As you will see, Eat Me Whey Concentrate (which is listed with its current sale price) offers the best value for cost per serve and for cost per gram of protein.

Where i buy this from?

[EZcurl]

Eat Me Website

http://www.eatme.net.nz/

Eat Me Prices

http://www.eatme.net.nz/buy.html

The $145 for 4kg sale price that monkeymuscle included is only from the Eat Me website because Eat Me is $55/kg in shops from what I have seen in Wellywood.

[modandm]

this really is a great advertorial for eat me protien (seems like any post on protein these days becomes an advertorial).

Seems a bit unfair on the other manufacturers who do not sell direct and have to look after retailers and margins. Still I guess if you know what you want and you have the time you will always look out for a good deal.

Should definatly repost the spreadsheet once the eat me sale ends. Just to see if eat me is still such a clear leader in the low budget stakes.

[monkeymuscle]

this really is a great advertorial for eat me protien (seems like any post on protein these days becomes an advertorial).

Seems a bit unfair on the other manufacturers who do not sell direct and have to look after retailers and margins. Still I guess if you know what you want and you have the time you will always look out for a good deal.

Should definatly repost the spreadsheet once the eat me sale ends. Just to see if eat me is still such a clear leader in the low budget stakes.

I was well aware that anyone's first post that supported a particular product might come across as being an ad/spam/whatever. That is why I didn't post links to any particular sites, although I did mention Punch and Shotgun Supplements and tried to get the very cheapest prices off their sites.

But, I honestly went into this unbiased. I just wanted to find the cheapest way to get protein and some good carbs and fats into my daily diet.

If you've got any suggestions on cheaper alternatives, post them here by all means. I'm more than happy to update the spreadsheet as prices change, for my own education, if for no one else.

Until then, it looks like Eat Me is the cheapest going and if that's "unfair on the other manufacturers", then perhaps they should start looking to see where they can trim their margins or how they can offer a more competitive product.

[laurasaur]

I don't see how it is "unfair"... geez.. they have a good price, well if other manufacturers had that price then we would use them. Harsh but thats the way it goes

[Bain]

I don't see how it is "unfair"... geez.. they have a good price, well if other manufacturers had that price then we would use them. Harsh but thats the way it goes

:clap: Totally agree - whey is whey, not paying a cent more than I have to; just ordered some free samples from "eat me" to see how it tastes

[Agent]

this really is a great advertorial for eat me protien (seems like any post on protein these days becomes an advertorial).

Seems a bit unfair on the other manufacturers who do not sell direct and have to look after retailers and margins. Still I guess if you know what you want and you have the time you will always look out for a good deal.

Should definatly repost the spreadsheet once the eat me sale ends. Just to see if eat me is still such a clear leader in the low budget stakes.

Don't you sell Balance products? I think I may have seen a couple of your posts bordering on 'advertorial' in the past. The difference between you and Monkeymuscle though is that he has nothing to gain by giving eatme positive feedback.

I think you've also gone negative on eatme in the past when someone posted positive feedback.

this stuff doesn't have the history or reputation of the big longstanding NZ brands and imho if you really are $ concious you could find a way to the top brands for these prices anyhow.

also a let down is that they only supply whey or isolate they don't offer mass gainers or forumulations.

another point to note is that eatme doesnt include good additives that you would find in other manufdacturers products - e.g right now i take balance 100% whey and it includes (albeit a small amount) of glutamine.

That's fine and it's your opinion, but I don't think the OP and others are advertising any more than you have. Mostly people are just giving honest feedback about products, or trying to share good deals with other NZBB members.

[monkeymuscle]

Looking at some of modandm's past posts, it certainly looks like he/she is the one trying to sell something... and gets very defensive if another product undercuts his/her own price.

I've personally got no stake in Eat Me and will happily buy any other product that can match their price, quality and service.

But for now, for me, they look like the smart choice and I think my table backs that up.

As I posted earlier, if anyone has any better prices, I'm happy to update the table (and perhaps my own purchasing preferences) to reflect them.

[RockHard]

I buy 10lb of Inner Armour Super Quad for $159.00 - wouldn't that work out to be the cheapest? (I know it's not a bulking powder, but use as a base if you were going to make your own bulking powder).