Importance Of Whole Food

[Tom Treutlein]

I'm just curious...what's the importance of having whole food as opposed to powder or liquid? I can see liquid as being a problem, but let's just say one was to use whey protein powder as the only source of protein, and get their carbs and fats from oats and flax/fish oil. Would they still make the same gains, providing the calories and macronutrients were there? Or is there some actual scientific backing to why whole, solid food is better than powders and/or liquids?

 

[Tom Treutlein]

...

 

[casualbb]

You want some slow protein in there, that comes from milk/egg/meat sources. Honestly, my instincts are telling me that the whole liquid vs. solid thing probably shouldn't matter much but I don't want to admit it.

I mean, what if you took a solid meal, god forbid, and blended it all with 1 glass of water and downed the resulting crap. Probably have the same effect, except maybe it would absorb a bit faster being pureed instead of chewed.

 

[Tom Treutlein]

I figured the suggestion of slower digesting protein would come about, but how about this...

If the main source of protein was the whey, aside from a can of tuna before bed. Now, if one were to have a scoop (23 grams of protein per) every 1.5 hours, would the quick-digestion really matter or no? I figure not, simply because you're constantly giving yourself a flow of protein. After all, whey stays in your system 1-2 hours, so figuring it's in the middle, every hour and a half would be optimal. Yes? No?

 

[Clean]

I would be hungrier if I only had liquid. Even though 2 cans of tuna doesn't quite give me that "heavy, full feeling" I would be hungrier if I just had whey.

 

[view]

This has been a highly debated subject. I however limit shakes to PWO simply because i'm way to hungry to be drinking shakes at any other time of the day.

I need my whole food to stay full.

 

[lexington]

can't you buy other protein besides whey that is slow digesting? then that would cut your every 1.5 hours problem

 

[Tom Treutlein]

Well, it's actually not a problem of mine. I'm trying to help a friend out. It's a long story, but we got on the topic of using more meals, but just having whey as your main protein source, and since it's fast digesting, eating more frequently.

So, anyway, the eating every 1.5 hours isn't a problem at all, since the next 5 months he has nothing. School, work, obligations. He's free. So, he uses all his time towards training.

That being the case, if eating so often isn't a problem, would it work? Yes, hunger may be an issue, but he's not concerned with that. I agree that I'd get hungry eating like that all the time.

So, aside from the hunger issue, is there any real reason not to do this? I'm just curious to know now myself, because I figure calories and macros are just that. As long as you get in the amounts by the end of the day, you should be okay. Right?

 

[FistOfCain]

by liquid do you mean those diet drinks instead of eating a meal? I drink those sometimes, I'm trying to loose weight.

 

[Tom Treutlein]

Well, protein powder in water. It's turned into a shake, but the powder is considered whole food. Just...powder.