CAN PROTEIN POWDER MAKE YOU FAT?

I have been asked this question several times. First protien and carb only have 4 cals/gram as opposed to 9 cals/gram in fat. So gram for gram protien and carbs have less calories than fat. But there is more to just the numbers. Carbs (esp. the high GI ones) are easy to convert to glucose and then later on (if unused) into stored fat where as protien is hard to convert to glucose and hence has difficulty converting into stored fat. Moreover protien (and good fat) hinder the assimilation of carbs and lower the combined GI of a meal, so it helps keep you full longer. So protein combined with a meal will actually slowdown the process of fat conversion after the meal. So the short answer is, no! Protein powder cannot make you fat, even if you don't exercise, unless it has added sugar. Health food stores sell weight gain protein powders that have protein mixed in with sugars, like maltodextrin and dextrose (pure glucose) and it is these types that will make you gain weight but then its due to the added sugar. Make sure you take a powder with sucralose or some other sweetner. And last but not the least there is always a possibility of overdoing a good thing. So use your own judgement.

Health tip:

I use protien powder mixed with milk, some strawberries, a teaspoon of almond butter and blend it to make a rich strawberry milk shake. It has high quality protien, low GI carbs from strawberries and heart healthy fat from almonds for a complete balanced meal replacement.