First up in our series where we review two different products from the same category, we have Optimum Nutrition’s Gold Standard Whey and BSN Syntha-6 Edge. These two products are two of the most premium protein powders we have on offer. Their macronutrient profile makes them one of the best choices you can make whilst on your fitness journey.
Sources of protein foods are Chicken, Beef & Almonds but also you can source it from drinks such as mixed protein powder and RTG protein drinks. For the purpose of this article, we’re going to be focusing on the shakes.
Calories
In any fitness journey, you need to track your calorie intake, there’s no point doing all of the work to burn calories or build muscle if you’re eating too much. The number of calories you consume per day ultimately determines whether you’ll have enough energy to work out, or even put on more fat.
Gold Standard Whey contains 111kcal per serving whereas BSN Syntha-6 has 153kcal per serving. However, for the average man needs 56 grams of protein per day, therefore if we’re going to average it for the amount of you need per day then it would be 241kcal for Gold Standard Whey and 332kcal for Syntha-6. For women, it is recommended that they consume 46g of protein per day, that would mean Gold Standard Whey would be 213kcal and Syntha-6 would be 294kcal.
That means overall, Optimum Nutrition’s Gold Standard Whey is less in calories.
Protein Content
We need protein to repair the muscles in our body when we’re working out, to ensure that we don’t damage our body by repetitive strain on our muscle groups.
Per serving, both Gold Standard Whey & Syntha-6 both have 24g of protein. However, Gold Standard Whey has a 30.7g scoop while Syntha-6 has a 37g scoop. This means that Gold Standard Whey is 78.17% protein whereas Syntha-6 is 64.86%.
That means, overall, Optimum Nutrition’s Gold Standard Whey is higher in protein.
Price
For the price, we’re going to be using the 2.2 kg version of Gold Standard Whey, which currently retails on our website for £51.35 (as of 22/10/19) and the 1.8 kg tub of Syntha-6 Edge, which currently retails on our website for 35.95 (as of 22/10/19).
If you’re looking for a price per serving, Gold Standard Whey is 70p per serving whereas Syntha-6 Edge is 75p. However, I know that a lot of people want to know the price against the amount of protein they are getting, so let me run that down for you.
For every 100 grams of protein, Optimum Nutrition’s Gold Standard Whey costs £2.90 whilst BSN’s Syntha-6 Edge costs £3.12 per 100 grams of protein.
So why should I buy Syntha-6 Edge? Based on this article, it looks clear as day that you should buy Optimum Nutrition’s Gold Standard Whey, that’s not entirely true. Whilst Gold Standard Whey has better macros and better value-for-money, Syntha-6 has more carbs and fats. More carbs and fats in a protein shake can improve your efforts in muscle gain, and it will fill you up more if you’re looking to use protein powder as a makeshift meal replacement.
They’re both incredible protein powders, so why not check them out on our website.
When you’re looking for a healthy weight gain, you should be consuming more calories whilst exercising to make sure that the extra calories you are consuming don’t turn into fat and can instead increase muscle mass.
A good way to increase your weight is by using weight/mass gainers. These products are specifically designed with whey protein concentrates for weight gain and exercise in mind. In this post, we’re going to be looking at one product in particular, Mutant Supplements weight gain, Mutant Mass. We stock a 6.8 kg version as well as a 2.27 kg version.
Nutritional Information
To compare Mutant Mass’ nutritional information, we’re going to use its closest competitor – Optimum Nutrition’s Serious Mass.
Mutant Mass has 12% fewer calories than Serious Mass (1,100kcal & 1,250kcal respectively), however, when one serving takes up over 50% of the daily recommended intake, it doesn’t make too much of a difference. Anything over the 900kcal mark would be ideal if you are looking to gain weight.
Mutant Mass has more grams of fat per serving, 12g to be exact against Serious Mass’ 4.8g. Fats are important because you need a balanced diet when looking to add weight, so more fats will be needed to keep in line with your weight gain.
Protein is a big factor when you’re using weight gainers to build weight and gain muscle. Mutant Mass just edges past Serious Mass with 56g of protein per serving, compared to Serious Mass’ 50g. Which means that Mutant Mass has around a 20% protein content and Serious Mass has around an 18% protein content. It is also packed full of the different proteins, whey protein concentrates, whey protein isolates and casein – not sure what they are? Check out our article on supplements here!
Mutant Mass has just a little bit more cholesterol, however, it is important to note that whilst we do need cholesterol, too much of it can be harmful to our body. Mutant Mass also has less Potassium, Sodium & Carbs than Serious Mass. A full comparison of their nutritional information can be found in the table below.
Per Serving
Mutant Mass
Serious Mass
Calories
1100kcal
1250kcal
Fat
12g
4.8g
Which Saturates
5g
1.9g
Cholesterol
90mg
75mg
Sodium
580mg
600mg
Potassium
840mg
1230mg
Carbohydrates
192g
252g
Of Which Sugar
18g
40g
Protein
56g
50g
Flavours
When choosing a high-quality mass gainer, you want a nice flavour. Thankfully, Mutant Mass comes in 6 delicious and some pretty unique flavours:
Chocolate Fudge Brownie
Cookies and Cream
Coconut Cream
Strawberry Banana
Triple Chocolate
Vanilla
It is important to note, however, that each flavours do have their own nutritional information as their recipe will be slightly different in order to create the tasty flavours.
Pros & Cons
PROS
As outlined in the Nutritional Information section, you can enjoy 1,100kcal and 56g of protein per serving, with a further 32g of Branched Chain Amino Acids and Essential Amino Acids. This version is their newest formula, and they’ve managed to drop the sugar in the product by 52%, whilst still managing to keep the brilliant taste Mutant products bring.
This product has had many formulas over the years, with each one Mutant brings to the table is an improvement of its predecessor. This means that if you are looking to start it now, you are already using the best version of the product from years of experience and experiments.
Using low-fat milk in your Mutant Mass shake will give you a thicker texture, which when cold will give you not only the vital nutrients you need if you’re looking to put on weight, but a brilliant texture to enjoy your nutrients with.
CONS
When you look at other supplements, you can get a lot of servings into a small tub. However, with all mass gainers (not just Mutant Mass), you get a lot fewer servings than you think – especially if you are trying mass gainers for the first time. For reference, a 2.27 kg bag of Mutant Whey carries approximately 63 servings, whereas Mutant Mass 6.8 kg only has 26. However, that is only if you use 4 scoops (1 serving) for each shake. If you find your desired size, it could increase the amount you get from the bag.
Supplementing this product multiple times per day can lead to health issues. Firstly, you will not be getting enough solid food so it could potentially lead to organs not functioning properly, as well as when you finally eat solid food, your stomach won’t be able to cope.
Price Breakdown
Weight Gainers are considered expensive, due to the fact you don’t get much for them and they can average up to £5 per serving. But now we’re going to look at how much Mutant Mass actually costs and whether it is cost-effective for you.
2.27 KG BAG
Price: £18.49
Servings: 8.5
Price Per Serving: £2.17
6.8 KG BAG
Price: £45.49
Servings: 26
Price Per Serving: £1.75
As you can see, the 6.8 kg price is cheaper per serving. However, it is like that everywhere else – the more you buy, the cheaper it is. At £2.17 per serving though, it is cheaper than most meals and you can use just under 1 bag a week. For the 6.8 kg bag though, that should only be used if you know what you want – all Mutant flavours taste great but if you keep to the same one for long enough it starts to taste bland.
We recommend having two bags which you can then chop and change when you feel like it – it keeps them both tasting nice.
Apple Cider Vinegar is a very versatile product, it has many uses from weight loss all the way through to having a positive effect on your digestive system. But what is it really? Well, we’re about to find out in this blog post.
How is it made?
According to the US Department of Agriculture, Apple Cider Vinegar is around 94% water with 1% carbohydrates and not containing any amount of fats or proteins. Per 100ml, it contains around 22 calories with just a tiny bit of micronutrients.
When making it commercially, regular Apples are brought onto the company’s processing belt, where they are then crushed & pressed and the juice has been separated. The fermentation process usually begins just after the juice has been stored in a tank underwater. Oxygen is then fed through into the container to achieve its alcoholic fermentation via the bacterial strain, acetobacter. The resulting ethanol produces acetic acid and vinegar which are brewed together to make Apple Cider Vinegar.
Why do people use it?
A journal entry in the PMC has shown that using Apple Cider Vinegar can help kill unwanted pathogens, including harmful bacteria. It can also inhibit bacteria such as E. Coli from growing in foods and stop it from spoiling it.
According to healthline.com, studies also show that vinegar can help you lose weight. Consuming Apple Cider Vinegar doesn’t have a negative calorie count (food that takes more calories to burn than its actual calorie count), but it does kind-of restrict your calorie intake. Upon further research, it has been shown that a group of people ended up eating 200-275 fewer calories per day when they have had Apple Cider Vinegar with a high-carb meal due to feeling fuller by the vinegar.
Across the world, heart disease is one of the world’s most common causes of premature death in humans. There have been studies on animals that show that apple cider vinegar can lower cholesterol and triglyceride in the body – which are both common contributors to heart disease. It has also been shown to reduce blood pressure in rats, another major contributor to heart and kidney problems.
It is also thought that using Apple Cider Vinegar can counteract the pH levels in your stomach acid.
How Do I Use It?
Typically, people use 1-2 tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar to mix in with their food, but people also like to dilute it with a glass of water and use from as little as 1 teaspoon, all the way up to 2 tablespoons. Apple Cider Vinegar is typically found in things such as salad dressing and mayonnaise. It is recommended that you use raw, unfiltered vinegar along with the mother (which contains the acetic acid which we covered in the first paragraph).
Are there any side effects?
Whilst consuming Apple Cider Vinegar has many health benefits such as weight loss, lower cholesterol and lower blood sugar – it also has some side effects you need to be a little bit wary of.
Apple Cider can sometimes delay the rate of which your food leaves the stomach, which can bring on gastroparesis and make controlling your blood sugar more difficult for people with diabetes. Whilst Apple Cider Vinegar can reduce your appetite, the taste isn’t raved about and can sometimes bring on feelings of nausea when you consume too much. Tooth enamel is also at risk, usually because of a sudden onslaught of vinegar you will consume so suddenly over an extended period. The erosion of tooth enamel can also cause decay in your teeth.
In children, there have been several cases where it has burned their throats, but it is not recommended that children consume apple cider vinegar – straight or diluted. It is also fully recommended that you take it in liquid form. Whilst capsules are available, one woman complained of throat burns after a tablet got stuck in her oesophagus. You should also not treat it for anything other than consumption as reports have occurred of skin burns when using Apple Cider Vinegar to treat infections and moles.
Some medications may interact with apple cider vinegar, including insulin, digoxin and certain diuretics.
If you were to experience any of the above side effects, consult medical advice immediately.
Apple Cider Vinegars @ SS Healthfoods.
LIQUIDS
Raw Health Organic Apple Cider Vinegar – 500ml (£2.99)
At Raw Health they use organic unfiltered, pressed apple juice to make their raw apple cider vinegar. Never heated or pasteurised, this living enzyme-rich vinegar contains the nutritious vinegar ‘mother’
Bragg Organic Apple Cider Vinegar 946ml (£9.49).
Bragg Organic Apple Cider Vinegar is made from delicious, healthy, organically grown apples and is the wholesome way to add delicious flavour to most foods. Unfiltered, unheated and unpasteurized, Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar has just 5% acidity and is full of zesty natural goodness.
TABLETS/CAPSULES
Swanson Double Strength Apple Cider Vinegar 30 Caps (£1.99)
Swanson’s Apple Cider Vinegar is double the usual strength, this special formula ensures that the body’s system-flushing qualities are the best it can be! With natural Apple Cider Vinegar packed into 30 tablets, it’s perfect for those who are on the go.
Swanson Apple Cider Vinegar High Potency 1.25g 180 Caps (£10.95)
Looking for convenient apple cider vinegar supplements? Swanson’s Ultra High Potency Apple Cider Vinegar pills take this classic diet aid into the modern era with the most potent version ever. Each capsule supplies 625 mg of apple cider vinegar to help you feel your best while you meet your weight goals. But you don’t have to be a dieter to benefit from apple cider vinegar and its unique system-flushing capabilities.
Swanson Apple Cider Vinegar Double Strength 200mg 120 Tablets (£5.49)
Swanson Diet Double Strength Apple Cider Vinegar is an incomparably potent form of apple cider vinegar pills, distilled into these handy capsules meaning you don’t even have to worry about drinking vinegar, you can just get on with your day feeling cleansed, lean and ready for the day.
In this serious mass review, we’re going to be answering a few questions like what is the serving size, what are the side effects, how to use it for weight training and more!
One of the heavyweights in the weight gainer sector, one full serving of Serious Mass packs a whopping 1,250 calories and is ideal for those who are wanting to increase their muscle mass. The high-calorie protein powder comes hand-in-hand with 50g protein. It comes in different flavours: Banana, Chocolate, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Strawberry, Vanilla, Cookies and Cream & Chocolate Mint.
Taste
As much as we think that Optimum Nutrition Serious Mass has a great taste, that is a matter of opinion and for all you know we could be lying to promote it. So here are some reviews from Bodybuilding.com.
Dave’s review from Bodybuilding.com says “I sampled the chocolate flavor of this weight gainer. I found that it was a heavy milk chocolate taste. I felt that the taste was satisfactory but not particularly good. Therefore, for taste, I award the chocolate flavor of Serious Mass a 6/10”.
Jake from primeweightgain.com says “I’m using the Vanilla flavour and for me the product tastes great. I have found that 100g of Serious Mass mixes in well with 500ml of water in a shaker”
So, the taste may not be the best thing in the world, but mass gainers aren’t really all that tasty in general. But, when you couple the taste with science, it doesn’t really matter.
What Will Serious Mass Do For Me?
When you’re looking to increase muscle mass/muscle size, it is quite hard to hit the calories you need unless you’re eating terribly. That’s why using a 1,250 Serious Mass shake instead of a Maccies is so much better for your body & goals.
When you use Optimum Nutrition Serious Mass alongside with a good exercise routine, Optimum Nutrition claims it can be a mass gain formula that will help you build muscle mass (and/or muscle size).
Serious Mass is packed with calories, carbs and protein, but also other things. Alongside the primary sources of fuel, Serious Mass contains Creatine Monohydrate and Glutamine that help your body with that post-workout recovery after an intense workout.
When you work out, your body’s sensitivity to insulin level rises, which makes it harder for the body to gain fat. This is why Serious Mass is heavily recommended to be used alongside a heavy workout. Otherwise, you may start to see some unwanted fat.
Pros & Cons
PROS
Serious Mass is very high in carbohydrates & protein, this makes it very easy for you to hit your daily goal in these areas. Its high carb content makes it ideal to replace your empty glycogen stores. As previously stated, it is very hard to cleanly eat 1,250 calories per day. This shake will keep you ticking over whilst promoting a healthy lifestyle. Optimum Nutrition Serious Mass contains no added sugar. Contains 25 vitamins and minerals per serving, meaning there are no extras you have to buy to go alongside your diet.
CONS
One serving is 334g (better to use a blender for best texture). Not suitable for some people, including vegans and people needing a free-from diet as it contains milk, eggs & wheat. Taste has mixed Reviews. £2.56 per serving compared to Mutant Mass’ £1.73 per serving.
Nutritional Information
Optimum Nutrition Serious Mass’ main goal is to enable you to increase your calories and should not be used if you are trying to use it for weight loss. The average person should aim to consume 2,000 calories every day, based on the recommended daily intake. Serious Mass would add another 62.5% worth of calories to your daily intake, and since one pound of fat is 3,500 – you can expect to put on a pound every three days if you use Serious Mass correctly with your diet.
As mentioned in the ‘Pros & Cons’ section, Serious Mass contains a lot of vitamins and minerals. In fact, each serving contains your full recommended amount of Vitamin A. This might make it wise to avoid foods that are full of Vitamin A such as Spinach, Kale & Carrots, as you could be at risk of overconsumption which can lead to vomiting, fever and irritability.
One handy aspect of Serious Mass is that it contains Creatine, a supplement that many people in the gym take. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition says that supplementing other supplements with Creatine puts you at a higher risk of kidney failure, so best to use the Creatine that is integrated within.
SUPPLEMENT FACTS:
Serving Size: 2 Heaping Scoops of Serious Mass (334g)
Here at SS Healthfoods, we only stock the 5.4kg bag of Serious Mass. This is because we feel that it is the best value for money, and as of 21st November 2019, we have it priced at £40.95 w/A Free Shaker! There are a recommended 16 servings in the bag, making it out to £2.26 per serving (which may seem a lot at supplement prices, but cheaper than a meal deal and a hell of a lot more calories!).
Although, if you know your diet down to the calories, then you can measure your Serious Mass to the grain. Then for 312 calories, the price works out at only 56p. That is cheaper than a chocolate bar, healthier and a lot more calories.
Purchase Optimum Nutrition Serious Mass 5.4kg from clicking here!
Are you looking for a new protein supplement? Perhaps you’re using Optimum Nutrition or Dymatize and fancy a change. Whilst Muscle Tech Nitrotech is not one of the biggest protein powders in the game, the nitro tech mix gives you powerful protein formula ever developed to help you in your goals in the gym, whether that be increasing muscle mass or losing fast.
For over twenty years, Nitro-Tech has been a world-leading protein range. Using years of research and science, it is one of the most trusted protein brands, with customers all over the world. The MuscleTech brand has many different products. Here at SS Healthfoods, we stock MuscleTech Performance Series Nitro-Tech 2.2lbs (907g), MuscleTech NitroTech 100% Whey Gold 2.5lb as well as many more which you can find here.
For the purpose of this blog post, we’re going to be looking in detail at Muscletech Nitrotech Whey Gold + Isolate Gold, which we stock in the 1.8 kg tub. Nitrotech Whey Gold + Isolate Gold contains both Whey Peptides and Whey Isolate, giving your body the highest biological value (BV) in protein fractions. BV is the measurement of how your body processes, absorbs and retains protein. The higher the BV value, the higher the potential for muscle building. Per 2 scoops, there is 50g of protein. 11.2g of which occurs naturally from Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAA’s).
The whey peptides enable your body to get the initial boost of protein, which makes it a brilliant post-workout, but the extras you get from this product puts it in a different class from regular whey proteins.
The main points that Muscletech make about the product are:
50g Protein
Fast Absorption
Great Post Workout
Builds Lean Muscle
Taste
Muscletech claim that “partnered with some of the world’s leading flavour scientists to deliver truly mouth-watering flavours you’ll love to indulge in!” But we’ll let you be the judge of that.
After a quick look at external reviews on SupplementReviews.com, I found this review of the taste. “The vanilla tasted like vanilla, 7.5/10. There weren’t any interesting undertones or other tastes present”. Whilst BluReviews.com raves about the taste of the product.
Above, you can see the full, nutritional information, but let’s run through some more in detail. One thing I see when I look at the nutritional information is the lack of creatine monohydrate. Whilst it’s not uncommon to see protein powders that don’t have creatine in their product, the sheer amount of protein powders out there force manufacturers to innovate, and if you are looking to build muscle – you can find a variety of cheap creatines here to go with your NitroTech.
A Muscletech NitroTech Whey Gold + Isolate Gold serving is 1 scoop, It has 25g of protein per 35g scoop, which makes it at about 72% protein. To compare other protein powders, Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Whey has 24g (approx. 78% protein) and BSN Syntha-6 EDGE has a protein content of 24g also (approx. 65% protein). So whilst Nitrotech may not have the best protein percentage, it has more protein than one of the most popular protein powders in the game and just means that you may have to add a bit colder water or milk. The regular Nitro-Tech contains 30 grams of protein per serving, which seem like more but it does not have a complete amino acid profile or the science behind it like Whey Gold + Isolate Gold Does.
Pros and Cons
PROS
Reduces fatigue
Promotes lean muscle mass
Good pre and post-workout
2g sugars
CONS
Unsuitable for Vegans
Larger scoop than average
Not a wide variety of flavours
Price Breakdown
As of 26th November 2019, we have Muscletech Nitro Tech Whey + Gold Isolate priced at £46.95. You get approx. 83 servings in a 1.8kg tub. That works out at about 57p per serving, and when compared with Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Whey and BSN Syntha 6 EDGE, it works out cheaper than both of them as they are 70p and 75p per serving each respectively.
Side Effects
As with everything, having too much of something can have consequences. Webmd has highlighted the problem of having too much protein here – High doses can cause some side effects such as increased bowel movements, nausea, thirst, bloating, cramps, reduced appetite, tiredness (fatigue), and headache.
Rich Piana’s 5150 is a pre-workout for those who enjoy mega-doses of caffeine. It is customised to make you reach your maximum level in the gym. 5150 will not only give you extreme energy, muscle pump desire and focus that most pre-workouts could not dream of doing. Seasoned gym-goers may sometimes need up to 3 scoops to get themselves going, but not 5150. That’s why today you’ve got a 5150 review to read if you’ve never taken it before.
Rich Piana 5150 contains over 400 mg of caffeine, made from 6 different types to ensure focus as well as 4g of L-Citrulline to increase your energy and mental focus. So, if that sounds good, let’s continue.
Taste
I found a review from Jack on SupplementReviews.com which said: “Taste really good. I tried passion fruit and green apple but I prefer the green apple. Very clean flavour with no bitter aftertaste. The mixability is fine no floater or sinkers. Some foams do form on the top if you shake too vigorously”.
TJ from fitnessdealsnews.com also backs up Jacks Review by saying “The taste is great and there are 4 flavours to choose from. It also mixes perfectly and stays with no clamps.”
So, as you can see from the above reviews, Rich Piana’s 5150 is a tasty pre-workout powder. As well as the taste, it’s formula is designed to make sure that you don’t get any sediment in your mixture as is it is actually one of the best mixing pre-workout powders on the market.
Nutritional Information
As you can see above, 5150 is full of different ingredients to get you through your gym session. To go into further detail:
Niacin is another name for Vitamin B-3 which helps lower cholesterol, ease arthritis and boost cognitive functions.
Cyanocobalamin is also known as Vitamin B-12 and it is important in the body for growth, cell reproduction, the formation of blood cells, as well as tissue and protein synthesis.
L-Citrulline is the precursor of L-Arginine. L-Arginine increases blood flow and circulation in your body which delivers key nutrients to your skeletal muscle, whilst also accelerating ATP production to use for power and endurance.
Beta-Alanine enhances your performance by increasing your capacity to exercise and fights muscle fatigue. Beta-Alanine also contains antioxidants, immune-enhancing and anti-ageing assets as well.
L-Taurine is an amino acid which has good effects on your body’s circulatory system. It has also been shown to increase mental performance, whilst regulating your body’s temperature. It does this by drawing water into your muscle cells and can reduce delayed onset muscle soreness.
N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine is a more bioavailable form of regular L-Tyrosine, which increases your alertness and increases your mood and cognition abilities. It also produces noradrenaline and dopamine because of this.
Chlorine Bitartrate is a precursor to a lot of the body’s neurotransmitters that improve your cognitive focus and memory.
STIM CRAZY CAFFEINE COMPLEX
Their Stim Crazy Caffeine Complex contains Green Tea Extract, Yerba Mate Extract, Guarana Extract & Green Coffee Bean Extract. Not sure what they are? Don’t worry, we’ll go through those as well.
5150 gets some of its caffeine from Green Tea Extract. This may not be the highest caffeine source in the mix, but the way it is described, green tea is combined to make a more potent mixture.
Yerba Mate Extract comes from the Yerba Mate plant. Whilst also containing caffeine, some people consume Yerba Mate to relieve mental and physical fatigue.
Guarana Extract is from seeds which were primarily used for weight loss. But also act as a stimulant which enhances athletic performance whilst also reducing mental and physical fatigue.
Green Coffee Bean Extract is from Green Coffee Bean, obviously. It is used as a stimulant for weight loss but also has high levels of chlorogenic acid which reduces the absorption of fat and lowers insulin levels.
Whilst not in the Stim Crazy Caffeine Complex, 5150 does also contain caffeine anhydrous caffeine malate.
Side Effects
One of the most likely side effects from supplementing 5150 is having too much caffeine. Healthline.com has outlined what you can expect from getting too much caffeine in your daily diet.
Whilst normal doses of caffeine increase alertness, larger amounts more consistently can lead to anxiety or edginess.
Caffeine is a stimulant, meaning that it can keep you up at night and hinder sleep quality, make sure you have taken it early enough before bed to ensure this doesn’t happen.
Addiction is common in caffeine, if you use it frequently then don’t use it for a while, your body may introduce withdrawal systems.
There are another 6 reasons as to why you shouldn’t have too much caffeine in your diet, read their article about it here.
Pros & Cons
Every product in the world has its pros and cons, and 5150 is no different. Let’s find out what they are.
PROS
Whilst there are caffeine alternatives in its formula, it is still a very good formula when you compare it to other pre-workouts on the market. 12.5g serving makes it easy to mix and doesn’t give it any sentiments in the mixture.
Great value for money (we’ll dive into the price breakdown below).
One serving is more than enough energy.
CONS
Whilst the amount of caffeine is one of the best around, it is not suitable for people who are new to pre-workout and that amount of caffeine in one go could have possible side effects.
Lack of Theanine, which eases stress.
Unsuitable to consume on an empty stomach.
Price Breakdown
As of the 5th December 2019, here at SS Healthfoods, we have Rich Piana’s 5150 on offer for just £22.49, which is a 30 serving tub. This works out at just 75p per serving. If you’re new to pre-workout and fancy giving it a go, I’d recommend a 6.25 scoop. This would only cost you 38p per serving for 235g of its Stim-Crazy Caffeine Complex.
So, if you like the sound of it, pick up Rich Piana 5150 30 Servings from SS Healthfoods here.
If you’re searching for a supplement that will support the liver, digestive, and joint mobility, then adding turmeric to your diet is one of the ways to increase your physical function while boosting your overall health. Swanson Turmeric 720mg 100 Capsules has been formulated to not just give you turmeric as a supplement, it gives you the real thing. Swanson is a natural supplement that can help the body reach its optimum by aiding your natural defenses. This is achieved through ensuring the body receives the nutrients it needs from the supplement.
In this review, we will look at what turmeric is, the nutritional information, pros and cons and reviews. If the benefits highlighted above aren’t enough to convince you to consider the supplement, this review will help you see whether turmeric is exactly what you’re missing from your diet.
What is Turmeric?
Commonly used as a spice to add flavour, colour and a nice little kick to your favourite meals, you’ll be surprised just how often you come across turmeric in day to day foods. Turmeric can be stirred into curry dishes, blended into a smoothie or even brewed with your tea! It’s so easy to add to everyday meals, giving it that extra flavour and deliciousness. For thousands of years, turmeric has been used in traditional Ayurvedic medicine for its natural health benefits. The main ingredient that you need to keep your eyes out for is curcumin, which is the active ingredient in turmeric. Curcumin promotes an incredible list of healing effects that has powerful anti-inflammatory properties which is crucial for your digestive health. So if you’re curious about ways to incorporate turmeric into your diet, but don’t know how? Swanson can help you gain all these health benefits through their turmeric supplement.
Nutritional properties
Curcuma longa – belonging within the ginger family and has been used for many years as a safe and active medicine to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent various chronic diseases. According to PubMed, the active substance – curcumin possesses many therapeutic properties.
As a dietary supplement, take 2 capsules once per day with water
Pros & Cons
PROS
Used to prevent any disease, cancerous cells.
Antioxidative and anti-inflammatory.
Reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
Lowers blood pressure.
Prevents coronary arteries and heart disease.
If you fancy looking into more benefits turmeric has to offer, have a read of our article on the amazing health benefits.
CONS
Requires a high dose to gain the benefits. If you want to increase your turmeric intake, you can consider turmeric and curcumin supplements or even turmeric with black pepper.
Although turmeric is a potential cancer fighter, you have to be careful eating or taking it if you have breast cancer, as it may interfere with the effectiveness of chemotherapy.
The spice can enhance the effect of blood thinners, possibly increasing bleeding risk.
Reviews
The reviews on Swansons Turmeric boasts the positive effects of the supplement. Here are examples of customers who have benefited.
Mel from HealthMonthly – “If you haven’t yet, I highly recommend doing some research on Turmeric. There are new studies all the time, and each one amazes me even more. I think this is one supplement that most people could benefit from. I was a little skeptical at first, but it is now #1 in my book!”
Tony from SwansonVitamins – “Since I started this high-quality product I have seen benefits to joints which were amazing”
Price breakdown
At SS Healthfoods, we only stock 720mg 100 Capsules of Swansons Turmeric supplements at £5.99. This works out at 6p per tablet! This is cheaper than the retail price.
Challenge two in our product comparison series, is between two plant-based protein heavyweights. These contenders are Applied Nutrition’s Vegan-Pro and Reflex’ Vegan Protein.
These two sources of protein are great for those on a vegan diet or vegetarian diet, wishing to find meat substitutes. Whilst meat may be a great source of protein, vegan protein is still protein rich. Although they help vegans and vegetarians, anyone can enjoy these plant proteins in their diet.
This article shows the benefits of consuming vegan protein. It also gives a comparison of two of the finest vegan proteins that help you reach your goals.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF CONSUMING VEGAN PROTEIN POWDER?
There’s a reason why considerable amounts of athletes across many different sports are consuming more plant-based foods. Here are three primary reasons why supplementing with vegan protein powders are highly beneficial for you.
Reduce Inflammation
Certain types of animal protein products have been shown to cause swelling and inflammation in muscles and joints. This is the case in individuals who consume high volumes of dairy proteins. These may increase recovery time, causing your workouts to suffer as a result. Vegan protein sources have been shown to reduce this inflammation.
Many vegan protein powders offer anti inflammation properties. These may help improve joint mobility and has been shown to minimize joint problems. Many vegan proteins contain added properties that fight this. For instance, you can find plant-based protein powders with turmeric, cinnamon, green blends and other recovery properties.
Increase Recovery
Most plant proteins provide a higher rate of nutrient absorption compared to animal proteins. These more natural and digestible forms of plant-protein can increase the rate of recovery after exercise.
Plant-based proteins also tend to be lower in saturated fats and cholesterol, compared to proteins from milk, such as whey. This can therefore improve your heart health. A healthier heart also leads to faster recovery times.
Improve Digestion
Many plant protein foods can improve digestion within our bodies. This is because of the amount of fibre they contain to their animal product counterparts which contain minimal amounts. It is even more evident in certain legumes and seed- based proteins such as lentils, hemp seeds, chia seeds and peas. These contain a lot of fibre, all of which help digestion in your bodies.
Some animal proteins like whey can cause bloating and digestive issues in some individuals. Vegan proteins tend to digest easier and promote good processes within the body. This good digestion is ideal for all athletes as it helps you train better, so plant proteins are ideal. It is hard to train well when experiencing bad digestion.
By using the right combination of plant proteins, you can have all the same benefits as animal proteins, and more.
LET’S LOOK AT OUR CONTENDERS:
Applied Nutrition Vegan-Pro
The challenge commences with Applied Nutrition’s plant based protein. It is a high-quality protein powder containing a blend of Soya, Pea, Brown Rice & Hemp.
These help to increase your overall daily protein intake. It is a complete protein, containing the full range of your essential amino acids you need. These are the building blocks for muscle growth and repair. It has a high protein content, packing a hefty 24g of protein per serving.
It is a big contender in the vegan protein world and is a force to be reckoned with.
Reflex Vegan Protein
It’s close competitor follows with Reflex’s plant based protein. This plant food is made from pea protein and contains 18g protein per serving. It also contains LactoSpore, a friendly bacteria and digestive enzymes that aids nutrient absorption in your body.
It’s free from artificial sweeteners and sugars, is gluten free and free from soya, chemicals and GMO’s. It gives Applied nutrition’s Vegan-Pro a serious run for it’s money.
THEY BOTH LOOK GOOD, BUT HOW DO THEY COMPARE INDIVIDUALLY?
Calories
Calories are an important aspect of any person’s diet. Consume more than your body uses, you’ll gain weight, eat less calories than your body needs, then you’ll lose weight. Therefore, it’s important to know how much you are consuming to achieve your goals, whether that be weight gain or weight loss.
The Applied Nutrition’s Vegan Pro protein powder contains 108 calories per 30 gram serving.
Reflex’s Vegan protein contains slightly less calories at 92 per serving. However, the serving size is 5 grams less than that of Applied Nutrition and works out at 110 calories when the same serving size of 30 grams.
The Applied Nutrition’s Vegan Pro powder therefore has less calories than Reflex’s Vegan Protein. However, this is only by 2 calories, therefore the difference between the two is minimal.
Protein
Protein is the building block of everything in the body and especially important to building new muscle in the gym. If you fail to get enough protein it will be more difficult for your body to build more muscle in your body as there will be less protein synthesis. This is where vegan protein powders are a good source of protein as they can provide a large proportion of your daily requirements in one sitting.
The Applied Nutrition’s Vegan Pro gives a whopping 24g of protein per 30g serving, this comes from a combination of Soya, Pea, Brown Rice & Hemp Protein to deliver a premium powder. This is also a complete protein source as the combination of different plant proteins fives the required amino acid profile your body needs.
Reflex’s Vegan Protein on the other hand gives 18g of protein per 25g serving, which works out at 22.8g of protein per 30g serving. This protein comes from peas only, so does not have the same amino acid profile Applied Nutrition’s protein powder has. However, pea protein is a powerful protein source and when included in your diet with other plant foods can still build muscle.
Applied Nutrition’s Vegan Protein therefore has a slighter larger quantity of protein per serving but once again has a very similar amount to Reflex’s protein powder so does not vary greatly.
Nutritional Content
The nutritional content of the protein powders is important as they may help to achieve your goals better and achieve a balanced diet. Some proteins may contain different ingredients and will therefore change the nutritional content of one protein powder to another.
The Applied Nutrition’s Vegan Pro contains very little amounts of Fat, Saturated Fat, Carbohydrates and Sugars. This therefore makes it a very useful product to include into your diet as it massively boosts your protein intake without impacting on your other macros.
As stated previously, it also contains all 9 essential amino acids needed for muscle growth and due to the variety of ingredients also contains more vitamins and minerals from the different protein sources. Furthermore, due to the hemp protein included, the protein will also include some omega-3 fatty acids that is also needed by your body for good health.
Reflex’s Vegan Protein has a very slight increase in fat and saturated fat but this is still very low and also has a low carbohydrate and sugar nutritional value like Applied Nutrition’s. However, it does not contain the same levels of vitamins and minerals Applied Nutrition’s vegan protein will contain. However, where this product gains an advantage is through the added digestive enzymes that make helps the body digest the protein which Applied Nutrition’s vegan protein does not have.
Price
Price is an important aspect of any purchasing decision so it is important to compare. Both products are 2.1kg in size and it is therefore easy to compare the price.
Applied Nutrition’s Vegan Pro is currently retailing for £24.99 as of 29/01/2020, creating a serving cost of 35p.
Reflex’s Vegan Protein is currently retailing for £26.95 as of 29/01/2020 and has a serving cost of 32p
Applied Nutrition’s Vegan Protein therefore has a cheaper overall cost but Reflex’s Vegan Protein has a cheaper cost per serving but this is because the serving sizes are 5g smaller.
SO WHICH ONE SHOULD I BUY?
The Applied Nutrition’s Vegan Pro is clearly dominant in most areas and could be argued to be a better overall product to reach your fitness goals. However, Reflex’s Vegan Protein is a close competitor with elements Applied Nutrition does not have. Both are extremely good proteins and will help achieve your goals.
Choosing a pre-workout that will fuel your workout can be a difficult decision, especially with the number of products that are on the market. Sometimes, you may find yourself choosing the most popular ones. That’s why we’re here today, to break down two of the most popular products, Rich Piana’s 5150 pre-workout and Applied Nutrition’s All Balck Everything (ABE).
What is Pre-Workout?
Pre-workout is a supplement that is sold by lots of companies, often promising you enhanced formulas that will benefit you during your workout (such as focus throughout your training). A lot of the time, their formula contains researched, active ingredients that give you continual focus.
Each pre-workout is different, each has its own formula that can help you in certain ways. Such as caffeine content, whether nitric oxide is present or whether it has natural flavouring.
They’re often very high in caffeine formulas which gives you an extreme amount of energy and can increase physical performance.
Brief Overview of the Products
5150
Rich Piana’s 5150 is a high-caffeine pre-workout. Designed to give you the biggest pump possible. Its high caffeine content is enough for two days, nevermind one. 5150 contains 6 different types of Caffeine and 4g of L-Citrulline to increase your energy and focus output.
With 3 delicious flavours to choose from, the mixture will leave a fruity taste in your mouth and prepare you properly for the workout ahead. The Guarana Extract (22%) Seed performs a vital role in the formula.
ALL BLACK EVERYTHING
Applied Nutrition ABE (All Black Everything) is a powerful pre-workout, it energises you, reduces tiredness and combats fatigue. It gives you laser focus throughout your gym sessions to boost your workout potential. ABE comes in multiple flavours such as Bubblegum, Candy Ice Blast, Cherry Cola & many more.
ABE also delivers a unique blend of the most vital and researched active ingredients to help you combat fatigue and provide continual support to your body throughout your workout.
Calories & Ingredients
No matter whether you’re trying to gain or lose weight, or even maintain your weight – counting your calories is essential during your journey. Thankfully, pre-workout tastes horrible with milk (one of the only drawbacks of protein powder is how great it tastes with milk).
Applied Nutrition’s ABE only contains one calorie per its 10.5g serving and contains 200mg of caffeine per serving. This is alongside 3.25g of Creatine, 2g of Beta-Alanine, 4g of Citrulline Malate and a significant amount of Vitamin B3 & B12.
Rich Piana’s 5150, on the other hand, is harder. We cannot find an accurate calorie count for the pre-workout, but the good news is since it’s a pre-workout we can’t imagine it being that much in the slightest – so nothing to worry about there. Their ‘Stim-Crazy Caffeine Complex’ includes Caffeine Anhydrous, Dicaffeine Malate, Green Tea Leaf, Yerba Mate Extract Leaf, Guarana Extract Seed & Green Coffee Bean Extract Seed.
Alongside that, it also offers you 4g of L-Citrulline per serving, 2,000mg of L-Taurine and 1,000mg of Vitamin B12. 5150 also contains Choline Bitartrate, a highly effective molecule which acts as a neurotransmitter for brain function.
Price Breakdown
As of the 4th of February 2020, we currently sell Rich Piana 5150 pre-workout for £22.49 & Applied Nutrition ABE for £17.95. This means that 5150 is only 75p per serving and ABE is only 60p, although if you wanted to have the same amount of caffeine as 5150 in your ABE mixture, that would go to £1.20 per serving as you’d effectively be putting two scoops in instead of one.
Reviews & Recommendations
An SS Healthfoods recommendation is that ABE is a better pre-workout across the board because it contains high amounts of creatine and beta-alanine, with a still high amount of caffeine. If you’re a seasoned gym veteran with a high tolerance to caffeine then 5150 is for you. Today.com states that caffeine can help you stop and focus, and if that’s what a cup of coffee can do, imagine what almost 10 shots of espresso can do.
Don’t just take our word for it, here are some reviews we found online.
Rich Piana’s 5150 is rated 4.5/5 stars on SupplementReviews.com with multiple users commenting on how long and effective the pump is at getting them through their workouts.
FitnessDealNews.com also mirrors what Supplement Reviews said and went into further detail on how the pure Citrulline works by saying “First, this is not Citrulline Malate, This is pure Citrulline. And at 4g, it is a really high number compared to other pre-workouts – And that is a good thing. L-Citrulline is known to be effective in increasing muscle pump and reducing muscular soreness.”
BastardsOfIron.com loves Applied Nutrition ABE, it was said in the article “I would recommend ABE if you have experienced stim based pre-workouts before but if you haven’t I would suggest on trying something a little less potent and building up to ABE”. Which is fair, but you also have to test every other pre-workouts potency and assess your tolerance to it.
St John’s Wort is one of the most popular herbal supplements we stock here at SS Healthfoods. Not only has it been shown to combat ‘the blues’ or treat mild to moderate depression but it can also combat nervousness, poor appetite & fatigue.
In this post, we’re going to be conducting a review into the effectiveness of St John’s Wort and measure the side effects, benefits and how it can be used for treating depression.
What is St John’s Wort?
Mind, which is a mental health charity in the United Kingdom outlines that St John’s Wort has been around for hundreds of years, primarily to treat mental health issues. St John’s Wort (Hypericum Perforatum as its known botanically) a herbaceous perennial plant which can grow up to 1m high.
It is native to Europe and Asia and it is typically a wild plant that has star-shaped, yellow flowers. The reason why it’s named St Jon’s Wort is that it is harvested traditionally around the time of St John’s Day (who was one of the apostles of Jesus Christ in the New Testament), which is June 24th, the day of his birth.
The yellow star-shaped flowers and its buds are usually dried and made into capsules or tea for consumption, but sometimes the flower is pressed and it is also used for oils and other liquid extracts.
St John’s Wort Benefits
As previously mentioned, St John’s Wort is used as a mood enhancer as it is used to treat mild depression but also it may also help with nerves, anxiety, poor appetite or fatigue.
Cochrane conducted a systematic review and it came to the conclusion that St John’s Wort has the potential to be effective in treating major depression. This is sort of backed up in a 2016 review of 35 different studies that came to the conclusion that St John’s Wort reduced the effects of mild to moderate depression more than prescription antidepressants and a placebo effect.
It is not limited to just people’s mood either, a 2017 study showed that the herbal plant was extremely effective in treating body injuries such as bruises, burns & sores.
With St John’s Wort mood-enhancing effects, it also increases the body’s levels of serotonin, which is a brain chemical which has been thought to regulate things like anxiety, happiness & mood. People who have been trialled with mild depression have found that sometimes increased serotonin levels brighten their mood.
St. John’s Wort Side Effects
One thing to immediately note is that when you combine St John’s Wort with certain antidepressants, it can lead to a potentially life-threatening amount of serotonin in your brain. It can also bring on the early stages of Serotonin Syndrome. Other symptoms listed by the United States National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health include things such as:
Higher blood pressure & high blood pressure in general
Increase in body temperature
Increased agitation levels
Whilst not limited to those four symptoms, there are many more you should undertake research on before taking the supplement. There have also been claims that St John’s Wort has adverse effects on people with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia by increasing the severity of the psychotic symptoms that they are showing.
As well as increasing the levels of serotonin to dangerous levels in the brain, St John’s Wort can also weaken many prescription medicines such as other antidepressants, contraception & cancer medicines. St John’s Wort gives its user stimulation, which can actually worsen the feelings of anxiety sometimes.
There have also been studies conducted on the following conditions. However, according to Medical News Today, they need further research & evidence and have yet to be concluded successfully. The following conditions analysed by scientists are:
Perimenopausal symptoms
Premenstrual syndrome
Seasonal affective disorder
Social phobia
Obsessive-compulsive disorder
Sharp pains in nerves
A sensation of burning mouth
Post-surgery pain.
St John’s Wort Dosage
You can get different dosages from different brands and products you buy. Mind states that although there is no standard dosage restrictions in the United Kingdom that a suggested dosage is between 200mg and 1,000mg of 0.3% of standardised hypericum extract per day.
Blair Green Thielemer told Healthline that dosage for St John’s Wort varies due to the product not having standard manufacturing procedures.
He did go onto say that a normal dose for the average person goes from 300mg to 1,200 mg per day. His advice is also to break it up throughout the day, ie 300mg three times daily or 600mg twice daily.
It is always best to assess the dosage and its effects on you by supplementing a lower dosage first and then assessing your tolerance and its effectiveness on you. You should also consult a doctor or GP before supplementing because as previously mentioned, it may interact differently with different things in your body.
The easiest and most convenient way to consume St John’s Wort is via capsule form, as it gives you the ability to take it anywhere you want and be able to fit in your supplementation around your own schedule.
What St John’s Wort products are there?
Here at SS Healthfoods, we stock two different types of St John’s Wort. Both extremely effective and from the same brand, Swanson.
One of the Swanson’s St John’s Wort comes in a 120 capsule container, each containing a 375mg capsule. Going off the dosage advice above you can take up to 2 and some capsules, but depending on your tolerance and height/weight. It may differ slightly.
The second product is Swanson’s St John’s Wort Extract which comes in 120 capsules and each capsule containing 300mg. You may think that the only difference between them is their dosage, but one is the whole herb and this one is an extract.
Using the guide Imortalitea has on its website, whole herbs are consumed fresh or preserved for consumption. Extracts have been made by chemically profiling the whole herb, this is because scientists can identify any particular compound they believe has a certain benefit. Although, some people do believe that this actually makes the supplement less effective – which there is no evidence to prove. It all comes down to your personal preference when choosing between an extract and whole herb.
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