To say the exercise supplement industry is big business is an understatement. According to some estimates, it has ballooned to $37 billion in annual global revenue. Like me, you probably know people who are guzzling down pre- and post-workout shakes, popping a handful of vitamins and mineral pills each morning and telling you things like, “You’ve gotta’ try this INSERT NAME OF SCARY SOUNDING CHEMICAL YOU CAN’T PRONOUNCE.”
While it’s OK to take a supplement to, as the term suggests, top up on something that you’re deficient in, it’s best to try and get everything you need from your diet. There’s certainly plenty of evidence supporting the efficacy of certain protein powders, particularly whey, and some manufacturers are offering legit non-dairy alternatives, too. But if you can’t justify spending two or three dollars a serving for grass-fed yak butter protein cultivated by elves in Rivendell or have concerns about what else could be lurking in that powder your buddy swears by (as director Chris Bell showed in Bigger, Stronger, Faster, the supplement industry is not what you’d call “highly regulated), here are some cheap yet high quality alternatives you can pick up at your local grocery store:
Eggs
“Eggs, eggs, E double G S, Eggs.” Ok, I’ve been reading too much Dr. Seuss to my kids. But old Ted Geisel was right about eggs being a fantastic food (though the jury is still out on whether being green makes them any better). It might sound hippy-dippy to say, but you should opt for pasture-raised, organic eggs rather than the factory farm ones that are produced in horrendous conditions and have far less Omega 3 fatty acids, not to mention packing a pesticide punch you don’t want anything to do with. The benefits of eggs are so wide ranging this whole story could be about them, but to summarize, the main ones are that they provide top-notch proteins and huge doses of healthy fats.
Quinoa
If you’re a vegan or just someone who doesn’t do dairy, quinoa is a fantastic protein option. Its nutty flavor makes it just fine on its own but it’s even better when paired with veggies like roasted cauliflower and broccoli and drowned in curry sauce. You can also add quinoa to soups and stews, and swap it in for rice or other grains in Thai, Indian and Chinese food recipes. As well as being a protein powerhouse, quinoa is chock full of beneficial minerals, with 30 percent or more of your recommended daily values of manganese, copper, phosphorous and magnesium in one serving.
Cottage Cheese
If you’re anti-dairy I’m not going to try and change your mind here. But if you’re not and you want to add a new non-supplement protein to your diet, look no further than these little white chunks. As a high percentage of the protein in cottage cheese is slow acting casein, it’s a good choice for a pre-bed snack that will aid muscle repair and recovery during sleep. As with eggs, go for an organic version made with milk from grass fed cows. Cottage cheese is also a good source of a whole range of B vitamins, which assist brain, heart and digestive system function.
