Got a food intolerance? Amino Animo protein powder might be for you

Food and dietary supplements have long since ceased to be a simple topic. It feels like everyone has an opinion on what the right diet is, who should eat what and how. With such a torrent of views and opinions, actual scientific studies usually can’t keep up.

So off the bat: yes, it’s best to cover your nutritional needs from natural, fresh, local sources and to eat as varied and balanced a diet as possible.

But let’s be honest, who actually does that? Despite my best efforts, I definitely don’t always manage. To make matters worse, I’ve been a vegetarian since my early teens and can’t eat products containing cereals for health reasons. For anyone who has similar restrictions or is looking for alternatives to the ubiquitous whey protein, I tried three different protein powders from Amino Animo.

Who should take protein powders?

The Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (paper in German) recommends that athletes increase their protein intake from 0.8 grammes per kilogramme of body weight to 1.5 grammes. According to the German Nutrition Society (page in German), this is especially true for people who exercise more than five hours a week. So if you train actively, both endurance and strength, protein powders could be useful. Unless you cover your needs through your normal diet, of course. Legumes, nuts, tofu or sunflower and pumpkin seeds, for example, are a good choice. (Here’s a list of vegetarian and vegan foods with high protein content. Note, the page is in German.)

But that’s not enough for me. What’s more, as an athlete in the masters category (a more elegant term for older age groups), I need extra protein. I haven’t tolerated whey-based protein particularly well so far. Digestive problems were one thing, impure skin another. That’s why I like to use alternative products. Take Amino Animo, a brand from Greece.

At this point, a disclaimer: I’m not one of those athletes who monitor their diet and meticulously track their protein intake. I tend to focus more on the intensity of my training. After a long or hard workout, I’ll either enjoy a protein shake or stir protein powder into my muesli. After shorter, light sessions, I only eat the extra protein in the form of lentils, chickpeas or tofu if I’m otherwise low on it.

So I can’t say exactly what the right dose is and how much is good for me. However, this would probably be of little use to you anyway, since your needs will be different due to your choice of sport, goals, intensity, height and weight.

Different flavours and ingredients

I first try the cocoa flavour of Power Mix. It consists of 73 per cent almond protein powder, plus rice and sunflower seed protein powder. Power Mix, which is also available in vanilla, has 55 grammes of protein per 100 grammes. This is less than many whey protein powders, which provide between 70 and 80 grammes per 100. Not that big a deal for me, since I just want to supplement my diet, soless is fine, too.

Power Mix, cocoa flavour

Of course, different people have different tastes. To me, Power Mix’s chocolate flavour, achieved by using cocoa powder, is really delicious. Of the powders tested, it’s my favourite. I like it both as a shake and as an addition to muesli.

I’ve also used the Power Mix for baking and replaced some of the gluten-free flour in my brownies with the powder. This effortlessly adds an extra protein boost. If you’re looking for inspiration on how to use Amino Animo’s protein powders, there’s a whole range of recipes on their website – from sweet to savoury.

Sports nutrition

CHF29.90 CHF85.43/1kg

Amino Animo Vegan Protein Power Mix

Cocoa, 1 pcs., 350 g

4

Sports nutrition

CHF29.90 CHF85.43/1kg

Amino Animo Vegan Protein Power Mix

Cocoa, 1 pcs., 350 g

4

Muscle Synthesis powder with spirulina

Next, I try the Muscle Synthesis powder, vanilla flavour. It consists of rice and pea protein as well as spirulina, containing 78 grammes of protein per 100 grams. This puts it on a par with the usual whey proteins. Spirulina is also known as microalgae or blue-green algae and contains protein as well as vitamins and minerals. It’s even seen as a superfood. Amino Animo uses iodine-free spirulina. Unlike marine algae, spirulina algae grown in fresh water and naturally contain little to no iodine. This is important for anyone who needs to watch their iodine intake.

As the powder tastes distinctly of spirulina as well as vanilla, the flavour’s a bit of an issue. I really like it though, it reminds me of the ocean and has little in common with the usual sweet, artificial flavour of other protein powders. But I can understand if some people don’t like it. Spirulina is a bit like coriander – some love it, others hate it.

I use the Muscle Synthesis powder in muesli with berries, which round off the taste for me.

Sports nutrition

Amino Animo Vegan Protein Muscle Synthesis

Vanilla, 1 pcs., 500 g

Sports nutrition

Amino Animo Vegan Protein Muscle Synthesis

Vanilla, 1 pcs., 500 g

Pumpkin protein powder

The greenish-brown powder is beautifully autumnal, containing no other ingredients apart from organically grown pumpkin protein. With 60 grammes of protein per 100 grammes, it’s in the good middle range, also offering fibre, vitamins and minerals. Unlike most conventional protein powders, it isn’t sweetened but has a slightly bitter taste. I wouldn’t recommend pumpkin powder as a shake. I stir it into my autumn muesli with cranberries, pomegranate seeds and nuts. It’s pretty good this way, even if it’s not one of my favourites. In its recipes, the manufacturer Amino Animo suggests using it as an ingredient for salty crackers or vegan burgers.

Sports nutrition

Amino Animo Vegan protein pumpkin

Natural, 1 pcs., 500 g

Sports nutrition

Amino Animo Vegan protein pumpkin

Natural, 1 pcs., 500 g

If you follow a vegetarian, gluten-free or lactose-free diet and want to include an extra portion of protein in your diet, Amino Animo powders could be something for you. I particularly like that they contain natural ingredients from organic farms and provide variety thanks to the different ingredients and flavours. The fact that they’re suitable for cooking and baking is a bonus for me.