What Is the Best Protein Powder for Picky Eaters?

Are you looking for the best protein powder for picky eaters? Discover how to help picky eaters safely supplement their protein intakes.

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Protein Powder for Picky Eaters

Is Protein Powder Good for Picky Eaters?

A picky eater is someone who refuses to eat certain foods or groups of foods.

Children are often picky eaters due to a mix of developmental, biological, and environmental factors including:

• Neophobia (fear of new foods) is common in early childhood as a natural survival instinct.
• Heightened taste sensitivity, especially to bitter or strong flavors, makes some foods less appealing.
• Desire for control and independence leads kids to assert preferences and reject certain foods.
• Slow-changing food preferences mean repeated exposure is often needed before accepting new foods.
• Parental pressure or mealtime stress can backfire, reinforcing picky eating behaviors.

Parents of picky eaters often worry their children are not getting the calories and nutrients they need to grow and develop, but this is usually not the case.

That said, picky eating can lead to malnutrition in some cases.

And if you are concerned that your child is suffering from malnutrition, please consult a pediatrician.

Although picky eating is most common in young children, it also affects adults.

The elderly are partially susceptible to increased picky eating or food selectivity, which is linked with an increased risk for malnutrition.

Common reasons for picky eating among the elderly include:

• Diminished taste, smell, and appetite due to aging and medications reduce food enjoyment.
• Oral health problems like tooth loss or dry mouth make certain foods hard to chew or swallow.
• Chronic conditions and GI issues (e.g., GERD, constipation, dysphagia) cause discomfort and food avoidance.
• Mental health and cognitive decline (e.g., depression, dementia) affect interest in and ability to eat a varied diet.
• Dietary restrictions and fear of symptoms lead to limited food choices and increased selectivity.

Fortunately, picky eating can be improved at any age by using repeated, low-pressure exposure, making meals enjoyable and visually appealing, and addressing sensory, emotional, or medical barriers to food acceptance.

There are also many nutritional strategies that can be used to support picky eaters.

Research shows nutritional supplements like protein powder can promote catch-up growth in young picky eaters.

Research also shows that protein supplementation can improve health outcomes for older adults.

It is important to note that protein powder should not replace other dietary protein sources, however.

Whenever possible, picky eaters should try to get 100% of their daily protein needs from foods like eggs, fish, and meat.

The convenience and versatility of protein powder can be hard to beat, however.

It can be easily added to smoothies, oatmeal, and other recipes.

It can also be mixed with just milk or water to make protein shakes, which tend to have an appealing taste and texture.

Protein shakes are highly customizable too, meaning you can easily adjust the flavor and consistency.

That said, not all protein supplements are created equal, and some are better for picky eaters than others:

• Many protein supplements are made with protein concentrates and isolates, which have a chalky aftertaste.
• Many protein powders are made with sugar substitutes like sucralose and stevia, which activate bitter taste receptors.
• Many protein powders are flavored with artificial or natural flavorings, which tend to have a chemical aftertaste.

Avoiding ingredients like these is key to finding a protein powder for picky eaters.

It is also important for a number of health-related reasons.

What Is the Best Protein Powder for Picky Eaters?

As long as you are eating a balanced diet, the type (egg, pea, whey, etc.) of protein powder you use does not matter.

Ingredients do matter, however, and not just when it comes to taste and texture.

Many protein powders are made with ingredients known to cause painful side effects and even long-term health problems.

Among these ingredients are food additives and protein concentrates/isolates.

Avoid Food Additives

Regularly eating emulsifiers, thickeners, and other additives can not only upset your stomach, but also alter the composition of your gut microbiome.

This can lead to gut dysbiosis, or an imbalance in gut bacteria, which contributes to a wide range of chronic diseases, including allergies, type 1 diabetes and obesity.

Keep in mind that your gut microbiome affects various physiological processes, including immune function and inflammation.

So, when the balance of bacteria therein is disrupted, it can have a huge impact on your overall health.

Here is a list of the most common food additives in protein supplements:

• acacia fiber
• acacia gum
• acesulfame potassium
• artificial flavors
• ascorbic acid
• aspartame
• calcium carbonate
• carrageenan
• cellulose gum
• dextrin
• dicalcium phosphate
• dipotassium phosphate
• erythritol
• gellan gum
• guar gum
• gum arabic
• inulin
• locust bean gum
• maltitol
• maltodextrin
• mono- and diglycerides
• ‘natural’ flavors
• rice bran extract
• rice dextrin
• rice hulls
• rosemary extract
• silica
• silicon dioxide
• sodium alginate
• soluble corn fiber
• sorbitol
• soy lecithin
• sucralose
• sunflower lecithin
• tocopherols
• tricalcium phosphate
• xanthan gum
• xylitol
• zinc oxide

Basically, if you could not find an ingredient in nature or make it at home, it should not be in your protein powder. 

Avoid Protein Concentrates and Isolates

Steer clear of protein concentrates and isolates too.

Most protein supplements are made from protein concentrates and isolates, which have been mechanically and/or chemically stripped of everything but the protein.

This includes the enzymes, fiber, and other natural digestive aids that help your gut break them down.

You therefore do not digest them in the same way that it does whole foods, which can affect everything from satiety to gut health.

In fact, studies show that regularly eating protein concentrates and isolates can disrupt your gut microbiome and cause the formation of toxic byproducts in your gut.

So, pending further research, I recommend sticking to whole food protein sources.

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Drink Wholesome Is the Best Protein Powder for Picky Eaters

Finding a protein powder free from food additives and protein concentrates and isolates is hard.

In fact, 99% of protein supplements contain one or more of these problematic ingredients, which is why we created Drink Wholesome.

We make the best protein powder for picky eaters because we use a short list of simple ingredients.

Our Ingredients

egg whites

coconut

vanilla

monk fruit

NOT Our Ingredients

• acacia gum

• acesulfame potassium

• artificial flavors

• carrageenan

• erythritol

• guar gum

• inulin

• maltodextrin

• 'natural' flavors

• silica

• soy lecithin

• sucralose

• xanthan gum

• xylitol

Note that instead of using protein concentrates or isolates, we use whole food protein sources like egg whites and almonds, which are both better tasting and easier to digest and absorb.

It follows that picky eaters like our Protein Powder more than any other protein supplement.

Order Samples to see for yourself.