# I want to make a protein shake using Quinoa. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 16, 2018, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-make-a-protein-shake-using-quinoa/810658 "2018-03-16T13:02:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2018, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-make-a-protein-shake-using-quinoa/810658/1 "2018-03-16T13:02:42Z")
Wasn’t quite sure this was G.Q. Material so I’m parking it here. Mods, if this belongs elsewhere feel free to migrate it. So. For various reasons I want to start drinking protein-heavy drinks daily. There is an endless offering in the local health food stores of protein powder mixes with all sorts of added elements. Virtually all of these are off the table. The proteins are - almost to the last - derived from whey. I’m lactose intolerant, and ingesting volumes of whey protein would cause me intestinal distress on a scale that’d be wretched. I’ve tried these once or twice many years ago. This class of protein drink mix is a no-go. ( And no, Lactaid™ pills don’t work for me. Haven’t for 20 years. ) It occurs to me that as a source of protein, quinoa may be perfect. It is the only grain known to man that is a complete protein on its own. That is to say, it does not need to be coupled with something like rice to be absorbed as a source of good protein by the body. ( Rice and Beans isn’t Rice and Beans just for tradition’s sake ). Were I to start with Greek Yogurt ( zero lactose. The whey is strained out, I can ingest buckets of the stuff safely ) and then toss in dry quinoa and water and a bit of flavoring- maybe a drop or two of pure peppermint oil, or a similarly strong but zero sugar flavoring agent- and a ton of ice, might I come up with a protein shake that’s palatable and delivers a decent bit of protein per…say…20-30 ounces ingested? Anyone ever tried this? Any traps or tricks? I was given a wicked blender a few years ago, it’s a Harley Pasternak blender and it does whip up ice and other bits into a nice thick shake in short order. Heavy duty motor. Thanks in advance for ideas and suggestions !! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2018, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-make-a-protein-shake-using-quinoa/810658/2 "2018-03-16T13:09:06Z")
You can get[quinoa flour](https://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/items/quinoa-flour-2-lb)as well, which might be more suitable for your use case. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2018, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-make-a-protein-shake-using-quinoa/810658/3 "2018-03-16T13:16:33Z")
Oooh- good idea !! There’s a display area in the local market of boutique flours. I know that quinoa is one of them. Might give a nice smooth thick shake instead of one with little gritty bits in it. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2018, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-make-a-protein-shake-using-quinoa/810658/4 "2018-03-16T13:17:40Z")
Dry quinoa, as in, uncooked? I’m not sure it’s digestible that way - you may lose out on some of the protein. Maybe you could simmer it using fruit juice (instead of chicken broth) so the quinoa starts out sweet? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2018, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-make-a-protein-shake-using-quinoa/810658/5 "2018-03-16T13:52:39Z")
Whey isn’t lactose. Yogurt is free of lactose not because it doesn’t have whey (it does), but because the lactose has all been fermented. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2018, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-make-a-protein-shake-using-quinoa/810658/6 "2018-03-16T13:59:45Z")
Does it have to be grain-based? [Soy protein](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soy_protein#Nutrition) is quite famously complete but soybeans are a legume. I dunno if there is any linkage between lactose and soy intolerance. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2018, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-make-a-protein-shake-using-quinoa/810658/7 "2018-03-16T14:22:55Z")
[Whey Isolate](http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/can-lactose-intolerant-people-drink-whey-protein-shakes-11706.html) is almost or completely lactose-free. > [@](#): > > According to personal trainer Monica Mollica, many whey isolate powders are actually lactose-free. The Whey Protein Institute agrees, **stating that whey isolate powders have little or no lactose, but they do encourage consumers who are lactose-intolerant to read supplement ingredient labels completely and contact manufacturers before using isolates if there is any doubt about how much lactose they may contain**. Aminoactive Australia, a training and supplement company founded by a bodybuilder and sports nutrition biochemist, notes that pure whey protein isolates contain less than 0.1 gram of lactose per 20 grams of powder, which is less lactose than the amount found in 1 cup of yogurt. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2018, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-make-a-protein-shake-using-quinoa/810658/8 "2018-03-16T14:32:29Z")
[Why quinoa instead of soy powder?](https://www.sharecare.com/health/health-value-of-foods/how-healthy-quinoa-compared-soy) ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2018, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-make-a-protein-shake-using-quinoa/810658/9 "2018-03-16T16:20:21Z")
> [@Cartooniverse](#): > > …There is an endless offering in the local health food stores of protein powder mixes with all sorts of added elements. Virtually all of these are off the table. The proteins are - almost to the last - derived from whey. … Not to fight the hypothetical, but there are tons that are not whey based. Soy as mentioned. Egg white based powders. Pea protein based ones. And if you want to pay the money and order it - [cricket](https://www.amazon.com/Cricket-powder-made-100-22/dp/B00OMCTODQ)! Heck you can even get [beef protein powder.](https://truenutrition.com/p-1075-grass-fed-beef-protein-isolate-1lb.aspx) Problem with quinoa is that while it is _complete_ protein it is not very protein dense/heavy. 1 cup of cooked quinoa, a pretty decent serving to eat or somehow drink, or alternatively 1/2 cup of the flour, has only a hair over 8 g of protein. Per unit dry weight 24% of quinoa is protein. Half that much of egg white powder (roughly 1/4 cup, a 1 oz scoop) has 28g and is 82% protein per unit dry weight. Pea protein powder is more than 55% protein. Cricket 70%. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2018, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-make-a-protein-shake-using-quinoa/810658/10 "2018-03-16T18:47:08Z")
I was going to suggest egg white protein, as well. It can be kind of chalky so do some research and read (legitimate) reviews. Quinoa is pretty hard to digest (I have experience), so if you have issues beyond lactose-intolerance use it with caution. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2018, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-make-a-protein-shake-using-quinoa/810658/11 "2018-03-16T19:28:10Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Whey isn’t lactose. Yogurt is free of lactose not because it doesn’t have whey (it does), but because the lactose has all been fermented. Wrong. Yogurt has plenty of lactose, it makes me violently ill. As does cottage cheese and sour cream and cream cheese. And milk. GREEK yogurt has the whey strained out of it. No whey, no lactose. I know whey isn’t lactose. But in this situation, whey based protein drinks are TEEMING with lactose. Try reading the labels. Whey protein powder drinks? One of the first ingredients is “ milk products/ milk whey products “. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2018, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-make-a-protein-shake-using-quinoa/810658/12 "2018-03-16T19:30:03Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > [Whey Isolate](http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/can-lactose-intolerant-people-drink-whey-protein-shakes-11706.html) is almost or completely lactose-free. Good link, very informative. Everyone’s body is different. If I ate 1 cup of normal yogurt I would have uncontrollable diarrhea for 12 hours. I eat Greek yogurt, which lacks the whey and the lactose IN the whey, almost every day. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2018, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-make-a-protein-shake-using-quinoa/810658/13 "2018-03-16T19:32:23Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > Not to fight the hypothetical, but there are tons that are not whey based. Soy as mentioned. Egg white based powders. Pea protein based ones. And if you want to pay the money and order it - [cricket](https://www.amazon.com/Cricket-powder-made-100-22/dp/B00OMCTODQ)! Heck you can even get [beef protein powder.](https://truenutrition.com/p-1075-grass-fed-beef-protein-isolate-1lb.aspx) > > Problem with quinoa is that while it is _complete_ protein it is not very protein dense/heavy. 1 cup of cooked quinoa, a pretty decent serving to eat or somehow drink, or alternatively 1/2 cup of the flour, has only a hair over 8 g of protein. Per unit dry weight 24% of quinoa is protein. > > Half that much of egg white powder (roughly 1/4 cup, a 1 oz scoop) has 28g and is 82% protein per unit dry weight. Pea protein powder is more than 55% protein. Cricket 70%. 🙂 Heh. I’ve eaten cricket. Nutty tasting !! I’ll lean towards them and egg, the percentages- good research, thank you for this. No reason to look for quinoa if it’s so low compared to other sources. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2018, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-make-a-protein-shake-using-quinoa/810658/14 "2018-03-16T19:33:39Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Whey isn’t lactose. Yogurt is free of lactose not because it doesn’t have whey (it does), but because the lactose has all been fermented. On the OTHER hand, cheddar cheese is lactose-free. But it’d be hard to make a shake out of some… ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2018, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-make-a-protein-shake-using-quinoa/810658/15 "2018-03-17T11:33:38Z")
And just to clarify the source of some confusion in these discussions: “whey” has variable meanings. There’s the whey of “curds and whey” which is the liquid component compared to the more solid component produced making cheese and yogurt. The curds contain lots of casein, a slow to digest protein. Whey, often thought of as waste in cheese making, contains water, whey protein (faster to digest), and almost all of the lactose. Isolated whey protein is the protein of that component. Greek yogurt is thicker because it has the whey (the liquid) strained out … leaving little lactose and making its protein almost if not all casein and not whey protein (again, slower to digest and thus allegedly keeping hunger at bay longer). ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2018, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-make-a-protein-shake-using-quinoa/810658/16 "2018-03-22T13:22:14Z")
Thank you for that clarification- I would much rather be guided in the proper whey than led astray. Aside from the ever-popular bacon bits shake, I’m considering some of the offerings above. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2018, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-make-a-protein-shake-using-quinoa/810658/17 "2018-03-23T17:31:44Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > And just to clarify the source of some confusion in these discussions: “whey” has variable meanings. > > There’s the whey of “curds and whey” which is the liquid component compared to the more solid component produced making cheese and yogurt. The curds contain lots of casein, a slow to digest protein. Whey, often thought of as waste in cheese making, contains water, whey protein (faster to digest), and almost all of the lactose. Isolated whey protein is the protein of that component. Greek yogurt is thicker because it has the whey (the liquid) strained out … leaving little lactose and making its protein almost if not all casein and not whey protein (again, slower to digest and thus allegedly keeping hunger at bay longer). I found out the other day, to my astonishment, that [ricotta cheese](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricotta) is made from whey – the YouTube video about making Parmigiano-Reggiano I watched mentioned it in passing so I read up on it. Every winter the CostCo here offers fresh curds in five pound packages, only to discontinue it when the snowbirds from Wisconsin depart. I looked up some recipes but the top ten involved deep frying so I stopped looking. A lot of people who are lactose-intolerant can eat cheese. I assumed this was not the case with **'Verse** or we wouldn’t be talking about grain smoothies. ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2018, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-make-a-protein-shake-using-quinoa/810658/18 "2018-03-23T18:34:40Z")
I used to use Vega One - pea protein - for my shakes. It’s not bad tasting, but the gritty texture takes some getting used to 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2018, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-make-a-protein-shake-using-quinoa/810658/19 "2018-03-25T20:36:17Z")
> [@DesertDog](#): > > I found out the other day, to my astonishment, that [ricotta cheese](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricotta) is made from whey – the YouTube video about making Parmigiano-Reggiano I watched mentioned it in passing so I read up on it. > > Every winter the CostCo here offers fresh curds in five pound packages, only to discontinue it when the snowbirds from Wisconsin depart. I looked up some recipes but the top ten involved deep frying so I stopped looking. A lot of people who are lactose-intolerant can eat cheese. I assumed this was not the case with **'Verse** or we wouldn’t be talking about grain smoothies. I thought I had articulated this up in the thread but perhaps I did not. I cannot eat milk regular yogurt cottage cheese cream cheese or sour cream. I can eat virtually all cheeses that are considered regular cheese such as Brie, American cheddar and so on. I don’t know why but that’s the way my body is. Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk