FAQ's
What is the difference between Oat Protein and Whey Protein? Which is better? Why do some of your products use one or the other?
Protein Powders, Bars, and Shakes are becoming more popular than ever due to ever-increasing awareness levels around the importance of adding dietary protein to one’s diet and the ease of use that they provide. While both Oat-Protein and Whey-Protein provide dietary protein, they are quite different from each other and not all dietary protein is created equally.
First and foremost, different types of proteins come from different sources. Oat-Protein is derived from 100% oats. Oats are grown on farms and therefore the protein that oats carry is considered Plant-based. Whey-Protein is a by-product of the manufacturing of cheese. Cheese is made from milk and milk comes from cows. Therefore, Whey Protein is animal-based.
- Whey Protein is an animal-based protein and Oat Protein is a plant-based protein
From there, we look at the amino acid profiles of each. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein and determine the quality of any protein. Animal-based proteins and plant-based proteins each provide unique amino acid profiles. Animal-based proteins from meat, dairy, and eggs objectively have more robust amino acid profiles than plant-based proteins. However, people are moving away from animal-based foods for a variety of reasons now more than ever. This why we are witnessing the rise of plant-based foods. Because plant-based proteins are less complete, experts and leaders such as the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommend that plant-based consumers get their protein from a variety of sources throughout a whole day and even a whole week.
Emerging research shows that this variety can equal or even exceed protein quality obtained from animal-based sources as long as total protein and calorie needs are met. This is why we are thrilled to be the first brand to offer a NEW SOURCE of plant-protein for people to choose from, Oat-Protein.
Your body needs 20 different kinds of amino acids to function correctly. These 20 amino acids combine in different ways to make proteins in your body. Your body makes 11 of these amino acids but it can't make 9 of the amino acids you need. You have to get them solely through food. These are called the 9 essential amino acids.
- Oat-Protein naturally contains all 9 out of 9 essential amino acids and OatFit is an EXCELLENT source of protein.
- Oat-Protein contains significant amounts of indispensable BCAAs in particular: leucine, isoleucine, and valine. BCAAs are responsible for muscle protein synthesis.
The plant-based segment is primarily made up of proteins from Pea, Rice, Hemp, Pumpkin Seed, Wheat, and Soy. Each of these sources even represent their own unique global categories. There are pros and cons to each of these proteins and which one a person chooses depends on their personal preference and which their body tolerates best.
Gut health and digestibility is a major concern for many people in the consumption of protein powders. Oats are known for their positive gut health properties and Oat-Protein is unique in that it is easily absorbable, which is ideal for individuals with gut issues. We include Oat Soluble Fiber to support the gut-friendliness of this protein. This soluble fiber acts as a prebiotic, providing nourishment for beneficial gut bacteria. This promotes a healthy gut microbiome, which has been linked to improved gut health and reduced inflammation. Additionally, this fiber benefits the immune system and helps to relieve symptoms of constipation and diarrhea. We even offer an Unsweetened flavor with minimal added ingredients to give people with severe gut intolerances an option that does not include sweeteners or added flavors. We also do not add other plant proteins to the formula. We could add another plant protein to the formula such as from Pea or Rice, for example, and this would be easy to do. Instead, we leave the Oat Protein unpaired so people with gastrointestinal sensitivities to other plant proteins are not affected by them. We also keep it unpaired to not compromise its authentic Oat taste.
Many people do not consume protein powder of any kind because they dislike the "supplement" taste. Oat-Protein is unique from all other protein powders in that it offers a delicious oat-based taste profile that many people enjoy. This has been seen most recently in the global meteoric rise of Oat-Milk. Additionally, Oats in general have always been a foundation for many flavor combinations due to their mild, nutty and neutral flavor. Oat-Protein shares this neutral and pleasant oat-taste with its oat-category counterparts making it more "food-like" and less "supplement-like". Oat-Protein offers these people something they have not yet tasted and many of our product reviews reflect this new-found taste.
Soy-Protein and Oat-protein are the only two proteins with heart health benefits. However as you may know many consumers are looking to avoid Soy due to its endocrine disruption properties. Additionally, Soy is a major allergen. Oat-Protein with Oat Soluble Fiber is an ideal heart healthy alternative to Soy that promotes the reduction of bad Cholesterol.
Which type of protein a person decides to consume is dependent on their their unique goals, taste preference, allergies, ethics, sustainability values, environmental footprint considerations, gastrointestinal digestibility, disease risk, and general dietary beliefs. The idea is to simply increase your daily protein consumption and both animal and plant based protein powders make this goal easier and convenient. We believe in giving people options so that they can make their own well informed choice.
We believe that Whey Protein Isolate is an excellent ingredient and that is why we use it, to give people choice. However we are excited to be first-to-market giving people a NEW CHOICE with delicious Oat-Protein!
How is your oatmeal different from everything else on the shelf?
- Most convenient oatmeal & cereal products are high in sugar and low in protein. We have flipped these Nutrition Facts upside-down by providing more protein and none of the added sugars. Oats plus protein minus sugar is a tried and true combination that the fitness and foodie comunities have been using for decades to reach their physique and taste goals.
- OUR FLAVORS! We are offering flavors that have never been seen in the oatmeal category and its taste and nutrition is good enough for the whole family! Check out these reviews from the web's #1 Cereal Blogger and Hungry Girl ! (@ 15:30 min)
- Other products offering more protein and less sugar are most likely using artificial sweeteners (i.e. Acesulfame Potassium (Ace-K), Aspartame, Sucralose). We use natural sweeteners such as Stevia and Monk Fruit.
- We use high quality ingredients and we do not cut any corners to save on cost. For instance, we use Protein Isolate, not Concentrate. We use real fruit and real maple syrup; not sugar. We use Certified Gluten-Free Old-Fashioned Oats, not instant oats.
- Many of our competitors will advise that you add milk to their oats for a better taste and texture. Milk adds unnecessary calories and sugars. Ideal Oats® taste great with milk, of course, but we created the taste of our products to be used with just water.
- This chart helps break it down: US VS THEM
Carbs...
Good carbs; bad carbs. Oats have earned their place in any healthy household as one of the best carbs. Oats provide complex carbohydrates to help fuel your body and brain and houses a host of other important nutrients as well. However, oatmeal can quickly go from a slimming breakfast to a blood sugar-spiking, fattening disaster—which could make it one of the worst breakfast habits. Our products provide you with flavorful oats with less sugar and more protein.
****If you are counting carbs, you may subtract the Dietary Fiber and the Erythritol the Total Carbohydrates of any of our products to get a Net Carbs count.
Total Carbs - Fiber - Erythritol = Net Carbs
Do Ideal Oats® products contain Glyphosate?
Each of the oat-based ingredients that we use in our products are in accordance with Federal Regulations for Pesticides set by both the EPA and FDA. All Glyphosate analysis results of our oat-based ingredients are below the detection limit, meaning, it is so little it cannot even be measured.
Are Ideal Oats® Gluten Free?
The oatmeal products are Certified Gluten Free. The Oat Protein Powder does contain trace amounts of wheat and therefore it is not Certified Gluten Free. However oats are generally recognized as safe and naturally gluten free but it is up to you and your tolerance level if you decide to consume our products.
Do Ideal Oats® contain lactose?
The only ingredient that could contain lactose is the Whey protein that we use in some of the oatmeal flavors. It is an Isolate which means it is a premium protein that undergoes a gentle filtration step to remove as much lactose as possible. However, even isolated proteins could contain trace levels of lactose and if you are highly sensitive to lactose then we do not recommend that you consume those flavors.