They say that necessity is the mother of invention and ANIMAL Meal is certainly no exception to the age-old adage. While new supplements are brought to market by various companies on a daily basis, none are as vital in nature as a product that is designed to function as the next best thing to whole food.
There’s a hierarchy to supplementation
If the first step to a successful nutritional strategy is nailing your macronutrient requirements (carbs, proteins and fats in the right amounts) then supplements should first and foremost address any macronutrient shortfall. The popularity of protein powders is a testament to the fact that many people understand this concept; where there is a dietary shortfall of protein or when it is simply not feasible to consume whole food protein sources, it makes all the sense in the world to utilize a protein powder. Luckily, the evolution of protein powders over the last 25-30 years has led to the creation of many high-quality powders. However, despite an even GREATER need for a supplement that could stand in for a whole food meal when necessary, most of the offerings are pretty lousy!
What makes a good Meal Replacement Protein Powder?
Before we go any further, we must acknowledge that whole food is best. There is no powder in existence that is better than a whole food meal comprised of high quality, well-digesting, nutritious food. Whole food is the fuel that the body is designed to run on; that is the result of thousands of years of evolution and none of us can argue with that.
Therefore, the most fundamental thing a nutritional supplement can do is help safeguard against a shortfall in food! Protein powders provide a single macronutrient, while a meal replacement powder can stand in for a whole food meal. Problem is, both historically and currently, most MRPS are anywhere from irrelevant to athletes to being flat out garbage. Find one with good macros and it might have a bunch of extraneous ingredients. If you find one that is 100% natural, it’s likely to be loaded with excess fiber and probably doesn’t have enough protein. Finding one that ticks all the boxes was once an impossible task.
What makes for the ideal meal replacement?
Same thing that makes for a great meal; simple ingredients, balanced macros and high digestibility.
Where other MRPs contain a laundry list of ingredients, some of which are not even recognizable, ANIMAL Meal stayed as close to whole foods as possible. Where other formulations were protein and carb heavy but either absent of fat or loaded with poor quality, rancid fats, ANIMAL Meal derived fats from egg yolks and olive oil.
We recognized the fact that not everyone does well with dairy, but acknowledging whey’s strong amino acid profile, we combined beef, egg and pea protein to achieve an excellent amino composition. This allowed us to maximize digestibility without compromising protein quality.
Lastly, rather than load the formula with cheap maltodextrin OR overload it with gut busting fiber, we balanced the carbs between complex sources like oats and sweet potato and reduced the likelihood of being bogged down by also including some dextrose.
Users regularly comment that they can use ANIMAL Meal close to training time without experiencing any drops in blood sugar OR gastrointestinal distress and that is a direct testament to the fact that the right ingredients were used in the right amounts!
Before ANIMAL Meal was ever even conceptualized, I was asked my opinion on the formulation for a high-quality mass gainer
My response? The world needs a high quality MRP and if done correctly, it can be used by anyone, at any time regardless of their goal. The reality is that the best bodybuilders in the world eat the same foods in the offseason that they eat when they are trying to achieve a body that is as shredded as possible; they just consume greater or lesser amounts. There is absolutely nothing that relegates a chicken breast or a potato or a whole egg to the offseason or to pre-contest; these foods can be utilized at any time as part of a logical strategy.
That was my argument for ANIMAL Meal. If we get the formula right, it will be the closest thing we have to a balanced whole food meal and that is ALWAYS a relevant tool in the athlete’s arsenal. I’m proud to say that is exactly what we achieved with ANIMAL Meal; a balanced, easily digested meal replacement powder that is the next best thing to whole food.
About The Author
Evan Centopani has been part of the ANIMAL team since 2006. Earning his IFBB professional status in 2007 at 25 years old, Evan is a 3x IFBB champion who has competed several times in the Arnold Classic and Mr. Olympia, generously sharing his extensive knowledge of fitness and nutrition with the Animal community.
