melting mama -
realistic looks at life after wls


OMG OMG OMG
1 day ago
 ...because one of my favorite protein snacks has been reincarnated and I am doing this right now -

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 Since I am all about being honest and up front, I have to tell you first that I am giggling inappropriately at the packaging of said product.  This is the same product I fell in love LOVE! with years ago, but it has been given new clothing and its all wrong.


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Bariatric Eating.com fails.
on April 22, 2012 4:54 pm
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Easy Cheeseburger Pie
on March 7, 2012 4:42 am
Easy Cheeseburger Pie

Betty Crocker logo used until 2003Image via Wikipedia

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you Betty Crocker with MM Modifications, a super simple Cheeseburger Pie recipe.  This could be modified in any number of ways.  

 

Cheeseburger Pie
1 lb lean ground beef (Or use half turkey) 1 large onion, chopped (1 cup) 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (Or lowfat) 1/2 cup Original Bisquick® mix 1 cup skim milk 2 eggs (Or Eggbeaters)
  1. Heat oven to 400°F. Spray 9-inch glass pie plate with cooking spray.
  2. In 10-inch skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is brown; drain. Stir in salt. Spread in pie plate. Sprinkle with cheese.
  3. In small bowl, stir remaining ingredients with fork or wire whisk until blended. Pour into pie plate.
  4. Bake about 25 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.
Makes 6 servings Screen Shot 2012-03-05 at 4.56.18 PM  
 

Serve with typical burger toppings, ketchup, mustard, pickles... kids ADORE this!

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Unflavored UNJURY Whey Protein Isolate
on February 21, 2012 5:06 am
 

Unflavored UNJURY Whey Protein Isolate

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There are a few products that are staples in the bariatric world that I have never ventured out and tried. UNJURY Unflavored Whey Protein Powder is one of them.  (I did try their Chicken Soup flavor, because it was something different and salty, and I am a sodium lover, hello Ramen Noodle Broth.) 

UNJURY was around back when I was a bariatric baby, in fact, there weren't many options back then for protein, I bought what I could find at GNC and that was that.

Today, I tried Unflavored UNJURY Protein.  It's an affordable source of whey protein isolate.  It is, $16.95 for 17 servings.

Unflavored protein for a bariatric post op is like the HOLY GRAIL. 

All of us obsess about it, "OMG WHAT IF I AM NOT GETTING ENOUGH PROTEIN?  CAN I PUT PROTEIN IN MY FOOD?  WILL I TASTE IT? OMG!"  We all do it.  But, finding a protein that does not smell or taste like protein, might be harder than getting the protein minimums down to begin with.

I should note first, some details from UNJURY:

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Ingredients: Whey protein isolate and soy lecithin 

Contains: Milk and soy.  ***Note: Soy ingredient is Soy Lecithin, not Soy Protein.

For all UNJURY flavors, do not use in liquids hotter than 130º F. Proteins, when heated, change texture. For example, you have seen an egg white go from a clear gel, to firm white, when cooked. For UNJURY, in a hot liquid, the proteins tend to clump. A food thermometer is a good way to get the temperature nicely warm…just right. 

*Note: We don’t recommend mixing Unflavored UNJURY in plain water.

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I ripped open a single serving packet and sniffed.  It smells like protein.  A very strong whey protein smell, and almost slightly sour vanilla.  (I got the same reaction to the Chicken Soup variety -- which I immediately wondered "Why does this smell like vanilla?")

For review purposes, I like to mix the product as-is.  I added the packet of protein to a glass, and added cold water.  I broke the rule. To be honest, the PACKET does not say, do not mix with just water.  But, I have to taste the product - NOT what I am adding to TO. 

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The UNJURY protein powder may be one of the fluffiest appearing powders I've seen.  It's awfully purdy.  I mixed it with a whisk, and it took quite a long time to dissolve into the cold water.  It looked a bit horrid at a point:

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And, I thought I would abort mission and throw it away.

A bit more mixing, and the powder finally dissolved.  The resulting drink was a mostly smooth, sort of clear-ish, whey-looking yellowy liquid.  (Nursing moms?  Yeah, like that.)

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One sip, Beth.  One sip for a honest reaction, and then I would add it to a "preferred beverage" to give it a fair chance.

And -- one sip.  It tastes like UNFLAVORED WHEY PROTEIN.  Big shocker!  It smells like whey protein, and it tastes like whey protein.  The texture is okay, it's super-thin and there are very few chunks (curds?) floating about.  But, it tastes, because it has to.  It's the nature of the product.

Alone, it's not good.  Not at all.  They warned me.  I did not listen.

I bastardized UNJURY -  my apologies - but can coffee fix everything?

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After adding stuff TO the mixed Unflavored UNJURY, it'smouth-tolerable.  The taste isn't bad, the coffee covers of the flavor of UN.  As with other whey products it leaves a sticky mouth feel.  I am not a fan of this, and I immediately want to drink or eat more after I take in a sticky-whey product.

However, the odor is horrific.  I cannot get past the cup, even with coffee added.  Perhaps heated it would be better?  I don't know, but I am not loving this at all.

That said, it is a good quality product.

Nutrifact_uf
As a supplemental source of protein, it's great.  20 grams of high quality whey protein isolate with a PDCAAS score of 100?  Damn near perfect.

Form your own opinions - as always - try it for yourself. 

  • Product - http://www.meltingmama.net/wls/2010/09/unflavored-unjury.html
  • Via - UNJURY
  • Price - $16.95 for 17 servings
  • Pros - 100% PDCAAS Score, 20 grams whey protein isolate, decent texture, quite affordable
  • Cons - Somewhat lumpy, highly fragrant, effed up my preferred beverage
  • Rating - Pending, I am reading reviews elsewhere... I may try my other packet in a full-doctored up shake to confirm.
  • PS.  It took twenty minutes for the manufacturer to reply this post. 
  • Picture 12 Via - http://www.meltingmama.net/wls/2010/09/unflavored-unjury.html
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Wellesse B-12 Fast Absorbing Sublingual Liquid
on February 10, 2012 12:10 pm
 Wellesse B-12 Fast Absorbing Sublingual Liquid

 

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 Wellesse B-12 Fast Absorbing Sublingual Liquid -

  • 1000 mcg
  • Calibrated Dropper, Easily Adjusted Dosage
  • Natural Berry Flavor
  • Naturally Sugar Free with Stevia
  • Gluten Free

B12 is an essential B Vitamin that plays a role in the entire nervous system, promotes energy metabolism and supports healthy heart function. B12 is a key contributor to the body's proper use of iron. B12 becomes increasingly important with age with risk of decreased absorption which can lead to deficiencies in both B12 and Folic Acid.

 

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The ASMBS  (2010) explains that after gastric bypass surgery vitamin B12 deficiency may result in consequence of food no longer coming in contact with gastric intrinsic factor. Vitamin D and calcium absorption may also be reduced since the duodenum and proximal jejunum, which are the preferential sites of absorption, are bypassed by this procedure. Also, life long supplements of multivitamins, vitamin B12 iron and calcium are mandatory following this procedure.

I'm not a professional, I'm just a patient, but I understand it as this:  The biggest problem is that gastric bypass patients no longer have the abilty to absorb the B12 from food due to the lack of acid in the new stomach pouch.  Our bodies have some B12 stored away, but it can run out and leave us with a deficiency.

B12 deficiency can cause pernicious anemia.  You don't want this, the effects of pernicious anemia can be life-long if you do not catch it in time.

 

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Via - Bariatric Times, May 2010

You need to take your B12.  Surgeons and nutritionists often recommend a sublingual B12 product, because it's one of the best ways to get the vitamin into your system, and sometimes post-ops need injections of B12 if the oral route is not sufficient.

B12 is also known to give you energy -- it's found in energy drinks and other products to help give you a BOOST.  Or wings?

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Wellesse's Sublingual B-12 comes in a  2 ounce bottle, with 60 doses of 1000 mcgs of B-12, or 16,667% of the good stuff.  The extra 16,567% is for good measure.

The product label -

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I shook up the bottle, peeled off the outerwrapping, and sucked out a dose of the B12 with the attached dropper.  For the purposes of the review, I played with the product first, because that's what I do.  I sniff, play and take photos.  The liquid is bright red, clear and has a touch of thickness to it.   While the cover was off, I sniffed the product, which smells like a berry based fruit punch.

 

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Perfect.  Unless you do what I just did to it.  "Mama, can I paint wis your vitamins now?"

 

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  • Product - Wellesse B-12 Fast Absorbing Sublingual Liquid
  • Via - Wellesse
  • Price -  $9.99 or .17 cents per dose for 60 days!
  • Pros - 1000 mcg of B12 per ml, sugar-free, lightly sweetened with Stevia + Erythritol, simple to take, tastes great, relatively inexpensive...
  • Cons -  The five year old wants to paint with it.  The 5th grader in me wants to crack inappropriate jokes.
  • Rating - Pouchworthy, MM

More about B12 at these links -

  • http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/vitaminb12/
  • http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001595/
  • http://bariatrictimes.epubxpress.com/link/BT/2011/may/1?s=0
  • http://www.anemia.org/professionals/feature-articles/content.php?contentid=438§ionid=15

 

 

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