{"id":363,"date":"2026-02-23T18:22:11","date_gmt":"2026-02-23T18:22:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stories.j-proj.com\/foodbeets\/?p=363"},"modified":"2026-02-24T05:03:59","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T05:03:59","slug":"diving-into-the-efficiency-of-powders","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stories.j-proj.com\/foodbeets\/2026\/02\/23\/diving-into-the-efficiency-of-powders\/","title":{"rendered":"Are we properly using supplemental powders?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Photograph<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Since 2020, viral trends have been a leading aspect in many lives with food being among many prominent ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Protein, fiber and probiotic powders are marketed as quick and easy supplements and are now staples in many people\u2019s routines. Companies promise better gut health, balanced hormones and stronger bodies. These questions linger, are we using them properly? Or are we replacing real nourishment with convenience?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sara Rawda, a holistic and clinical nutritionist, has been helping people struggling with digestive symptoms and hormone concerns, despite \u201cdoing everything right.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPeople are busier, cooking less, and often struggle to hit fiber, protein, and vegetable intake targets,\u201d says Rawda. \u201cThe problem happens when supplements replace eating whole foods. Supplements should support, not replace, a good diet.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Noah Latvik, a naturopathic doctor from Ottawa sees the cultural shift too. Latvik says powders offer less of a clinical feel than pills, more like food than medicine, which he believes is a noteworthy psychological shift. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe question people should ask,\u201d says Latvik, \u201cis what is this treating? and can you measure the change?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For some consumers, the use is intentional. Vivian Achor, 24, works out four times a week and uses protein powder mainly for convenience. If she can\u2019t hit her protein goals through food, she\u2019ll add a scoop to protein pancakes or smoothies. Creatine is part of her daily routine as well for muscle recovery and energy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI prefer to get my protein from whole foods,\u201d says Achor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Latvik explains that protein powder is essentially concentrated food. It can help people meet higher needs, especially during high-intensity workouts. Fiber powders can support people who consistently fall short of daily intake but they do not replace the diversity of nutrients found in whole foods. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to probiotics, it becomes more complex. Both Latvik and Rawda emphasize they are not a one-size-fits-all. Effectiveness depends on the type of strain, dosage and how the product survives through stomach acid. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDepending on the strain, some of the probiotics may end up dying in the stomach. It then becomes not necessarily about harm, but more about waste,\u201d says Latvik. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

People with immunity concerns or certain gut conditions like Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), should seek guidance from healthcare professionals before using probiotic supplements. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Quality is another consideration. In Canada, supplements are regulated by Health Canada, but oversight is still less strict than pharmaceutical drugs. Quality can vary significantly between brands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Third-party certifications to look for<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 NSF International certification<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 United States Pharmacopeia verification<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Informed-Sport certification, especially for athletes<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Rawda, these confirm testing for purity, contaminants, and label accuracy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recommended foods for daily fiber intake include fruits like kiwi, bananas, avocado, veggies\/legumes, nuts, seeds and whole grains. Rawda states that most people fall far short of fiber targets, which directly affects gut bacteria, bowel regularity, blood sugar, inflammation, and even mood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGut health improvements often start with simple daily habits, not expensive supplements,\u201d says Rawda.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Latvik adds that gut function also follows through with eating enough, increasing plant variety, managing stress, sleeping well and working out frequently. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If one is contemplating supplements, both Latvik and Rawda suggest these signs to consider:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Confirmed nutrient deficiency<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Restricted diets or food intolerances<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Digestive disorders affecting absorption<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Increased physiological demands like pregnancy or intense training<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Persistent symptoms despite dietary improvements<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Since 2020, viral trends have been a leading aspect in many lives with food being among many prominent ones. Protein, fiber and probiotic powders are marketed as quick and easy supplements and are now staples in many people\u2019s routines. Companies promise better gut health, balanced hormones and stronger bodies. These questions linger, are we using […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":367,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-363","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-holisticeating"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stories.j-proj.com\/foodbeets\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/363","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stories.j-proj.com\/foodbeets\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stories.j-proj.com\/foodbeets\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stories.j-proj.com\/foodbeets\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/19"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stories.j-proj.com\/foodbeets\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=363"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/stories.j-proj.com\/foodbeets\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/363\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":371,"href":"https:\/\/stories.j-proj.com\/foodbeets\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/363\/revisions\/371"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stories.j-proj.com\/foodbeets\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/367"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stories.j-proj.com\/foodbeets\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=363"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stories.j-proj.com\/foodbeets\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=363"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stories.j-proj.com\/foodbeets\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=363"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}