INTRODUCTION
Recently I was going around to shop after shop trying to track down some Bio-Nutrics products with absolutely no luck. They had been doing a bit of marketing both online and in magazines and I was very curious to see what their products had in store. I managed to get some of their products from them and the first of which I want to review is Bio-Mass.
I must say I received the 1kg tub and was surprised at how small it was! It stands approximately 20cm high - much shorter than the typical protein powder tub. Upon opening, there's no scoop! Sorry, but I like my scoops.
The label is very nice and effective. Thumbs up on the presentation. Bare in mind though, a nice label really doesn't mean all that much - it just means they had a good graphics artist (and maybe a good marketer too).
MIXABILITY
This is an interesting one. The label states that this product "Mixes in seconds". I tried a couple of methods here, neither of which I was completely satisfied with.
First of all I tried adding it into a shaker bottle with some skim milk. A few shakes and it mixed very well - no signs of clumping. HOWEVER there is significant froth - and I don't like froth in my shakes, it makes it harder to drink.
The second method I tried was adding the powder into a bowl. I would then pour skim milk on top of it. You know what happened - the skim milk tends to 'slide off' the protein which floats to the top. I then had to get my spoon and mix it in. This takes a while to accomplish and mixes very poorly compared to other protein powders. It's as if the protein powder repels the skim milk. Eventually you will have a decent consistency with insignificant clumping using this method.
I've stuck to method two - the clumping isn't much of a worry once it's been worked into the milk.
TASTE
I can tell you right now - this protein powder tastes like no other protein powder I have ever tasted before. My initial reaction was more a "wow this is different" - in a good way. It isn't your typical chocolate protein taste, I would describe it as more of a gourmet tasting chocolate. The label states "Incredible Milkshake Taste" - this is a very subjective claim - however one which I tend to agree with. Definitely impressed by the taste, however it is slightly bland.
NUTRITIONAL
Here's where the "unique blend" comes into play. Bio-Nutrics have mixed together WPC, Calcium Caseinate, WPI, Egg Albumen and Milk Protein Isolate (abundance is in that order). Honestly speaking, I don't believe that this is so "unique" in the TYPES of proteins utilised (they are all common proteins used in powders) - however I assume it is probably more unique in the RATIOS of proteins added. All of these protein types have different properties and in my opinion is ideal for consumption during the day outside of your post-workout phase. Thank god they haven't marketed this protein as a post-workout protein (as many other companies have similar products marketed this way)! They have also thrown in vitamins, minerals and HMB - all of which get my thumbs up.
Since this product is designed for use throughout the day, the nutritional label is fairly sound. The only problem I have with this is the abundance of calcium caseinate. This protein is much slower absorbing into your body, often marketed as an 'anti-catabolic' protein. To get full marks here for protein synthesis (building muscle), I would like to see a higher prevalence of egg albumen or whey proteins. In all fairness however, this product is advertised as an "anabolic anti-catabolic formula".
The beauty about this powder is that it is low in carbohydrates and fats. So it's ideal to throw in with some skim milk, oats and LSA mix - a great blend of protein, carbs and fats for a complete meal!
Overall - happy with the nutritional aspect to this product for its' purpose.
VALUE FOR MONEY
Previously I mentioned how small the tub appeared. Whilst it may look small, it's a 1 kg tub - whereas a many other proteins available are a standard 2lbs (908g). Of course weight is the important factor here - I could not care less how big the tub is, so long as there's the stuff inside.
The product retails at $69 - you can get this product for under $60 if you look around. Compared to other products, it's not the cheapest. However, we are not talking price here - we are talking VALUE. After evaluating this product, I think that paying a few extra dollars for something like this is definitely worth while. With a fairly sound nutritional profile, under $60 in Australia is a pretty decent buy.
CONCLUSION
Happy. Much better than many other similar products on the market. I don't believe this is a "perfect" powder - it has a few minor features I'm not completely happy about. But it's a good all-rounder and gets my thumbs up!
