A liquid substitute for a full meal or nonsense? Let's take a look at the composition of Mana

We have already made a video on the topic of nonsense diets or powdered food and I am sure some die-hard followers of Mana will heckle me again, but I won't let them. After all, I like to study every detail of the diet and bring you mainly facts in the form of various studies and articles, so I will try to objectively analyze Mana and write my opinion. Why? Because Mana is coming at me from all sides and it seems like nonsense to live on a liquid diet, moreover on a drink that contains the cheapest ingredients at an overpriced price.

I'm not saying soy is an extra bad food, but do you really want to gorge yourself on soy only, cheap sugars, live on a liquid diet and pay that kind of money for it? Ridiculous.

Yes, it's a bet on your laziness when you are unwilling to prepare your own quality food. That's just the way it is these days. Looking for miracle diet pills, miracle powdered meals (mainly so we don't have to cook) and trusting in nonsense powdered diets. I get it, these days are hectic and not everyone is willing to prepare their own quality food, but living on a liquid diet? I don't think anyone can be serious about that. That idea alone scares me. Putting aside the fact that the body needs a solid and, more importantly, varied diet, where the hell is the pleasure of enjoying a quality meal? Isn't it fun to cook a good healthy meal with your family? Is that like spilling soy and powdered sugar and feasting? Anyway, feel free to have Manu, but I'd rather have a juicy steak.

A liquid drink can't fill you up like a solid food can, because satiety is a complex process influenced by a number of properties in the food. The physical form (solid vs. liquid) of carbohydrates, for example, is an important component that can affect the satiety process and energy intake. Accumulating evidence suggests that liquid carbohydrates generally produce less satiety than solid forms. And this can cause frequent feelings of hunger, which is not ideal.

COMPOSING MEALS

Mana contains around 20g of protein, 35g of carbohydrate and 20g of fat per serving, which is 400kcal. Protein is provided by soy protein isolate, carbohydrates by maltodextrin and isomaltulose and fats by a mixture of oils. Supplemented with vitamins. Personally, I immediately see the problem in the macros distribution. I'd like to see rather more protein and less fat especially if you consume multiple drinks a day or Manou completely replaces the diet. The larger amount of fat is probably there to reduce the GI of the sugar Maltodextrin, I don't see any other sense in the ratio of macros.

If you supplement with one drink a day and match the rest of your meals, then okey. But if you rely only on Manu as presented, then the daily macer intake cannot suit a woman of 60 kilos, a man of 90 kilos or young sports people. Why? Because the diet, its composition and recommended nutrient intake are different for each of us. For example, they vary according to gender, age, height, weight, activity or health status. However, this drink gives everyone exactly the same portion, including its composition and nutrients. And the ingredients of Mana are definitely not ideal for consuming in large quantities every day. Soy is not ideal in larger quantities as a sole and daily source of protein, and maltodextrin or isomaltulose as the only source of carbohydrates during the day is downright inappropriate. Personally, I would never voluntarily drink it.

SOY

Soy is found in all kinds of foods today, including some that have nothing to do with soy. Therefore, it is not surprising that given its importance, soy has been the subject of many studies. But it is equally unsurprising that many of these studies have been funded by the soy industry. While funding does not automatically rule out a study, it is something to keep in mind when reading the research on individual studies, or that someone deliberately shoves under your nose.

The main problem with soy for us and livestock is the high content of antinutrients such as tannins, phytates and trypsin inhibitors that interfere with digestion and make it difficult to utilize protein, vitamins and minerals. These antinutrients are sensitive to the processing methods used in the production of soy foods and, for example, roasting significantly reduces the levels of trypsin inhibitors, phytates and tannins, but never completely. These reductions are confirmed by analyses of soy protein concentrates and isolates, where the antinutrient content is reduced by about 75%.

Soy also contains Isoflavones, which are phytoestrogens - compounds with estrogenic effects in your body. Soy is rich in isoflavones, especially genistein and daidzein, which are thought to be responsible for some of the health benefits of soy. Unfortunately, the isoflavone content of each type of soy varies widely, making it difficult to determine your intake level. And, for example, Soy protein powder concentrates (70% protein) and isolates (90% protein) are processed with water, which preserves the isoflavone content, or with alcohol, which reduces the isoflavone content to lower levels. So we don't know in advance how much isoflavones a soy isolate contains unless the label specifies it.

Reasonable intake of soy products and soy isoflavones does not affect the often mentioned testosterone levels, estrogen levels, or fertility in men, although case reports document adverse effects at high daily doses of soy for 6-12 months. This suggests that soy may have a negative effect on testosterone and fertility with excessive use. Two case reports noted adverse effects with 360 mg of soy isoflavones daily for 6-12 months. These effects included gynecomastia, erectile dysfunction, and decreased libido in a 60-year-old man drinking three liters of soy milk per day and hypogonadism with erectile dysfunction in a 19-year-old vegan individual eating a soy-rich diet.

Also, soy infant formula should be used with caution. Animal studies suggest that soy interferes with sexual development. Actual human studies are rare, but associations between soy formulas and altered sexual development have been observed in infants. While soy does not impair growth in healthy infants, it can cause growth problems and rickets in premature infants.

Reasonable or routine consumption of soy foods is unlikely to have adverse effects on adults and may (according to some studies) even benefit cardiovascular health and reduce the risk of breast cancer in women or prostate cancer in men. However, eating large amounts of soy foods for 6 months or longer can cause problems. Also, the use of soy infant formulas should definitely be minimized. As an occasional source of protein a few times a week why not, but as a sole source of protein on a daily basis definitely not. Putting aside the possible negative effect on testosterone levels in men, we definitely have more bioavailable and better sources of protein.

MALTODEXTRIN

Maltodextrin is a white powder made from corn, rice, potato starch or wheat. Although it comes from plants, it is highly processed. First the starches are cooked and then acids or enzymes such as heat-stable bacterial alpha-amylase are added to break them down further. The resulting white powder is soluble in water and has a neutral taste.
Maltodextrin is generally used as a thickener or filler to increase the volume of processed foods. It is also a preservative that extends the shelf life of packaged foods. It is inexpensive and easy to produce, making it useful for thickening products such as instant puddings and gelatins, sauces and dressings. It can also be combined with artificial sweeteners to sweeten products such as canned fruit, desserts and powdered drinks.

Like sugar, your body can digest maltodextrin quickly, making it useful if you need a quick boost of calories and energy. However, the GI of maltodextrin is higher than that of table sugar, which means it can spike blood sugar levels very quickly, especially if consumed in large quantities. For this reason, you should avoid or limit it if you have diabetes or insulin resistance. It should also be avoided if you are predisposed to developing diabetes.

Another reason to limit maltodextrin is to keep your gut bacteria healthy. According to a 2012 study published in PLoS ONE, maltodextrin can change the composition of gut bacteria in a way that makes them more susceptible to disease. It can suppress the growth of probiotics in your digestive system, which are important for immune system function. The same study showed that maltodextrin can increase the growth of bacteria such as E. coli, which is associated with autoimmune disorders such as Crohn's disease. If you are at risk of developing an autoimmune or digestive disorder, then it may be a good idea not to take maltodextrin.

Because maltodextrin is a rapidly digestible carbohydrate, it is often included in sports drinks and snacks for athletes. For bodybuilders and other athletes who are trying to gain weight, maltodextrin can be a good source of quick calories during or after a workout. However, as the only daily source of carbohydrates and energy during the day, it is definitely not. I'm not so much concerned about the GI, which is reduced by adding protein and fat in Mana anyway, but it's defacto a cheap empty calorie with no benefit. Other sources of complex carbs would certainly be a better and healthier choice.

ISOMALTULOSE

The prototype low glycemic index carbohydrate is the naturally occurring disaccharide isomaltulose, which can be commercially produced from sucrose (beet sugar) on an industrial scale. It is currently used in various food and beverage products as an alternative sugar. Isomaltulose is a disaccharide consisting of one glucose and one fructose linked by an alpha-1,6-glucosidic bond. Isomaltulose has a low glycemic index (GI = 32-37) and low insulinemic response, so it may be more suitable for diabetics than sucrose.

In general, I have nothing against Isomaltulose if used judiciously. However, it is again a very cheap ingredient that will provide empty calories without the additional nutrient content that the human body needs. Again, around training or at certain times during the day, why not. But I don't see a single sensible reason to cut complex carbohydrates from the regular diet that will provide additional benefits including additional nutrients and replace them with another cheap powdered sugar.

VITAMINS

Vitamins and minerals are a chapter in themselves, as we don't know the forms of vitamins and minerals, which is quite essential in terms of absorption. For example, natural vitamins would be a better choice than synthetic ones, and especially minerals without a chelate bond are poorly absorbed and may even have laxative effects in larger quantities. I couldn't find a more detailed description anywhere, so I'm just guessing from a crystal ball, but when I see cheap mana ingredients, I'm betting on minerals that can be compared to meaningless chum. I'm sure everyone would love to boast about chelated mineral bonds or natural vitamin sources on the product label.

In short, unless you include at least vegetables and fruits with your Drink of the Gods or include a quality multivitamin, you are very likely to suffer from a deficiency of important minerals and vitamins.

FROM MY POINT OF VIEW, A BETTER QUICK DRINK

I've also spun full blender meals before, which can serve as a good source of nutrients in place of snacks or for additional calorie replenishment and save you time in preparation. Even so, I wouldn't presume to advise that they completely replace a varied solid diet. Only as an alternative when there is no time or if we can't meet our daily macros intake from solid food for ectomorphs for example. The advantage of having our own drink is that we can compose our own ratio of protein, carbohydrates and fats that we need and adapt it to our own needs, which are different for everyone. Also, we use more nutrient dense foods to fill us up and give us much more additional nutrients and benefits.

PROTEIN SOURCE

We will use whey CFM protein as our protein source. Whey protein is a great source of protein and an excellent source of amino acids that also supports immunity due to its bioactive fractions. It stimulates the production of antibodies (IgA) and thanks to its high content of specific amino acids, especially cysteine, it supports the production of glutathione, a very important antioxidant. It also contains a significant content of glycomacropeptides, which are involved in the construction of cell walls. Many studies show that whey can potentially reduce the incidence of cancer, also improve immunity, reduce cortisol levels, improve liver function, lower blood pressure and increase your performance. In addition, whey has a very high biological value rating.

In addition to supplementing high quality protein, which is also great for the body to digest, whey protein will offer us additional benefits: improved nutrient absorption, liver regeneration and prevention of fatty liver, improved blood glucose levels, reduced oxidative stress, and stopping the growth of pathogenic bacteria.

Simply a great source of protein to which you can add a spoonful of Greek yoghurt, kefir or cottage cheese. This will increase the protein content, fine tune the flavour and add additional nutrients including probiotic cultures.

SOURCE OF CARBOHYDRATES

You can use any source of common carbohydrates such as oatmeal or buckwheat. We have the option to grind them into a powder or buy them directly in flour form. We can also use rice flour, add pieces of fruit, etc. Throw it all together in the blender and you're done in seconds.

I'm not going to break down every carbohydrate ingredient here, we'd still be here tomorrow, but all sources are much better than maltodextrin, which is the main ingredient in Mana, as it is represented first in the product's ingredients. Let's take a look at the best source of carbohydrates in your drink from my perspective, and that is buckwheat. I like oatmeal as well, but buckwheat is naturally gluten-free, so even gluten-intolerant people can consume it.

Buckwheat has been widely consumed in Asian countries for centuries. It is full of nutrients and antioxidants. In fact, because of its content, buckwheat is considered a superfood. Today, it is popular among plant-based and gluten-free eaters because it provides a high source of amino acids, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, all with relatively few calories, virtually no fat and no gluten. The main advantage of buckwheat compared to other grains is that it has a unique composition of amino acids that give it special biological activities. These include cholesterol-lowering effects, anti-hypertensive effects and the ability to improve digestion, such as relieving constipation.

Buckwheat's biggest benefits: improves heart health by lowering cholesterol and blood pressure, is high in fiber and helps improve digestion, may help prevent diabetes, is gluten-free and non-allergenic. It provides important vitamins and minerals and contains disease-fighting antioxidants.

FAT SOURCE

As a source of fat you can add good quality olive oil, which in my opinion is better than the canola oil in Mana, or coconut oil, various nut butters, chia seeds, etc. Again, the advantage is that you can combine your own amounts of fats and adjust your daily calorie intake to suit your own needs. For me, one of the best ratios of macros is 40:40:20 (B:S:T).

CONCLUSION

Okay, feel free to have Manu as an alternative for one or two meals during the week and it will be better than the greasy fast food on your high street. But home cooked quality food must prevail in your diet, whether it is for weight loss or just the need to eat healthy. Sure, there may be times when there is no time to prepare a meal. That's why in today's article, we've also prepared our own higher quality drink that will take a few minutes to prepare but will give our bodies a much better quality macronutrient, a better source of nutrients, and will fill us up more than the supposed miracle of Mana. It will also provide better quality calories, energy and more nutrient dense foods for your daily activities or exercise. I consider this an adequate substitute for some meals during the day, but I can't really consider cheap sugars and soy as a dietary substitute, even though it's a very convenient and pretty vision for many people. Nothing can replace a varied solid diet. Living on a liquid diet is pointless and in the long run it can bring all sorts of complications. Use common sense, try to prepare your own healthy meals and don't be lazy. Take this article only as my objective opinion, that's why I have highlighted some positives in eating soy. It's your body and everyone can do with it as they please.