How Bad Are RTD's?

Hi. I have a few questions about RTDs and protein powders.

I normally have been using isopure for the last year. It has no preservatives, no creamers, is very pure. Good stuff.

However, I have become addicted to Lean Body RTDs. The ingredients are as follows:

Filtered Water, Lean Pro® (Special Blend Of Spray Dried Untrafiltered Milk Protein Isolate, Yielding Fast Acting Whey Protein Peptides, Branched Chain Amino Acids, L-Glutamine Peptides, And Slow Acting Casein Peptides, Whey Protein Concentrate, Calcium Caseinate), High Oleic-Safflower Oil, Cocoa Processed With Alkali, Cocoa, FiberPlex�?� (Fructooligosaccharides, Cellulose Gel, Cellulose Gum, Carrageenan, Xanthan Gum), Vitamin And Mineral Blend (Potassium Phosphate, Potassium Citrate, Magnesium Phosphate, Sodium Ascorbate, Zinc Sulfate, Tocopherol Acetate, Biotin, Vitamin A Palmitate, Niacinamide, Phytonadione, Potassium Iodide, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Chromium Chloride, Copper Sulfate, Cyanocobalamin, Sodium Molybdate, Sodium Selenite, Folic Acid, Cholecalciferol, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Thiamin Mononitrate, Ferric Orthophosphate, Manganese Sulfate), Natural Flavors, Soy Lecithin, Citric Acid, Sucralose, Salt, Acesulfame Potassium

1 bottle has 9g. fat, 9g. carbs(but 5 fiber), 40g. protein.

Will these have bad body comp. effects?

Also, I started sort of liking this protein powder mix, but again I’m worried about the ingredients…there aren’t many carbs and stuff, but I don’t know how much the little things like this can add up:

Ingredients
LeanPro® (Cross Flow Micro Ultrafiltered Whey Protein Isolate, Cross Flow Micro Ultrafiltered Whey Protein Concentrate, Soy Protein Isolate [Non-GMO]), Natural And Artificial Flavors, EFA Plex�?� (Sunflower Oil, Creamer [High Oleic Sunflower Oil, Corn Syrup Solids, Sodium Caseinate, Mono-Glycerides, Di-Glycerides, Di-Potassium Phosphate, Tri-Calcium Phosphate, Soy Lecithin, Tocopherols], MCT Oil, Flaxseed Oil, Borage Oil), Fiber Plex�?� (Polydextrose, Fibersol 2 Fiber, Cellulose Gum, Oat Flour, Rice Bran), Vitamin & Mineral Blend (Di-Calcium Phosphate, Magnesium Oxide, Ascorbic Acid, Vitamin E Acetate, Niacinamide, Electrolytic Iron, Zinc Oxide, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Copper Gluconate, Riboflavin, Vitamin A Acetate, Thiamin Mononitrate, Folic Acid, Potassium Iodide, Cyanocobalamin), Cyanocobalamin), Salt, Sucralose, Acesulfame Potassium

230 cals, 4g. fat, 12g. carbs (but 4 fiber), 40g. protein.

I would usually drink half of one of these…

This is an older article called “The Protein Insider.” I don’t know if you’ve read it, but if you haven’t, check that out. However, I don’t know how accurate that is regarding some of the newer ready to drinks that are available these days, but seeing as how Biotest has never made a ready-to-drink protein…hmm, makes ya wonder…

http://www.T-Nation.com/readArticle.do?id=460792

Hopefully some of the big dogs will chime in here. What I wonder is…

…No matter what sort of processing a protein goes through (flash-pasteurization, heat, etc) - regardless if the protein becomes denatured or not, as long as it yields the same amino acids (which it should, they are not just going to disappear), would it not still serve its role?

Hmm. Thanks. That was a good article. I guess they aren’t optimal.

What about the powder that contains a bit of creamer…how much do you think the few grams of creamer will have? Should I never drink it?

I have seen and tried the drinks you are talking about, and while they are probably fine, they are too expensive for regular consumption. For the cost you can get two or three servings of Metabolic Drive Complete, put the powder in bottle, add water when you’re ready and shake.

One thing I’ve noticed about every protein powder I’ve ever tried, after you mix it in water, it changes. How, I’m not sure, but the taste and texture change the longer you leave it. The first few hours it’s fine, but after a day in the refrigerator it’s kind of funky. So I imagine that something sold in liquid form would need preservatives to keep it consistent.