GOMAD vs. POLAD

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valbert

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By POLAD I am of course talking about eating a Pound Of Lentils A Day. I'm unemployed, so I'm trying to figure out an economical way of getting a good amount of protein. I don't really like the idea of GOMAD, though, because of all the lactose. I'm trying to gain muscle while minimizing the amount of fat I gain. In any case, here's how POLAD compares to GOMAD:

GOMAD with skim milk
  • 1328 Calories
  • 192 grams carbohydrates (all sugar)
  • 128 grams protein

POLAD
  • 1600 Calories
  • 272 gram carbs
  • 16 grams sugar
  • 144 grams fiber
  • 112 grams protein

So, any opinions on this? The pound of lentils would of course not be my sole source of protein, but it would account for the bulk of it. I will probably try doing this as an experiment, unless the consensus is that it is a terrible idea. Thanks for any input.
 
Without even looking at the details take a look at the fiber on the lentils
 
First off, the whole point of GOMAD is to drink whole milk. Anything else and it's Gallon of Useless A Day
 
Don't know why but I figured POLAD would be Pound Of Lard A Day! haha
 
IronMaidenfan#1 said:
Don't know why but I figured POLAD would be Pound Of Lard A Day! haha
Click to expand...

Haha! I wasn't the only one!

I'm willing to bet milk is a far superior source of protein, compared to a plant source. Also, GOMAD isn't just about the protein/carb/fat content. There are other properties to milk, that may have far great growth promoting properties than just the macronutrient content. I would also be willing to bet you'd have quite a hard time eating a pound of lentils a day ON TOP of your normal food intake. Not only are the lentils quite a bit of volume themselves, but you also have to factor in the cooking, which itself will add quite a bit of water. Liquid calories are just easier to consume. And just because lentils have less "sugar" doesn't really mean shit in my opinion. After the fiber, you still have 128g of carbs. Just because most of that is starch doesn't change how carbohydrate is metabolized. So if you're watching carb intake enough to feel the need to point out all the sugar in milk and the lack thereof in lentils, you might want to do some further reading. A substantial lack of fat in lentils also.

Lastly, milk is by far better tasting. Stop being a girly-man and drink whole milk.

destrukt0 said:
First off, the whole point of GOMAD is to drink whole milk. Anything else and it's Gallon of Useless A Day
Click to expand...
 
I'm mainly interested in doing this for the protein, not the calories, which is why I decided to compare the lentils with skim milk rather than whole.

Anyways, one of my main concerns is with the quality of the protein in the lentils. If anyone could comment further on that, that would be great.

Regarding the carb content of the milk vs lentils, I've read that lactose is hard to digest and causes a lot of GI distress, which is why the carbs in lentils seem better to me. They're not ideal, but if I was able to afford an ideal diet I wouldn't be thinking of choking down a pound (~2.5 lbs cooked) of lentils every day.

And I don't think the low fat content of the lentils is an issue at all--I fully intend to eat my lentils with a healthy dose of olive oil, bacon, and/or lard.

Also, I'm hoping all that fiber will make for some really really satisfying bowel movements.
 
valbert said:
I'm mainly interested in doing this for the protein, not the calories, which is why I decided to compare the lentils with skim milk rather than whole.
Click to expand...

so... buy some whey protein?
 
I can't think of any reason why this would be a good idea. It sounds extremely unhealthy, on the fiber and antinutrient content alone.
 
If you are doing it for the protein, just use protein powder. Or eat an extra steak a day or something.
 
valbert said:
I'm mainly interested in doing this for the protein, not the calories, which is why I decided to compare the lentils with skim milk rather than whole.
Click to expand...

I think the major problem with your plan is that you are going to have a hard time eating a pound of lentils and everything else you should be eating. The point of GOMAD is that the milk that you drink is consumed on top of your regular diet. It's pretty easy to sneak in an 8 oz glass of milk each hour without filling you up so much that you can't eat. I think you'll have a much harder time doing that with lentils.
 
I'm pretty sure 144 grams of fiber will result in your intestines exploding or something.
 
On top of everything that has already been said, I would like to add this:

If you are afraid of the "sugar" in milk and it isn't just the lactose digestibility issue, I assume you are afraid of the insulin response/glycemic load of said sugar. Understand, though, that lactose produces a moderate insulin response compared to pure glucose. Also, the fat content of whole milk helps blunt the response from the already modest glycemic load of the lactose. Sugar is a bit misunderstood in this regard because carby foods like white bread, while having very little sugar, have a much higher glycemic load than some "sugary" foods like milk or fruit.

Also, the lactose should be digestible unless you are allergic to it or are lactose intolerant. In the case of the latter, you could take lactase pills.

Bottom line, drink your gallon of whole milk a day.
 
If a gallon of whole milk a day will make you too fat, don't drink a gallon. It's not rocket sceince. Drink a half gallon instead.
 
I didn't realize that you could have too much fiber, but after looking into it a little bit I see that you guys are right. Damn. I guess I will do something a little more conventional.
 
IDRISCKY said:
... I'm willing to bet milk is a far superior source of protein, compared to a plant source...
Click to expand...

I'm not arguing your point, just asking: I thought protein was protein, it's broken down into its amino acid pieces and used by the body. We couldn't care less where it came from.

If I heard wrong, what makes one protein superior when compared to another - is it the ratio of amino acids?
 
dingdangdoodle said:
I'm not arguing your point, just asking: I thought protein was protein, it's broken down into its amino acid pieces and used by the body. We couldn't care less where it came from.

If I heard wrong, what makes one protein superior when compared to another - is it the ratio of amino acids?
Click to expand...

It's the ratio as well as the completeness of the amino acids. Most meat sources of protein contain all of the essential amino acids (that your body cannot produce by itself), while most vegetarian sources of protein lack certain essential amino acids. Vegetarians who take their protein intake seriously will generally try to pair foods within a meal to get all of the essential amino acids within a given feeding.

The protein from beans does not contain all of the essential amino acids, but milk does.
 
pliftkl said:
It's the ratio as well as the completeness of the amino acids. Most meat sources of protein contain all of the essential amino acids (that your body cannot produce by itself), while most vegetarian sources of protein lack certain essential amino acids. Vegetarians who take their protein intake seriously will generally try to pair foods within a meal to get all of the essential amino acids within a given feeding.

The protein from beans does not contain all of the essential amino acids, but milk does.
Click to expand...

I'd say that protein quality isn't very important to most people living in a modern country. Granted, if the only source of protein the TS was getting was lentils, he would be lacking in a few essential amino acids. But if he were to also eat some rice during the day, he would be fine in the amino acid department. I don't think that it matters whether or not the two foods are in the same meal, though.

I think that anyone eating a few different sources of protein throughout the day is going to be totally fine on amino acids. The fact that he would be eating a pound of one source every day isn't all that important either, in my opinion. That is, as long as he would be getting some protein from one or two other sources throughout the day.

But there are much larger problems with "POLAD" than just protein quality.



Here are a couple of good links in regards to protein quality.

What Are Good Sources of Protein? - Protein Quality | BodyRecomposition - The Home of Lyle McDonald

Lentils, Iron and combining carbs and protein - Discuss Fitness
 
pliftkl said:
It's the ratio as well as the completeness of the amino acids. Most meat sources of protein contain all of the essential amino acids (that your body cannot produce by itself), while most vegetarian sources of protein lack certain essential amino acids. Vegetarians who take their protein intake seriously will generally try to pair foods within a meal to get all of the essential amino acids within a given feeding.

The protein from beans does not contain all of the essential amino acids, but milk does.
Click to expand...

This. In my opinion, protein is not protein. There is a countless number of different types of protein with different amino acid ratios. Not only do you generally need more volume when getting protein from plant sources, due to their low protein content. You also need more variety due to most plant sources not containing all the amino acids you'd generally want/need. Even different types of meat have different amino ratios. There is also bioavailability to think about.

A very simple way to look at it. What best resembles what you're using protein for. A plant or a cow? Lentils and rice, or steak and milk?
 
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