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I am currently on a workout plan. for lunch I have one pouch of tuna and one whole avocado. I am getting a little sick of tuna. Can I replace my pouch of tuna and avocado for a protein shake?

The protein powder that I have, if I have two scoops- has 1 gram of sugar, 50 grams of protein and is 220 calories- I also have it with water instead of milk.

123
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  • ok, so what if I were to just cut out the tuna, so my lunch would be a protien shake and an avocado. Would this be the best route to go so I am still getting those healthy fats? – 123 Jun 13 '16 at 15:08

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Tuna is very high in protein and certain amino acids such as leucine (most essential BCAA for protein synthesis, i.e to build muscle), vitamin b-12 and a decent amount of potassium. Avacados are high in healthy fats, slow burning carbohydrates and a bunch of other minerals and vitamins.

So if you were to switch these two for a protein shake, you would be sacrificing some healthy fats and healthy carbohydrates for a little more protein. This really depends on your goals, if you're trying to build muscle, I wouldn't make the substitution since your effectively sacrificing calories as well. If you are trying to lose weight, this wouldn't be such a bad idea.

It is important to remember though that whey protein supplements are exactly that, supplements. They should supplement what you are deficient in that you can not get through your regular diet.

0xMert
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  • This is the correct answer. Tuna is great as it is a complex food with lots of minerals and other benefits (not just protein). Shakes do not usually have a high quantity of important micronutrients and are meant as an aid to meet your macros – John Jun 13 '16 at 14:23
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It's hardly possible to give you a handy tip without referring to your whole diet program, and it also depends on the type of protein shake you take (whey or blend), but in general, both gives you a decent and clean portion of protein and you can rely on the first as much as you can rely on the second.

On the one hand, consuming a lot of tuna on daily basis is considered problematic due to the high level of mercury in it. On the other hand, protein shakes, especially with water, don't make you satiated at all, so if you're on a low calorie intake diet, consider eating vegetables around that time.

Neria Nachum
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