Is Carnivor good if I want to gain muscle mass? Does Carnivor taste like meat? These and other questions that are generated based on this protein supplement will be answered in this article, also of course I will expose my opinion already having taken this Protein for more than 6 months in its versions both Isolate and Mass ... NOTE: the Carnivor can be consumed by men and women.
The first thing I want to comment is the fact of its taste. Musclemeds Carnivor does not taste like meat, does not taste like any other salty food, does not taste bad.
In fact it has a pleasant taste at least in its presentation with chocolate flavor. The most important thing is that it does not have a "gooey" flavor and does not generate that feeling of "fullness" that other Mass Gainer (or "clean" proteins) both types beef and whey proteins can generate.
In fact its flavor and its texture I find them quite pleasant, fairly easy to digest. Something curious that I want to comment, is that Carnivor in its two versions (Isolate and Mass) after a few minutes starts to produce a pleasant taste in my mouth that lasts for the next 3 to 4 hours, even if I eat something or if I brush my teeth.
Carnivor Isolate 2.2 lb: review and opinions
I will start by talking about the components of Carnivor in its version Isolate that at the same time can be considered as a low-carbohydrate version, since it only provides 4 grams of carbohydrates per scoop, 0 grams of fat, 0 grams of cholesterol and 23 grams of protein.
It also contains creatine monohydrate, BCAA's and other chemical components that give it that nice texture and flavor. Because believe me, I have tried other Proteins (supplements) both beef and Whey that when drinking them, they are not very "smooth" through the digestive tract and also generate "hard fullness" or another gastrointestinal discomfort.
Why did I decide to try Carnivor? Sadly a few months ago I began to feel gastrointestinal discomfort after consuming Whey supplements and / or made from casein (the other protein part of cow's milk), and the soy products I do not like them because of its taste and its Nutritional value since I require a high protein and caloric intake in general.
For this reason I decided to choose to try a Beef Protein, and there I was reading reviews that made the Carnivor look bad due to its supposed bad taste. So I ventured to buy it and test it first in its Isolate version of 2.2 lbs (1008 grams).
Fortunately the chocolate flavor is very nice. I was able to ingest it without any problem. Of course I have always chosen to whisk or liquefy this and other types of protein supplements always only in water, so that way there is not any damage in their texture ... and this fact avoid that degree of "competition" that occurs when adding more macronutrients when, for example, they are usually prepared with milk.
Both Carnivor and other types of proteins Beef, Whey and Casein, are best assimilated when shaked in water, at environment temperature or cold ... although I must say that the taste is much more pleasant when consumed with water well Cold, but this cold temperature or environmental level of temperature does NOT affect assimilation of nutrients ... unless the water is 40°C or more.
I do not know if it's my thing, but that nice mouth-watering "chew" or taste that appears after consuming Carnivor seems to have to do with the good quality of the product. Something similar happened to me when I consumed the Dymatize Gourmet Elite (when I could consume whey proteins without gastrointestinal discomfort).
The only time Carnivor affected my body, was when I took it after training and I had to eat almost right there ... of course I always recommend to take the protein shake (whatever) and then Spend 40 to 60 minutes to eat to avoid these kind of digestion problems ...
Unfortunately for a matter of time and emergency, that day I did not comply with my own recommendation ... so because of that, all day I had gastrointestinal discomfort such as stomachache, mild diarrhea, gas accumulation and flatulence ... something very annoying, because in addition I could not sleep for these reasons.
So if you want to venture to consume the Carnivor, do it always having a relatively empty stomach, for example take this supplement as a first breakfast and then wait 40 to 60 minutes to consume your second breakfast ... and / or as a Post training protein shake and then wait between 40 and 60 minutes to consume your post-workout meal.
Of course Carnivor and other types of protein shakes can also be consumed in the pre-workout period, say between 30 and 40 minutes before training, approximately (and about 60 to 90 minutes after having eaten).
But sometimes for some persons having a good pre-workout meal is enough to face the training routine, and then by terms of economy, the Carnivor shake would be better and more necessary only as a post workout to recover lost / invested energy during the training session ...
but if you can afford to consume it also as a pre-workout, because you may notice that you do more in your high-intensity physical workout, and because you also notice that your energy requirement is difficult for you to fulfill only on the basis of Food ... then go ahead and take the Carnivor as a pre-workout too: but always remember to take it by mixing it only with water.
Well, something about the taste, is that the one I consume is not only chocolate flavor but in fact is Chocolate Peanut Butter flavor ... it is even more delicious taste, but for reasons that I do not know the taste To chocolate is the one that feels the most in my mouth.
Carnivor Isolate 4.5 lb: review and opinions
The other presentation that I decided to start consuming already by economy terms was the 4.5 lb (2038 grams) Isolate version that strangely brings twice the carbohydrate per scoop (8 grams) compared to the 2.2 lb version ... also brings 1 gram of fiber, 0 grams of fat, 0 grams of cholesterol and the same 23 grams of protein.
The taste is the same (Chocolate Peanut Butter) ... very nice ... I decided to try with this version because it brings more carbohydrates per serving, but still for my energy expenditure is Not enough, so I usually consume 2 scoops ... I do not consume more the Carnivor Mass (which I will talk about below) because it already has too many carbohydrates and was generating high accumulations of fat in the lower abdomen ... and also some inconveniences like going to the bathroom almost immediately, because The contribution of carbohydrates is excessive for me ...
... but if you are a person (man or woman) who has a high tendency to be an ectomorph, and you train hard because you want to help you gain weight in general (of course, by overcoming muscle mass) ... You can try consuming Carnivor in its Mass (Mass Gainer) version. Just take into account also taking it only by mixing it with water and consume it with a relatively empty stomach for a better assimilation of the macro and micro nutrients it provides.
I think for me, consuming 2 scoops of the Isolate version of 4.5 pounds ... in water after training ... is more than enough for what I want in terms of aesthetic and performance since I practice weight training but also play volleyball, basketball and indoor football, although in amateur or recreational way.
As for the rest of the ingredients, this version brings the same: BCAA's, creatine monohydrate, an intermediary that promotes nitrogen retention for better vasodilation, among others.
Carnivor 4.5 lb and 2.2 lb Nutrition Facts
The caloric contribution by Scoop of the Carnivor Isolate in the version of 2.2 pounds is between 125 and 135 if we consider that each gram of carbohydrate could contribute 4.1 Calories, and that each gram of protein could contribute between 4,1 and a maximum of 5 Calories (according to some authors).
The caloric contribution by Scoop of the Carnivor Isolate in the version of 4.5 pounds is between 155 and 165 if we consider that each gram of carbohydrate could contribute 4.1 Calories, and that each gram of protein could contribute between 4,1 and a maximum 5 of Calories (according to some authors), and if we also take into account that this version provides twice as many carbohydrates per serving compared to the previous version.
Carnivor Mass Review and Opinions
Well, Carnivor in its version Mass I do not have a photo since I threw the jar a long time ago and I have not reused it for what I mentioned in previous paragraphs (its caloric contribution for each service was for my very case excessive).
I can tell you what has already been said as to the taste that is equally enjoyable. In my case taking this version caused me some discomfort especially when consuming the recommended measure, so when I consumed this version I opted to consume less scoops to avoid these annoyances (mild stomach pains, small diarrhea). But in the end I decided to try the Isolate version and I was left with the 4.5 lbs which is currently consumed.
Remember that if your energy requirement is very high, if you have a pronounced ectomorphic tendency (it does not matter if you are man or woman), if you train very hard and if you also consider that with food you are not enough to cover excessively your caloric expenditure, then Carnivor in its Mass version (or other type of Mass gainer both Whey or Beef protein) can be a very good option to help you recover and of course gain muscle mass.