For those of you thinking, “WHAT ARE THOSE!?” Protinex and Ensure are two nutritional supplements.
While we live in the fast lane, we tend to leave our health behind. Nutritional supplements make up for this by providing the nutrients that people miss out on or do not consume enough of – thus, giving the body what it needs. To make things easier for you, I will finally put this debate to rest by comparing them both. Don’t worry, though – irrespective of which powder wins, you will need a glass of milk or water (I won’t judge if you choose the latter, especially if you are lactose intolerant) to mix two spoonfuls.
Spoiler alert: The answer is Protinex because it has more protein, less fat, and more calories than Ensure.
Ensure
Ensure, with its tagline, ‘Strength to live non-stop,’ is a protein supplement product of Abbott Nutrition. “Synonymous with complete, balanced nutrition,” Abbott introduced the nutrition supplement in the Indian market in 1999. Ensure is a product based on science, just like most of Abbott’s breakthrough products.
The good part? The product acknowledges that the body’s immunity weakens with age and offers 32 nutrients as a countermeasure – Zinc, Vitamin C, calcium, and high protein (from fava beans and pea proteins) being a few of them. It also has immunity nutrients that aid in generating new immunity cells in the body.
However, the better part is that the protein powder brand understands the Indian audience and caters to its diverse needs and tastes. Sure, it comes in different flavors (like chocolate and vanilla); but what is remarkable is that it also serves and helps the diabetic audiences (Ensure Diabetes Care), making them feel included and seen.
Let’s talk about the benefits.
- The high-quality proteins packed in the product help muscles and bones stay strong and energize the body by increasing energy levels.
- It aids the maintenance of weight or even the gaining of weight (If you work out or go to the gym, this is a great supplement to fulfill protein needs).
- It has got you and your body covered in the immunity front.
- It does not cause any damage to the body; this is to say, there are no side effects.
Protinex
Protinex, invented in 1957, has been in the market for over 60 years and is one of India’s most prescribed nutrition supplements. The website does not hesitate to call it ‘Your perfect nutrition partner.’
This protein powder comes packed with several nutrients that the body needs – vitamin D, vitamin C, iron, calcium, and high protein, to name a few. It acknowledges that protein is “for everyone,” irrespective of age, and provides adults with stamina, strength and immunity, and nourishment. It bridges the protein gaps in one’s diet.
One of the goals of Protinex is to spread awareness about the importance of proteins. The website offers a protein chart that dictates the body’s requirements of proteins based on gender, age, weight, activity level, muscle mass, and size of the body.
Over these sixty years, Protinex has been a product that has evolved with the needs of the people. While it caters to all kinds of audiences, what is absolutely insane is that it has separate products for people with diabetes (Protinex Diabetes Care) and is specially prescribed to women for its contents (Protinex Mama is a product made solely for women).
Coming to the benefits –
- The contents help fix protein and iron deficiencies in the body.
- Protinex aids in the strengthening of bones along with the growth and restoration of the body’s muscles.
- Compared to other protein powders, Protinex has proteins in simpler forms; the body easily absorbs it.
- Protinex can be used in various recipes, such as desserts (waffles, shortcakes, muffins, and cookies, for instance), shakes, and smoothies.
While the benefits are many, there are certain side effects, too. Protinex is notoriously known for causing gas in the stomach sometimes. It can also lead to weight gain, diarrhea, and dehydration.
However, the most severe side-effect can be the aggravation of nut allergies (but the good news is that only Protinex Original contains hydrolyzed protein extracted from peanuts; all other variants include milk and soy proteins).
Protinex or Ensure Which is better?
| Protinex | Ensure | |
| Protein content (per 100g) | 34g | 15g |
| Fat (per 100g) | 1g | 11g |
| Calories (per 100g) | 350kcal | 410kcal |
| Flavors | Wider variety | Fewer options |
| Indian market presence | Been in the market for longer | Been in the market for lesser time |
I know – they both are remarkably similar products. So, how does one decide?
A great start would be comparing the contents of what they claim to sell in specific – protein. Protinex has more protein content compared to Ensure. Ensure has 50% lesser protein – while Protinex packs 34g of protein per 100g, Ensure only provides 15g.
When it comes to calories, Protinex has around 50 calories lesser per 100g.
The one area where Ensure does have a better content score is fat (11 times more fat, to be specific), which is not an ideal win. While Ensure has around 11g of fat per 100g, Protinex only contains 1g.
Besides providing consumers with more protein and fewer calories and fats, the emotional appeal of Protinex is unmatched – Indian audience, I know you dig this. The message sent across through the ads and campaigns is that Protinex helps consumers live happier and fuller lives and provides them a chance to be an active part of the special or memorable moments in their lives.
Protinex has also been in the Indian market for longer – safe to say; the remarkable reputation is associated with reliability and the fact that it has become a household name.
Since it is a clinically proven product, even doctors do not hesitate to prescribe it. The cherry on top is the fact that Protinex is available in a wide variety of flavors besides chocolate and vanilla (such as Elaichi and Kesar badam) and is easily available online (Flipkart, for instance) and offline (in all pharmacies and health stores).
The bottom line
Protinex has a lot of factors on its side, which makes it the better choice – especially in the Indian market and context. Since it offers a wide variety of products, you can choose what suits you best (unless you have diabetes, in which case you only get to pick Protinex Diabetes Care).
Feel free to consult a doctor or a physician about when to consume and how much to consume. Finally, since it is a vegetarian product, you can even consume it on all days (yes, including Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays).
