Can You Dry Scoop Protein? (An Expert Answers)...

Have you ever heard of this – dry scooping protein powder – do you know what it is about?

Well, it has become something new that people are talking about on TikTok.

So what is dry scooping?

It is swallowing your pre-workout supplement powder dry. I suppose it’s the same as eating hot chocolate powder straight out of the tin instead of putting milk or water into it.

But this is doing it with the protein powders.

But the pre-workout supplements have quite a lot of caffeine in them.

Then there are the delicious flavors, of course, which make it very easy to consume too much of it.

We are going to look at what dieticians and other healthcare providers are saying about dry scooping – and be aware of the health issues that can arise.

Dry Scooping Protein Powder Health Risks Dangers

Dry Scooping is another TikTok wellness trend

So this new trend of consuming protein powder is called dry scooping; eating protein powder and swallowing it dry, instead of eating it normally.

Actually, a good question to ask is why would people do this? Why would you consume protein powder dry?

It is apparently because dry scooping pre-workout powder supposedly boosts your energy levels like never before, enabling you to work out longer, and harder.

And if you go onto TikTok or other social media platforms, this trend has become very popular to the point that many are claiming it is the secret to longer-lasting and harder workouts.

Others say they have had negative effects – and can you believe it – one TikTok user reported that she had had a heart attack!

Are you aware that you can get as much as 150 to 300 mg of caffeine per scoop?

Ok, so that’s like drinking one to three cups of coffee.

If you already did drink your morning Joe, then say you take a scoop of powder as well, it can cause your heart rate to rise [1].

This in itself can cause heart rhythm disturbances. And it can also cause your blood pressure to rise as well! [2]

You can choke on all that dried powder

Sometimes when you fill your mouth with dried powder, you can breathe wrongly, like through your nose, and find yourself choking.

Maybe you should think about giving pre-workout powders dry scooping a hard pass?

There are other ways to maximize your workout with sufficient energy – why not try the tried and true route – by going for healthy, easily digestible snacks of carbs and protein with water for hydration?

The smoothie is the perfect option for this. A smoothie digests easily and you can incorporate protein and carbs. Check out this delicious smoothie.

But OK, let’s ask registered dieticians and nutrition experts what they think about this trend

The trend is something like a bit of a challenge. You grab your scoop of protein powder and try to swallow it. That’s the aim.

There are some who will take a sip of water first to help the powder go down more easily.

But mostly, it’s downed without a stitch of water. Some people think it’s helping the protein to get absorbed into the body quicker.

But actually, there isn’t any scientific research to back up this claim.

Using dry scooping protein powder for convenience

That’s if you don’t have water around or a shaker to shake it all up. It might even be the way you want to take your protein powder.

But the point here is that it’s not better; it is not going to achieve anything more than mixing the protein up with water or other liquid.

Let the experts give you a couple of good reasons for dry scooping whey protein as well as the risks –

Are there benefits of consuming protein powder dry?

There is no current evidence to show that dry scooping protein powder is more effective than taking it with water or milk.

It won’t absorb faster or even more efficiently consuming it without liquid.

There are only two only reasons why you might take it dry:

1) You don’t have your shaker with you, nor liquid

You’ve arrived at the gym and there is no water and no shaker – so you have it dry.

All you do is scoop it out of the tub and place it in your mouth. And you will get the same nutritional value out of it if you did not have it dry.

2) You’re trying to bulk up and don’t want the extra water in your stomach

Those who are bulking up often eat a lot of calories.

For them, it might just be easier to dry scoop their protein powder to prevent the extra volume of water from entering their stomach.

Say now it’s bedtime and they need to get in a few more calories.

Dry protein powder makes it easier for someone who needs the calories but doesn’t want the extra water.

This will leave room in their stomach for the other calories so that they can reach their caloric surplus

The experts say the only reason why they suggest you can dry scoop your protein is that you are either in a pinch as above.

Or it’s the end of the day and you still have a whole ton of calories still to consume in a short space of time.

The experts say both these situations aren’t ideal and are due to poor nutritional planning.

They say dry scoop if you have to, but they don’t recommend you do it on a regular basis.

Are there side effects to swallowing dry scoop whey protein?

You saw above, the health risks we mentioned. But there is also the increased risk of choking.

Taking the dry scoop straight into your mouth with no liquid means you could choke.

Also, your airways can get pretty irritated by the powder sticking in the mouth, and you might end up coughing out the powder if not done successfully.

Check out the dry scooping video on TikTok (above) to see the person start coughing after adding it into their mouth.

When you cough, some powder is bound to come out and get wasted. Then you lose out on the intended protein grams you intended to consume.

It would also be hard for you to calculate how many grams of protein was lost and how much you would need to replace them.

Dry scooping won’t provide you with additional benefits

If you find it easier to increase your protein intake this way, then all is well and good.

If you do decide to do it this way, try and do it in smaller doses than just putting in one big scoop. That way you might not choke and waste the powder.

There are other ways to mix protein powders without making another protein shake.

1) Add the powder to Jello

If you enjoy adding powdered milk to your jello, try using your protein powder.

Just make some sugar-free lemon jello to your vanilla protein powder for an amazing lemon pie snack. It’s low in calories and it consists of only protein.

2) Add the powder to your oatmeal

Get your protein powder in by adding it to your oatmeal – that will increase your protein content.

All you need to do is add in some flaxseeds and nuts for a really healthy boost.

3) Turn the protein powder into an energy ball

This is such a good idea and it’s so easy. Just mix some oatmeal with honey and add some sugar-free chocolate chips, protein powder, and dates.

Mix it all up in a food processor to reach a smooth texture and turn them into balls.

You can also freeze these and enjoy them any time you like.

Here are some more ideas.

4) Make pancakes with it

Add a scoop of protein to your pancake mix for some delicious protein pancake recipes.

We all know that pancakes are usually high in carbs, but by adding in your protein scoop of dry powder, you balance out your diet.

5) It makes a delicious sauce

For instance, you can make a chocolate sauce by mixing one scoop of chocolate protein powder with two tablespoons of water to get the right consistency.

Conclusion

Dry scooping of protein powder has become a viral trend. And it’s been gaining popularity day by day.

In May 2021, the dry scooping video received over 7.6 million views!

You don’t dilute the powder in water; you swallow the dry powder down without any water.

It is believed to give you a real boost of energy so you can experience long and hard workouts.

But the experts say this is dangerous [3]. They don’t advise it.

We all know that protein powders consist of plenty of healthful amino acids, caffeine, B vitamins, creatine, sweeteners, and other ingredients.

So when you down the powder neat, they say you are creating some unhealthy problems.

If you have a lot of powder in one day, you are at risk of dehydration, insomnia, anxiety, and abnormal heart rhythms [4].

Sure, the ingredients might well boost your stamina for a workout

Unfortunately, there are risks when you consume extra energy-boosting supplements and stimulants.

One clinical nutritionist, Deepti Khatuja says when you consume too much caffeine you increase the chances of a heart disorder.

Viral social media challenges which appear on TikTok are very often followed blindly by kids and teens.

Dr. Shuchin Bajaj says, “This latest fad of ‘dry scooping’, which involves users taking a scoop of protein powder without diluting it with water has already led to unfortunate incidents.

I would request kids not to take up such mindless challenges because ingesting protein powder on its own can lead to heart and lung seizures – and even death!

The highly concentrated powder can lead to choking, accidental inhalation, over-consumption injury, and death.”

Dr. Khatuja adds to this and says, “Accidently inhaling the powder into the lungs could cause choking or an infection or pneumonia”

At this moment in time, there is zero scientific evidence to suggest that dry scooping protein powders will give you the edge.

Can You Dry Scoop Protein Powder? [What You Need to Know]