Egg Powder?

Can a processed food actually be part of the Paleo diet?   Even one as refined as a protein powder?

In my opinion, yes, but with a few caveats:

1. First off, the only one to consider is an egg protein, and one that’s completely egg protein at that.  In other words, not a blend of egg along with whey, soy, rice pea or other sources.
2. Next, make sure that if you opt for an egg protein, there are no hidden non-paleo ingredients, like artificial anything.  100% egg is what we’re looking for.
3. Last, try and make it what I refer to as a ‘plan b’ protein source, rather than one you’re ingesting every day as a matter of course.  Real, fresh, whole raw eggs are far superior both to just eating the whites as well as to having a protein made from the whites.   If you’re uncomfortable eating them raw or do not have a good, reliable, local source, you can soft boil them in order to achieve the happy medium between eliminating many of the potential illness-causing bacteria without cooking them to death as in an omelet.  As one example, I’ll use an egg powder when traveling to races so I can make my pre-race breakfast easily in the hotel room. I bring along my immersion blender and coconut oil and all I need to find locally is a banana!

This is another case of making a the best choice when there are not always lots of great things to chose from.  Of course a fresh egg (or fresh any protein, for that matter) is a better option than a powder; however, a powdered egg that you can use to make your own protein shake is still far better than buying a can of Slim-fast or a packet of diet protein mix!