Many people drink protein shakes regularly to lose weight, build muscle or both. Others, however, question the belief that protein shakes are better than normal, high-protein foods. So what is the truth?

Protein shakes are dietary supplements (饮食补充剂) designed to help people consume more protein than they otherwise would. Protein shakes can be ready-made drinks. Besides, people can mix their own shakes using protein powder. Protein powder can be made from plants or animals. Plant-based protein shakes can include soy, pea or rice protein. Animal-based protein powder is usually made from cows’ milk. Those who want to avoid milk can also get protein powder made from egg whites.

Studies indicate that consuming protein shakes is helpful if you want to build muscle. They can also improve your performance and help you recover while exercising. And if you’re losing weight, protein shakes can help to make sure that you don’t lose muscle.

Consuming protein shakes can also help you lose weight. Eating a high-protein diet helps you feel full, so it’s easier to resist eating too much. High-protein diets can also make your body burn energy quickly. When you use more energy than you take in through food, you lose weight.

However, you don’t have to drink protein shakes to have a high-protein diet. Many wholefoods are rich in protein. In fact, the people in many high-protein diet studies didn’t drink protein shakes. The studies proved the benefits of eating protein-rich foods. Moreover, these foods contain other natural nutrients besides protein. In contrast, many protein shakes contain sugar or artificial sweeteners, which are not healthy.

To sum up, yes, protein shakes are convenient and they work. However, they are not your only choice for eating a high-protein diet.

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Consumers may soon find meat on restaurant menus that has never walked the earth—grown from cell to fillet (肉块). The product, called “cultured” or “cultivated” meat, is reaching more plates. Cultivated chicken has been sold in a Singapore restaurant since 2020, and recently the Department of Agriculture approved the sale of cultured chicken in the United States. More than 150 businesses worldwide are working to put beef, fish, and pork on the market, too.

Cultured meat begins as a cell from an egg or a piece of traditionally butchered meat. Fed with certain nutrients for two or three weeks, the meat is processed into forms that consumers are familiar with. “Initial research is in a lab, but the meat is made in a production facility.” says Josh Tetrick, CEO of Good Meat, one of the USDA-approved cultured chicken manufacturers. The company has made public their own nutrient analysis, evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration, which reveals that the nutritional profiles of their products are almost identical to conventional meats.

By alleviating the raising and killing of animals, cultured meat companies say their product helps reduce animal cruelty and will be better for the environment. Their process uses far less land because there’s no need to house animals or grow their feed. Cultured beef, especially, could reduce the number of cattle on farms-a significant source of methane emissions. However, some studies contradicted that cultured meat may also require greater energy usage than conventional production. Much of the environmental impact will depend on whether the energy used is renewable and on the efficiency of future production technology.

Given a growing consumer consciousness around animal rights and climate change, supporters foresee a future meat market where consumers will choose between different kinds of conventional meat, cultured meat, and plant-based alternatives. Approved sale of cultivated chicken in the U.S. is a landmark moment, but not yet a revolution. While cultured meat’s widespread consumption and impact on the economy seem a step closer to reality, scientists, philosophers, and the product’s own manufacturers acknowledge years of work lie ahead.

Last night, I had the misfortune of eating at The BurgerShack. What I had hoped to be a romantic anniversary dinner for my wife Gladys and me turned out to be a very disappointing dining experience. I began to have my doubts the moment we walked inside. The dining room itself was clean, but the decoration was far too gaudy (花哨的) for my tastes. Multicolored images of clowns and large cartoon animals were stuck on almost every single wall. The tables were a bright lime green (橙绿色). It certainly did not look like the romantic restaurant that I was hoping for, but I am not one to judge a book by its cover.

Gladys and I stood for what seemed like an hour waiting to be seated, but not a single employee even glanced at our way. Finally, we decided to just locate a table on our own. Although the restaurant was fairly crowded, we were able to find a table in the back. We took our seats and waited for a member of the wait staff to bring us menus.

An unbearable amount of time passed and there was still no sign of a waiter or waitress. Perhaps having noticed our frustration, a customer sitting at the table next to us informed us that there were no waiters. Instead, we had to place our orders at the front of the restaurant and then bring our own food back to the table.

No waiters? Who came up with this concept? What is the purpose of dining out if you have to get up and serve yourself? I was about to storm out, but my wife calmed me down.

Eventually, Gladys volunteered to get the food for us. Somehow, I did manage to eat six of the hamburgers, but the seventh proved far too greasy (油腻的) for my liking. The chocolate milk shake that they offered as dessert was acceptable, but the cup it came in was very small.

Overall, The BurgerShack’s combination of dreadful decoration, non-existence service, and disappointing food makes it a place to avoid. I certainly hope we will find a better place to celebrate our 51st anniversary next year!