The Science of ADE

THE SHORT VERSION

The perfect meal for your elite performance

All Day Energy (ADE) provides balanced nutrition using whole food ingredients, without artificial additives, in a package you can take anywhere.

Each meal contains:

at least 35 grams of high-quality protein
a healthy balance of fatty acids
a blend of fibers and resistant starch to support gut health and
a wide range of micronutrients from whole foods

This gives you a three-for-one win:

Better health.

More powerful athletic performance.

Sustained all-day energy.

You feel full, satisfied, and ready for action — not heavy.

That’s the short version, and it’s all you really need to know.

But if you want to know the art and science of why the ADE formula is special… the long version is below.

Warning: It’s long.

THE LONG VERSION

You’re not an average schmoe

You need to feel and function your best at all times.

And you have the highest standards for your body and your work.

Performance, energy, focus, and recovery aren’t negotiable for you.

Whether you’re climbing a summit, conquering a long workday, or just juggling a busy life, we’ve created ADE specifically to meet the needs of people working in high-stakes, high-performance roles, where “less than optimal” is not an option.

Here’s what makes ADE different.

We use whole foods

Modern nutrition science helped us create vitamin and mineral supplements to prevent diseases like scurvy and rickets.

But we don’t just want to prevent malnutrition. You deserve more than the bare minimum.

We want you to thrive.

That means giving you high-quality real food. Not a powder or pill.

Whole foods contain a mix of nutrients that work together to improve health in ways that isolated supplements can’t.

In fact, research suggests that eating nutrients in whole foods is much different than eating the same isolated nutrients in supplements.1 Supplements haven't shown the same benefits — and in some cases, have even increased people’s risk of some diseases.2–4

In whole foods, nutrients work together in complex and beneficial ways.

For instance:

Beets

Beets contain a wide range of compounds, such as anthocyanins, nitrates, and betalains (which gives beets their intense red color).

All of these have been shown to improve exercise performance and recovery, while reducing inflammation.5–9

Sure, you could supplement with all of these individually… or you could just enjoy them all together in the humble root vegetable we stole from someone’s grandmother’s garden* and sneaked into the Strawberry Vanilla flavor.

*Not really. We paid for it.

Cacao

Cacao doesn’t just make our Chocolate Banana Nut flavor taste awesome.

The polyphenol compounds in cacao have been shown to reduce exercise-induced oxidative stress, while compounds like methylxanthines can act as a nervous system stimulant, helping to lower fatigue and improve focus.10

Cocoa flavanols have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capacities, and can improve blood vessel function.11

Pomegranate

Pomegranate—found in our Strawberry Vanilla flavor—provides antioxidants and can reduce inflammation during and after exercise. It can also improve heart health during workouts, boost endurance and strength, and help you recover better after exercising.12

Bonus, we’ve saved you the time of picking out all those little red seeds.

Milk proteins

Good ol’ milk is the basis of whey and casein, which pack ADE with protein and are a natural part of the process of producing some dairy products like cheese.

The naturally occurring calcium, other minerals, and other health-promoting amino acids in whey and casein proteins support bone and muscle health and function.

Whey protein in particular is rich in essential amino acids like cysteine, leucine, valine, and isoleucine, as well as bioactive peptides. Whey proteins may also have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, blood pressure-lowering, anti-obesity, and appetite-suppressing effects.13

You get the idea.

There are literally hundreds of compounds that work together in whole foods to promote health, improve performance, and help you recover faster.

We don’t yet understand all that they do, but researchers keep finding that whole foods offer extra health benefits than isolated supplements.

That's why whole foods are the foundation for ADE.

We stuff in the most nutrients possible

“Empty calories” means energy without nutrients. Sure, you could function eating 5000 calories of sugary processed crap — but your performance, energy, and recovery will suck.

So, when designing All Day Energy (ADE), we wanted to provide you with the most nutrients possible through nutrient-dense foods.

Just like a rucksack stuffed full of your essential items, nutrient dense foods are packed full of essential nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, and other beneficial compounds.14,15

We created this food for special operators deployed to some of the most remote places in the world, first responders eating on the go, and backcountry mountaineers who had to pack every gram of food up a mountain before they could eat.

This meant that we had to get as much nutrition as possible into every gram. Every calorie earns its rent, giving you as many benefits as possible per unit of energy.

So what did we shove in there?

Protein

ADE is packed full of highly bioavailable protein, which means your body readily absorbs and uses it.

The whey-casein blend means it starts digesting quickly, but lasts a long time, giving you both a rapid response and sustained release of all the specific amino acids you need to build muscle, recover fast, and stay healthy.

We need protein to build and repair tissues. Protein also supports healthy aging and the immune system, and produces many of our hormones.16,17

When combined with carbohydrates — as in ADE’s formula — protein can immediately go to work repairing muscle tissue, reducing soreness, and replenishing glycogen stores, helping you recover to get back in the game and keep kicking ass.

We also know that high-performance people need to balance getting a lot of calories with maintaining a good body composition.18,19 (In other words, eating a lot without ending up looking like the Pillsbury Doughboy.)

Protein helps you stay lean while keeping valuable muscle.

By influencing appetite-regulating hormones, protein helps you feel full longer. This helps control hunger and cut down snack attacks. Protein takes more energy to digest than carbohydrates and fats, which also boosts metabolism and supports weight management.

Why not use a plant-based protein?

In recent years, “plant-based protein” products have surged in popularity. Many athletic products highlight this as a major benefit. It certainly is — if you’re a vegan.

For everyone else, there are better choices.20

Dairy-based proteins, like whey and casein, contain all essential amino acids in the right proportions and are easily absorbed by the body (aka more bioavailable).

In contrast, most plant-based proteins are less bioavailable, on average between 73%-47% as digestible compared to animal proteins. They also often lack key amino acids.

While combining different plant proteins, such as pea and rice, can improve their amino acid profile, they still don’t match the quality and bioavailability of dairy proteins.

Dairy-based proteins are more stringently tested for quality control during production and processing.

This helps minimize contamination, making dairy proteins a safer option for long-term consumption, especially for athletes and people who regularly consume protein supplements.

Conversely, many plant-based protein powders can contain higher levels of heavy metals like lead, arsenic, cadmium, and mercury, primarily because plants absorb these metals from the soil.

Indeed, a 2018 report by the Clean Label Project found that plant-based protein powders had, on average, twice the amount of heavy metals compared to dairy-based protein powders.

Although all proteins are analyzed before being included in commercial recipes, many analyses don’t test for heavy metal levels in plant proteins.

Specific plant-based proteins also have issues.

Raw pea protein has an unpleasant taste and texture, which resembles Elmer's glue when mixed with fluid. It needs a lot of industrial processing, including flavorants, trehalose masking, pH control, and encapsulation/hydrolysation to make it more palatable. Consequently, pea protein products typically fall into two categories: acceptable-but-expensive and cheap-but-terrible. This makes it challenging for small companies to formulate high-quality pea protein products.
Rice protein is often combined with pea protein to balance the amino acid profile and somewhat mask the flavors of both. However, rice protein still presents challenges, particularly its tendency to create a chalky texture when mixed with fluids.
Soy protein, although not as harmful as some sources claim, has a gritty texture, is a common allergen, and is less digestible. Again, not ideal.

Carbohydrates and performance

You don’t have the option to run out of gas. But without enough carbohydrates, you’ll feel about as energetic as a deflated balloon.

We need carbs for athletic performance, because they provide the main energy source during intense exercise.21

Along with muscle power, you need brain power too. High-stakes and high-performance roles demand focus, concentration, and attention.19

Without enough carbs, you’re dumber: Low carbohydrate levels can cause poor concentration, bad decision-making, and reduced coordination, none of which you — or the people who depend on you to stay sharp — can afford.18

Carbs keep your blood sugar steady, so you keep your “edge” and stay focused.

That’s why ADE packs a punch with wholesome carbs from whole-grain oats, dates, and a medley of fruits like apples, bananas, strawberries, and pomegranates to keep you energized and ready to conquer.

With ADE’s perfect blend of fast-digesting and slow-digesting carbs, you get quick energy when you need it—plus a steady supply to keep you going strong and staying smart for hours.

Balancing fatty acids

Fats make up a key part of the membrane of every cell in your body, plus other important stuff like your brain and many hormones (think: testosterone).

But not just any old fats will do: We need to balance different types of fatty acids to stay healthy, keep our hormones happy, and avoid chronic diseases.

ADE has created a specialized blend of fatty acids that perfectly balances the fatty acids you need.

We use whole food sources of healthy fats like:

grass-fed butter, coconut oil, and MCT oil for saturated fats;22–25
tiger nuts for monounsaturated fats;26,27 and
walnuts and pumpkin seeds for polyunsaturated fats.28–31

Micronutrients and nutrient diversity

When it comes to nutrition, you probably know about macros — your proteins, carbs, and fats.

But how are your micros?

Micronutrients are all the little nutrients most people don’t think about — vitamins, minerals, and other compounds like antioxidants and phytonutrients — but which are crucial for health.

ADE’s nutrient diversity from whole foods ensures you get a comprehensive array of micronutrients alongside the macros you need for health, recovery, and performance.

These include whole foods that provide:

Rich sources of vitamins C, A, and several B vitamins, which are crucial for immune function, energy metabolism, and cellular health.
Minerals like calcium, magnesium, and potassium, vital for bone health, muscle function, and electrolyte balance.
Phytonutrients like the polyphenols in pomegranate: ellagitannins and anthocyanins with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties to reduce oxidative stress and inflammation. Ellagitannins convert to urolithin A, which promotes mitophagy, the recycling of damaged mitochondria, essential for cellular health.

The whole foods in ADE contain a wide array of micronutrients, ensuring that by eating a variety of real foods, you’re taking care of your body’s nutritional needs.

We help you crush hunger

When you’re out in the field or on the trail, you don’t want to be distracted by hunger. But you don’t want to eat a big meal that weighs you down, either.

The solution:

Hack your satiety with the right blend of nutrition.

ADE’s blend of protein, fatty acids, and fiber help influence several gut and brain hormones that regulate fullness.
Fat enhances satiety by slowing gastric emptying.
Fiber adds bulk, helps balance blood sugar by slowing digestion, and also helps you feel full longer.
Prebiotic resistant starch from green banana flour supports gut health by feeding beneficial gut bacteria that produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), further boosting satiety.32,33

The result? You get the nutrients you need to power through your day, keep hunger at bay, and feel light and energized.

But it’s not just about nutrients—it’s also about the experience of eating.

When you only drink liquids for a while, you might start to crave the act of chewing, even if you’re getting enough calories from things like protein shakes.

Chewing is the first step in digestion and helps you feel full and absorb nutrients better. Chef Jen, who creates our ADE recipes, focuses on texture and makes sure every recipe includes something crunchy that requires chewing.

This makes ADE delicious and enjoyable to eat, while also helping manage your hunger throughout the day.

We respect and feed the microbiome

Your microbiome is a complex community of microorganisms in your digestive tract that plays a vital role in your health.34–37

It includes bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other microbes working together with the structure of our gut (like the mucosal lining, which protects the gut wall, and the submucosal plexus, a nerve network that closely interacts with the immune system).

Gut health, and a thriving microbiome, isn’t just about avoiding indigestion or having good poops — though we all appreciate that. When you’re pushing yourself to the limit, and working in locations where the food and water may not always be squeaky-clean, you’ll appreciate having a robust microbiome that can aggressively defend you against pathogens.

The microbiome also interacts with our central nervous system via the gut-brain axis, a sophisticated communication network connecting our gastrointestinal tract, hormonal (endocrine), nervous, and immune systems.

The gut-brain axis affects many bodily functions, including our mood and cognitive function, stress response, and appetite. The gut microbiome also produces metabolites and neurotransmitters, like serotonin and GABA, that affect brain function and mental health.

A balanced microbiome can enhance cognitive function, improve mental health, and reduce anxiety and depression.

One of the best ways to keep our microbiome on point is with our diet.

Fiber-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains promote the growth of beneficial bacteria that produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) such as butyrate, which nourish gut cells and reduce inflammation.

ADE (All Day Energy) supports gut health and function by providing ingredients that nourish beneficial gut bacteria, including a variety of fibers and starches from whole foods to support gut health and overall well-being.

Prebiotic fibers in tiger nuts and green banana flour feed these bacteria, promoting their growth.
Fiber adds bulk to stool, promoting regular bowel movements and preventing constipation.
Resistant starches in ADE produce SCFAs like butyrate, which have anti-inflammatory properties and support gut health. It also acts as a prebiotic, stimulating beneficial gut bacteria like Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli.

By fostering a healthy microbiome, ADE helps maintain the gut-brain axis, supporting overall mental and physical well-being.

Each ADE meal has at least 10 g of fiber, from at least four different sources. This is as much as the average American eats in an entire day.

We don’t use “natural” or artificial flavorings

"Natural" and artificial flavors are widely used in the food industry to boost the taste and aroma of products.

Natural flavors come from substances found in nature, like fruits, vegetables, and animal products. However, they’re still highly processed, and may include solvents and preservatives to stay stable.

Artificial flavors are chemically created to mimic natural flavors. Made through complex chemical reactions, they don't necessarily come from natural sources, although some are molecularly identical to natural flavors.

Both types of flavors can be highly processed and may include additives that some consumers prefer to avoid.

Our commitment to pure ingredients

We don’t use natural or artificial flavors in our products.

Why not?

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it: Why introduce additives if we don’t have to?
It tastes real: Nothing tastes more like chocolate than actual cocoa.
We believe in eating this way: Whole-food ingredients without adding flavorings — let the food speak for itself.

We believe in transparency and simplicity in our ingredient list. You get the pure, natural taste of our whole-food ingredients.

What you see is what you get.

That said, we do like one little culinary trick…

Allulose: a sweet alternative

Allulose is a rare, naturally occurring sugar (found in small amounts in foods like figs and raisins) gaining popularity for its unique properties and potential health benefits.

It’s a simple sugar like fructose and glucose, but with a different structure that gives it distinct characteristics.

We can’t break down allulose for energy as well as most sugar, meaning that it adds a sweet taste with a lot fewer calories and barely affects blood sugar and insulin levels.

Allulose is about 70% as sweet as table sugar, but provides only 0.2 to 0.4 calories per gram, compared to 4 calories per gram for regular sugar. Beyond its low-calorie profile, it may improve insulin sensitivity, reduce fat accumulation, and promote weight loss. Plus, it doesn't cause tooth decay, because oral bacteria don’t ferment it.

Allulose also stimulates the release of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), a hormone that enhances insulin secretion, inhibits glucagon release, slows gastric emptying, and promotes feelings of fullness.38

This can be particularly useful for managing diabetes and body weight.

Because of these benefits, we use a pinch of allulose in some ADE recipes to achieve the right flavor without the drawbacks of refined sugar.

We have “added sugars” — just not much

“Added sugars” on a nutrition label means sugar was added during processing or preparation, not sugars naturally found in the ingredients.

Added sugars include refined sugars like sucrose or dextrose, sugars from syrups and honey, and sugars from concentrated fruit or vegetable juices that exceed the natural sugar content of 100% juice.

These added sugars are listed separately on labels to help consumers differentiate between naturally occurring sugars and those added during manufacturing. But some manufacturers exploit this by filling products with empty carbohydrates while claiming “no added sugar.”

Now, let’s be real.

Nobody wants food that tastes like wet cardboard.

When all you have to look forward to some days is a decent meal, our products have to deliver.

So, we often need a little sugar for flavor and texture.

All of the sugar in our ADE products comes from dried, powdered dates, which the FDA considers an added sugar in this form.

This is the only source of added sugars in our products, ensuring that the sweetness comes from natural, whole-food sources.

We do not formulate with “superfoods” because they are ridiculous

Have you heard of “megafoods” or “omnifoods”?

No, because they’re nonsense concepts we just made up. They make as much sense as “superfoods.”

We appreciate straight talk and we bet you do too.

So let’s cut the crap.

The term “superfood” has no scientific basis.

It’s a marketing creation, not a term used by nutritionists or researchers.

Marketers use it to brand certain foods as if they have special, almost magical powers.

Whether it’s a rare seaweed lovingly harvested by trained octopuses, or a berry that only grows on one tree in the jungle, marketers like to claim that exotic ingredients from far-off places have extraordinary health benefits.

But there’s no rigorous scientific evidence to back these claims.

“Superfoods” might be healthy, but they’re not magical. They’re also expensive, whereas ingredients like corn syrup are much cheaper.

From a production standpoint, superfoods can be hard to source reliably. This reality leads to “fairy dusting,” where companies add just enough of an expensive ingredient to claim its benefits on the label. Consumers end up paying too much for a minuscule amount of something like elderberry.

Superfood claims oversimplify complex nutritional science and ignore the benefits of eating a diverse array of whole foods.

Labeling products as superfoods is misleading because no single food can provide all the nutrients needed for optimal health.

Our approach: Real. Good. Foods.

We don’t sell or promote superfoods because we don’t like telling lies.

Superfoods don’t exist within the framework of evidence-based nutrition.

Instead, we focus on providing well-rounded, nutrient-dense meals made from a variety of whole-food ingredients.

The science is complex, but the take-home is simple: Eat a balanced diet rich in a wide variety of nutrients, rather than relying on single magic foods that supposedly transform your health.

Skip the superfood hype and choose a balanced diet — including the real-food ingredients in ADE — to truly support your health and performance.