Meal replacement powders are nothing new in the supplement industry, but nearly all of them consist of inferior ingredients, lack nutritional value, and wouldn’t even come close to being as good as whole foods. And no wonder — they’re often just low quality protein powder along with some cheap maltodextrin sprinkled in. If you’re getting protein and carbs, isn’t that close enough? Well, we hate to break it to you, but that’s far from ideal, not only for performance but also for overall health.
A proper meal should contain carbs from whole foods, a decent dose of fiber, high quality protein, and healthy fats in order to get a good balance of micro- and macronutrients. But in addition to all of that, including vitamins and minerals is essential in order to call it a true meal replacement. Although protein powders are great, if you just drink that all day long, we can ensure you’ll develop several micronutrient deficiencies.
We always recommend getting in a whole food meal anytime you can, but when you’re busy, on the go, can’t make it to the grocery store, or just don’t feel like cooking, then we have good news for you! Seth Feroce and Axe & Sledge are here to save the day with Home Made, a superior meal replacement powder.
Introducing Home Made From Axe & Sledge: A Premium Whole Food Meal Replacement Powder
Seth Feroce, the main driving force behind Axe & Sledge, never compromises quality for cost. If he wouldn’t use the product himself, then he wouldn’t expect anyone else to do the same. When Team PricePlow heard they were coming out with a whole food based meal replacement, we were beyond excited. We knew Axe & Sledge was going to do things the right way or not do anything at all – especially after seeing Seth work his magic with their Farm Fed protein powder.
If you’ve ever watched any of Seth’s YouTube videos about nutrition, you know he doesn’t mess around with highly processed, low nutrient foods. In order to sustain a lean, muscular, and healthy physique, nutrition cannot be overlooked. The training can only take you so far, but with the right diet, you can reach your health and fitness goals with greater ease. Most people understand the importance of good nutrition, but we all have extremely busy lives that can make it challenging to always stay on track.
Hard workers are busy. Let Seth and crew lighten the load on occasion
Seth is also extremely busy, running multiple companies, crushing intense workouts, being a family man, and giving his followers priceless content. And just like everybody else, Seth doesn’t always have time to eat his famous chicken n’ rice! Before Axe & Sledge even started, he always wanted to formulate a meal replacement powder that had no junk and could adequately provide the right nutrients in the optimal amounts to fuel health and performance.
So after Axe & Sledge launched and their hard-working customers requested it, they spent months formulating a premium whole food meal replacement that would crush any competitors’. Transparency, quality, and grit is what truly separates Axe & Sledge from other companies. They were ready to take meal replacements to the next level and Home Made absolutely killed it!
In this post, we outline how to properly use Home Made, what makes the formula unrivaled, and explain the key benefits of a meal replacement! But before we do, make sure to sign up to Axe & Sledge news and deal alerts because these hard working MFers’ are not slowing down any time soon!
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Watch Seth Feroce himself whip up a Home Made meal!
Home Made Macronutrients and Micronutrients
On top of using quality ingredients, Home Made’s macronutrient breakdown is phenomenal. It’s perfectly balanced, which is just what we expected from Axe & Sledge. They didn’t stop there, Home Made also has some key micronutrients, which is what really makes this a well rounded meal replacement.
Despite the myth that macros are the only thing that matter, micronutrients are essential for health and performance. So you can be confident, Axe & Sledge is giving you the best meal replacement they could formulate with Home Made!
Home Made: A Well Balanced Macronutrient Profile
Before we go over the macros, it’s important to note that your definition of a meal may vary depending on what diet you follow. This one’s definitely geared towards higher-carb dieters!
The profile inside is what helped build Seth’s incredible physique over the years, because carbs are his primary source of glycolytic fuel and are crucial for adding serious mass and fueling performance. In summary, if you’re lean enough and hammer it hard enough, don’t be afraid of the carbs, especially when they come from high quality whole food sources, like what’s included in Home Made.
A high-protein replacement!
Home Made has nearly a 1:1 ratio of protein to carbs, so even if you cut the serving size in half, you’re still getting a great dose of protein! The main perk to having such a balanced macronutrient profile is that it’s extremely versatile and allows you to adjust the serving size based on your needs and calorie requirements.
Here’s what one serving (118g) of Axe & Sledge Home Made has to offer:
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Calories: 420
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Protein: 48g
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Carbs: 46g
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Fiber: 10g
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Sugars: 3g
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Fat: 6g
Compared to any other meal replacement powder, those macronutrients are some of the best we’ve seen. You’re getting a high amount of protein and fiber to help keep you full for longer and curb your appetite. Plus it contains only 3g of sugar, which is insane considering how good it tastes!
Nutrient Density: What Makes Home Made Stand Out!
We knew Axe & Sledge weren’t messing around with sloppy macros when we heard they were formulating a premium meal replacement. But what else does Home Made provide? As we previously discussed, a whole food meal provides a lot more than just carbs, fats, proteins, and calories. A nutrient-dense meal supplies essential vitamins and minerals that help our bodies function on all cylinders.
With other companies’ “meal replacements”, they’re often just “empty calories”, meaning they don’t offer very much beyond some protein, carbs, and fats. With Axe & Sledge, you won’t have to worry about that.
Here are some key vitamins and minerals you’ll get from one serving of Home Made:
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Vitamin A – 4,512 IU (90% DV)
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Calcium – 234mg (24% DV)
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Iron – 4mg (22% DV)
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Magnesium – 50mg (12% DV)
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Sodium – 300mg (13% DV)
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Potassium – 536mg (15% DV)
Here’s the kicker – instead of just adding a cheap vitamin and mineral blend, Axe & Sledge wanted to have all the micronutrients come from whole foods. For example, Home Made contains a large amount of vitamin A, thanks to the sweet potato. And the combination of various protein sources each have their own unique nutrients and minerals beyond providing protein. We’re big fans of what Axe & Sledge decided to do with the formula for Home Made.
Home Made Ingredients
Now let’s get into what makes Home Made a premium meal replacement. The supplement facts panel says it all, and we’re going to help you break it down.
But before we dive into the ingredients that make up the formula, let’s quickly explain what’s the proper way to read a label. This skill will not only help you get a better understanding of Home Made, it will also give you the ability to decide if a supplement or food product is worth buying.
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Supplement/Nutrition Facts Panel 101
We’re going to focus on here is the list of ingredients down at the very bottom. A large majority of people either don’t look at the nutrition facts panel at all or if they do, only glance at the macronutrients. They’re completely missing one of the most important parts of a label, the ingredient list. It can tell you a lot about a product, which is what we’re going to cover with Home Made as an example!
As you can see from the ingredient list, Home Made has whole grain oat flour listed first and organic chicken bone broth listed last. Right away this tells us that whole grain oat flour has the highest content by weight, whereas chicken bone broth has the least content by weight. It’s required for companies in the supplement and food industry to list ingredients in descending order.
With Home Made, you can tell that the majority of carbs come from oats, which are a fantastic carb source. If you ever look at other meal replacements or even mass gainers that contain a ton of carbs, the first thing they will typically list is maltodextrin (or “glucose polymers”)… effectively sugar.
What’s wrong with that? Maltodextrin is extremely cheap, lacks micronutrients, and digests rapidly, which can cause a huge insulin spike, quickly followed by a crash. Instead of making a large margin on Home Made, Axe & Sledge decided to go for a more expensive, yet nutrient-dense carb source.
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Transparent Labels vs Proprietary Blends
You may have seen other supplements that have fully transparent labels, such as pre workouts, proteins, or aminos where they list exactly how many grams of each ingredient is used.
However, for a meal replacement, that’s extremely rare, and nearly all of these supplements are proprietary blends. Meaning, they do not list the exact amount of each ingredient on the label, and may change from batch to batch as it suits the brand and manufacturer.
Therefore, it’s crucial to understand how you can read a label to determine if a product is worth buying. Axe & Sledge has several products that are transparently dosed, because they have nothing to hide. But with Home Made being such a unique formula, they wanted to protect it from competitors. Between you and us, PricePlow has seen the full ingredient breakdown of Home Made, and all we can say is that you have nothing to worry about with Home Made!
Now let’s get into the ingredients which make Home Made a premium whole food meal replacement that will remind you of being in Grandma’s kitchen.
Ingredient Breakdown: Hard Work Requires Superior Fuel
In order to keep this as simple as possible, we’re going to break up the ingredients into protein, carbs, and fat sources, so you can get a good idea of what’s providing each macronutrient! We’re also going to cover why Axe & Sledge is big on including digestive enzymes in all their protein powders.
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Protein – Home Made Protein Recipe (Whey Protein Isolate, Whey Protein Concentrate, Brown Rice Protein, Egg White Powder, Beef Protein, Pea Protein, and Chicken Bone Broth)
Although Axe & Sledge does not list the exact amounts of each protein source included, you can tell from the label that the majority of the blend is composed of whey protein. They decided to make a combination of whey protein isolate and concentrate the main star of the show, and for a good reason!
Whey protein has a complete amino acid profile, is rich in the essential amino acid leucine (which helps stimulate muscle protein synthesis), and has an amazing protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score (PDCAAs).[1] This means the body is able to absorb and digest the protein very well, which will help you get more out of it.
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Whey Protein Isolate (WPI)
Whey protein isolate (WPI) is listed first, which tells us that it makes up the largest percentage of the blend. WPI is at minimum 90% protein by weight, contains very little carbs, fats, sugars, or lactose. It also digests very rapidly, which is why it’s one of the most popular protein sources for post workout. Axe & Sledge even has a product called Farm Fed that only contains 100% grass fed WPI, which helps kick start recovery after a brutal training session. Since Home Made has a combination of proteins, carbs, fiber, and fats the WPI’s digestion rate will slow down a bit, so that’s why it’s not the most ideal source for post workout.
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Whey Protein Concentrate (WPC)
WPC is another high quality protein – it’s less processed than WPI because it does not undergo additional steps to remove as much lactose, carbs, and fats. Therefore, WPC contains a bit more carbs, fats, and lactose, but it’s pretty minimal and offers other added benefits that WPI can’t offer.
WPC’s can range between 34%-80% protein by weight, and some companies will try to cut costs by blending different/cheaper WPCs together. You don’t have to worry about that with Home Made, because they only use 100% WPC-80, so it’s only 10% lower in protein than WPI, and yields a bit more.
As mentioned, WPI undergoes specific processing methods that remove as much unwanted carbs and fats as possible, but it does come with a cost. The additional processing also removes some of the beneficial lactoglobulins and immunoglobulins, which can help support the immune system.[2]
Thus, including both sources is very smart decision, because it allows you to keep the lactose content low and macros in check, while also giving you some added benefits the WPC has to offer!
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Various Protein Sources For More Gains
The rest of the protein blend is made up of a fairly even split of Brown Rice Protein, Egg White Powder, Beef Protein, Pea Protein, and Chicken Bone Broth. Although whey protein dominates the blend, the other protein sources were included because they each have their own unique amino acid profiles. All of the other proteins are still very high quality, digest at various speeds, and offer other benefits whey protein does not.
For example, beef protein has a higher amount of glycine and proline than the others, which help support joint health. So long as beef collagen is not the primary protein source (because those are not “anabolic” amino acids like the BCAAs in whey), this is a great thing! And egg white protein digests a bit slower than whey and has very high bioavailability, helping keep you satiated and your muscles fueled for longer. Home Made is all about ensuring that you’re getting a sufficient amount of macronutrients and micronutrients as a whole food meal would provide.
In summary, the majority of the 48g of protein coming from Home Made are supplied by two of the most anabolic sources on the market, WPI and WPC. On top of that, you get some added benefits from the various other sources that make up the Home Made Protein Recipe. As you’ll see, variety is key for an optimal nutrition plan!
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Carbs – Whole Grain Oat Powder, Sweet Potato, and Fibersol-2
Now let’s get into some muscle building carbs!
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The Importance of Fiber
The two main sources Home Made uses to supply 46g of carbs per serving, are whole grain oats and sweet potato. In addition to those two, which we will discuss down below, you get a generous dosage of fiber from Fibersol-2, a soluble corn fiber. Fibersol-2 is a GRAS (generally recognized as safe) certified substance that can be easily added to several food and supplement formulas.[3] At minimum, Fibersol-2 is 90% soluble dietary fiber,[3] which helps keep the digestive track running smoothly.
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Soluble vs insoluble fiber
The two primary sources of fiber that are important to consume for health are soluble and insoluble. They both contribute to digestive health in their own unique ways. Soluble fiber dissolves easily in water and forms a gel-like substance in the gut. Insoluble fiber doesn’t dissolve, and thus is said to remain intact as it flows through the digestive tract. Soluble fiber helps absorb water, adding bulk to your stool.
Although it depends on your caloric intake, the majority of people should aim for getting 25-35g of fiber per day from both insoluble and soluble fiber. With 10g per serving, Home Made helps you knock out a great chunk of your soluble fiber for the day!
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High Protein and Fiber Crush Your Appetite!
The combination of high protein and fiber can have a strong effect on reducing hunger, give you sustained energy, and crush that urge to reach for a candy bar mid-day.[4] Research shows people who take in a high fiber/high protein beverage leads to reduced hunger, desire to eat, and even resulted in less calories consumed for the remainder of the day.[4] That’s exactly what you want out of a meal replacement!
Home Made was formulated to give you a large amount of nutrients, at a fairly modest calorie count, to help crush your appetite for several hours. If you only consumed a protein shake, you most likely would be hungry within an hour, because the fiber and slow digesting carbs really slows everything down and keeps you satisfied.
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Benefits of Whole Grain Oats
Whole grain oats are an incredible whole food carb source that are rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber, and bioactive antioxidant plant compounds that contribute to several health benefits. For example, oats contain a fiber called β-glucan, which is responsible for the LDL cholesterol lowering effects seen with whole grain oat consumption.[5,6]
Oats also contain a phenolic compound known as avenanthramides, that have been shown to be anti-inflammatory, anti-itch, and enhance nitric oxide production.[7,8] Improved nitric oxide production results in increased blood flow via vasodilation of the blood vessels. These positive effects can also lead to improved heart health and lower risk of various cardiovascular conditions.[7,8]
As you can see, not only are oats a slower-digesting carb source that won’t spike insulin like maltodextrin or dextrose, but they also contain various other compounds that provide a host of health benefits.
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Benefits of Sweet Potatoes
The next whole food that makes up a large amount of the carbs in Home Made comes from sweet potatoes — staple food in any bodybuilder’s diet!
Sweet potatoes are also slow digesting, so they will not cause a large spike-and-crash of blood sugar and insulin. Like oats, they also contain a large amount of vitamins, minerals, and bioactive compounds that can improve health and performance.
Research shows sweet potatoes can help fight off free radical damage due to their high content of several powerful antioxidants, including beta-carotene, chlorogenic acid, and vitamin C.[9] Sweet potatoes are also rich in anthocyanins, a flavonoid that helps give them their color. But they also serves as antioxidants that express anticancer and antidiabetic effects.[10-12] In addition to all the antioxidants, sweet potatoes are an excellent source of vitamin A, which is crucial for eye and immune system health.[11]
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Fats – Medium Chain Triglycerides (as goMCT)
Fats are the next thing we’re going to cover with Home Made! A low to moderate dose of healthy fats, along with the fiber and protein, can also keep you fuller for longer.
Although the medium chain triglycerides (as goMCT) included in Home Made do not supply the full 6g of fat included in one serving, they’re really the only added fat source in the formula. The other ingredients that make up the majority of protein and carbs also contain trace sources of fats, but we’re just going to focus on the MCTs here.
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goMCT: The Superior Source of MCTs
goMCT was formulated from Compound Solutions, and it serves two purposes: add some healthy fats and give the powder a nice creamy consistency. MCTs or other creamers are commonly added to various protein based supplements to add thickness, creaminess, and improve the texture.
In general, MCTs are triglycerides with a glycerol backbone and three fatty acid chains, which can vary in length between 6-12 carbon atoms.[13-16] Due to MCT’s structure, they can be quickly shuttled to the liver and metabolized for energy.[17] There are four main types of MCTs that exist, caproic acid (C6), caprylic acid (C8), capric acid (C10), and lauric acid (C12).[13-16]
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Benefits of MCTs
Although they each have their own benefits, C8 and C10 are more readily used by the body, which is why those are the only two included in goMCT.[18] In addition, goMCT also contains prebiotic fiber called acacia, which also offers other positive effects on health[18] (the fiber is how the oil is turned into a powder). Research shows MCTs may be able to speed up your metabolism,[19] improve cognitive function,[20] suppress appetite,[21] and increase energy levels.[22]
Overall, this is a very solid addition to Home Made, although there’s not a huge amount of goMCT in the formula, it’s better then several other options. Axe & Sledge could have gone with a cheaper filler to create this same effect, but as we mentioned they are all about quality, so goMCT was definitely the top choice!
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Digestive Enzymes: DigeSEB (Amylases, Lactase, Protease, Lipase, and Cellulase)
The last major ingredient we’re going to cover is DigeSEB , a trademarked blend of four potent digestive enzymes: amylase, lactase, protease, lipase, and cellulase.
Ultimately, Axe & Sledge wanted to make sure you were getting the most out of every ingredient in Home Made by adding some digestive enzymes to prevent any gastric distress and aid absorption. If your body does not properly digest the nutrients, then you’ll likely feel bloated and gassy, nobody wants that!
Because this is a meal replacement that contains a good amount of carbs, proteins, fiber, and fats, Axe & Sledge included a digestive enzyme that works on each major nutrient.
Here’s an overview of what compound each enzyme helps to breakdown:
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Amylase: Starches (carbs)
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Protease: Proteins
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Cellulase: Cellulose (found in various types of plants)
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Lactase: Lactose (found in dairy products)
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Lipase: Lipids (fats)
With the premium whole food ingredients and blend of digestive enzymes, you should have no issues with Home Made. Axe & Sledge knows what they want out of a meal replacement, and that’s exactly what you got with this well balanced formula.
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Other Ingredients: Bring On That Home Cooked Meal Flavor!
We’ve covered all the main ingredients, but there are a few others that come together to create the rich flavor and consistency Home Made has to offer! We already mentioned the goMCT helps improve the mixability, taste, and texture.
In addition to that, a gum blend (gum acacia, guar gum, and xanthan gum) is included to thicken up the powder, so it’s more of a nice filling shake than a thin, watery drink. Natural flavors give Home Made that fresh out of the oven taste, and sucralose acts as the sweetener. Overall this is a very clean meal replacement, with no added junk.
Available Flavors
Axe & Sledge knows you’re not going to take something that tastes bad, and trust us, they really know how to flavor a product! If you’ve tried The Grind in the Whiskey and Cola flavor, you know Axe & Sledge stays true to what the label says the flavor is. Not to mention, Seth has a sweet tooth but doesn’t like too much sweetener, so having realistic-tasting products helps keep him on track.
Both flavors that first launched for Home Made were a major success, because they really deliver! Sweet potato pie tastes like it came straight from the bakery and double chocolate brownie has that shot of cocoa to deliver a rich flavor. More flavors are on the way, and we know they’re going to taste like a home cooked meal, straight from Seth Feroce’s kitchen!
Home Made: A Meal Replacement For The Hardest Workers In The Room
After reviewing the formula, assessing the macronutrients, micronutrients, and quality of the ingredients, this is one of the best meal replacements we’ve seen in a long time. Meal replacements tend to get a bad rap because of how far off they are from providing the proper nutrients your body actually needs. There’s a huge difference between a protein powder with some cheap carbs added in — or “gelatin” masquerading as muscle-building protein — and an actual meal replacement.
Despite the myth that the supplement industry is saturated, there’s still a huge market for premium companies like Axe & Sledge who are dedicated to quality. They saw a huge gap in the meal replacement supplement category, and they made sure to properly fill it. Axe & Sledge is dedicated to working as hard as you do, they don’t cut costs, look for shortcuts, or put out any product that they wouldn’t use themselves. Not Seth – not ever.
We’re thrilled to be a part of their journey and here to educate the hardworking consumer that can greatly benefit from all the supplements they have to offer. Home Made is just a glimpse of what Axe & Sledge is capable of, they’re ready to expand the line even further to give their customers even more options. So stay tuned for more reviews, formula breakdowns, and exclusive deals from the powerhouse that is Axe & Sledge.
Axe & Sledge Home Made – Deals and Price Drop Alerts
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