What is protein Powder?
Protein powder is a popular nutritional supplement. Protein is an essential macro-nutrient that helps build muscle, repair tissue, and make enzymes and hormones. It would be comparable to drying out a chicken breast, grinding it up into a powder and putting it in a smoothie... Although protein powder usually tastes better then dried chicken.
What are some different types of protein powder?
The two most common types of protein powder are vegan (all plant based), whey and casein powder (made from milk).
What should I look for in a protein powder?
Whether you choose plant or dairy based powder there are a few things you should keep in mind.
1. There should be no artificial sweeteners. They are no good for you and definitely should not be something that you consumed on a regular basis.
2. It should have minimal carbs and fat. The less carbs and fat per serving and the more protein the better. This means you are paying for the protein rather then the fillers.
3. The ingredient list should be minimal. The fewer the ingredients the less fillers that have been added. A good indication of the amount of fillers is the size of the scoop, the smaller the scoop and higher the grams of protein the better.
4.Don't cheap out... you get what you pay for!
Who would benefit from supplementing with protein powder?
No one needs to take protein powder but there are some people who could benefit from using it.
1. If you're not a meat eater or don't consume animal products
2. If you go more then 4 hours between meals
3. If you don't consume many high protein foods
4. If you train hard
5. If you struggle to eat on a regular basis
What protein powder won't do for you.
It is not a magical product that will help you lose weight. It is not steroids and it will not make large or super strong. Protein powder put simply will only increase your protein intake.
It is also not a good idea to replace a full meal with just protein powder since it is very low in calories and most nutrients.
What are the side effects of protein powder?
Beside some people having allergies or very slight reactions to the ingredients in the powder there are no other know side effects.
What some amazing types of protein powder?
My favorite types of protein powder are Vega which is all plant based and most recently
Diesel and Perfect Whey protein by Perfect Sports. Both are sweetened with stevia and have minimal ingredients.
What are some ways you can use protein powder?
Mix it in water for a snack or post-workout replenishment
Add to a smoothie to boost your protein intake
Add to baked goods
Mix with yogurt
There is no limit!