Best Protein Powders

Whatever your exercise goal is, protein can most likely help. As one of the three essential macronutrients alongside carbohydrates and fat, we need protein to function. Protein helps rebuild and repair our body tissues, improves immune function, and drives our metabolic processes.

If you need to boost your daily intake, you can’t go wrong with protein powder. It contains mainly protein, is easy to use, and offers several versatile benefits. Because of this, it’s one of the most widely consumed supplements in the world. Some studies even claim that 80% of their participants reported using it.

Benefits Of Protein Powders

Protein is an essential macronutrient, meaning that your body can’t produce enough to meet its needs. You don’t need to use protein powder for this. However, the convenience and excellent nutritional profile make it a worthwhile investment.

Below are the main benefits of using protein powders.

Improves Muscle Building And Recovery

Protein is an essential macronutrient, meaning we need to intake large amounts via our diet for proper functioning. Current recommendations suggest a daily intake of 0.64–0.91 grams per pound of body weight. Higher intakes of 1.04–1.41 grams per pound of body weight are suggested for resistance-trained individuals.

Protein provides the essential amino acids (organic compounds) that join together to form muscle tissue. Adequate protein intake following resistance exercise allows our body to rebuild and repair damaged muscle fibers (single muscle cells). This ensures efficient muscle growth and repair following exercise.

Without sufficient protein intake, both muscle growth and muscle recovery are severely slowed. Protein powders provide a convenient protein source that can be used to improve both these processes.

Supports Weight Loss

Successful weight loss requires an energy deficit. This means that you need to expend (burn) more calories than you consume. Part of this involves the quality of your dietary intake and meal timing (when you eat different foods).

The thermic effect of food or TEF refers to the energy needed to digest and absorb food following a meal. The TEF is increased with larger meal sizes consisting of protein and carbohydrates. This is when compared to smaller meals and low-fat, plant-based diets. Alongside this, muscle burns more calories than fat tissue when resting and exercising.

Both of these factors mean that a high protein intake can increase energy expenditure and support weight loss. Increasing your protein intake using protein powder is a great way to do this.

Versatile And Easy To Store

Protein powders offer several versatile uses. You can mix them with water or milk, or add them to your favorite recipe. Furthermore, they can be mixed into smoothies, oatmeal, coffee, baked goods, and even soups. If you pick the right flavor, the opportunities are endless.

While protein powder doesn’t last forever, it can last a long time if correctly stored. All you need to do is keep it out of direct sunlight with the lid properly sealed.

Convenient To Use

Consuming a high daily protein intake isn’t as simple as it seems. It requires you to prepare, cook, and then eat the protein source. This can get tiresome with high protein requirements and often means sacrificing a lot of time.

Protein powders shouldn’t replace your dietary intake. However, they can be used as a readily accessible protein source.

All you need to do is mix the powder and drink it. Whether you use them as part of your daily bodybuilding routine or general intake, their convenience is a huge benefit.

Potential Side Effects

Generally speaking, protein powder is considered safe to use when following the suggested dose. This is also the case when considering the best creatine options. However, too much of a good thing can be bad in some situations.

These are the main side effects to bear in mind when using it:

• Dehydration.
• Bone disorders.
• Digestive discomfort (Bloating, gas, constipation).
• Kidney stress (Mainly in kidney disease).
• Bad breath (If following a keto diet with limited carbohydrates).
• Nutrient imbalances (If neglecting other nutrients).

Most of these side effects relate to specific situations rather than the effect of protein powder itself. Always consult a trained professional if you’re unsure of your potential risks.

How To Choose The Best Protein Powder

With thousands of brands to choose from using different ingredient formulations, it’s hard to know where to start. However, considering these main factors when deciding is a good place to start. Here’s what to bear in mind when choosing the best protein powder for your exercise needs.

Protein Content And Type

Generally speaking, look for a protein powder that offers at least 20 grams of protein per serving. This would be around the minimum suggested amount per meal. However, this also depends on your intake of other macronutrients, such as carbohydrates and fat.

Different protein powder types have varying amino acid profiles and digestion rates. This influences the overall protein quality and the effect on the body. These are the main ones:

• Whey Protein — This can be split into whey isolate, concentrate, and hydrolysate. Whey tends to be the most popular source as it is rapidly digested and high in essential amino acids.
• Casein Protein — This digests slowly, providing a sustained amino acid release. Therefore, it is commonly taken before bed to support muscle maintenance.
• Soy Protein — This is a plant-based protein source that comes from soybeans. It offers a great protein source for vegans and vegetarians but contains fewer essential amino acids.
• Pea Protein — This is another plant-based protein source that comes from split peas. It’s easily digestible and good for those who are sensitive to soy.

Carbohydrate And Fat Content

Carbohydrates and fat are also essential macronutrients. This means that your body requires them from your diet in large amounts. However, the primary goal of a protein powder is to provide a large protein source.

Consider the overall carbohydrate and fat content of your chosen protein powder. Ideally, these should be present in small amounts. Furthermore, a powder with more carbohydrates and fat will likely contain more calories.

Label Transparency And Third-Party Testing

Label transparency refers to the brand providing clear information on what’s present in their protein powder. This includes information about the ingredient types, amounts, production methods, and overall nutritional content.

Choosing a protein powder with good label transparency means you know exactly what’s in it. This allows you to make an informed decision about what you’re taking.

The Food and Drug Administration or FDA doesn’t regulate protein powder supplements. Therefore, they can’t ensure that the protein powder contains what it states on the label.

Look for protein powders that have undergone third-party testing. This means that an independent laboratory has analyzed the protein to check for quality and the presence of unwanted substances. This is especially important for tested athletes who cannot consume banned substances.

If a protein powder is third-party tested, the tub or pouch should have the stamp of the testing organization. Highly respected organizations to look out for include Informed Choice, Informed Sport, and Labdoor.

This is also an important factor to consider when choosing other supplements. We’ve discussed our best pre-workout options in a separate article.

Flavors And Taste

Available flavors and reported taste are not the most important considerations when it comes to purchasing protein powder. However, they’re worth considering.

A protein powder that offers a range of flavors means that you have more options to choose from. With this, you can choose a flavor you like, which may help you to consume the powder long-term. Furthermore, check if the brand offers an unflavored version if you want to mix it with other ingredients.

Most user reviews discuss the different flavors and how they taste. Read through these before purchasing to see if the flavors taste as advertised.

Value For Money

This refers to the cost per scoop or suggested dose. Most of the time, this is based on the amount and quality of the main ingredients used.

Look at the different supplement formulations and compare these to the price per serving. This allows you to decide whether or not the protein powder offers good value for money.

Conclusion

There’s no denying the power of protein and the benefits it can offer. While you might not necessarily need protein powder, it’s certainly worth including in your supplement routine.