Type Of Protein Powder Used
When looking at these protein powders we took into account the types of protein powders used. This is important as each protein powder has different absorption rates. For example, whey protein is absorbed quickly by the body while casein protein is a slow-releasing protein.
Whey protein is ideal to take post-workout as it provides a quick shot of amino acids to your muscles. Casein protein is perfect to take before bed as it prevents muscle tissue breakdown overnight. Egg protein and plant-based protein are also options to consider if you have allergies or intolerances.
How To Use Protein Powder The Right Way
As with any dietary supplement, you should be aware of the correct dosages and ways to use protein powders. The first thing to know is that you should always consult your doctor/medical professional before consuming these products.
Protein powders generally arent recommended for individuals under 18 years old or pregnant/breastfeeding individuals. Its also possible for them to have ingredients/additives that could cause an allergic reaction or interfere with other medications.
Beyond this advice, though, you should also be aware of your dosage. Protein powder shouldnt be used to replace medical treatment, regular meals, or other nutrients you need from food. Its merely intended to get used as a dietary supplement.
Its also possible to use too much protein powder in your diet. You shouldnt exceed the recommended dose for your sex and caloric intake.
Additionally, there are a few tips to help you use protein powder the right way to get optimal benefits:
Who Shouldnt Buy Huge Supplements Whey Protein
- Anyone looking for a whey isolate will want to look at other options on the market as this is a whey concentrate.
- Those who are on a vegan diet will want to look for vegan protein options.
- If you prefer an unflavored protein powder for stacked mixing, youll have to look elsewhere.
Huge Supplements created a protein powder that is not only objectively delicious , but also packs in a solid dose of protein to make sure youre hitting your protein goals and maximizing potential muscle gains.
Don’t Miss: What Is The Best Protein To Eat
Is Whey Protein Powder Safe For Consumption
You should always check with your healthcare professional before you significantly increase your protein intake. It is because people with certain ailments like low blood pressure or calcium deficiencies are susceptible to facing adverse effects of whey protein.
Looking for an NSF Certified for Sport or Informed Choice label will help you in determining the products testing and safety. However, it does depict that untested proteins are of subpar quality. You can ensure the safety of a third-party lab-tested whey protein by checking the ingredient label.
Getting Enough Protein Is Only Part Of The Equation
Its important to remember that getting enough protein is only part of the equation for building muscle. Here are a few other things you need to do for optimal muscle growth:
- Eat enough calories: You need to eat enough calories to support your bodys needs, including muscle growth. Conversely, eating too few calories can lead to muscle loss, so be sure to consume enough of the right foods.
- Exercise regularly: Strength-training exercises are essential for building muscle. Be sure to include a variety of activities, and dont forget to give your muscles time to rest and recover between workouts.
- Get enough sleep: Sleep is vital for overall health and well-being and critical for muscle growth. Conversely, lack of sleep can lead to muscle loss, so get enough rest.
- Drink enough water: Staying hydrated is important for overall health and necessary for muscle growth. Be sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day.
- Take supplements: Certain supplements can help you build muscle, including protein powder, creatine, and testosterone boosters.
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Body Fortress Super Advanced Whey Highlights
At a glance, the Body Fortress Super Advanced Whey checks all the main boxes required of a reliable protein supplement. It contains a decent amount of protein, calories, and a small amount of creatine in each serving.
The modest price is also an attractive feature at only $33.88 for a five-pound tub on Amazon, Body Fortress offers a nearly unmatched price-per-scoop of whey. Before you commit, lets have a look at who this product might be best for.
Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey
- Flavors: banana cream, chocolate coconut, chocolate hazelnut, chocolate malt, chocolate mint, coffee, delicious strawberry, double rich chocolate, French vanilla, rocky road, strawberry banana, white chocolate, unflavored
For those looking to limit their daily carb intake, Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey is one of the best options.
The protein powder provides the same high quality whey protein isolate as other protein powders, but with just 24 grams of carbs per serving, depending on the flavor you choose.
Whats more, Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Why Protein is produced in a CGMP-certified facility and is Informed Choice certified.
The product also has more than 83,000 mostly positive reviews, with satisfied customers appreciating its great taste and low sugar content.
Just keep in mind that this powder contains sucralose, an artificial sweetener that some people may prefer to avoid.
Nutrition facts per 1 scoop of the chocolate malt flavor :
- Calories: 120
- Flavors: creamy chocolate, creamy vanilla, unflavored
While whey is one of the most popular types of protein powder, its not the only option.
Egg white protein powders are an excellent alternative for people who need or want to avoid dairy products.
This protein powder contains xylitol, a sugar alcohol that may cause some bloating and discomfort in some individuals (
- Price: $$$$
- Flavors: sweet vanilla, chocolate glazed donut
Nutrition facts per 2 scoops of the sweet vanilla flavor :
- Calories: 760
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Best Vegan Protein Powder: Vega One Organic All
- ââNutritionâ âper 1-scoop serving:â 140 calories, 3.5 g total fat, 10 grams carbohydrates, 1 g sugar, 210 mg sodium, 20 g proteinââ
- âAvailable flavors:â Berry, Mocha, Plain Unsweetened, French Vanilla, Chocolate Mint, Coconut Almond, Chocolate
This Non-GMO Project Verified protein powder is made from pea, sunflower seed and pumpkin seed protein, providing 20 grams of protein and all nine essential amino acids.
“Vega is a company that has vegetarians and vegans in mind, so many of their products contain essential nutrients that vegans and vegetarians may miss in their diets like iron and vitamin D,” says Cassie Christopher, RD, founder of Stress Less Weight Mastery. That’s the case for this protein powder, which contains 30 percent of your daily value of iron and 50 percent of your DV of vitamin D.
The raw ingredients in Vega products are inspected per GMP. The French Vanilla flavor of the Vega One protein powder is approved by ConsumerLab. Bonus: This non-dairy protein powder comes in many different flavors, which is great for anyone who is taste-sensitive or wants a little diversity in their diet.
ââBuy itâ: Walmart.com ââPriceâ: $49.99
Natural Ingredients To Look For
The best protein powders for weight loss will be made with all-natural ingredients such as whey protein is an inexpensive ingredient that provides many health benefits. It can promote weight loss by suppressing your appetite and boosting metabolism. Whey protein can also increase lean muscle mass which helps burn more calories, even while resting.
There are few side effects of using whey protein but some people are allergic to milk or lactose intolerant so they should use vegan protein powder or a different type of protein.
Other ingredients to look for in the best weight loss powders are organic chia seed, coconut sugar, and organic ground flaxseed.
Chia seeds contain digestive enzymes that make your body absorb nutrients faster. They also help you feel full longer which can reduce cravings and prevent overeating.
Coconut sugar has a low glycemic index so it does not cause extreme blood sugar spikes that can lead to storage of body fat.
Ground flaxseed is high in fiber which curbs your appetite and boosts your metabolism, both of which are crucial for weight loss.
Read the label before buying any type of protein powder. Protein powders are not all created equally so it is important to look for healthful ingredients that can benefit your body and promote weight loss goals.
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Plant Vs Animal Protein
For the purposes of this blog, animal protein refers to protein derived from animals, including meat, and whey protein a byproduct of the cheese-making process, typically found in powder form.
After much research, I cannot find any study that proves a major difference between animal and plant protein in terms of their effectiveness for weight gain and increased muscle mass. This would make sense because protein from meat comes from cows who eat grass and grains. Whey protein comes from dairy, and those cows eat the same grass and grains. Everything begins with plants. Both animal and plant proteins are made up of about 20 common amino acids. Whatever your preference is, make sure you eat high-quality protein and the proper amount daily. Furthermore, there are several health benefits to consider when choosing protein sources.
Data and current findings support the importance of protein sources for long-term health outcomes and suggest that plants constitute a preferred protein source compared to animal foods.
Best Vegan Protein Powder For Muscle Gain
The vegan diet is becoming more and more popular as time passes, but that shouldnt be a reason that you cant achieve the muscle gains youre working toward. Vegan supplements are actually quite mainstream, but we think Swolverine has created a plant protein that tastes delicious, keeps your marcos in check, and tops many of its competitors.
Also Check: High Protein Low Calorie Meals
How Is Whey Protein Powder Made
Whey protein is isolated from milk.
Milk is made up of a variety of components, including water, vitamins, carbs, and two major types of proteinsabout 80% casein and 20% whey.
Whey is removed from milk during the cheese-making process, then filtered to eliminate any non-whey substances before being purified and dried to a powder.
Soy Protein: Not As Bad As Many Think
In the past, when studies on protein were in their infancy, researchers figured they needed to have a control protein of sorts. Something to compare against the other proteins and use as a standard reference.
This was soy protein.
Scientists later found there are compounds known as soy isoflavones that, while sometimes healthy, have minor estrogenic properties. Theyre honestly not much of an issue in moderation but its never good to have something in your control protein screwing with the results.
As such, soy protein comes in both soy isolate and soy concentrate. Generallyspeaking concentrates lack the isoflavones while the isolates contain the isoflavones.
When we look at soy protein that lacks the isoflavones, and is basically just a vegan source of complete protein, it does seem to have similar benefits to whey protein when it comes to muscle growth, at least if timing isnt considered. Soy protein seems to be less effective for muscle growth when consumed during the workout than whey protein.
A possible long-term benefit to muscle growth associated with whey protein, increased satellite cell recruitment, also has not been seen with soy protein.
All the above also applies to the soy protein containing the isoflavones but they also give benefits to older women who want a daily protein supplement to help mitigate bone deterioration.
Recommended Reading: Best Whey Protein For Beginners
What Are The Safety Concerns Of Protein Powders For Men Over 50
Itâs possible to get too much protein. One concern of a high-protein diet is that some foods with a lot of protein are also high in saturated fat, like red meat. Eating too much of this type of protein can raise your odds for heart disease and colon cancer. Even if you get your protein from low-fat sources, too much protein has been linked to kidney stones.
While there’s no specific rule about how much protein is too much, here are some guidelines:
- Don’t eat more than 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight.
- Avoid protein sources that are highly processed or have a lot of fat.
- Choose healthy options like low-fat dairy, nuts, and beans.
- Spread out your protein over all of your meals, rather than eat it all in one big meal.
- Talk to your doctor about your health conditions to make sure a high-protein diet is safe for you.
- Eat lots of vegetables, fruits, and fiber, too.
Show Sources
American Journal of Physiology â Endocrinology and Metabolism: “Quantity of dietary protein intake, but not pattern of intake, affects net protein balance primarily through differences in protein synthesis in older adults.”
Cleveland Clinic: “How to Choose the Best Protein Powder for You.”
Harvard Health Publishing: “When it comes to protein, how much is too much?”
âHarvard Men’s Health Watch: “Preserve your muscle mass.”
Other Protein Shakes And Powders We Tried
Kate Farms: Editors’ note, August 11, 2022: Kate Farms parent company, Lyons Magnus LLC, voluntarily recalled some of its pediatric, standard beverages and nutrition shakes. See the details of the recall.
Kate Farms uses organic yellow pea protein in its plant-based shakes that are free of gluten, soy, dairy and artificial sweeteners. I loved how creamy and delicious these protein shakes were. They’re higher in calories , which isn’t a problem since it’s considered a meal replacement beverage, not just a protein shake. This product almost made the best list, but it fell short in one important area: It only has 16 grams of protein per serving compared to the other plant-based brands, which have at least 20 grams of protein. If Kate Farms reworked its formula to include 20 grams or more of protein, it would’ve easily made the best list.
Orgain Organic Nutrition Shake: I’m familiar with Orgain’s plant-based protein powders because I’ve had them in the past. However I had never tried its shakes before, and they fell short for me. I really wanted to like them, but they had an aftertaste that their powders normally don’t have, and even the creamy chocolate fudge flavor didn’t taste the same to me. If it were up to me, I’d stick to Orgain in powder form and mix it with my dairy-free milk of choice as I normally do.
Read Also: Protein Without Fat Or Carbs
Bulk Supplements Whey Protein Concentrate 80%
This whey protein powder is as pure as it gets! It comes unflavored and the only ingredient is whey protein concentrate, so it’s an excellent choice if you like to add protein powder to shakes and desserts but don’t want any other flavors getting in the way.
The 80% stands for the 80% of the protein that each scoop has. In total, you’re getting 120 calories and 23g of protein for every 30 grams of powder .
The Bulk Supplements brand also sells other beneficial workout supplements like creatine and casein protein that work hand in hand with physical activity to help you gain muscle mass in addition to gaining weight.
Order yours here.
How Does Protein Help Build Muscle
Before we get into the best protein powders for building muscle, lets first look at the overarching goal: muscle growth.
More specifically, how eating protein helps you build muscles.
The first reason protein helps build muscle is because muscle is protein.
In other words, it provides the raw materials necessary for muscles to grow. The concrete for building the foundation of a building, if you will.
You see, our skeletal muscles arent just responsible for helping us move. Theyre also a storage site for amino acids, which can be poached for other purposes by different organs.
For example, if the liver, skin, or bones require more amino acids for remodeling and repair, they need to get them somewhere, and skeletal muscle is an appealing source of these vital nutrients.
When other organs are hungry for amino acids, theyll often borrow them from skeletal muscle or the liver and intestines, which can also store limited amounts of amino acids. If this is kept up for a long time then muscle loss will occur . . . unless you provide your organs with another source of amino acids.
Thats where dietary protein comes into play.
Our organs can also use amino acids obtained from the food we eat, of course. Every time we eat a chicken breast, steak, or piece of salmon, our bodies break down the amino acids in these foods and distribute them to various organs in the body.
That is, you want to eat enough protein to at least maintain your muscle mass.
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Why Do We Need Protein
Every cell in the human body contains protein. Proteins are made up of a chain of amino acids, which determine the structure and function of proteins. There are 22 amino acids that our bodies cannot manufacture, and we must get them from food.
Protein is essential for your body to function, and includes the following benefits: