When it comes to protein shakes, there are literally thousands if not more brands out there that are competing, trying to draw in audiences all over the world. They promise anything from gaining more muscle mass to astounding fat loss and everything in between. But are protein shakes good for you and your fitness/health related goals?
Well the answer to this is that they CAN be very beneficial but we have to consider many things before we can come up with YOUR personal answer to this and IF protein shakes can help YOU with your goals.
Protein shakes are also known as MEAL REPLACEMENTS, which the proof is in the pudding here. They are really supposed to replace a meal, but don’t do a good job at doing that.
We look at todays market and see a lot of shakes that target a certain demographic which being that we are talking about whether or not protein shakes are beneficial for you, let’s talk AMOUNTS of protein.
A typical shake ranges between 24-35 grams per serving, which can be excellent for post-workout consumption, which it is said that protein shakes should be consumed in the “anabolic window” which is the timeframe in which your body can readily use protein to optimize muscle growth on the muscles you just worked at the gym.
This is all well and good, but protein powder is LOADED with terrible ingredients like artificial sweeteners as well as being loaded with sugar. These things taste great but at a cost, which is lowering your level of optimal health but consuming these harmful ingredients.
They are also only targeting the protein grams portion of your diet, they aren’t considering the two other main MACROS, Fat and Carbs. A complete protein shake should have a blend of all three macros.
Back to ingredients! With most protein shakes being loaded with sugar, it is very easy for the body to convert excess amounts of sugar to fat, which is counterproductive for muscle building and fat loss goals. Also, a lot of people, whether they are aware of it or not, are very sensitive to dairy which a lot of the protein shake market is famous for, aka WHEY.
This can cause adverse affects as well as weaken your gut health, which your gut needs to be in good shape to be able to digest the protein you are consuming to enable optimal muscle growth.
Good Protein Shakes
When it comes to picking out protein for consumption that is actually GOOD for you, you want to target products that offer you a very minimal amount of ingredients.
There is actually a great rule to live by and that is when you are purchasing and item in the store/online only buy items that carry 5 or less ingredients. This is because they are usually a lot healthier for you and carry more ingredients related to WHOLE foods rather than artificial fillers and things you can’t even pronounce.
Protein Shakes That Are Good For You
A couple great protein shakes that are good for you include:
SunWarrior: A vegan brown rice protein that is a hypoallergenic product which is essentially a product that will not likely lead to an allergic attack.
Jay Robb Whey Protein – This product is a non-GMO product and provides quality WHEY and has gotten tons of great reviews. It is not only known for great muscle building, but also is great for bettering your immune system. As a personal user of this product I can vouch that this product can help with muscle recovery and satiation.
VeggieStrong: This blend boasts benefits of being gluten free, non-GMO and certified organic and is known for bettering brain function.
IsoPure: This is a very good protein powder that is LACTOSE FREE for those who have a tough time ingesting dairy products. It is a 100 percent WHEY isolate.
Now you may see some vegan proteins in this list, which before you scoff, which I originally did, you should know that a lot of pro bodybuilders are actually vegan. Many lifters who choose to go vegan have blogged about how they were able to add extra mass and how beneficial it was to their health and wellbeing.
Now Im not saying going 100 percent vegan is the answer, I myself am going to ingest meat for the rest of my life! Im just saying that there are great vegan shakes out there that can provide you with quality nutrients that your system will love and utilize to full extent.
Conclusion On Protein Shake Benefits
At the end of the day, protein shakes can be great for a quick fix if you can’t get to the house and eat food, but you want to stick to WHOLE foods that are geared towards good health and fitness/weight loss benefits. By sticking to eating whole foods, you are providing your body with essential nutrients needed to promote optimal health and wellness.
Don’t look to protein shakes as your main source of protein, your body scientifically will not digest and utilize the powder form protein as it would in whole food form. Our bodies are designed to eat REAL food so when drinking protein shakes don’t look at them as an end all and limit your consumption to one a day at most.
Also when you do drink a shake, make sure you are getting some fats and carbs in around the same time. I like to carry almonds or cashews on me and eat some sort of carb shortly thereafter, like brown rice or quinoa coupled with some good vegetables to add nutrient density to my meals.
