6 Best Protein Shake Ingredients
Why Are Supplements Important?
Starting a new fitness program comes with a lot of excitement imersing in your new hobby, but it also comes with a lot of choices too! One of the things you’ll need to put thought into is your nutrition mix, which will complement your training routine. Many people use shakes as a quick and convenient means of getting their macros in all at once. Ideally, we’d get all of our nutrients from the foods we eat, but due to the craziness of life, we have to turn to funny tasting protein powders.
What Should I Put in My Protein Shake?
Protein Powder - This one seems like a no-brainer, but you can break this down to a few different options. Supplement brands have began to cater to a wide market with a variety of different digestive conditions, food preferences, and so on. This means your protein powder could be made of dairy, eggs, or plants. Healthy adults should get between 45 to 56 grams of protein a day. Most people find it helpful if they keep track of their daily macros to stay on pace.
Carb Power - If muscle hypertrophy (growth) is a goal, carbohydrate powder should be prioritized in a post-workout shake. When you workout, we deplete the energy we had stored in our muscles as static energy. If we didn’t consume simple carbs following our workout, a lot of the protein we drink in our shake goes to replenishing energy rather than building muscles. If we focus on simple carbs like powders, or fruit such as an apple, we can make sure our protein intake makes it to the right places.
Seeds and Nuts - Small but mighty, these both provide a great source of protein. Ideally, you should use the nut itself as opposed to a nut butter since these can have unnecessary ingredients like added sugars that may be counterproductive to your goals. These also make a great snack either pre or post-workout!
Fruits - This can be a perfect time of day to fit in multiple groups in the food pyramid. Fruits can offer natural sugars as well as powerful anti-oxidants found in fruits like blackberries and blueberries. Bananas are excellent sources of potassium which aids in workout recovery and muscle regeneration. There’s also links to berries slowing the effects of aging and degenerative memory diseases. The natural flavors of fruit can offer a unique taste depending on the specific kinds of fruits you use, so have fun and try experimenting with the flavor combination that works best.
Greens Powder - Alright, now we’re getting to one of the ingredients that can really make a difference! Greens powders are smorgasbord of organic vegetable extracts that seek to optimize gut health. Greens powders are especially powerful for cutting weight since they’re rich sources of fiber which helps you feel fuller longer. Since it aids in digestion, this will help to curb bloating which can be game changing if your protein shakes prompt a trip to the bathroom.
Oats - This rings truer the more pounds you’re trying to pack on. Oats can be packed right into a protein shake as opposed to preparing a bowl dedicated just to your carb. Be careful not to add too much, or it can be way too heavy on the stomach. Considering rolled oats are rich in fiber, proteins, and antioxidants, you’ll want to include this in your workout shakes. If you’re someone who particularly struggles to meet your caloric targets consistently, oats can be one of your strategies to hit that number more easily.
Should I Drink Protein Shakes?
Protein and nutrition are all about trial and error as you figure out what actually works best for you. We have to implement effective, and more importantly convenient nutrition in our lives. Supplements are meant to be used as a tool, or a means to help you reach your macro and micro targets more consistently than solely relying on food sources. You’re not going to get it right the first time, I’ve had years in the gym and it took forever it felt like for my shakes to not taste horrible. Each ingredient has its own superpowers and use cases, so align what you choose to put in your shake to the big goals you want to achieve!