Is It Better To Drink A Protein Shake Before Or After A Workout
Research has shown that protein helps your muscles to repair and rebuild after exercise. Consequently, many people drink protein shakes after their workouts to aid this process.
However, new studies suggest that for increasing muscle strength and size, the amount of protein you consume per day is more important than when you consume it. Therefore, you can choose which time you prefer or is most convenient for you. Personally, I always opt to have a protein shake after exercise, but thats just what works for me.
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Adding Natural Taste To Your Smoothies
When using unflavored and unsweetened protein powders in your smoothies you may find that you need to add something to give it some natural sweetness. Whilst I dont recommend adding sweeteners that will spike your blood sugar such as honey and maple syrup, the following additions can add sweetness without sugar:
Cinnamon
Cacao powder
1/2 cup berries
1/4 banana
They Are Low On Sugar And Sodium
One of our reasons for adding Protein powders to smoothies is to avoid throwing in an external sweetener. Like chocolate syrup or Ice cream or Maple syrup.
Most protein powders in this list are sugar-free or very low on sugar.
They are sweetened with natural sweeteners like stevia and thaumatin that will make the smoothie delicious without adding unwanted, empty calories from sugar.
This gives you a bit of leeway to add more fruits, even sugar-rich ones if need be.
Ditto with sodium.
As unbelievable as it sounds, the Average American consumes close to 3400mg of Sodium. More the number of packed ingredients you add to the smoothie, higher the sodium count for each drink.
Thats why we have selected smoothie protein powders that are low on sodium too.
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Naked Whey Protein Powder
Price: $$
Naked Whey Protein Powder is a low carb option marketed to people who want to lose weight and increase muscle tone.
The unflavored version is free of added sugar and contains just one ingredient: whey protein concentrate.
This protein powder gets high marks for its formulation, with reviewers on Amazon noting that its easy to mix and has a mild flavor that works well combined with other ingredients.
Additionally, its certified by Informed Choice, meaning that its free of banned substances and safe for athletes.
It also has a creamy consistency and can be added to milk, yogurt, or smoothies for a quick and easy dessert or snack.
Naked Whey is also available in chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry flavors, all of which are sweetened with organic coconut sugar.
Just keep in mind that this powder may not be a good option for those who have difficulty digesting dairy or prefer to eat organic.
Price: $$
SFH Pure Whey Protein is noted for its amazing taste, ease of absorption, and ingredient content.
Sourced from grass-fed, free-range cows in New Zealand, this minimally processed whey concentrate doesnt contain soy, gluten, or artificial ingredients.
Because its low in carbs and free of added sugar, it may be a good choice for people on a low carb or ketogenic diet who are looking for an easy way to boost their protein intake.
Why Should You Use Sugar
There are multiple reasons why someone may want an sugar-free protein powder. “Most people are mixing protein powder with fruit or other ingredients that naturally sweeten whatever they’re mixing with the powder so they don’t necessarily need added sweeteners,” share The Nutrition Twins. For example, unsweetened protein powder is perfect if you want to add a scoop to a sugar-heavy smoothie or if you’re baking with it . In both cases, you don’t want the extra sweetness from the protein powder to interfere with your recipe.
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Another reason you may be looking for sugar-free protein powder is because you don’t like the taste of non-nutritive sweeteners like stevia, monk fruit extract, artificial sweeteners, or sugar alcohols, which can often be bitter and leave a lingering off-flavor in your mouth after consuming.
And lastly, perhaps you’ve heard that sugar and sweetener alternatives are bad for you and you’re looking to cut them out of your diet. ” try to limit sweeteners all together and would rather get their sweet flavors from whole foods with nutrients and fiber like fresh fruit,” share The Nutrition Twins.
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What To Look For In A Protein Powder
There are 2 key things I look for when choosing protein powders:
Ora Organic Vegan Protein Powder
Price: $$
Ora Organic Vegan Protein Powder features a variety of plant-based ingredients, including peas, rice, sprouted quinoa, amaranth, and hemp seed.
Its not only suitable for those who are vegan or vegetarian but also a great option for people who are lactose intolerant or who follow a gluten-free diet.
Additionally, this vegan protein powder is certified organic and tested for heavy metals by third-party labs to ensure safety.
Its also free of artificial ingredients and sweetened with stevia, monk fruit, and brown rice syrup. However, it does contain coconut, which some people may need to avoid.
This powder can be used to make smoothies, pancakes, or baked goods. It can also be mixed with your beverage of choice, such as oat milk or water.
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Highest Quality Protein That You Can Buy
When it comes to protein, its the quality that matters. Not the quantity.
Sadly, most people dont check where the protein is sourced from or what variety it is.
If its whey protein, wheres the whey sourced from?
Is it sourced from farms that allow cows to pasture? Is it antibiotic-free? If the cows are fed grains, the quality of the whey they produce is pretty poor.
If its vegetarian protein, is it pea protein or brown rice? Pea has a complete amino acid profile while the latter does not.
Also, where is it sourced from? If its sourced from China, then the protein can be laced with pesticides, chemicals and even with mycotoxins.
We have analyzed all these factors to come up with this list of the top smoothie protein powders.
How To Use Unflavored Protein Powder
Once you’re familiar with how much protein you should eat in a day, you can start getting creative with your recipes. Smoothies and shakes are the obvious choices, but you’re not limited to sweet drinks when it comes to adding a scoop of protein powder. Because unflavored protein powder isn’t sweet, it’s more versatile. While you’d probably never dream of sprinkling Fruity Pebbles-flavored protein powder into a savory recipe, unflavored protein powder is more neutral. Garlic bread, fried chicken, homemade pastathe possibilities are endless.
Keep in mind that just because it’s flavorless doesn’t mean it tastes like air. Rather, unflavored protein powder tends to have a bit of a nutty taste and/or grainy textureboth of which can easily be masked with ingredients such as nut butters, fruits, cacao, or herbs if you’re not a fan. If you’re skeptical, Shapiro recommends adding small amounts of the powder and increasing the amounts until you’re used to the flavor.
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Vegan Peanut Butter Cup Protein Shake Via Running On Real Food
Combine:3/4 cup + 1-2 tbsp unsweeted almond milk 1 serving of vanilla or chocolate protein powder2 tbsp nutritional yeast2 tbsp natural peanut butter1 medium sized banana, frozenOptional additions: 1/2 tsp turmeric, ice cubes, pinch of sea salt
Why we love it: This recipe had us at nutritional yeast and turmeric. Its a delicious and unique spin on the peanut butter cup flavor.
Of The Best Unsweetened Unflavored Protein Powders You Can Buy
Tell me if this sounds familiar: You find a kick-ass smoothie recipe and one of the ingredients is a “scoop of protein powder.” No big deal, right? But when you hit up the grocery store, or even do a quick search online, you realizeughthis is confusing. For starters, it’s incredibly difficult to find a plain whey or plant-based protein powder that’s free of flavors that would mess with the overall taste of your smoothie. And even if you do, you still have to watch out for powders with other questionable ingredients like added sugar, artificial sweeteners, and sugar alcohols. Blech.
The good news: Clean and simple protein powders do existit just might take some label scrutinizing to ID them. Luckily, we’ve done the work for you. Here are five of the cleanest, simplest protein powders on the market.
Provided you don’t have a dairy allergy or follow a vegan diet, whey is the gold standard for protein powders. It’s “complete,” containing all 9 essential amino acids that your body can’t make on its own, and enters your bloodstream faster than any other protein, helping you build muscle. made with milk from organic, grass-fed cowsis our top pick, packing 21 g of protein, 100 calories, and 2 g of naturally occurring sugars per 2-scoop serving.
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What Are Unflavored Protein Powders
What exactly is the best unflavored protein powder all about? Protein powders, both flavored and unflavored, are packed with proteins and other essential vitamins and minerals that are needed by our body. Protein plays a significant role in our body as it is essential for our hair, nails, and skin. Protein powders, on the other hand, are simply dehydrated forms of protein that come from plants, milk, or soy even. These powders are often combined with water or any other beverages or food too so that there will be an increase in protein content in the body.
The best unflavored protein powder should be considered as a staple in many households as it can be quite versatile in terms of uses. Since the muscle mass in our body is reduced as we age, we need all the help that we can get from various protein sources. Fortunately, protein powders can help supply the body with more proteins that can protect us against muscle deterioration and other health problems. Whats more, adding protein powders can help you with your performance as an athlete. Just imagine what other benefits you can get from adding this ingredient to your drinks and food too.
How To Buy Truly Sugar
While a bag or tub may stamp the “unsweetened” claim on the front label, always make sure to check the ingredients to be sure there are no non-nutritive sweeteners on the label.
Manufacturers can still claim “unsweetened” or “no sugar added” and use artificial sweeteners in their mix.
And while you might see “Stevia Free” plastered next to the brand name, this can often be a sign that a manufacturer has gone with another natural sugar alternative: monk fruit extract or “Luo Han Guo.”
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Amazing Grass Protein Superfood The Original
If you’re looking for an unsweetened protein powder but still want some flavor, Amazing Grass has this great offering that is free of all sweeteners but still contains natural vanilla flavor and organic Madagascar vanilla. This unsweetened protein powder has three components: a plant-based protein blend, a green food blend, and a fruit and vegetable blend. You’ll get protein from organic peas, organic hemp, organic chia seeds, and organic quinoa. There are also 2.5 grams of healthy fats from the seeds.
What Are The Bad Ingredients In Protein Powder
Knowing the bad ingredients for protein powder is important to ensure you don’t choose wrongly. These are the bad ingredients as follow:1. Soy protein
Formulated from whey that well-known rich in protein makes this protein powder great to help maintain your immune system. Don’t worry, the whey used is from grass-fed hormone-free dairy, so it’s safe to consume to help boost your immune system. It’s a naturally delicious protein powder that you can blend with all food or beverages as you want.
Love this flavor! I can drink it clean without having to add anything in the blender. It is delicious and is a staple first thing in the morning. I also use it to make protein pancakes and bake my own protein bars. It is hard to find a clean protein to protect your body from all of the chemicals while still having great flavor and for a reasonable price. This is a winner!
If you are looking for a low-calorie protein powder to maintain your immune, this one can be the best for you who are in the diet program. Yes, it made from 0 grams fat and carbs and will give you 25 grams of pure protein per serving. So, we can say that this protein powder is such a perfect supplement to help control hunger and promote fat loss.
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Chunky Monkey Breakfast Smoothie
This Chunky Monkey Breakfast Smoothie is the perfect recipe when using unflavored protein powders youll feel like you are having dessert for breakfast!
Chunky Monkey Breakfast Smoothie
1 serving Naked Rice
1/4 banana
1/2 cup frozen cauliflower rice
1 tablespoon sugar free peanut butter
1 tablespoon cacao powder
Why These Protein Powders Are Best For Smoothies
All said and done, not all protein powders are made equal.
Theres tons of junk being peddled out there in fancy looking bottles and packets.
Protein Powders can be crammed to the brim with sodium, sugar, additives, flavors and other synthetics that can worsen an already poor nutrient profile for a smoothie.
Thats why we have handpicked the best protein powders that will not only taste delicious with your smoothies but will also mix up easy as well.
Here are our reasons why these make for great additions to any health drink.
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Where To Buy Unflavored Protein Powder
You could spend hours comparing the many protein powders available, even if you’ve narrowed your search down to unflavored options. It’ll help if you know what to look out for. To choose one of the best unflavored protein powder options, Shapiro suggests keeping the following in mind:
- The best options use organic, minimally-processed, and well-sourced ingredients. “By well-sourced I mean making sure it is grass-fed, lead-free, made from clean ingredients from trusted manufacturers and farms, etc.,” says Shapiro.
- Double check on the ingredient list that it only contains the type of protein you’re intending to consume .
- Avoid soy additions like soy lecithin. Soy is inflammatory for many people and the form in powders tends to be highly processed, says Shapiro.
- Some brands rely heavily on fillers and emulsifiers, which are ingredients that enhance texture and prevent clumping. Err on the side of a short ingredient list and a high amount of protein per serving. Keep in mind vegan protein sources are automatically going to be lower in protein by volume compared to animal-based protein.
With that all in mind, here are some of the best unflavored protein powders:
More Secondary Nutrients = Better Health
The final difference youre likely to see is actually nutrient-density. This means more than just protein intake its about the amount of other health-promoting stuff in your scoop!
When we look at the grass-fed items there are better fat and micronutrient contents. These are higher in the unflavoured whey than artificially sweetened brands. This means more health-promoting ingredients for your money.
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Its All About Protein Percentages
One of the most common protein powders in the world is whey protein concentrate. Whey protein concentrate is a dairy protein made from cheese or milk. Manufacturers of whey protein concentrate convert the liquid whey into a powder through a few different processes. Ion exchange, microfiltration, and cross-flow microfiltration are the three types manufacturing processes to filter the non-protein particles from the liquid whey and concentrate the liquid for a high protein content.
Typically, the liquid whey will be around 80% protein. Then the manufacturers convert the liquid whey into a powder using a method called spray drying. Then, an emulsifier is added if the whey powder if it is to be used for instant protein powder drinks like the ones commonly seen in the sports nutrition industry sold to bodybuilders looking to make themselves protein shakes.
These whey protein powders are typically 80% protein. Meaning if you took 100 gram of the whey protein powder, 80 grams of it would be actual protein and 20% would be nonprotein materials like fat, lactose, ash, and moisture.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Shake
June 4, 2018 By AliaThis post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure for more information.
This energizing, homemade Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Shake recipe is a great way to start your day or replenish your body after a workout. It is super simple to make and is refined sugar-free. Made with nutritious, clean ingredients like peanut butter, cocoa powder, banana, protein powder, milk, honey, and vanilla. Learn how to make a healthy homemade protein shake with this quick and easy recipe!
It cannot be denied that chocolate and peanut butter are a match made in heaven. And they are even more divine when you can indulge in them without any guilt. This nourishing shake is bursting with peanut butter chocolate flavor, but is made with all natural ingredients and contains no refined sugars.
This smoothie recipe makes a healthy, protein-packed breakfast that will kick-start your day and will keep you feeling full all morning. It is also an ideal post-workout shake that will refuel your energy and help your muscles to heal after exercising.
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