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The Question: You know you need to be taking a protein supplement, but there are SO many out there. How do you choose which one is best for you? What are the best protein powders for fat loss, for muscle maintenance, for sports performance, and for muscle building? Does price matter or should you look for the cheapest one? Should you stick to one type of protein year round or change things up from time to time? Why are your recommendations the best? List your recommendations for each goal! Bonus Question: What is the best tasting protein powder that you have ever had? What is the worst? The Winners:
The best response will get $50 in credit to use in our online store!
Since protein builds muscle, every athlete has been trying to consume a minimum of at least 1 gram of protein per pound. Since this task can be difficult protein powders have become an essential to many athletes. There are many factors to consider before buying a protein powder. Here are some:
You're probably not looking to drop your whole wallet on a bottle of protein powder. The price should be reasonable and in your price range. The price should also be compared to the quality of the protein. Expect a higher quality protein to cost more money than one of lower quality.
Whey protein concentrate can be a good source of whey protein, but often contains more fat and lactose than whey protein isolate. Ion exchange isolate starts out as concentrate, but then ends up as an isolate after a machine process. This process will help you get more protein per serving, but through this process some of the important peptides in whey are taking away. These little pieces can be used for a healthly immune system. So ion exchange whey protein will deliver more protein, but does have less of some of the important components of the whey protein.
Because of this, I prefer regular whey isolate over ion exchange, but the difference between the two is very minimal. Hydrolyzed protein is in my opinion the best. It is already broken down which means it will be digested very fast. This would make it a favorite for post workout.
You must find out what the purpose of the protein powder is. A meal replacement will replace a meal. A weight gainer will help add weight. Whey protein is best used for post workout and in the morning. Micellar casein digests the slowest, therefore makes it a good choice before bed. You must choose what fits your needs the best.
No one wants a protein powder that tastes horrible. I feel as time goes on, the taste has been getting much better. It's always good to talk with someone who has had the protein powder before or read reviews on it so you have an idea of the taste. Some ways to help the taste is to add a banana, peanut butter, dextrose etc.
This can be important for people who take their protein powder with them to the gym or to work and cannot mix it with a blender. You don't want a protein powder that clumps up or sinks to the bottom. If this is an issue than I would look for a protein powder that is instantized. That would make it easy to mix with a spoon.
Throughout my time lifting I've tried many different protein powders to see which ones worked the best, tasted the best, had best price, best quality etc. Here are some different protein powders I've tried that I would like to share my thoughts and opinions on.
These are my opinions of varies protein powders, meal replacements, and weight gainers. I have tried many others, but none worth mentioning. You have to find out what protein supplement works best for you and fits into your needs.
What is the best tasting protein powder that you have ever had? What is the worst? I have had many different great tasting protein powders. One that I've recently had which I was pleasantly surprised with was PrimaForce Substance WPI. The watermelon tasted great. The grape also tasted very good. It tasted similar to Phosphagen HP by EAS, but without the 40 grams of sugar. As a matter of fact, Substance WPI has no sugar, fat, or aspartame. It has an awesome taste. I have also had many horrible tasting protein powders. I remember when I first started lifting I tried a protein powder that tasted horrible, but I don't recall the name or brand. It was not a very popular brand though. It was not from a very popular brand in sports nutrition. In fact, the taste was so bad I gave it away. I just couldn't take it. Another horrible tasting protein powder was the french vanilla flavor of Next Designer Protein. I was just a horrific taste and had a terrible aftertaste. Everytime I burped I was reminded of the disgusting taste.
Protein powder has become a huge supplement, and can be extremely beneficial for any bodybuilder, no matter what the goal is. Protein powder provides an easier way for bodybuilders and athletes to get the protein they need to build and maintain muscle. What protein is the right choice for you? Does price matter? What about taste? HELP, what should I look for? This article should help you answer all of these questions.
Let's take a look at the different types of protein powders out there before we get into specifics.
Whey protein is a protein derived from casein, the protein found in cows milk. This is probably the most popular form of protein powder used throughout the bodybuilding world. Whey protein has the highest biological value of all proteins (see chart below).
What does this mean? This means that whey is the highest quality protein. They boast a large BCAA (branched chain amino acid) profile, and will highly elevate amino acid levels when taken. Some wheys include little to no lactose, and can be taken by anyone. They truly are a revolutional supplement, and should be a staple in your supplement plan. There Are Two Kinds Of Protein - whey concentrates and isolates
Isolates - Isolates are at least about 90% pure protein. They are more expensive, and may have a better taste. WPIs (whey protein isolates) can be made different ways.
Micro-filtered - this is kicked up a notch. The whey is filtered to an isolate, but the peptides that are in concentrates remain in tact. Hydrolyzed - this is micro-filtered whey kicked up a notch. It goes through another filtration process that breaks it down more and makes it quicker digesting. Whey protein can be beneficial for any use. Most commonly used times are upon waking, pre-workout, and post-workout.
Casein is the protein found in milk, and is part whey. Casein is a slower digested protein, and although it won't rise amino acid levels as high as whey, it will keep the levels elevated much longer than whey. Whey usually keeps levels up for 3-4 hours, while casein does for 7 hours. The protein forms a type of gel in your stomach, and this allows the slow release over hours. This is what makes casein a great pre-bed protein, it will keep your body anabolic throughout the night. Milk also has a high biological value. Some people may not be able to consume casein protein powder because of their tolerance to lactose. Also, don't underestimate mixing your protein shakes with milk pre and post-workout. You may be thinking "but won't milk slow down digestion?". Yes, it will a little, but milk can go where whey can't. Milk has great insulin creating capacities, as well as for other growth factors. Milk also creates benefits for IGF-1 that whey does not. So a tip (follow if you wish), mix your protein shakes with milk!
Soy is a protein that comes from soy beans. Although soy protein does not rank up at the top for biological value, it has become a good substitute for vegetarians. It also helps lower cholesterol and prevent heart related diseases. This is also a great replacement protein for people who are lactose-intolerant. Soy protein is a choice of protein that can be taken by anybody who wants to reap the health benefits of it, and especially for vegetarians to help increase their protein intake.
Egg protein is the protein from, well eggs! It provides a way for bodybuilders to get the benefits of high quality egg protein while avoiding the cholesterol and fat found in egg yolks. The biological value of egg protein ranks up close to whey, coming in 2nd. This makes a great protien for all bodybuilders to use any time of the day.
These powders are a combination of protein and carbohydrates, meant to replace a meal. Most MRPs also have a good amount of vitamins and minerals. MRPs are usually a combination of casein, whey, and egg protein, although they come in all forms : from 100% whey to just casein and egg. MRPs are great replacements for meals on the run, or just as a smaller calorie meal.
Weight gainers are shakes that contain a high amount of calories, in order to help customers gain weight. They usually come in a 2:1 (carb-protein) ratio. Something to look out for with weight gainers is a high sugar content. You don't want to be getting that much sugar throughout the day, although it may be ok post-workout. Some companies may try to slide extra fat and bad carbs in to increase the calories, watch out for that. I personally love my own weight gainer, it tastes great and is a healthy source of calories.
These are protein powders that are made from a various assortment of proteins, usually whey, milk, and egg. They are a great whey to get the benefits out of all of the types of protein out there. The only drawback to these is that they are usually pretty expensive.
Ok, now you know what proteins are out there, but what things should I look for when searching for the right powder?
Price is probably the biggest thing that is looked at when in search of a good protein. You want to look for something cheap, but you still want a high quality protein. So you probably want to stay away from something that's $15 for 5lbs, the quality most likely isn't that high. What you want to do is check out the other things to look for (below), and find the cheapest match that fits the critera of a good protein powder. But remember, in a lot of cases price does reflect quality. If you want a really high quality powder, you are going to have to pay more money.
You want to look at how much actual protein is in the mix. For whey concentrates, ~80% and above is good, and for isolates ~90% and above is good. You're looking for a protein that is pure, and has minimal added ingredients. Here's What You Do
Example - The amount of protein is 23g in 1 serving, and each serving has 110 calories.
92 / 110 = .836 .836 x 100 = 83.6% protein
Another factor to take into consideration is how well it mixes. Having a powder that always clumps is no fun, although that problem can be almost always solved with a blender. Not everybody has access to a blender though, especially if you drink your shake at the gym. So you want to look at how well the protein dissolves.
You also want a protein that you can digest. People with lactose intolerance will not be able to digest a casein protein, and might not be able to digest a whey protein concentrate. People with stomach problems may also find that a certain type of protein does not sit well in their stomach.
Probably the second biggest thing that is looked at. I personally don't care about the taste, but you might. It shouldn't be torture for you to drink your shake. MRPs generally have a good taste, as do whey protein isolates and casein powders. Some cheaper WPCs may not have a very good taste.
 The Right Protein For Your Goals
Now that you know what the different types of protein are, and how to find a quality produce, what type of protein powder best suits your goals?
For muslce building, basically any protein powder will do. A weight gainer may also be a good choice for you, it will provide a combination of carbs and protein. Whey protein should be the dominant protein powder in your diet. A good whey protein will do well for pre and post-workout, and a good casein protein will work well before bed. A protein blend also works well throughout the day.
For losing fat, you are going to want the purest protein, with as little added fat and carbs as possible. For this, a whey protein isolate would be a great choice. Soy protein isolate is also a good option. Also, when losing fat, MRPs are your best friend. They provide protein, as well as carbs for energy, and are low calorie meals. You want to stay away from weight gainers, as your goal is not to gain weight (duh).
If you're just trying to maintain muscle mass, a good choice would be whey protein. This will provide the BCAAs you need, and is low-carb. You want to stay away from powders with high carbs from sugar (weight gainers). Soy protein and casein protein are also good choice. MRPs also make good meals for muscle maintenance. Protein blends also work well throughout the day.
For sports performance, you want a protein powder that may have added carbs. This way you will maintain muscle and burn the carbs for energy. A better solution to this is to buy a whey protein, and then just mix in a carbohydrate powder supplement.
Since you've probably been wondering "ok, you've told me to get these things, but you haven't given examples!", I have come up with a list a quality protein supplements that you can give a shot. Just read what protein you should be taking according to your goals, and take a look at the powders under these lists.
Isolates
Now you should have a good understanding of what protein powders are out there. You should be able to tell a good protein powder from a bad one, and be able to pick a protein that best suits your needs. Good luck, and have fun!
*Best Tasting Protein Powder* The best tasting protein powder I've had has probably been Optimum Nutrition's 100% Casein Protein. I got a sample of the chocolate in the mail, and it tasted so good. *Worst Tasting Protein Powder* Probably Vitamin World's Value Whey. The name just says it, it's value whey, not taste whey. It tastes horrible, but it was cheap and there was a sale, so I took the bait and bought 10lbs. I can't wait until I finish it off. I also didn't like the taste of Syntrax Nectar at all, and I'm probably the only one that I've seen that doesn't. It's probably because I mix my shakes with milk, and fruit flavors don't taste well in milk.
The first aspect to look for in a protein powder is to see if you are getting your money's worth. You should check how many grams of protein are in each serving. Then you see the answer to that question and you check how many servings are in the container. If each serving is 2 scoops and the container is small like in such containers like the "Carborite" protein shake which is 2 large scoops per serving, $24.00 and not even 2 lbs. You must also check the price of course. You need to make sure you aren't getting ripped off while you can have much better protein powder for a much cheaper price.
There are many great protein powders for fat loss. One of the most effective is AMP Pro Impact. It is about $25-30 for a 5 lb. container and it has 65 servings in 5 lb. container at 1 scoop per serving. Each Serving Contains
Muscle maintenance is essential for pretty much any person. protein, and amino acids are extremely helpful in maintaing muscle mass and building. For muscle maintenance there are several choices of protein powders. One great one is PhytoCeutical OptiPro. It goes for about $30-35 for each 2.2 lb. container with 24 servings at 1 scoop per serving. Each Serving Contains
The main part of sports performance is to try your hardest and to never give up. Even though you must be doing this, there are also many helpful supplements. One great one is Endurox R4. For each 4.56 lb. container there are 28 servings for the price of about $30-35. Each Serving Which Is 2 Scoops It Contains:
The majority of protein powders made today are mainly for muscle building. There are all sorts of different types of them. Different brands, flavors, nutritional aspects, and everything else. The most commonly used, which I personally use happens to be the "Optimum Nutrition 100% Whey Protein." People love this brand because it shows them results and the taste is phenomenal. It comes in a 2 lb., 5 lb., and 10 lb. containers. The 2 lb. containers have 31 servings in them and go for about $13-16, the 5 lb. containers have 77 servings in them which go for about $25-30, and the 10 lb. containers have 155 servings in them which go for about $55-60. Each Serving Is One Scoop And Contains
I believe that my recommendations are the best because I have researched many supplements in the time that I have been bodybuilding. I have thoroughly researched every single supplement that has entered my body from the first one, to the last one. There are many different supplements that can affect every person in a different way. You must find the best supplement that suits you and not just take a supplement just because someone else is taking the same one.
My favorite tasting protein powder that I have tasted was Optimum Nutrition 100% Whey Protein Powder chocolate mint flavor. It is absolutely amazing!! Even though you can't taste the mint that much and I thought it would be strong before I tasted it, it tastes like you are just having chocolate milk. The worst I have ever tried would probably be any one that is cookies and cream. I love the ice cream but no shake can even get close to the taste of real cookies and cream. It always tastes disgusting no matter how many different juices and liquids you try it with.
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