Protein powder; a dietary supplement that is probably the most famous of all. Especially within strength sports, protein powder is used a lot. We will discuss in a moment why this is so.
This article has especially been written for people who are still relatively new to protein powder. If this is the case, it is of course essential to know how to use protein powder.
We will therefore discuss this in detail, but first, we will look at what protein powder is exactly.
Table of Contents
- What is protein powder?
- Why should I take protein powder?
- How to use protein powder?
- What should you pay attention to when buying protein powder?
- Combine meals with protein powder
What is protein powder?
Protein powder contains, as the name suggests, high content of the nutrient protein.
It is often used by people who cannot get the amount of protein they would like from their normal diet.
By using protein powder they can then easily increase their protein intake.
Protein powder can come from purely plant-based products, but the most well-known form of protein powder is whey protein.
Whey is a form of dairy, it arises as a residual product in the production of cheese.
In the past, the whey was therefore simply thrown away! Fortunately, it is now being put to good use!
Why should I take protein powder?
We will now discuss some of the benefits of using protein powder.
- Stimulates muscle growth : Proteins are the building blocks of our muscles. This is also the reason that proteins stimulate muscle growth. We would like to make the comment that protein powder is basically no better than proteins from other foods. However, if you do not get enough protein from your daily diet, a protein powder can be a nice addition.
- Easy to combine with other ingredients : If you want to add extra protein to a meal, you can easily do this with protein powder. We will give a number of examples of meals with which this can be done perfectly in a moment.
- Perfect as a healthy snack : When you are hungry it is very tempting to grab an unhealthy snack. These are often quickly accessible. However, protein powder can also be prepared very quickly in the form of a shake (more on this later) and therefore is a healthy alternative.
How to use protein powder?
Protein powder can be used in 2 ways; you can make it into a shake or you can process it in another meal.
If you make it into a shake, simply mix the protein powder with water or another liquid of your choice. There is often a scoop in the container or bag of protein powder to be able to use it properly.
As an addition, it can be very tasty to process fresh or frozen fruit in the shake.
Secondly, you have the option to process the protein powder in another meal, we will discuss several examples in a moment.
What should you pay attention to when buying protein powder?
When buying protein powder there are many things to keep in mind, because they are certainly not all equally good.
Logically the first thing to look at is the protein content of the protein powder. Keep in mind that it is often the case, the higher the protein content, the less delicious the taste. However, this isn’t always the case.
In addition, high-quality protein powders will contain EAAs (essential amino acids) and BCAAs (branched-chain amino acids).
Essential amino acids are amino acids that your body cannot make on its own. So you have to get them through your diet. If you want to learn more about BCAAs and their benefits click here.
You can also follow the rule that the shorter the list of ingredients, the better the protein powder. Look for added preservatives, chemical dyes, and sweeteners in the ingredient list.
Many athletes prefer whey protein over plant-based protein, with the idea that it is better for muscle building. However, this is incorrect! There is no evidence that whey protein is better than plant-based protein.
Combine meals with protein powder
In addition to making a shake, you can also combine protein powder with another meal. We will discuss 3 examples of this.
- Oatmeal : Oatmeal is a very fiber-rich meal (if you want to know why fiber is so good for you click here). However, it contains very little protein. To supplement this amount of protein, you can perfectly combine it with a scoop of protein powder.
- Pancakes : Protein pancakes are a very well-known way to process protein powder in a meal. The nice thing about protein pancakes is that you don’t just add the protein powder separately, but bake it along with the rest of the pancake ingredients.
- Ice : Contrary to protein pancakes, ice cream is not a well-known food to add protein powder to. However, it can be done very easily. You buy a container of frozen yogurt and let it thaw half in the refrigerator. Then add the protein powder and let the ice cream freeze again in the freezer.
Lifestyle coach [5+ years of fitness experience]