Weighing Protein Shakes

It is easier for your body to take in carbohydrates and proteins by drinking them as opposed to eating them, especially in our super-fast-paced world wherein is all too easy to feel the need to skip sit-down meals. Consequently, we end up eating a lot of nutritionally depleted fast food or, sometimes worse, not eating a meal at all (which, seemingly paradoxically, makes it more difficult to lose weight or get trimmer). In addition, those of us who are serious athletes, either for competing or just for wanting to look and feel our best, face a nutritional landscape replete with stripped-down, mass produced foods wherein the essential vitamins and minerals have largely been replaced with fillers-lots of sodium, extra saturated fats, and refined sugars and grains. Thus, protein shakes can be a real godsend for helping us keep fit and fueled. Quick and easy to make; quick and easy to get down the gullet.

This does not mean that you should try to live off of protein shakes. They are not a be-all and end-all replacement to preparing and eating balanced, quality meals, which should be done whenever possible. For the average healthy person and especially for athletes, protein shakes are a supplement which also once in a while can replace, say, a skipped sit-down breakfast in a far healthier way than can a McMuffin eaten on the go.

Another good reason for you to drink your protein if you are a workoutholic is to keep yourself energized but at once not filled up either before or after a workout. A word of caution: make sure that your stomach can take it. Protein drinks can sometimes cause some people to have nausea or other unpleasant stomach ills, especially for those who are new to consuming them. That being said, protein shakes are an excellent way of supplementing your diet for muscle building or losing body fat or for both together. Protein shakes are available as protein powder in bulk containers, ready-to-go protein shakes in single serving containers which don’t require additional liquids or containers, and even as protein powder single serve packages. All of them are formulated to actually taste great, too, and there exists a wide array of recipes and flavors for you to choose among.
Protein shakes are not all the same. Some protein shakes and protein drinks are higher in carbohydrates; and some protein drinks are very low in carbohydrates (making themn ideal for low glycemic and low carbohydrate dieting). When choosing a formula or recipe, it is good for you to be acquainted with your particular bio-individuality and your personal fitness objectives.

Perhaps the most important ingredient to consider in any protein shake is whey protein. Whey protein is the best form of protein to take when using a supplement. It’s derived from milk protein; however, it doesn’t contain fat or lactose sugars. In addition, studies have shown that whey protein can increase our blood levels of glutathione, which is an antioxidant essential to a healthy immune system. As we get older our natural glutathione levels decrease and our immune system weakens. Whey protein, then, can arguably extend youth and length of life.

When comparing two or more protein drinks, there are a few things to look over carefully.

Make sure both products are ion-exchanged whey protein. Remember, it is agreed that whey protein is much better than, say, egg protein in a supplement. Whey protein can be made of concentrate, isolate, or a mixture of the two. Isolate is more expensive than concentrate, but it has a higher Biological Value. Theoretically, a pure whey protein isolate mix is going to be the highest quality. However, in practice it has not been proven conclusively that the benefits of only taking isolate are significant enough to merit the steep increase in price over a good blend. And, be wary of the “serving size”. What you really want to look at is amount of protein per gram. Scoops come in all sizes. A company could advertise “50 grams per serving”; thus, if another one states 75 grams of powder per serving in order to get the same amount of protein intake, then this is not the highest quality.

For those people who are specifically fighting obesity, studies find that high-protein meal replacement drinks really do work
for getting the fat off and keeping it off. “Men trying to lose weight need about 600 calories per meal, with 25 percent of those calories from protein, 25 percent from fat, and 50 percent from carbohydrates,” says Massauchusettes nutrition consultant Liz Ward, R.D. An example of a recommended formula for meeting this objective is:

“The Strawberry Power Blast”

1 c low-fat vanilla yogurt
1 c 1 percent milk
2 tsp peanut butter
1 medium banana
1 1/2 c frozen unsweetened strawberries
2 tsp sugar
2 ice cubes or 1/2 c crushed ice
Directions: Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend on high speed until smooth (about 4 to 5 minutes). Drink immediately. (Per serving: 608 calories, 25 grams (g) protein, 106 g carbohydrates, 11 g total fat)

Here are some highly recommended protein drinks and their makers:

Dream Whey Protein – Wellness Watchers
MRP Lo-Carb – APT Nutrition
Met-Rx RTD 40
Met-Rx Ultra Pure Protein Shakes
Myosin Protein Complex – MD+
Worldwide Sports Nutrition – Extreme Pure Protein Drinks
Worldwide Sports Nutrition – Ultra Pure Protein Shakes
Nectar Whey Protein – Syntrax Innovations bulk protein
Ultramyosyn Whey Protein – Met-Rx Whey bulk protein