Best Whey Protein Shakes

So how do you exactly find the best whey protein powder? Unknown to many, there are actually quite a couple of factors that you need to consider before you can come up with your own list of ideal whey protein powder brands that are currently sold in the market.

To give you an idea of what they are, check out the following:

Purity. The first thing you need to remember is the purity of the whey protein powder. How much protein does it really contain? Otherwise, there’s a good chance that you’re simply paying for fillers that your body doesn’t make use of or doesn’t need. Things may get a little complex, though, if you think about the different components of proteins.

To simplify, there are two things you need to watch out for: fats and carbohydrates. The carbohydrates should never be more than 3 grams, including sugar. Moreover, the ratio between fat grams and protein should be 1:25. If this is too hard to achieve, you can just look for those with fat grams that are 2 and below for every 25 grams of protein.

Mixability. You should not find it too difficult to combine the powder with water, milk, or any liquid substance. You need to ensure that you can conveniently dissolve the powder in the liquid to make the most out of it. If not, most of the powder will just stick into the glass or mug, unused by your body.

Flavor. Flavor or taste doesn’t in any way affect the effectiveness of a whey protein. There are whey protein powders that are uber-delicious and yet they are not very pure. Nevertheless, since you’re going to chug it down sooner or later, you still have to think about its taste. As much as possible, it should be palatable, so you would be more encouraged to take it, especially when you’re going to work out.

There are different flavors available in the market today, so you don’t have to stick with the same thing over and over. Two of the favorites include chocolate and vanilla, though there are some that are fruity, such as those that taste like strawberry.

Price. Should the best whey protein powder have a very high price tag? The answer is no. However, you should also be wary of those that are sold at dirt cheap prices. There’s a huge chance that they are just trying to rip you off by selling substandard products. Because they cannot sell their protein powder based on the quality, they lure you with its practicality.

Texture. This refers to the ability of the whey protein to achieve the consistency that you prefer. For example, if the powder is supposed to be a shake, it should appear creamy, frothy, or thick.

It does pay to conduct your own research before you buy any whey protein powder. The Internet can be truly helpful in this aspect, since you can already read several consumer reviews. Needless to say, though, you have to search for other opinions from friends, fitness trainers, health experts, and health magazines and journals that may carry features or reviews of these supplements.

Finding the best whey protein powder is no simple task, as presently there is no shortage of whey protein powder products. Whey comes in different flavors, quantities, degrees of purity. And unfortunately, I’m not going to be able to give you a conclusive answer on this, though I will make a suggestion.

I have been using whey protein for years, and while I’ve found a brand that I can stomach, deducing the best whey protein is beyond my, and perhaps anyone’s ability. And I’ll tell you why.

First of all, whey protein producers don’t make quantity comparison easy. It’s like they’ve decided ahead of time to make price per gram of protein incalculable when you’re looking at the back of protein jugs. The scoopers are all different sizes. The purity or quantity of protein per scoop varies slightly. And added nutrients, vitamins, or carbs may dilute it to a certain extent.

While this is an important factor for many protein shoppers, it isn’t for me. Some protein users consume massive quantities of this stuff, so shopping the best whey protein is synonymous with finding the lowest price per gram. If you’re always using this in a protein shake or smoothie, than it may not make a bit of difference. Any whey protein will due. But if you mix it with milk or a light protein shake, cost is not the most significant factor.

Dissolvability is much more important to me. The first of the two most important factors in determining the best whey protein is how well this stuff disappears when I mix it with something. Choking down clumps of whey protein is not easy, and believe me I have tried. It makes the experience one to avoid, rather than one to look forward to after a workout or as an afternoon snack.

The best whey protein powders will not only dissolve perfectly in liquid and therefore any protein shake I mix, it should also be easy on the stomach. I don’t know how many are like me, but I have a sensitive stomach. And some protein powders just tear me up inside to be perfectly honest. And I don’t believe adding muscle mass is more important than the health of my organs, so price comes second to how well I digest it.

Now I’m assuming that you don’t drink this stuff compulsively. Most body builders blindly follow the gym adage of 1 gram per pound of body weight, a number uncorroborated by scientific study for muscle growth. If you need that much of it, which for some could mean up to 4 or 5 scoops a day in addition to overeating, than obviously price per scoop is more significant in deciphering the best whey protein for your purposes.

But I use whey as a supplement or meal replacement only. I have at most 2 scoops a day, and I consume it in a protein shake or simply mix it with milk and water. So I need something that doesn’t pain my stomach, that mixes well, and that tastes ok. And that brings me to the final factor in determining the best whey…taste.

There are literally hundreds of different flavors out there. I have no idea why, as few people drink the stuff straight. And most producers have been able to create some flavor that’s edible, so it almost becomes a moot point. That said, some of them still taste like crap and need a taste test. So what’s my overall pick? The single best protein powder I’ve tried is GNC protein powder. It dissolves perfectly in milk or water, and is perfect for making whey protein shakes.

The vanilla tastes great, really great. And it is easy on my stomach. I can drink it almost every day without consequences. But while GNC works well for me, unfortunately you will need to do some trial and error. Not all whey protein powders will sit well with you, and not all will taste ok. But my guess is that if you try two or three of the largest suppliers, you’ll hit a winner. And just remember that the production of whey is relatively uniform, so you’ll get quality whey with almost anyone. It’s the other factors I mentioned above that for me determine the best whey protein powder to use in protein shakes and smoothies.