Best Whey Protein Shakes

In this article, we are going to go all over and pick out the most important facets of pure proteins shakes as a diet supplement for bodybuilders. There are so many introductory briefs on proteins these days. However, you need to get over and above the introductory basics and advance your understanding of proteins if you are ever going to build some muscle bulk.

First, realise the fact that you do not need pure protein shakes to succeed in bodybuilding. What you need is proteins. These two are different and you must understand them as such. You will equally be successful in gaining an impressive bulk if you can eat solid foods with adequate proteins proportions. The problem is that by the time your eat all the proteins you need in solid foods, you will have eaten tons of fat and carbs. Either this will get you fat or you will eat less protein than required.

Pure protein shakes give a concentrated form of protein. There are no fats to worry about, no carbs to exceed the caloric parameters. You get an all-protein meal in a glass of a flavoured drink. That is why protein shakes are recommended, not because they are needed but because they make life easier. In fact, if you count the amount of calories in the shakes and those that are in your food, you will realise that they are far cheaper and economical.

Nevertheless, if you shift from eating solid proteins to drinking shakes all day, you will severe your metabolism to failure. Your body was made to digest solids and that is why you were given teeth instead of a funnel in the mouth. Pure protein shakes are supplements and not food. Eat solid proteins like eggs, fish, poultry and meat, and then supplement their caloric contribution with the shakes (maximal 30% of the total protein diet).

You must also know that there is no question whatsoever that pure proteins when ingested as shakes, boost your muscle growth. To grow, repair and replenish your muscles after training, shakes are essential. Disregard any contravening debates and just get your shake. Once that is settled, the question then arises of which brand or type of pure protein shakes to buy. Protein shakes in the market must be tallying in their thousands by now, but their selection criterion is pretty simple.

If a shake has such ingredients as aspartame, sucrose, brown rice syrup and saccharin (artificial sweeteners) or fructose and any artificial colors, leave it where you found it. You do not need chemical poison to accompany your shake just because of how it looks or tastes. Serious bodybuilders eventually learn how to go beyond tastes and colours in the search for optimally natural and healthy diets.

When should you take pure protein shakes? While proteins must be incorporated in every meal, two glasses of a pure protein shake a day will do; just before and after a workout session. Ensure that your total protein tallies at three grams for every pound of body weight.

The best whey protein shakes all share a few things in common; they’re nutritious, delicious, and convenient. Whey protein, as we’ve previously discussed is the most complete protein source available. It has more complete proteins than even egg whites or beef. This means you’re consuming a low fat, easily digestible, easily mixable, high protein source. It doesn’t get much better than that for those who pay attention to health.

Protein is an incredibly important macronutrient, and most of us in the West know this quite well. What we rarely think of however is that it isn’t easy to meet our daily protein requirements without also consuming excessive carbohydrates or fat. When you go to a restaurant, protein is surrounded by all those delicious high calorie foods like white breads, French fries, and pastas. It’s like high glycemic carbs are the only adornment of lean meats. And eating at home is tough enough. It’s time consuming to prepare healthy meals, let alone high protein meals that taste good enough to eat.

Whey protein shakes bypass this relative dietary inconvenience by allowing you to combine pure protein with delicious, highly mixable low fat fruits and vegetables. This should not be our main source of nutrition, but 1 to 3 whey protein shakes a day as a meal supplement and a couple mid day snacks is highly recommended. It incorporates all the vitamins and macronutrients of a full meal, but doesn’t sit in your stomach for hours and can be consumed even when not hungry.

And this is important for those who are looking to lose weight, because infrequent eating is the leading cause of a poor metabolism. If your body is fed regularly, every 3 to 4 hours, in moderate quantities, then your body will not have to work through large meals and store excess calories as fat. Furthermore it will prevent energy crashes which exacerbate this starvation mechanism, the body’s proclivity to retain body fat rather than use it for energy. Most people think calorie reduction and infrequent eating is the key to weight loss. And this will work for a few weeks…until they’ve downgraded their metabolism and now cannot deviate from their low calorie diet without putting on weight immediately.

Whey protein shakes are the ideal solution to this dietary paradox. It removes the guilt of stuffing your face all day, and it keeps your body satisfied and your metabolism high. Those looking not to lose weight but to gain weight will find whey protein shakes are a very convenient way to meet high protein needs. It’s easier than eating tough meal replacement protein bars, and shakes can be prepared in advance and drunk throughout the day. This is an easy way to grab an extra 60 to 120 grams of protein a day without forcing yourself to eat all day long.

And now to the incredible banana tofu whey protein shake. This turns the traditional conception of a shake on its head, and it was happened upon by my girlfriend last week. Rather than using ice cream, ice, or yogurt to add thickness and taste to the shake, she used soft tofu. I too was skeptical at first, but it turned out to be a glorious discovery, and one that provides multiple protein sources, combining the soy protein in tofu with the best whey protein powder. In addition to this mix, she added a banana and kiwi juice.

That’s it. It’s simple, very nutritious, and very delicious. If it’s lacking in anything, it’s fat. You could always pop a few almonds on the side, or look for tofu with a bit more fat in it to put you in the zone. But this has high protein content, and simple sugars from the banana and kiwi juice, making this an excellent pre or post workout shake. Simple sugars pre workout are great for an immediate energy boost, and post workout are great to replenish energy stores and pack the muscles with glycogen for the next day’s session. Protein pre workout keeps the body from breaking down muscle for energy, and post workout helps repair muscle broken down from a hard lifting session.

So this recipe for two servings of the incredible banana tofu whey protein shake, which is far from solidified, looks something like:
1 package soft tofu
1 or 2 bananas
2 to 3 scoops of whey protein powder
½ cup to 1 cup kiwi juice (depending on how thick you like it)

Give this whey protein shake a try and let me know what you think.

Whey Protein Shakes are the perfect meal replacement or after workout nutrition option. For those of you who like to workout know quite well, it isn’t easy or fun to fix a full meal after you’ve exhausted yourself at the gym. You want something quick and easy, and ideally, nutritional. Whey protein shakes offer the best of both worlds, as the prep time is five minutes or less and they contain the protein, carbs, and vitamins your body needs for a quick recovery. This is essential for anyone endurance or strength training, as refueling post workout with carbs packs energy into your tired muscles for the next workout and protein helps rebuild muscle you’ve broken down.

And whey protein is our protein of choice because it is the most complete source of amino acids out there, better than beef, eggs, or chicken. And it is the most readily absorbed protein, bypassing normal digestive time required when consuming other high protein sources. Perhaps one of the nicest benefits of drinking whey protein is that it feels fresh and refreshing, like you’re putting something very nutritional in your body.

In my opinion, here are a few of the best whey protein shakes:

Banana Protein Shakes
Some of the ingredients here are by no means common place, but they’ll make the shake a real pleasure to drink. The shake itself will still be worth it even without the linseed, golden syrup, and vanilla extract though, so don’t let these ingredients dissuade you from having a try. Banana protein shakes are great post workout shakes as bananas provide quick carbohydrate replenishment for muscle recovery.
• 30g Whey Protein Powder (plain or vanilla)
• 1 medium to large banana
• 8 oz. light Soy Milk
• 1 TBSP Linseed, Soy and Almond Mixture
• 1 tsp Golden Syrup
• Few drops vanilla essence/extract
• 3-4 cubes ice
• 1 TBSP low fat natural yoghurt (optional depending on diet)

 
Chocolate Coffee Shake
This is a great shake for those who don’t mind a bit of a caffeine pick-me-up pre or post workout. I love coffee and chocolate, so whey protein shakes don’t get much better than this for me. Pre workout, this shake will give you a caffeine rush for added energy at the gym. Caffeine also causes our insulin to surge, which is a very positive factor for those looking to gain muscle. So post weight training workout, this shake will augment muscle growth. If you’re looking to lose weight, you may want to indulge in caffeine shakes sparingly or use decaf coffee. (and instant coffee with 1 cup of water can be replaced with one cup of brewed coffee if you have any leftover from your morning cup of joe).
• Mix 2 scoops of Alpine Milk Chocolate Protein Delite or other whey protein with:
• 1 cup of skim milk
• 5 ice cubes
• 1 cup of water
• 1 spoonful of instant coffee!

 
Orange Vanilla Shake
This is a nice flavorful shake with plenty of vitamins from fruits and berries.
• Mix 2 scoops of Vanilla Whey Protein Powder
• 8 oz. Orange Juice
• 4-5 ice cubes
• 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
• ½ banana
• 2-3 frozen strawberries
• 2 packets of sweetener

 
I hope you try a few of these and they make their way into your post workout meal plan. But even if you don’t like these options or some of the ingredients are inconvenient for you, there are a few essentials for all whey protein shakes that we can reduce these recipes to. The best whey protein shakes contain:
1. Whey Protein (20 to 40 grams)
2. Low Fat Yogurt, Low Fat Ice Cream, Ice, or some combination thereof.
3. Fruit or Fruit Juice.

It’s a pretty simple equation that allows for a lot of experimentation. If your whey protein shake is made up of these three things you’ve got all of the nutritional and energy factors covered. You may just have to work with ingredients to get a killer taste. So have a try and get back to me with your choices for the best whey protein shakes.

Whey protein shakes are the ideal after workout refuel, healthy snack, or meal supplement. Consuming calories in the form of a shake is not only time saving and delicious; it is also a refreshing break for our digestive tracks, as digesting whey protein shakes doesn’t require the same amount of energy as your typical high protein solid foods.

But protein shakes are nothing new. We all recognize the benefits of protein in our diets, including muscle building and an increase in fat burning hormones. But why whey protein? Isn’t it enough to consume egg white or soy protein? While these are good sources of protein, they aren’t of the same quality or digestive convenience as whey.

What is whey? Whey protein is the most complete, high quality protein made from cow’s milk. It’s a glorious byproduct of the cheese making process. Think about that, cheese and whey, the most delicious and most healthy of foods from one animal. Oh, and hamburgers. Naturally, we can’t guzzle pure protein without puking, so we need to mix it in with other delicious and healthy foods or juices.

Whey protein shakes are an incredible source of nutrients and essential amino acids that the body needs for total health. The vitamins and nutrients are easily absorbed into the blood stream because your digestive track doesn’t have to work to break down solid foods. And they taste great.

Common whey protein shakes include banana, strawberries, raspberries, yogurt, low fat ice cream, etc, blended together into a delicious meal in a drink. The best time to consume this blend for an athlete is the 2 hour window following physical training. The body is primed and ready for refueling.

For non athletes or as supplements to a meal, whey protein shakes can really be consumed any time of the day. They’re perfect for busy people who need to eat their meals on the go, or people who don’t want to spend the time preparing and eating a whole solid meal.

So as you can see. Whey protein shakes are the total package, a combination of health, convenience, and tastiness.