Protein powder is one supplement I always say isn’t necessary but certainly helpful for almost anyone as a convenience item. As a dietitian, protein is one of the main nutrients that I see clients deficient in. It does SO much for the body, including promoting satiety, maintaining or building muscle or other tissues in the body, balancing blood sugar, and even supporting the production of neurotransmitters to support mood and stress resilience. So yes, it’s a pretty big deal.
That said, sources do often take longer to cook. Protein powder is an easy addition to getting whole food plant and animal protein sources for those busy days. If you look into purchasing a protein powder, you may get overwhelmed at the amount of options. While it’s great to have options, not all protein is created equal. Let’s break down a few things to look out for.
Added sweeteners
I personally add protein powder to shakes not only for the benefits but also for the flavor. So please, by all means go out and seek chocolate, vanilla, or other flavors that might enhance your smoothies or other foods.
It’s important to be mindful of artificial flavors, artificial sweeteners, or sugar alcohols as they may cause GI distress among other issues. Some of these include sucralose, aspartame, xylitol, and more. Choose sweeteners such as honey, coconut sugar, maple syrup, brown rice syrup, agave, or stevia. Ideally, your protein powder will have less than five grams of sugar per serving.
Plant proteins
First, let’s start with a little biochemistry lesson: amino acids are the building blocks of protein. Some of them your body can manufacture (it’s resourceful like that), while others (nine, to be exact), we have to get through food. With plant protein powders, it’s unlikely that they’ll have all nine, thus being labeled an “incomplete protein.” However, plant protein powders can still be a valuable addition to varied whole food-based protein sources throughout your day.
My overall recommendation for a well-rounded amino acid profile for plant powders is a brown rice and pea plant blend. Hemp proteins are also beneficial and are uniquely higher in omega-3s and fiber. Some people find plant protein powders to be grittier than others, so it’s important to shop around and find one you enjoy.
Milk proteins
This is my most commonly recommended protein (if tolerable to the client) for taste, texture, and quality. Whey is a milk protein and beneficial post-workout due to its higher content of BCAAs, which can help with muscle recovery and growth. You’ll commonly find that whey is processed in different ways ranging from concentrates to isolates to hydrolysates. A concentrate form has the most carbohydrates and fats, while isolates are more broken down with less carbohydrates and fats, which can make it faster-digesting. Hydrolysates are broken down even further.
All in all, I generally recommend concentrates for the general population, but the others can be more helpful for strenuous strength workouts or if you’re aiming to gain muscle. Casein is another milk protein that is more slow-digesting. This can be a helpful protein before bed if you’re aiming to gain muscle.
Collagen
It’s important to remember that this isn’t a complete protein, so I encourage you to think of this in a different way than other protein supplements. Overall, it can support collagen in your body including your skin, joints, and gut lining. These are generally made from beef hide or fish, and vegan options are usually not high quality.
Third party testing
Just like with any supplement, it’s important to be discerning when choosing your protein powder. Third party testing is important to ensure that what it’s claiming to be giving you on the label is what you’re actually getting in your body. In addition, it helps protect you from harmful additions like heavy metals.
NSF Certified for Sport or USP are good third party stamps to look out for on your protein powder. I also love the site Consumer Lab, which can give you a full, comprehensive review of your supplement.
The bottom line on choosing a protein powder
Whey concentrate and pea plant/brown rice blend protein powders are my most commonly recommended, but others can certainly be helpful. There are so many creative ways to add protein into your everyday eating too, including shakes, pancakes, oatmeal, pudding, and more. In a busy world where getting adequate protein can be tough, this is a great option!
