Many nutrition training programs recommend using protein powders. Proteins are essential building blocks that are necessary when you need to grow and repair muscle tissue, especially if you are taking part in physical activities that could break your tissues. Examples of foods that are rich in protein include beef, cheese, fish, chicken, and eggs.
While these are good sources of protein, you could consume supplementary proteins, which are also referred to as protein powders. Although there are many protein powders in the market, it is still tricky to pick the best for your needs. With this guide, you can easily know which protein powder is suitable for you.
Match the Protein Powder to your Needs
To choose the most suitable protein powder, you need to first identify the needs you want to meet. Below are some guidelines to assist you in choosing the right protein powder based on what you want to achieve.
Weight loss. If weight loss is your focus, you should consider choosing a protein powder that does not have added sugars or sweeteners. Powders that contain branched chain amino acids promote muscle growth and might lead to weight gain.
Gain muscle. To grow muscles quickly, go for a protein powder that contains a high biological value. In this category low carb whey products are the best as they accelerate the muscle growth process.
For a vegan. Vegans don’t have to worry about consuming proteins that don’t fall within their prescribed ingredients. There are many plant proteins that one could use.
With kidney disease. Someone with kidney disease might need to take low amounts of protein, so it is advisable to choose only powders that contain low amounts of protein. With diabetes. If you have diabetes, it would be advisable to consider powders that have no added sugar and low carbohydrate content.
Natural and Pure Powders
The other factor you could use to decide which protein powder to buy is weighing the benefits of natural and pure powders. There are many powders that come with natural ingredients, so don’t get pulled by ads to buy a powder whose ingredients you cannot even pronounce.
It is very likely its ingredients are not what you need, so before you buy ensure to confirm the ingredients included as this is what determines quality and how effective the powder will be to serving your needs. Some supplement companies use unacceptable tricks by including tiny traces of the required ingredient while the rest of the portion is taken by filler ingredients that may not make any difference.
Beware of the Hype
One of the ways you could mislead yourself into choosing the wrong protein powder is falling for the hype. Manufacturers are known for creating hype around a product using unrealistic promises and claims. Don’t rush to buy the product until you see real reviews from those who have used the product already.
This is not to say there are no genuine products that are promoted with that kind of hype, but it only makes sense to first get reviews from users so you can make a decision knowing what you are getting. Compare ingredients and track the quality records of the company to know if this is the right seller to buy from.
Ingestion rate and performance
You will come across many arguments around which type of protein is ingested best. First thing you need to know is there are three types of protein namely concentrate, casein, and isolate. After trying all these you can tell which is ideal for your needs, but if you are just out to buy, here is a highlight about the three that will help you know which to choose.
Casein gives you a longer digestion period and is known to give constant flow of aminos. Many bodybuilders use the protein as their last meal just before going to bed because it is digested slowly and absorbed throughout the night.
Isolate whey proteins allow are more rapidly absorbed, and are recommended to take after a workout to trigger the amino acids and proteins into starving the cells of your muscles. Concentrates come in the third category and these provide a good source of protein, which is absorbed moderately. You can include the proteins between meals for best results.
Endorsement and brand reputation
Lastly, after you have determined the category of protein powder you need, it is essential you also buy from the right company. Although you might find the container labeled with all the ingredients you need, you might realize later after buying that the company lied. And this happens a lot, so the only way to escape such heist is to look for brands that are endorsed by authorities in the food and health industry.
Also check for the reputation score of the company to ensure it falls within the right category as there are sellers whose reputation is not good because of repeatedly lying about ingredients.
Don’t panic if you are starting out on protein powders as choosing the right powder is easy if you follow the guidelines shared above.
Look for the ingredients to ensure it is what you need and also consider buying from a seller with a good reputation. This will help you avoid getting powders that are not ideal for your needs.
