3 Things You Need to Know When Choosing a Protein Powder

Proteins are the building blocks required to grow and repair muscle tissue in the body. Many proteins are obtained from eggs, meat, cheese, milk, and supplementary sources. Protein powder is a quick way to give your body the protein it needs. These powders are mainly used to improve performance, and build muscle physique. It is important to keep in mind that not all protein powders are created equally; they differ in their composition, taste, and benefits. In partnership with Dr. Axe, below is a list of 3 important things you need to know before choosing a protein powder.

Primary Time of consuming protein powder

Before grabbing a protein powder from the shelf, it is important to consider the primary time of consumption. Is it immediately after a workout? Or are you looking for a powder to use halfway through the day when you do not have a food snack at hand? A whey protein powder will be a great choice immediately after a workout since it is rapidly digestible and contains some carbohydrates (dextrose) to help provide glucose needed by the muscles.

If you are planning to have the protein powder throughout the day, a casein protein powder, which takes longer to digest and provides the body with a slow release of amino acids, may be a better choice. Moreover, these proteins keep hunger pangs under control, preventing you from snacking during the day, hence aiding in weight loss.

Matching powder to your needs

It is important to take time and match your protein powder selection to your specific goals. With the many different choices of protein powder, it is vital for you to discern your goals then choose one that suits your needs.

• Building muscle: Choose a protein powder that has a high biological value such as whey powder with branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) that helps promote muscle growth.

• Weight loss: Go for shakes without additional sugars and dextrin as they may lead to increased weight gain.

• Combating gastrointestinal problems: For patients with irritable bowel syndrome or lactose intolerance, choose protein powders that do not contain lactose sugars or artificial sweeteners.

• Fighting kidney diseases: Those suffering from kidney diseases may not be able to tolerate high protein intakes all at once. It is important to choose protein powders with a lower protein range (10 grams per serving).

The quality of powders

The quality of protein powder is more important than the total protein content. The protein quality can be determined using its biological value and protein digestibility corrected amino acid score (PDCAAS) that are recorded on the label. Always look at the label and the credibility of a company when selecting a protein powder. Ancient Nutrition is a particularly credible company you’ll want to check out.

Supplement manufacturing companies usually include small amounts of the important ingredients, making it difficult to accomplish your desired goals with the protein powder. Therefore, always inspect the powder’s ingredients. Also, remember that quality has its price; if you realize that the prices are extraordinarily lower than most products on the shelf, it may be time to move on to something else. Do thorough market research and product reviews on specific products and discern which have stood the test of time in terms of quality and reliability.

Keep these points in mind when choosing your protein powder. Everyone has their personal preferences and experience with different products. Personal market research is the only way to determine if you get the optimal powder in the market. If you try one protein powder and you realize it does not work, you can choose another one from the different varieties in the market.

Damien Justus writes in the business, home improvement and real estate spaces, and is very passionate about health, cooking, diet plans and anything that has to do with staying fit.