Do you need to give your post-workout smoothies a boost? Well, you have come to the right place. While most healthy adults do not need protein powders, there are some unique situations where a person might need some. Mostly this is influenced by their training programs, their overall health status, their age among other factors.
Eating wholemeal ingredient foods is always a good standard in most cases. But if your specific needs require you to add a boost of protein powders, here are the top picks that are recommended by nutritionists. Shall we get started?
So, what is a Protein?
Proteins are basically the building blocks in our bodies as well as in most types of whole foods. They comprise of amino acids. These amino acids are essential in the body as they help in the building of new tissues. This may be either red blood cells or muscle cells.
Besides that, proteins have many other functions in the body which include; immune functions, blood clotting, transport and providing energy. Our bodies tend to convert the proteins into glucose that helps to provide energy where it is needed in our bodies.
When Do I need to Use Protein Powders?
Protein powders have a wide range of functions in the body. For instance, they can help to add calories to your foods without having to increase the volume. Also, they provide building block in your body and finally they digest easily as compared to when you eat fats or carbs alone. That said, protein powders are essential in situations like;
- During hard-core training regimen
- After going through surgery
- Due to medical conditions that require higher nutrient needs
- After oral surgery that might make swallowing difficult
- If you are a caregiver to someone who’s struggling with their appetite
Top 5 Best Protein Powders
1. Best Protein Powder for Women; Nutiva Hemp Protein Powder
Nutiva has a reputation for making the best protein powders in the market. Most people love this Nutiva Hemp Protein Powder as it easily mixes and disappears into liquids. However, the powder eventually settles down that is why you are encouraged to drink up. This Nutiva Hemp Protein Powder will provide you with 3 grams of unsaturated fats, 8b grams of fibre as well as 15 grams of protein.
This makes the protein powder a great addition to either your smoothies, baked foods or even your cereal. Whichever you prefer according to your taste and preference. For those who love some good smoothies, this protein powder has a slightly nutty taste that tastes amazing when paired with bananas or peanut butter.
2. Best Affordable for Women; Amazing Grass Protein Superfood
The Amazing Grass Protein Powder features 20 grams of proteins that provide you with an average of 110 calories. The best thing about this protein powder is that it also contains a blend of some real fruits and vegetables. These ensure you get minerals and antioxidants as well which are very essential in keeping our bodies healthy.
One scoop of this protein powder a day provides the body with value for calcium and iron which are very essential nutrients for women in their bodies. Since the protein powder is also hemp and pea protein you will get the benefit of unsaturated fatty acids which play a vital role in supporting the heart and in the immune function as well.
3. Best Protein Powder for Weight Loss; Myprotein Impact Whey Isolate Protein Powder
Myprotein features an unflavoured isolate protein-protein that is made from whey protein. This means that the protein powder easily blends with anything you’d like to mix it with. Whether it’s your overnight oats, smoothies or lattes. It provides you with precisely 22 grams of proteins that give you under 100 calories.
This is a very simple powder that contains an added boost of protein. That is because whey is derived from milk protein and animal protein. This ensures that your body gets the added boost it needs to lose some weight without leaving you feeling frail. The best thing is that the whey protein is great for fast-absorbing whether you need the boost pre or post workouts.
4. Best Protein Powder for Vegans; Pea Unflavoured Protein Powder
Are you a vegan but you need a protein boost in your body? It’s your lucky day as Pea unflavoured protein powder got you covered on that. This is a plain and simple protein powder that is made from pea protein isolate. There’s nothing else added in the protein powders which is something that makes this protein powder stand out among other powders in the market.
A single scoop of this protein powder provides you with 120 calories, 24 grams of protein as well as 35% of your required daily iron. Iron is essential as it helps in supporting the circulatory system in your body. The simple nature of this protein powder makes it easy for you to lose weight effectively. This protein powder goes well with any smoothies, latte, coffee, shakes and tea all thanks to its unflavoured nature.
5. Best Protein Powder for Muscle Gain; Beachbody Post Workout Formula
Do you need great protein powder for your post-workout snacks? Beachbody protein powder is just what you need. This powder will help you to build some lean muscles and add your overall body mass. One scoop of this powder provides your body with 130 calories, 10 grams of carbs and 20 grams of protein.
The powder also comes with a nice chocolatey taste that makes it ideal for mixing with bananas, milk and smoothies. High intake of carbs is very essential when building muscles as it makes the whole process more efficient. This protein powder also includes a blend of pea protein and micellar casein which are great sources of plant proteins.
Therefore, this protein powder also provides your body with the predominant branched amino acids which are a type of amino acids that your body requires for muscle gain.