Remember Popeye?
Always chugging that can of Spinach…
Seconds later, super human strength as he battled Brutus.
Fast forward to today … most of us can be found wandering the Protein supplement aisle at our local Whole Foods trying to select the right protein for OUR needs. Rows and rows of cans with creative labeling. But, as mere mortals, how do we know we are getting what we need?
I’ve been taking a course online at Stanford about what we really need and what is actually added to some of the more popular, best-selling versions of popular Protein Powders.
Here are a few easy tips for identifying the right powder for YOUR needs:
There are basically 3 levels of Protein Powder – Whey Protein is the “Gold Standard” – having said that….Plant-Based protein (i.e. Pea Protein) is making a huge entry into the market these days. But, for the sake of ease, let’s focus on WHEY.
CONCENTRATE – 70-80% PROTEIN (this is sort of your standard “I picked it up at a big box store and it tastes ok)
WHEY ISOLATE – 90% PROTEIN
WHEY HYDROLYZED – 90-95% PROTEIN (this tends to be the CLEANEST with fats and lactose removed)
The ingredient in this powder that makes your muscles build is Lucene. It’s like a magic bullet. Lucene signals muscles to grow and repair. And, to accomplish this, you need between 2.7 and 3 grams of clean protein. Now, before your eyes start to spin…all of the information is on the nutrition label on the back of your protein. So, NO major math needed.
You want to aim for a minimum of 25-30 grams of protein per serving.
Really comb through the ingredient list. Be aware of ADDED INGREDIENTS. By these we mean ADDED flavors (that are not organic), ADDED Digestive Components (not really needed in your protein – but costly), ADDED sugars, etc. If your powder contains lots of these, choose another product. Know that the lists are made with highest amount of ingredients listed FIRST.
If you find SUCRALOSE ..you may be in for tummy challenges if you run or workout for long periods of time. Sucralose is a known bloat-inducer.
I hope this helps you navigate the aisles a bit easier.
As always, I am here to help if ya need it:)
HAVE THE BEST FRIDAY EVAAAAA!