A lot of the time, people who go to the gym experience trouble keeping their bodies healthy since they undergo a lot of physical exertion that drains most of the nutrition that they consume. This is one of the main reasons why it is recommended that we consume a good amount of protein along with our daily food intake.
However, this can be difficult if you are someone who does not have a lot of time to plan out their intake. This can be easily fixed by involving nutritional aids such as whey protein powder to lose weight in your intake.
Whey protein is one of the most commonly used nutritional supplements available in the market. It is manufactured by isolating a group of protein-rich components from milk during the production of cheese. After the fatty milk solids have been separated from the mixture due to coagulation, the milky, watered-down substance obtained during this process is then dehydrated and produced into a powder which we then consume. There are several types of whey protein such as isolates, concentrates, and hydrolysates.
One of the easiest ways to include whey protein powder in your diet would be to start drinking a whey protein shake. It is generally made by combining protein powder with natural whole foods that contain antioxidants and other essential nutrients.
Benefits Of Consuming Whey Protein
Given below are some of the whey protein benefits that you can get by including whey protein shake recipes in your diet:
- Supports muscle health: One of the most common whey protein use is that it helps us gain muscle by promoting the flow of oxygen to the tissues, boosting the healing process in our cells, and supporting the absorption of essential vitamins and minerals. It also eliminates lactic acid buildup which can greatly improve your workout quality by eliminating soreness.
- Regulates Appetite: Another whey protein benefit is that it helps control our appetite by limiting the release of hunger inducing hormones such as ghrelin and boosting the secretion of peptides. Protein also has a very densely packed structure which means that you get a higher amount of protein within the same quantity of food. This leads to better nutritional choices and helps whey protein lose weight.
- Regulates Cognitive Functioning: One of the benefits of consuming the best protein shake is that it helps boost the concentration of oxygen present inside the brain, along with stimulating the release of neurotransmitters. This is helpful for improving the concentration levels of the brain, stabilizing our mood, and preventing the development of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson.
Recipes For Protein Shakes
Given below are some of the best protein shake recipes that you can include in your daily diet:
Strawberry Protein Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups whole frozen strawberries
- 1/2 cup frozen sliced banana
- 1/4 cup of your preferred protein powder
- 1/3 cup greek or low-fat yoghurt
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- (optional) Graham crackers
Instructions
Combine your strawberries, banana, protein powder, yoghurt, and almond milk in a blender and blend it at the highest speed until you get the desired consistency. You can top off your protein shake with some crushed graham crackers and whipped cream as well. Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 206
- Sugar: 13 grams
- Fat: 2 grams
- Carbohydrates: 28 grams
- Fibre: 5 grams
- Protein: 19 grams
Vanilla Banana Protein Smoothie
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup nonfat Greek yoghurt
- 2 cups frozen sliced bananas
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup vanilla protein powder
- 2 cups milk
Instructions
Start out by freezing your Greek yoghurts into tiny cubes using an ice tray. Once it is frozen solid, combine it with some sliced bananas, protein powder, vanilla extract, and milk in a high-speed food processor. Blend your mixture until you get the desired consistency and top it off with a garnish of your choice. You can also add some coconut or peanut butter to this smoothie to give it some extra crunch and texture.
Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 163 calories
- Sugar: 10 grams
- Fat: 2 grams
- Carbohydrates: 19 grams
- Fibre: 3 grams
- Protein: 16 grams
Peanut Butter Protein Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 cup mixed frozen berries
- 1–2 tablespoons peanut butter
- 1/4 cup vanilla protein powder
- 2 tablespoons rolled oats
- 1 cup milk
Instructions
Combine the frozen berries, peanut butter, protein powder, rolled oats, and milk into a blender and blend it until you get a smooth consistency. You can top off with chopped up walnuts or hazelnuts and drizzle in some chocolate sauce as well.
Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 417
- Sugar: 27 grams
- Fat: 11 grams
- Carbohydrates: 41 grams
- Fibre: 6 grams
- Protein: 41 grams
Chocolate Protein Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 large banana, frozen
- 2–3 large ice cubes
- 1 cup non-dairy milk of choice
- 1 scoop Chocolate Protein Powder
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- Pinch of sea salt
- 1/4 tsp pure peppermint extract
- optional 1 tablespoon dark/vegan chocolate chips
Instructions
- Combine all your ingredients in a large blender and blend until you have the desired texture. You can also finish off the smoothie with some fudge or hot chocolate sauce.
Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 296 calories
- Sugar: 24 grams
- Sodium: 321 grams
- Fat: 6 grams
- Carbohydrates: 49 grams
- Fibre: 11 grams
- Protein: 22 grams
Chocolate Date Protein Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 cup frozen sliced bananas
- 1 cup frozen blueberries
- 1 cup fresh kale, packed
- 2 Medjool dates, pitted
- ½ tablespoon ground flaxseed
- 3 large frozen cauliflower florets
- ½ cup chocolate protein powder
- 1.5 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 2 cups almond milk
Instructions
Combine the sliced bananas, blueberries, kale, dates, flaxseeds, protein powder, cocoa powder, almond milk in a large high-speed blender and blend the mixture until you get the desired consistency. You can also top off your protein smoothie with some chocolate sauce or brownie crumble for an added element of goodness.
Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 263
- Sugar: 35 grams
- Sodium: 221 grams
- Fat: 4 grams
- Carbohydrates:56 grams
- Fibre: 11 grams
- Protein: 7 grams
