Protein powder 101. How do you choose one?

My oh my... there are so many protein powders on the market at the moment. Are you confused and want to know which one to buy?

And which type is the right one for you?

Here, I'll run you through the basics to help clear your confusion (no matter what your dietary restrictions are).

We’ll be covering:

1. What even is protein?

2. How much protein do you need per day and do you need a protein powder to meet this?

3. What should you look out for when you're buying a protein powder?

4. What should you look for if you're on a low carb or keto diet?

5. What type of protein powder is amazing for GUT HEALTH

6. I tell you about my favourite protein powder brand!

1. What is protein?

Protein is a large molecule that is made up of many amino acids and amino acids are the building blocks for protein in the body. It's one of the three macronutrients, the other two being carbohydrates and fat.

It's essential we consume protein as all of our organs, including the skin, are built from amino acids, as are the muscles, hair and nails.

Many hormones are also proteins. The immune system, digestive system and blood all rely on proteins to work correctly too. 

The body needs twenty amino acids, and it can synthesise 11 of these itself! However, there are nine, called ‘essential amino acids’ that the body can't create and has to gain through the consumption of food.

Protein is, therefore, an essential part of all of our diets.

2. How much protein do you need per day? And, do you need protein powder?

Long story should, you probably don't need protein powder UNLESS you're lacking protein in your diet.

It's actually quite easy to obtain enough protein if you are eating a whole foods diet and focusing on consuming a rich source of protein with each main meal (at least 20 g per main meal), like a serving of:

• Meat

• Fish

• Eggs

• Tofu

• Legumes

So, how much protein should you aim to eat each day?

On average, you should aim for about 1 - 1.5 g per kilo of body weight.

So, if you’re 60 kgs, you would aim for 60-90 g protein minimum per day.

What does that look like? Well, if a serving of meat that is the size of your palm has approximately 30 g, you can see how easily this can be met. 

HOWEVER, we don't always just eat things and buy things because we "need them" right?! We can want them!

And in this case, protein powders (healthy ones) can absolutely be used to make up your protein needs, as long as we’re still eating whole-foods in at least 2 of our main meals for the day. We wouldn’t want protein powder to take over our protein in every meal! In that case, it wouldn’t be healthy.

I personally love using & recommending them for breakfasts and snacks because it means that you can enjoy a sweet, indulgent tasting meal that is ACTUALLY sugar free, high in protein and guilt free! Ie, instead of making something like eggs for breakfast, you can make a smoothie, pudding or slice, just like the ones below that you can find on my website.

Cinnamon Apple Protein Pancakes

Click here

One Minute Vanilla Berry Pudding

Click here

Also, all of these below contain some protein and are available in my Eat Cake Lose Weight eBook (and are healthy enough to eat for breakfast or snacks as often as you like…)

Protein powders are also great for these circumstances:

• People who are trying to lose weight and want to consume a quick, easy shake to have as a filling snack with little calories.

• People who can't seem to meet their protein needs through food alone (for example if they're trying to GAIN muscle mass or follow a vegan diet).

3. What should you look out for when you're buying a protein powder

I'll keep this short and sweet.

Turn to the nutrition label and ingredients list of your powder.

You want to see that it DOESN'T have...

Casein + WPC
These are also known as whey protein concentrate and caseinate. WPC’s and casein protein sources are high in lactose, which can often cause bloating, flatulence, and gastrointestinal distress in some people.

Dextrins/Maltodextrin
These ingredients can raise glycemic load, which raises insulin and may contribute to fat storage. Most are processed with GMO corn and they can also cause gastrointestinal distress in some people. They are mostly added to protein powders as fillers to bulk it out.

Any artificial sweetener except for stevia or xylitol. 
Common ones are sucralose, splenda (955), aspartamine, equal, NutraSweet (951), or saccharin (954). These (may) cause headaches, migraines, weight gain, acid reflux and gastric distress such as bloating and diarrhoea. 

Skim milk powders/milk solids
These are often used as cheap bulking agents in low-quality powders. They are high in lactose sugars, which can cause bloating, gastrointestinal distress, constipation, and loose stools. The protein is poorly absorbed into the body, making it harder for you to reap all of its benefits.

Soy protein
Soy proteins contain the chemical compound phyto-oestrogen, which may cause hormonal disturbances as it can mimic oestrogen in women. It can also lead to suppressed thyroid function in some people. Soy proteins often come from genetically-modified sources with high pesticide use too which we don't want for obvious reasons. 

Vegetable oils
These are often added to most protein powders to increase richness and make them taste creamy. However, these fats are often derived from hydrogenated sources that contain trans fats. Trans fats raise levels of bad cholesterol and lower levels of good cholesterol. 

I also personally believe that most of us are gluten sensitive in some way. So I always recommend buying a powder that's certified gluten-free. 

You also want it to be...

• Sugar-free

• Non-GMO

• And contain 60-100 g protein per/100 g.

4. What should you look for if you're on a low carb or keto diet?

Everything above needs to be taken into account, PLUS there's just one simple trick.

Look at the nutrition label and make sure that there is no more than 5g carbs/serving. This applies to all foods when you're checking if they're low carb!

And the lower the better here too... 

5. What type of protein powder is amazing for GUT HEALT

You need to choose one that doesn't cause gastric bloating and upset. Regular bloating eventually leads to a leaky gut and a whole series of resulting health issues, so you want to get on top of this and stop consuming one that makes you bloated!

Whey protein powders can often cause bloating in people, as can peas. So you may need to trial and error. Like I said before, gluten should be avoided so make sure to choose a gluten free one. 

ALSO.... the strength and integrity of your gut lining needs to be prioritised if you already have leaky gut. Don't know what this is? You must read this. 

Lot's of you would have leaky gut (or would be on your way there) and so you need to work on closing the gaps and strengthening your gut lining. Something that is GREAT for this is collagen. So, I always recommend collagen protein powders to people who are gut-health conscious.

One of my favourites is Morlife Antiox Beauty Collagen. You can receive 15% off by entering HEALTHWITHBEC at checkout! I also LOVE their vanilla protein powder which I get to below….

So what is my favourite protein powder brand?

MORLIFE! I use their protein powder in all of my recipes, they tick all of the boxes.

I have been enjoying the vanilla and chocolate plantiful protein for over 6 years now.

I love it so much that I have partnered with them to make sure you get 15% off!) Enter the code healthwithbec at checkout for 15% off! Click here to shop!

I hope this cleared up a lot of your protein confusion!

If you want to follow a meal plan that teaches you exactly how your days should look so that your protein needs are met (hello no guesswork), check out my 3 Week Body Reset!