What to look for in a protein powder . . .

[JimNAZ]

Sorry if this is a duplicate question. I thought it was discussed somewhere but I cannot find it.

Anyway, need to replenish our protein powder. The stuff we have seems ok (X-Rated Whey - 92 cal, 1g fat, 2g carbs and 18g protein) and I like the taste but I read where you should mix up what you take so your body doesn't get used to it. (Does that even matter with protein powder?)
I know that you need to look for the type of whey: concentrated, etc but what else should I look for?
Also, how many grams of protein per serving? I have seen some that go up into the 50's! I guess this would depend on how much protein I need per meal. Answered my own question huh . . .

Jim

[Dave]

Jim - Here's a great article from Mark's Daily Apple on Whey choices. http://www.marksdailyapple.com/whey-isolate-concentrate-hydrolysate/

We typically use Beachbody's whey, which is pretty good stuff. I recently bought some BSN Syntha 6 protein because I wanted something that had some carbs in it to support my endurance stuff and I wanted to look at Casien protein. Apparently testing my dairy tollerance is not a lesson I can figure out. If you have dairy issues, avoid that one. I'll use the rest of it, but I noticed pretty quickly that it was moving through my system a bit more rapidly than what I'm used to. It does taste great! I like Optimum Nutrition stuff too and if I get caught out of my usual stuff again, that's what I'll get.

[JimNAZ]

Thanks Dave! I'll keep in mind the BB stuff for next time. Unfortunately we will need some in about another day :eek: so I will have to get at the store.

[Dave]

Oh I hear you. That's what prompted me to get the Syntha 6. I had some earlier. It is pretty tasty I have to say. Check out the Optimum Nutrition. As always, check out the ingredients. Try to limit the sugars.

[Sterling]

Jim: I'll echo Dave. Keep your sugars to a minimum if you can. A great choice is Isopure Vanilla; it has 0 carbs and is a great protein source at 50 grams/serving. Both Isopure chocolate and vanilla are great for protein shakes, but I prefer BBs chocolate protein mix for cooking.

[InnerStrength]

I love this site! Here I was sitting wondering about how to pick a protein powder and viola! So my question has to do with how to read a label and choose a good protein powder. I'm talking ratios-- guidelines for amt of protein, carbs, etc. per serving.

Also, like the ? above, is protein powder something we should "mix up" every so often so our bodies don't get too used to it? I LOVE the vegan one I've used throughout my P90X and honestly, don't have enough time between working out and getting to work to eat "real" food, so it is my meal 5 days a week. . .

Thanks, as always, for any feedback!
Cel

[JimNAZ]

I never did find out about the need to switch up the protein powder. I did try the Isopure zero carb (still on it) and it tastes great with almond milk! I guess the amount of carbs is subjective. I was looking for a low carb to help keep my total carb intake low. Don't think there is a ratio of protein/carbs needed like the recovery drink.
I would suggest when comparing powders to see what the suggested serving size is based on the advertised amount of protein. As an example, Isopure advertises 50g of protein but you need to take 2 scoops to get that. The powder I used before only had 22g but I only needed 1 scoop. Now I am not saying to use this as the only determination as to what to buy. I also compared the rest of the ingredients of both powders and Isopure had higher quantities of ingredients (even taking into consideration the 2 scoops to 1). BUT: not all powders out there are the same quality and they try to fool you with advertising "wows".

* I have challenges with my morning snack (limited options) so I just have the protein drink every day (Isopure/almond milk).

Jim