If you’re going to use protein supplements, it’s important to know which are the best choices and what to look for as you shop. But, what are the best protein supplements these days?
If you’re ready to cut through all the noise and get to the industry standards when it comes to protein powder supplements, I’m raring to go.
What Are The Best Protein Supplements?
When it comes to the most popular nutrition supplements, protein powder is definitely one of the leaders. Even though you can supplement your diet with protein in the form of pills and capsules, powders are the best because they are the easiest for your body to absorb.
Because the powder is mixed with a liquid in shaker bottles like these, it’s the fastest and most productive method to deliver the nutrition to your muscles. It gets absorbed faster and is easier on your stomach and digestive system.
For the answer to “what are the best protein supplements” Let’s look at the top 5 protein supplements what makes them the best.
BSN’s Syntha-6 Protein Powder
If you’re looking to put on some serious muscle mass BSN’s Syntha-6 Protein Powder is a perfect choice.
It’s a delicious premium powder made with bodybuilders in mind. If you find it difficult to add mass or you need to add weight and mass with extra nutrition for growth, this is definitely one of the best protein supplements.
SYNTHA-6 adds other protein sources to the whey in their protein shakes to help them release just a little slower so it works longer and throughout the day. That really means you can shake and drink anytime during the day. Take it when you wake up, right before, right after, or just before you go to bed.
22 grams of protein per serving
The truth is, if your serious about your workouts and increasing muscle mass, it’s best to take this protein supplement 3 times a day. And because it’s priced right, you can afford to take it multiple times a day.
At $45 for 48 servings, SYNTHA-6 is less than a dollar a shake. If you’re new to buying protein powder supplements, I can tell you it’s a lot cheaper buying in bulk and way cheaper than buying $3 shakes at the store. Since you need to be taking it along with your workouts, it only makes sense to buy in bulk and save money per serving.
Seriously Delicious and Mixes Well
BSN actually comes in 7 flavors, and they are all delicious. As a matter of fact, you’ll wonder if something that taste this good can really be good for you? SYNTHA-6 mixes easy, thorough, and taste like a good milkshake. So, why try to choke down a protein supplement that tastes terrible when these unbeatable flavors are available?
We all know what a pain it is to try to mix protein shakes that refuse to dissolve and leaves you drinking clumps. You’ll find BSN mixes easily and effortlessly in any good shaker bottle. Or for a more premium shake, mix it in a blender and add your favorite fruits to it, and maybe even creatine powder to go with it.
The Low Down BSN’s Syntha-6 Protein Powder
This is a well know ultra-premium supplement that includes 22g of protein in a serving. To go along with the protein are essential fatty acids and fiber making it one of the best multi-functional and nutritious supplements on the market.
It’s designed to add the proper nutrients for getting the most from a wide variety of diet plans, sports activities, exercise, and muscle building campaigns. It comes with flavor to match its value, and it’s easy to mix and use.
Orgain’s Organic Plant Based Protein Powder
Looking for something seriously healthy and taste good too?
Orgain’s Organic Plant Based Protein Powder is a supplement that goes beyond the normal nutritious and tasty mix. This is an overall superfood shake that makes one of the healthiest options available when you’re concerned with health along with fitness.
In case you aren’t aware of it, vegan and vegetarian powders are notorious for not wanting to mix good, along with not tasing too good. These vegan and vegetarian powders are really healthy, but leave you with the idea that all protein powders taste terrible. Not true!
Sick of terrible tasting protein shakes?
Orgain is in a class of its own when it comes to usability and taste. So, if you’ve tried other vegan brands before, and found them disappointing, you will be surprised with Orgain. This shake gives you 5 awesome dessert flavors to choose from. One of the flavors is unsweetened and still great tasting. Now sugar-free is a feature you don’t see in all these protein shakes, either.
They definitely stand out from the competition. In fact, this pant based protein powder shake is kosher, non-GMO, along with being gluten and soy-free. That means most any specialized diet with the intent of increasing protein is good to go with Orgain.
Orgain simply provides a lot more for your money, health, and muscle building than typical protein shakes.
You will get a clinical dose of 5 grams of organic fiber, an incredible variety of essential amino acids, topped off with organic chia seeds. But what may be even more important to you – is what isn’t included in this exemplary protein powder: You won’t find any artificial sweeteners, heavy metals, and no overload of carbs. Combined that with only 1 gram of sugar, and you’ve got something.
What’s inside?
- 150 calories
- 3 grams of carbs
- 1 gram of sugar
- 21 grams of Protein
- 7 grams of fiber
When it comes to fat loss, or building and maintaining muscle with regular workouts, the perfect formula is high protein content and low carbs.
If you want to start protein synthesis after a workout, before breakfast or before you go to bed (this is the time you really need it, as your muscles repair themselves when you are at rest) this shake is perfect. Use it as a meal replacement, or add it to recipes for a shot of tasty health food.
Orgain comes highly recommended in and for the health-minded industry. If you’re looking for the healthiest and best source of natural protein to supplement your diet with, this is worth investigating.
Gold Standard 100% Whey Blend by Optimum
Whey is often considered the best protein supplement by bodybuilders and athletes everywhere.
Gold Standard 100% Whey Blend by Optimum Nutrition is certainly a leading brand among bodybuilders and for good reason. As a company, Optimum Nutrition has won plenty of awards when it comes to quality supplements. In fact, they been the supplement company of the year.
This affordable protein powder stays on the list of best sellers. That’s partly because it makes great shakes that are easy and fast to digest and a perfect supplement for any workout efforts.
Fast Digesting vs Slow Digesting Protein Supplements
One problem with capsules and pills is that they are always slow-digesting methods. I’m not saying that’s all bad, but you aren’t getting a big surge of protein to your muscle when you have them activated.
On the other hand, with fast-acting supplements like Optimum Nutrition 100% Whey Gold Standard, you can take immediately after working out or any other exercise for immediate results. When I take it immediately after lifting weights, I can be sure it’s available for my muscles to use in the repair process right away.
How often should I take protein shakes?
Truth is, a lot of athletes take several shakes each day. In fact, as many as three times a day, and maybe more on hard workout days. It’s ok to start out with a shake for breakfast or with breakfast, immediately after a workout, a run, or any exercise, and again just before going to bed.
Getting a boost of protein before breakfast ensures adequate macronutrients and providing plenty of healthy protein for sore muscles. Consuming whey protein before you go to bed is good because your body does more to recover from the day while you are asleep than any other time.
Can I take too much protein powder?
It may sound like a lot of protein to take, but don’t worry about overdosing. Too much can’t hurt you because anything your body doesn’t use, it excretes naturally. I would rather ensure all my body needs is available than not have an adequate supply.
Will it mix?
The Gold Standard Whey Blend mixes effortlessly in a glass with a spoon. No need for an electric shaker here, just measure it into a glass of water or fruit juice and stir it up. The taste is great with over 20 flavors to choose from, and several different sizes and packages.
What’s inside?
- 130 calories per drink
- Over 5 grams of BCCAs for lean muscle building
- 3-4G CARBS
- 1-3G SUGAR
- 1-1.5G FAT
- NO Gluten or Sucralose
Optimum Nutrition’s 100% Whey Gold Standard protein shakes make a good option for any athlete or person needing to supplement with protein. Low in carbs and sugar means not so many calories and a perfect diet addition for increasing lean muscle mass. It mixes extremely well whether you are using milk, water, or juices.
Garden of Life Raw Organic Protein
Certified USDA Organic
This is the Swiss Army knife of premium protein powders, Garden of Life Raw Organic Protein could be the healthiest protein powder on the planet. And is sure to be a healthier alternative than most other brand names.
The addition of 13 raw organic sprouts and vitamins A, D, E, and K means it’s exceptionally nutritious and eliminates the need for other supplements. 22 grams of protein, all plant-based, makes this vegan-friendly powder supplement a great choice for anyone.
What are the real benefits of using Garden of Life Raw Organic Protein?
- 22 grams of protein assure you of the best help for building and repairing muscle
- Promotes protein synthesis either before or after a workout
- Drink this shake as a meal, snack, or muscle building supplement
- Vegan approved
- Beat sensitivities with the best alternative to soy, milk, and whey
- No fillers, artificial flavors, sweeteners, or preservatives
- Includes enzymes and probiotics that aid digestion and your digestive system
Is raw and organic that important?
There’s no doubt that living grains and seeds deliver the ultimate nutrition. And besides that, all foods that are heated and cooked prior to packaging means you lose part of the vital nutrients you need for the best health and muscle-building properties.
Garden of Life delivers the protein you need in a different manner. Everything is produced at very low temps with nothing being added as fillers. This unique process for producing protein supplements means you get the complete amino acid profile that you need from protein.
Do I really need probiotics in a protein supplement?
Probiotics are natural bacteria that aid your digestive system in the breaking down of food and minerals. They are especially helpful when taking any type of medicine and many supplements, such as protein.
One complaint from many people adding enough protein to their diet to actually aid in muscle growth is stomach issues. Simply put, the probiotics in Garden of Life Raw Organic Protein ensures that you will never experience any discomfort from supplementing your diet with the super nutrient, protein.
Does Organic Vegan Protein come in flavors?
This is certainly an athlete or bodybuilder friendly shake with no sugar, artificial sweeteners, dairy, or soy. It comes in 3 flavors and even unflavored, which is unique in itself.
Unique, because protein powders are generally flavored because most people don’t like it plain. Well, this unflavored blend is particularly useful for those of us who love adding our own seasonings and various fruits to our shakes. This is the perfect way to flavor your protein powder supplements exactly the way you like them.
What’s inside?
- This is a certified organic product
- Raw – delivers the most powerful nutrient base
- 13 raw organic sprouts
- 22 grams of Raw organic protein
- Vitamins A, D, and K
- Live probiotics and enzymes to help properly digest and use protein to your bodys advantage
- 0 sugar
- 100 calories
Garden of Life is a superfood protein blend for anyone who believes in using the best to produce the best results.
Isopure Zero Carb Protein Powder
Hands down the bestseller for people who understand the value of protein isolates for muscle building.
Isopure Zero Carb Protein Powder with 25 grams of protein per scoop of 100% pure whey protein isolate. Get it in either no carb or low carb, all with added vitamins, minerals, and glutamine.
What is protein isolate?
Whey protein is a derivative of the process of making cheese from milk. The two main types of protein used in protein supplements are whey concentrate and whey isolates.
Whey isolates undergo more processing but wind up with more protein but less carbs, fat, and lactose than the more common concentrates. Whey concentrates are less expensive, but isolates pack more protein by weight and are more pure.
Is isolate protein worth the little added cost?
The absorption rate is quite a bit higher with isolated protein because of the 100% ion exchange. This can be a real advantage over concentrated whey which sometimes won’t be fully absorbed by your body.
Because isolates require more processing to be a more pure version of protein, the price is a little higher. But if you prefer a more elite protein shake, the idea that the carbs, fats, and lactose has been processed out, makes Isopure Zero Carb well worth the added cost.
In the end, you wind up saving money without the need to purchase glutamine separately, or BCAAs because there is a plentiful supply in Isopure’s formula. In fact, a shake includes over 50% of your daily vitamin requirements. This alone could replace any vitamins you are taking?
How often to drink Isopure Zero Carb?
Consume this most healthy method to supplement your diet with protein anytime. Use it post or pre workout or any type of exercise at all. Drink it first thing in the morning or prior to going to bed.
I don’t know about you, but I like to take a shake before bed every night. This is the time my body goes into a full rest and recovery time, allowing much better growth and repair from the supplements I’m taking. This is also the time I would normally be taking a multivitamin, so I kill several birds with one stone.
Is mixing and taste really that important?
How well protein powders mix is only important after you’ve paid your hard earned money for a jug and it winds up with in the back of the cabinet – because no matter what you do, it stays lumpy. Or, how about this, your mouth is drooling in time with the shaking — only to violently spit a mouthful out because it taste awful?
Instead of wasting your time with cheaper blends, my advice is to go ahead and buy and use a premium product to start with. Isopure delivers the nutrients in spades but it also mixes up incredidbly easy in a shaker bottle and comes out with a great creamy taste.
What’s inside?
- 100% whey isolate
- Choose either low or no carb (neither has any sugar at all)
- 25 grams of protein
- 0 fat
- No gluten, lactose, or add on impurities
- Large variety of flavors, including unflavored which is great for mixing your own flavor or cooking with
Really, it’s hard to find a more perfect protein supplement than Isopure. With an unprecedented amount of flavors that all mix with ease, and the perfect combination of nutrients and isolated protein for muscle support — this is far as you need to look.
Who Should Use Protein Supplements?
Wondering if you should even be using protein supplements, or what are the best protein supplements? Most people know they require a certain amount of protein just to stay healthy, but after that knowledge gets a little vague.
Well, without going all scientific on you, a good place to start is just knowing that some people require more protein than others based sometimes on their physical activity and personal goals. For instance, athletes and especially body builders usually try to consume more than normal amounts of protein through supplements.
Proteins Are The Building Blocks of Muscle
Proteins carry the amino acids that are essential to strong muscle, so if you’re into building and maintaining muscle mass you naturally need more than most people. Protein fuels muscle and muscle growth, so a protein deficiency leads to difficulties in increasing muscle size.
Supplementing diets with this vital nutrient is vital for athletes for the building process without the need to eat more food. That’s simply because it can be hard to get enough from food each day without eating huge amounts at each meal. So, it’s natural to look for sources that not only boost the consumption quickly but also gets absorbed and sent to muscle tissue quickly.
Everybody Needs Protein
But athletes aren’t the only people to benefit from supplementing their diet protein powder. There are Vegans and vegetarians who like to supplement their diet with vegetable based protein. In this case, it’s important to look for other sources because of the lack of foods like meat, chicken, eggs, and milk.
Another group of people using protein supplements are senior citizens. Muscle growth tends to decrease and stop as we get older, so adding this all important nutrien to senior diets can help them maintain muscle tone as the years go by.
Protein Supplements Come in a Variety of Forms
These supplements come in a variety of forms like pills, capsules, food bars, and powders. Powders are the most popular for athletes simply because they are more versatile and fast-acting. Use protein powders as a delicious shake or bake with them. Mix them in a glass with fruit juices, water, beverages, or milk, with a spoon, a protein shaker, or a blender.
Some people prefer the portability of pills, capsules, and bars, and they don’t have to fool with mixing. It all comes down to personal preferences, the results you seek, and how quickly you want the results.
What Are Protein Supplements Made From?
Protein supplements are available from Whey which is by-product of making cheese from milk, soy which is a vegetable, and egg protein. All the different forms and types serve different needs and preferences. Whey based protein supplements come in either slow or fast-acting forms.
Most serious athletes supplementing what they eat use both fast and slow acting products to get the maximum effects. Using the fast-acting varieties means a more immediate boost to energy and muscle repair. Slower acting choices are used to release a more steady supply of protein in the hours prior to and after workouts and exercise.
This post should have answered your question “what are the best protein supplements to choose from”. I’ve listed and provided information above on both types of supplements for you to decide for yourself which are the best protein supplements for your own goals. If you’re not sure, they all come in several different sizes, so just start out with a small size to decide what brand and taste you like the best.