HOW TO MAKE PROTEIN SHAKES

There are a variety of reasons why you may want to include protein shakes in your daily diet…

1) Your goal is to put on lean muscle size and you want some additional protein to support growth and recovery.

2) You’re aiming to lose body fat and you want a healthy, high protein snack to satisfy your appetite without the excessive calories.

3) You’re an athlete looking for a post workout drink to help you recover in between training sessions.

Protein shakes are a great way to assist you with any of these goals.

How To Make Protein Shakes

There is no single, absolute method on how to make protein shakes, as there are an endless number of different recipes and combinations you could use. If you don’t want to make it by yourself though then there are loads of different types that you could use (for example, you could check out something like this probiotic protein shake to give you a better idea of what else is on offer).

You’ll first want to start with the liquid base…

For this, you can either use skim milk, water or a milk substitute such as almond milk or rice milk. The specific liquid you choose will be based on taste preference as well as your specific goal.

For example, if you want a higher calorie shake then go with skim milk (you can even use regular whole milk if you prefer), whereas if you want fewer calories, water or almond milk works better.

Somewhere between 8 and 10 ounces works well as the base for your shake.

You’ll also want to add in a few ice cubes to give the shake a cooler and frothier consistency.

Next up is the protein source…

For this, I recommend going with a high quality whey protein powder.

Whey is the highest quality form of protein available, as it has the greatest overall absorption rate in the body as well as the best amino acid profile for stimulating lean muscle growth and fat loss.

Whey comes in two main forms: concentrate and isolate. Either choice is acceptable.

There are several other protein powders available, such as egg, casein, rice, hemp or soy, but in terms of underlying taste and quality, whey protein is definitely superior.

Go with any flavor of whey protein you prefer, and add in 1-2 scoops depending on how much protein you want and how thick you want the shake to be.

After that are the carbohydrates…

This is where things get a lot more creative, as there are a ton of different carbohydrate sources you can include in your shake.

The carbs you choose will be based on your individual taste preference and how high calorie you want the shake to be.

Some great choices here include fruit of virtually any kind (banana, berries, apples, mangos and peaches are all good choices), ground oatmeal or low fat yogurt.

Add in as much or as little as you want.

Finally, we have the healthy fats…

This is an optional addition but is a great way to help you get some omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids into your diet. It can also enhance the taste quite a bit depending on what you add.

Some great options here include natural nut butter (peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter etc.), ground flaxseeds, nuts or healthy oils like flaxseed oil or extra virgin olive oil.

Again, the amount you use depends on your taste preference and how calorie dense you want the shake to be.

On top of the liquid base, protein powder, carbs and fats, there are plenty of other little “extras” you can throw in to flavor the shake further, such as cinnamon, cocoa, vanilla extract or added sweetener.

– Sean

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