What to Look For in Protein Drinks (pt.2)

In the last post, I went over the ingredients to look out for when selecting a protein drink that you'll benefit from the most. But I forgot to inform you as to which is more convenient to make (unless you buy an Ready To Drink product, then you won't have to worry about it).

Protein is beneficial and is highly recommended to stay healthy, and even gain some muscle mass (or in this case, Muscle Armor!), but there are other factors you may need to know when selecting a protein drink that's best for you.

Taste is a big factor. No matter how nutritious a protein drink is, if it tastes bad, then you will cringe whenever it's time to drink up. And possibly, in time, you might stop drinking it altogether. Try drinking an EAS Myoplex and tell me what you think.

Does it mix easily? If you try the cheaper products, you get what you pay for, and you can see it in clump form. Take GNC's %100 Whey, for instance. I've tried it myself, and found the taste to be o.k. It's drinkable. But if you tried to mix it with a spoon, you get clumps, despite their claim that it's "Quick Dissolving". It isn't. Be warned.

Is the product worth the price? Take MRI's Pro Nos, for instance. From what I've heard, it's a high quality product. Easy to mix, easy to digest, and it tastes great. But the problem is in the price tag. For 3 lbs, it costs $43.99 (wow!). Also, they recommend you take two scoops each time, and if you check the servings per container, you get 19 servings. Less than a month for a 3 lbs whey protein product that costs $43.99. To me, there are other products available that work as good without the hefty pricing.

Also, there is sort of a thing called "deceptive marketing". It's not false advertising, but if you look at these products, they advertise that you get 40 or 50 grams of protein per serving! Now, I didn't say per scoop... I said per serving. Serving size depends on the manufacture. For the previously mentioned Pro Nos, it's two scoops. For AHN's (Advanced Health Nutrition) Muscle Food product, the recommended serving size is 3 scoops. You get the point. If you want to find the grams of protein per scoop, you gotta do some division.

Here is a list of products that give you the bang for your buck (courtesy of Bodybuilding.com):

1. MuscleTech's Nitro-Tech Hardcore - Only $27.99 for 2 lbs, this product is loaded with different ingredients to optimize your performance in the gym. Just be wary of side effects (bloating, gastrointestinal problems).
   
2. Optimum Nutrition's 2:1:1 Recovery - A great deal for $35.97 for 3.73 lbs! Lasts about a month, with great benefits that I've went over in the previous post.
3. Optimum Nutrition's Gold Standard 24 Pak Whey & Casein Stack - A special package from Optimum Nutrition! Hurry while it lasts!
4. Cytosport's Muscle Milk - Long established in the supplement industry, Muscle Milk is definately the best tasting protein available today! Wide array of flavors to choose from!
5. Higher Power's %100 Whey Powder - The best deal available here! Under $35 for over 5 lbs! Low in calories, high in protein... this should last you for over two months!

There are other products out there, but these are the best whey protein supplements you can get for a low price. If interested in purchasing, I would recommend buying a small tub, in case you don't like the flavor and want to try something else.

If you have questions, feel free to leave a comment and I'll answer soon as I can!

What to Look for In Protein Drinks

There are alot of protein drinks available nowadays. I walked into a gas station earlier, and I saw they had Cytosport's Muscle Milk in supply! How convenient for getting your protein on the go! Whey protein is widely available pretty much everywhere. But which product is more effective than others?

What is whey protein? It is a protein derived from milk. During the process of turning milk into cheese, whey protein is separated out. Protein can also be found in a variety of foods such as meats and some vegetables -- soy being one of them.

You can use whey protein for cutting weight, gaining weight, or just maintaining muscle mass. But with the surplus of whey protein products to choose from, it may be beneficial to know what ingredients are in those products to make a wise decision. Because you don't want to buy a product that's geared towards gaining weight when you're trying to slim down, and you don't want to use miscellar casein protein for a preworkout supplement. That wouldn't be good!

Before I get into the ideal protein drink, I'll go over the ingredients and their benefits for supplementation.

• Whey protein - Like stated earlier, it comes from milk products. The reason why there's so many whey products today is because of it's proven benefits for everyone trying to stay healthy. Studies have been conducted to compare whey protein to other sources, and have found that whey protein contains the perfect combination of overall amino acid makeup... and in just the right concentrations for optimal performance in the body. Studies have also found that whey protein plays a role as an antioxidant and helps support a healthy immune system!
• Soy Protein - A complete protein that ranks high in the PDCASS (Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score). Soy protein is generally either low in, or free, in fat, cholesterol, and lactose (soy vegetables don't get fat! xD). The anabolic isoflavones in soy (genistein and daidzein), not only have exhibited effects as powerful antioxidants, but have been shown to exhibit positibe health benefits for both men and women. Brand new research found that genistein, a soy phytoestrogen, increased the amount of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) produced by blood vessals (I'll get more into Nitric Oxide in a later post)!
• Micellar Casein Protein - An extremely slow digesting and rich protein source that continues to supply the body with proteins throughout the day. Studies with this undenatured form of isolated casein protein have demonstrated it to sustain steady amino acid elevations for an incredible 7 hours! Micellar has been shown to offer a strong an anti-catabolic effect not noticed with whey protein. Additional research is demonstrating that the slow and sustained release of amino acids from micellar casein can cause a 'timed release' trickle of amino acids into the bloodstream which can last for as many as 7 full hours after ingestion.

Now then... which is best? Tell you the truth, all of these kinds of proteins offers different benefits for the body. Whey protein increases protein synthesis to the highest degree, soy protein helps you slim down, while still supplying a good amount of proteins, and micellar is a slow digesting protein that has an anti-catabolic effect that lasts for up to 7 hours.

When it comes to whey protein, though, there are many variations as to how it's derived to increase it's absorption into the body. When you browse around for a whey protein product, you'll look into the ingredients and find words like, 'whey protein concentrate', 'whey protein isolate', or 'hydrolyzed whey protein isolate'. Which is best? Flat out, the answer is hydrolyzed whey protein isolate. Whey protein concentrate products may contain 25% to 89% protein, while whey protein isolate will contain 90% and over in protein. But hydrolyzed whey protein isolate is the same as regular whey isolate, difference is the technique manufacturers use when preparing whey proteins. It's sort of "pre-digested" through the action of enzymes that's added to whey solutions to make it more easily digestable. Also, look for something called the Cross -Flow Micro/Ultra (CFM) filtration, which basically brings about the most denatured and growth-factor-rich protein available, while at the same time, maintains a high protein content.

Hard to find? I'll search for you! One of the least expensive quality protein supplements out there is from Higher Power, which contains a protein blend of all three protein types I've talked about. For post-workouts, you can check out Optimum Nutrition's 2:1:1 Recovery, which is a blend of hydrolyzed whey protein isolates and micellar casein, as well as fast digesting carbs, perfect for post-workout sessions, but doesn't contain as much protein per grams. One of the more expensive products is AHN's Muscle Food, which contains glutamine and creatine. Also great for post-workout and/or mass gaining.

Alot of products to choose from, but I hope I helped narrow the search! Hope you get good results!