Hello again Nutra Friends!
So todays blog is about protein shakes. There are LOADS of different types, but for me, the source of the protein, the purity and the benefits are top priorities. Without getting too technical, protein is important for muscle recovery, especially post workout. The DRI (Dietary Reference Intake) is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, or 0.36 grams per pound. So for example, a person who weighs 100kg would require a daily intake of 80 grams of protein. There won’t be as much science on this list as it is more my opinion, and it is based more on quality of the product and personal use.
- Kiki health organic pea protein powder
First on the list is Kiki health organic protein powder. This powder is just 100% organic pea protein powder. I love this product for its simplicity and purity but as a shake however I would not say it’s the best on this list. With no other ingredients like natural flavourings, it also is not the best tasting, however, if you want to add it to an already tasty custom-made drink, then this may be the powder for you. The price is not too bad either to be honest, as most organic protein powders are relatively more expensive than their non-organic counterparts, but if you want quality be prepared to pay a little extra. The same goes for the other shakes on this list too.
- Pulsin organic whey protein
This protein is also very good. The reason it is number four, despite being organic is again it is unflavoured, although Pulsin does make a flavoured protein, that particular product is not organic. Again, this one is better to add to food products like porridge to fortify your meal with protein. Just a side note, I personally prefer plant-based proteins as it is well known that plant-based proteins have more fibre so are easier to digest.
- Green origins organic plant protein shake
So, at number three is a very good protein shake, with clean ingredients, comes in a few very tasty flavours too. This shake has organic ingredients, apart from the xanthan gum thickener, which is why it does not topple the top two on this list, however it is a very nice clean product. For those that are adamant on mixing their shake with milk, it does mix quite well.
- Sunwarrior Warrior Blend protein
Now this is an amazing product. The protein itself is a blend of different proteins namely organic pea protein, organic hemp protein, organic goji berry. The key word here is ORGANIC. In this product even the sweeteners and stabilisers are organic, which I would say is really good attention to detail as a lot of other shakes that say they are organic normally don’t use organic sweeteners and stabilisers.
- Nuzest Clean Lean Protein
This product is the best protein shake I have ever tried. In fact I’m still using it and I use it regularly and to be fair I have noticed massive improvements in muscular gains as well as energy levels. It is such a well-formulated product, it just feels that my body is so receptive, it just sits so well. Even though the protein itself is NOT listed as organic, why would I rate this number one? Well the answer is that it may be BETTER than organic. How? Even though other products may be certified organic, the quality of the raw ingredients is still debatable. Whilst organic does make a product more natural it does not always mean it is good quality.
For example, you could go to a supermarket and see organic bananas, whilst they are organic, the supermarket could be selling you near out of date overly ripe bananas. Unfortunately, due to local regulations in France, the peas used for this product cannot be certified organic, however, Nuzest go out of their way to ensure their products are pesticide, herbicide and GMO free. I would say it is one of the few companies to make sure that the quality of their raw ingredients is strictly monitored, other companies would struggle to let you know about the source of their ingredients. Due to the absence of FODMAPs, anti-nutrients, allergens, and gastric irritants, Clean Lean Protein is also suitable for people with Crohn's Disease.
Click here to purchase any of my top five protein powders