When it comes to protein powder, taste makes a big difference. If your blend is delicious, let’s face it – you’ll be a lot more likely to keep taking it every day.
The first step to mastering the art of the perfect shake is finding high-quality ingredients. Any great protein shake is made from protein powder that is both nutritious and delicious. This can be tricky to find, because most mass-market supplement brands sell one-size-fits-all protein powders with long, confusing ingredient lists. However, the ideal protein powder blend for your protein shake should be great tasting and free of any ingredients to which you are allergic. Most importantly, the protein powder that you use should be made using the minimum number of ingredients possible, blended in the ratios most suited for your unique health goals.
The most basic type of protein shake is protein powder mixed in cold water. While you’ll still reap the nutritional benefits of protein powder from a water-based shake, there are so many other more tasty options! However, if you choose to stick to the basics, add 6-12 oz of water for each scoop of protein powder and mix well. Make sure to add your scoop of protein after the liquid! If you find your shake to be bland or thin, you can use as little as 4 ounces of water to boost the flavor.
Protein powder and milk are the best duo since peanut butter & jelly. There’s nothing quite like a protein shake made with an ice-cold glass of milk. It’s not just dairy-based milk either! For those less fond of dairy, almond or soy milk (soy milk provides just as much complete protein as dairy milk!) are fantastic as well. In generally, 6-12 oz of milk for each scoop of protein powder is recommended. However, if you are looking for a more flavorful shake, try including as little as 4 ounces of milk for each scoop of protein powder. As always, make sure to mix well using a blender bottle or blender for best results.
If you want to switch up your daily shake or just want to get fancy, mix your protein powder in your favorite smoothie recipe! You can go wild with peanut butter (try powdered peanut butter for weight loss and calorie control), bananas, frozen fruit, fresh vegetables, and ice cubes – blended with protein powder and milk. Any type of milk will work – dairy-based, almond, or soy are all great additions to a protein smoothie. Just add 1-2 scoops of protein powder after you’ve added 6-12 oz of liquid (milk or water) to a blender with all your favorite smoothie ingredients.
Strawberry Coconut Goodness
Ingredients:
1 cup strawberries (frozen and fresh both work) 1 cup coconut milk 1 scoop vanilla protein powder 2 tsps honey 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 tsp ground flax seed
Directions:
Blend well and enjoy!
Chocolate Banana Peanut Butter Shake
Ingredients:
6 ice cubes 1 cup milk 1 banana 1 scoop chocolate-flavored protein powder 2 tablespoons peanut butter 1 tablespoon honey 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
Directions:
Blend well and enjoy!