Food for Fuel | Protein Powder Review ~ My Protein

The world of protein powders and supplements can be a bit of a minefield when you are first starting out. I found the whole concept of a protein powder and what the benefits would be quite was difficult to get my head around. I had so many questions ~ What benefits do they have? Will they make me bulk? How do I know which protein powder is best? So after a lot of research of my own I thought I would write up a post to explain what they are how they work and what you should look for when choosing a protein powder. 

What is protein powder?
Protein is essential for muscle recovery and building lean muscle so a good quality protein powder can help with this. It is essentially a nutrition supplement and is made from one or more of four basic sources of protein ~ rice, whey, egg, soy. You can also get pea and hemp proteins too. These concentrated sources of protein are processed into powder form which can then be mixed with water, milk, used in smoothies and juices. You can also use it to bake! Protein powder has long been used by body-builders and athletes to build lean muscle and no they won't make you bulk ~ it's a myth!

Nutrition and ingredients
The ingredients in a protein powder are important. You want to make sure that the ingredients are high quality. I have noticed that a lot of protein powders use a lot of filler and bulking agents to mask and improve taste. This is a huge no no for me. If I can't pronounce something on an ingredients list I won't go near it! I will also chose a protein powder without sucralose or artificial sweeteners where possible, stevia makes a great alternative to these and I wish that more companies would take this on board! Generally look for something with as few ingredients as possible, six or less is a good indication of a good quality protein powder. 

My Protein does a great range of protein powders which are very affordable ~

Brown Rice Protein* ~ This was the protein I was most keen to try as it is 100% brown rice with nothing added or taken away. Brown rice protein is great for people who are looking to avoid things such as wheat, dairy, gluten and soy. Personally I have found that this protein doesn't mix well with water which is what I tend to make my protein shakes with after a workout and it smells a little odd! But what doesn't work for me might work for you so it is worth a try if you are looking for a brown rice protein. 

Impact Whey Protein* ~ I got the vanilla flavour to try and I love this. It mixes well in both water and smoothies and tastes amazing. I like to mix it with mango flavoured Zico which is amazing post run or spin. It is also great for making the Tone It Up Protein Bars. The only downside of this protein powder is that it has sucralose as a sweetener which I would usually try to avoid. My Protein please make a protein powder with stevia! I'm sure I am not the only person who would purchase this ;)

So when looking for a protein powder check the ingredients list and find out what works for you! Everyone is different so often it is a bit of trial and error but a lot of companies will do sample sized packets if you want to try one before making a big purchase. 

What protein powders do you use and what do you look for?