Who Should Drink Protein Shakes?
Most people interested in fitness and nutrition already understand that a regular intake of protein is important to overall health and wellness. However, it can be a challenge to get enough protein to fuel an active and busy lifestyle. Fortunately, protein shakes are a great option for a delicious high-protein snack, perfect or on the go. One shake can pack a high intake of protein and other key nutrients into one super-quick meal.
There are many options for protein shakes, depending on your unique preferences and needs. For example, there are chocolate protein shakes for weight loss or vanilla, post-workout recovery shakes, muscle building shakes, meal replacement shakes (Bariatric Surgery sleeve patients can use this as an option too), and more. Each protein shake has been developed with unique goals, users, and body types in mind.
Wondering if protein shakes are right for you? Here are some of the benefits of drinking protein shakes, along with who can – and should – drink them regularly.
Health Benefits of Protein Shakes
These powerful drinks have many upsides, from contributing to dietary goals to just plain tasting great! These benefits make protein shakes a popular choice for consumers across many age groups and lifestyles. Here are a few examples of why protein shakes are a favorite snack or meal for many people.
Convenience
There’s no denying the incredible convenience of protein shakes. You can easily enjoy this high-protein meal without much preparation time. They are easy to consume in the car, on the go, and even during a busy work day. The convenience of protein shakes makes it nearly impossible to skip a meal!
Weight Management
Protein shakes pack in good nutrients. Aside from protein, many shakes have fiber, vitamins, and other essential minerals that support your body’s daily function. However, unlike traditional meals, protein shakes omit all the extra calories, carbs, and other fillers that can slow down the digestive system and make it difficult to lose weight. Because protein shakes are liquified, they are easier for your body to break down, which can help with digestion and weight loss.
Muscle Building
Because protein shakes are so high in protein, they support muscle growth. This maximizes your workout efforts to help make sure that your gym regimen is working to its full potential. Muscles need a significant amount of protein to grow, and protein shakes give you an easy way to consume the high level of protein you need to build muscle.
They’re Customizable
Protein shakes are fantastic for individuals with dietary restrictions. Many protein shakes can be made gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, vegetarian, nut-free, and as well our new vanilla keto protein shakes. This means you can tailor your shakes to your nutrition needs, whatever they may be.
For vegans specifically, protein shakes are a great way to make sure that you’re consuming enough protein. Plant-based meals are often lower in essential protein than those that contain meat and animal products, so a vegan protein shake helps to bridge the nutritional gap without sacrificing your diet or morals.
Other than just dietary restriction, protein shakes are flexible in the sense that even picky eaters are likely to find an option they enjoy. Protein shakes come in many flavors, such as chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry.
Who Can Benefit From Protein Shakes?
There are many health benefits to protein shakes that can be enjoyed by almost anyone. Because they are easy to make and offer high nutritional value, certain individuals especially benefit from protein shakes.
People With Protein Deficiencies
It is important to note that protein deficiencies need to be diagnosed by a qualified healthcare professional. It can be difficult for an untrained person to pinpoint deficiency and nutritional issues. Guessing how to treat these problems can also worsen them.
However, if you have been properly diagnosed with a protein deficiency, protein shakes can make a huge difference. In fact, simply replacing a soft drink with a protein shake can increase protein intake exponentially. Sometimes protein deficiencies can be linked to vegetarian or vegan diets. With the help of a protein shake that adheres to these dietary needs, vegans, vegetarians, and other restricted dieters can drastically improve their protein intake and the serious symptoms that can arise from deficiencies.
Athletes
Whether you play at the professional level or just for fun, your body goes through a lot as an athlete. Many times, sports require us to perform tasks that are not natural for our bodies, and it requires a significant amount of energy to complete them at a high level. This means that we must replenish our energy sources and give our bodies extra nutrients – especially protein – to recover sufficiently.
Protein shakes are a fantastic way to do just that. Protein fuels athletes before a workout and helps them to build muscle, making shakes a great way to ensure that athletes are giving their body all the resources necessary to perform at optimum capacity.
People Trying to Build Muscle
We know not all activities yield the same results when trying to build muscle mass. For example, doing yoga will work different muscles than lifting weights. For individuals looking specifically to build a muscle group, protein shakes are the way to go.
The level of protein you give your body when you drink a protein shake is far above what you will get from a typical meal. Plus, you get the nutrients faster and more consistently. Both of these things give your muscles the energy they need to become stronger and larger.
People Trying to Lose Weight
There are a lot of reasons why individuals try to lose weight. Whether it’s for health reasons or self-esteem, protein shakes can also have great benefits for those struggling to lose weight. Protein shakes are full of good nutrients that sustain your body, but they omit the filler and extra calories that some meals have.
Shakes also help you to feel full for longer, without the bloat of a regular meal. This means that you’re less likely to snack or intake unnecessary calories, benefiting your overall weight loss efforts and making a difficult process feel a little easier.
Of course, just as with diagnosing a protein deficiency, it is important to speak with a medical professional before trying to lose weight through major dietary changes. Your body may have different needs or limitations than other people, and you could risk harming your body if you do not follow the advice of a qualified doctor or nutritionist, who can help you develop a weight loss plan and diet system that works for you.
People On the Go
Many people live extremely busy lives. Between work, exercise, social lives, and self-care, sometimes it feels like there’s barely time to eat. Protein shakes are a great option for people who regularly feel as if they’re too short on time to make breakfast or fit in a mid-day meal.
Because protein shakes can be prepared ahead of time and consumed nearly anywhere, they give the body and brain the calories and nutrients they need to stay awake, alert, and functioning at their highest level throughout the busiest of days.
People with Blood Sugar Concerns
Drops in blood sugar and low nutrient levels are bad for the body. For people struggling with blood sugar levels, drinking a protein shake can help them to avoid mood swings, feeling dizzy, fainting, and other harmful side effects. Again, talk to your doctor about the correct dietary plan for your situation and discuss whether protein shakes are a good fit for your goals and lifestyle.
Are Protein Shakes for Everyone?
While we like to believe that protein shakes have some potential benefits for every single person, the reality is that some people do not benefit from protein shakes as much as others. For people with certain conditions, allergies, or dietary sensitivities, drinking protein shakes may do more harm than good. This is why it’s important to speak with a doctor before deciding to use protein shakes as a part of your daily routine.
It’s also important to understand that not all protein shakes are created equal. Unfortunately, many of the cheaper protein shakes are packed with sugar and carbs. Large commercial companies and chains disguise a sugary milkshake as a protein shake, which doesn’t achieve the desired effect for consumers serious about their fitness and nutrition goals. In fact, these shakes can slow down metabolism and stop you from losing weight. For those who have glucose problems or diabetes, these types of protein shakes can be extremely dangerous.
Generally, protein shakes are best for individuals who are highly active or who have a deficiency of protein in their diet. While they have a lot of great nutrition packed into a convenient drink, they can also be high in calories. If you already eat the recommended amount of protein for your weight, do not wish to lose weight, and do not exercise, you probably won’t benefit much from even the best protein shakes. If you decide to increase your protein intake (or total caloric intake), it’s important to increase your activity level as well.
Are Protein Shakes Safe?
The safety of some protein shakes is yet to be determined. This is, unfortunately, because a lot of less reputable companies add sugars and carbs to their protein powders. Some even include harmful toxins and chemicals that harm the body. It is important to research a shake’s producer before purchasing and consuming the product.
It is also important to note that some protein shakes contain allergens. Shakes commonly have ingredients like dairy, wheat or gluten, peanuts, soy, and sugar. If you are allergic or sensitive to these ingredients, some companies create protein products that are safe for you. We recommend reading labels, checking ingredient lists, and avoiding anything that would make you sick.
If you are aware of the sugar content and ingredients, have gotten approval from your doctor, and have an active lifestyle, protein shakes are perfectly safe and beneficial to your overall health.
Start Your Protein Shake Kick with Nutmeg State Nutrition
Our team understands how impactful protein shakes and supplements can be if used correctly. We built our business around providing high-quality, honest protein sources to our customers. We offer many kinds of medical weight loss products, all that provide a great way to increase protein intake without the extra calories.
We also offer a wide range of healthy shakes and smoothies with expertly crafted flavors like chocolate hazelnut, mocha, creamsicle, piña colada, berries and cream, and more. Change your shake flavor depending on your cravings for a more satisfying protein shake experience. Our variety of flavors provides something for everyone!
If shakes aren’t your thing, but you still want to eat low fat and high protein foods, don’t fret. We also offer a variety of healthy protein bars, high protein pasta, protein shots, and many high protein snacks for on the go.
Though we’re based in Connecticut, Nutmeg State Nutrition products can be shipped anywhere. You can trust our quality products for same-day shipping to ensure product freshness. For more information, contact our team online.