How to choose the best protein powders for weight loss

Proteins are associated with weight loss and a deficiency can lead to muscle loss. Sometimes we fail to get enough proteins essential for our bodies from the foods we eat. That’s when protein shakes come in, to supplement our diets. Taking protein shakes in the morning is known to boost the body’s metabolism, reduce appetite during the day and make you feel satisfied for longer periods of time. Protein shakes are also taken for weight loss. This leads us to the best protein powders to make the best protein shakes for weight loss.

Protein shakes are mixtures of protein powders taken by bodybuilders or for weight loss. In this article, we going to cover how to choose the best protein powders for weight loss, how to use them and when to use them. Our health is important and with whatever we take in, they should be analyzed and accessed to see if they are healthy and harmless to the body.

Read on, to get tips on how to choose the best protein powders to make protein shakes for weight loss.

What is the best protein powders for weight loss?

Protein powders are categorised into two groups; the animal-based powders got from animal products like milk and the plant-based powders got from plants such as peas.

1. Whey protein

Whey protein is one of the most popularly known and used protein powder supplement as it digests faster and used for muscle growth, strength and weight loss.

It is a type of proteins obtained from isolated whey which is the liquid part of milk that separates during cheese production. During the making of cheese, the fatty parts of milk coagulate and then whey is separated as a bi-product.

The by-product goes through plenty of processes to become the whey you can consume in powder. Whey protein is flavoured to give it a better taste with components like chocolate, vanilla and strawberry.

Whey proteins are very nutritious containing all the amino acids the body can’t produce on its own.  Studies show that whey proteins will increase your body strength, gain muscles and aid in losing weight.

Here are my best picks of whey protein from Amazon.

Whey protein powders for weight loss.

Taking proteins is known for weight loss so is taking whey proteins. By taking whey, you will feel satisfied for longer periods of time. This will make you desire less those midnight snacking or unnecessary cravings during the day. You will feel full quickly making you consume fewer calories.

Your appetite will also be suppressed when you are taking whey proteins supplements. Whey proteins can help you lose weight as it helps on muscle gain.

2. Casein proteins.

Milk is composed of 80% casein and 20% whey. Casein is digested much slower compared to whey though both are from the same source. Its best used to prevent muscle breakdown. It can feed your body with amino acids overall period of time. This means casein reduces protein breakdown in the body due to its slow breakdown.

Casein proteins contain amino acids essential for muscle growth and repair. It’s used by athletes and bodybuilders. It has advantages of overall body maintenance, repair and weight loss.

Here are my best Casein protein powders from Amazon.

Casein protein powders for weight loss.

The supplement is able to enhance weight loss since it provides the health benefits of weight loss towards burning fat.  They include suppressing of appetite and making you feel satisfied for longer periods of time.

Casein proteins promote the growth of lean muscles and prevent muscle breakdown which makes it a good protein supplement for overall body composition

3. Soy proteins.

This is one of the plant-based protein sources that contain almost all the essential amino acids. With such a high nutrition and protein content, soy proteins can be the best alternative for vegans or those who don’t consume animal-based products.

Below are my best picks from Amazon

Soy protein powders  for weight loss

In a research, soy proteins proved to be more effective in suppressing appetite and calories consumed than the egg white protein.

A group of people consuming soy protein lost more fat belly than those that consumed casein.

Soy protein supplements are known for reducing the appetite making the consumer eat less thus fewer calories leading to weight loss.

4. Egg white protein powder.

The egg white protein supplement is a great alternative for milk and soy-based protein products. Works well for those who are sensitive to either whey or casein milk-based products.

The powder is formed by processing dehydrated chicken egg whites. Although the yolk is highly nutritious, this supplement is made only from the egg white as the name goes.

Egg white products go through a process called pasteurization to prevent salmonella. The process also inactivates a protein called avidin, which binds with the B vitamin biotin and hinders its absorption.

Below are my best picks from Amazon

Egg white protein powders for weight loss.

Although the appetite suppressing effect is not as strong as that of whey or casein proteins, the egg white proteins are still effective in reducing appetite thus weight loss.

5. Pea proteins.

For those who want to do vegan diets or supplements, pea proteins will provide the body with all the essential amino acids that are required. In pea protein powder, present are all the amino acids you can receive from animal-based proteins.

Most powders are made from yellow peas which are hypoallergenic. Being hypoallergenic simply means less likely to cause any allergies. For the people who may not be tolerant of milk,  white or soy-based supplement powders, the pea proteins will be the best choice.

Here are my best picks from Amazon

Pea protein powders for weight loss.

Pea protein is capable of reducing your appetite. Less appetite means less food eaten leading to fewer calories consumed.

This helps greatly in the journey of weight loss.

6. Proteins fortified with fibre.

Legumes, fruits, grains and vegetables are the most reliable source of plant fibre. When these fibre sources are processed, they provide a fibre dietary supplement.

During the processing, most fibre is removed during the manufacturing of the plant-based protein powder. However, in some powders, the plant-based protein powder is fortified with fibre. This when you find a product with several protein sources like rice, peas and garbanzo beans.

This makes this mixture even much stronger than individual ingredients.

Here are my best picks from Amazon.

Proteins fortified with fibre for weight loss.

Fibre is very effective in keeping you satisfied for longer periods of time since it’s not easily broken down during digestion.

Taking proteins that are fortified with fibre will give you a pack of fibre and proteins, with these combined and in high amounts here is the result. Since fibre and proteins are well known for aiding weight loss, the effect is much greater.

Taking the mixture will give you a reduced appetite making you consume less during meals thus weight loss led by eating fewer calories.

Are protein powders good for weight loss?

Proteins are important nutrients for losing weight. For a diet to be complete or balanced proteins are required since they are bodybuilding too. Proteins also help in weight loss in the following ways;

Feeling satisfied for longer periods of time.

Eating proteins will help you lose weight in such a way that you will feel satisfied for longer. This helps you to avoid in-between snacking as you wait for your next meal.

For example, taking enough proteins for breakfast will make you feel satisfied till lunchtime and so there won’t be need of grabbing unhealthy snacks during that time.

Protein powders maintain lean muscles.

During weight loss, the muscles may be lost along with the fat. This is not healthy as we aim to lose fat not muscles. Taking protein powders will help the body keep the lean muscles as fat is being lost.

Suppressing the appetite.

Protein powders are efficient in reducing users’ appetite. Almost all protein types have been confirmed in reducing the user’s appetite.

This makes the consumer eat less food during meals and this means fewer calories consumed too.

Boosting metabolism

Proteins take long to be digested by the body compared to carbs and fat. They require longer processes of digestion. This in turn, increases body metabolism while digesting the proteins.

The increased metabolism while digesting proteins burns calories in the process aiding in weight loss.

The bottom line, protein powders are good for losing weight and they can be used to boost weight loss.

How do I tell if protein powder is fake/counterfeit?

It can be a difficult process to spot poorly made or fake protein powders. But here are some few tips and signs you will look out for in order to spot a fake protein powder.

Is it a new brand you have never heard of?

This may be a plain sign as any mystery brand would be looked at with caution. If it’s a new brand to your sight don’t rush to buy it, but rather make some deeper research to see how legit it is.

The best place to know if the product is legit is probably in the reviews and ratings. Take time and read the reviews, if most reviews are against it then dump it.

Read the label and compare with a known brand

Let’s say the reviews and ratings are good, still take caution as the company may try to get its product marketed by putting up some fake reviews. The next step is the comparison with a known brand.

Comparing will help you identify if the basic ingredients that should be in a protein powder are present and in the right amounts.

If there are high doses of ingredients you have never seen or heard of before then it’s a bad product and should be looked at further before use or buying.

Less important compounds.

The body is able to make some nutrients effectively on its own and it’s not necessary boosting them. For example, glycine and taurine are effectively produced by the body. They are added to protein powders in order to dilute them.

It is not important having them in large quantities as this can lead to what is called protein spiking. Therefore watch out for such products and avoid them when known.

Calculate the content in each serving.

Basing on the knowledge got from a reliable or known protein powder, you can assess and find out if the product gives a reliable amount of content per serving.

If the quality of content is too low then it’s not worth buying. Also if the quality of the nutrients you get per serving is said to be too high, then go slow on such a product. It may be fake promising what it can’t fulfil or a possibility of overdosing you.

Read also: Tips for a healthy meal plan for weight loss.

How do I choose protein powders for weight loss?

With plenty of protein types on the market, its necessary to know which protein types will work for you to deliver the best results.

Below are some of the guidelines you can follow in choosing the best protein powders to use for weight loss

• Choose according to a purpose. Since its already weight loss, avoid powders with a branded-chain amino acid as these promote weight gain and muscle growth and are very fit for bodybuilders. Choose powders with no added sugars in order to prevent weight gain.
• If you are a vegetarian or you get allergies when you take animal-based products, then you should stick to plant-based protein powders. Taking soy or pea protein powders will help you stay within your line of consumption
• For people with diabetes, it’s a wise decision to choose protein powders with no added sugars. Be careful while buying and read the descriptions carefully. And also, choose a brand which is low in carbohydrates to about less than 5g per serving.
• Limit your protein intake if you have kidney problems. For people with kidney problems, they can tolerate a lot of proteins. It is better to choose a product with fewer proteins to about 10-15 grams per serving in order to stay on a safe side.
• Avoid protein powders that have sodium, sugars and artificial colours as these won’t serve you well but will cause more harm. Try to get supplements that have fewer ingredients as possible avoid those with plenty of added ingredients some of which you may not have knowledge of.
• Stick to your budget and buy protein supplements you can afford without risking money that would have paid bills. On the market, there are supplements that are less than $50 yet they work effectively.

When should I drink protein shakes for weight loss?

Having chosen the type of protein powders you will be consuming, you might want to know when to use the protein shakes.

First of all, set, set your weight loss goals and in here plan probably everything. Here is an article I wrote about making realistic weight loss goals.

In your weight loss plan, indicate how many calories you are going to consume. It is also important to indicate how you are going to burn those calories. The good thing about protein shakes is that they are high in calories yet nutritious.

Having your weight loss goals and plan set, you can then determine how much and when you are going to use the protein shakes.

For weight loss, the best time to use protein shakes is in the morning when your body needs fuel to kick start your day. With such a strategy, you will be able to get the protein advantages for weight loss throughout the day.

But taking protein shakes should be taken just as a supplement but not an alternative to real protein food sources. With this put in mind, a single serving per day is healthy for weight loss.

Should I drink protein shakes every day?

The average adult will need about 46 to 55 grams of proteins each day.  This will help you gauge how much of the protein shakes you should take per day.

Therefore, according to your daily diet, it will depend on how much proteins you are lacking from your diet. From that point, you can use the protein shakes to supplement on that.

On the days you are planning to hit your daily protein target essential for the body using food, it is wise to skip taking protein shakes, just for that day. This, therefore, means it’s not necessary to take protein shakes each day.

It is unhealthy to use protein shakes as an alternative to proteins got from protein food sources such as fish beef or beans.

The bottom line,

Keep protein shakes at a moderate intake with 1 to 2 scoops per day. Also, try to eat protein-rich foods too. Protein shakes shouldn’t be relied upon or used as an alternative to the real proteins.

If you found this article useful, you might be interested in this one too! Why you may be dieting and exercising but not losing weight