High-protein diets are the right way of tackling obesity and general weight loss. Studies show that an increase in protein intake results in gradual weight loss when reducing calories. The reason for protein assisting in weight loss is due to the effects of proteins, including modulation of energy metabolism and appetite suppression. Using protein shakes for weight loss is an excellent way of increasing your protein intake.
Coming up is an assessment of some of the best protein shakes that you can take to lose weight faster.
Protein in Weight Loss
This study in NCBI is one of the several conducted around increasing protein to assist in weight loss. The analyses done in controlled feeding cases reveal that, indeed, protein could be the option for you when it comes to weight loss. High protein diets often lead to fat loss, elevated satiety (feeling full) hormones, weight loss, and the preservation of lean mass.
Protein functions well in weight loss because it takes more energy during the process of metabolization, which means that more fat and carbs in your body are broken down to provide that energy. These nutrients also increase satiety by reducing hunger hormone levels. Additionally, proteins help to One biomolecule that assists in several body functions such as metabolism.
How Much Protein Intake for Weight Loss
This is a common question. How much protein should you be consuming to lose weight?
Unfortunately, there is no hard and fast figure for the amount of protein you should be taking per day. It does vary on a person by person basis.
It’s recommended to take between 1.6 – 3.0 grams of protein per kilogram daily (or .72-1.36 grams of protein per pound). If you’re very active and performing heavy exercises, you should be aiming for higher protein intake. This should help you feel full and lose weight while reducing your calories.
Why Take Protein Shakes?
Protein shakes are powders that might include soy, whey, casein, or hemp used for diet supplementation. These powders pack a punch of amino acids that you can mix in milk, water, or breakfast smoothies. They fill the dietary gap when you are not consuming enough protein from food sources.
I like to get my protein from the Protein Works, as I don’t suffer from any bloating from their products. Here’s the protein that I use.
1. Whey Protein Shakes
Whey protein is the most popular protein powder on the market today. The milk protein is easier for your body to digest and absorb. Whey protein shakes work better when taken after exercise to aid in repairing muscle.
Recent studies show that obese subjects who took whey protein supplements lost more weight (and gained more muscle) than those who didn’t. The protein powder can also help in blood pressure regulation.
One of the most palatable whey protein shakes in the market is Gold Standard 100% Whey. It packs 24g of whey protein, 1g fat, and 1g carb per single serving. It also has 4g of glutamine and 5.5g branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) that are essential in muscle building.
I like to use The Protein Works whey protein as I find it is easy on the stomach and tastes great. I take a whey protein in the morning, before and post-workout.
Ingredients:
- 1 Scoop of whey protein powdered
- 200 – 300 ml milk, water, almond milk or soya milk
Add the ingredients to a shaker and shake well. For a better result, you can use a blender. Make sure there are no lumps.
2. Creatine Protein Shakes
Flavored creatine tastes awesome. Creatine is a by-product of protein metabolism and is considered a must by many people when it comes to building muscle. It assists the muscles to draw water from the rest of your body.
Increased muscle hydration helps when it comes to your workouts. Creatine also helps to form adenosine triphosphate to power your muscles during exercise.
By working out more and with increased raw power, your body effectively burns fat converting it to muscle mass. Your calorie deficit will be high, leading to significant weight loss.
Nitro-Tech is an example of a protein shake that comprises of creatine. It also has essential amino acids that may help you reach your slandering goals faster.
Ingredients:
- 1 – 2 Scoops of vanilla protein powdered
- 200 – 300 ml milk, water, almond milk or soya milk
- 1 Scoop of creatine
- 1 banana
- 1 tsp Cocoa powder
Chuck it all in a blender and blend for 1 minute.
3. Natural Fat Protein Shakes
It sounds strange—consuming fat to lose fat. Many dieters worry at the sight of fatty foods. In reality, though, fat is essential in your weight loss regimen. When you eat the right fat in the right amounts, you will lose weight much faster than most people.
The Keto diet is a high-fat diet based on healthy fats. To find out more about keto read my article ultimate guide to keto.
The point is, fat takes longer to digest than carbohydrate foods. Consequently, you will feel fuller for longer without the need for snacking or overeating at mealtimes. Fat-rich foods also supply you with fatty acids that help to speed up fat oxidation and reduce insulin resistance.
Try blending peanut-butter with chocolate and bananas for that fat and protein goodness at home. You could also try fat-filled milk powders like Numida. You can drink these powders by mixing them with yogurt, full-fat milk or Almond milk
Ingredients:
- 20 – 50 grams of peanut butter
- 1 Banana
- 1 tsp Cocoa powder
- 200 grams of yogurt, full-fat milk or Almond milk
4. Vegan Protein Shakes
In most cases, vegans have fewer options, as meat lovers get to enjoy a full and tasty array of protein sources. When it comes to protein shakes, there are vegan options that will help you slenderize without compromising yourself.
Even for non-vegans, vegan protein shakes are a must-try for they pack essential vitamins and minerals. Also, unlike animal protein shakes, these supplements come minus digestive problems such as diarrhea. Remember, too, that you may be lactose intolerant without even knowing. If you often feel gassy or bloated up after eating dairy, it could be a sign of your lactose troubles.
Vegan shakes purely comprise of plant components such as chia and peanuts. Some people like to blend these with hemp, berries, apples, and veggies. Orgain Vegan Nutritional Shake is an example of a product that could be right for vegans. It is allergen-free and easy to digest.
Ingredients:
- Soy milk
- Peanut butter
- Banana
- Cocoa powder
- Rolled oats
- Chia seeds
Add all the ingredients into your blender, blend until smooth.
Recipe and image from Loving it Vegan.
5. Chocolate Protein Shakes
Who said you couldn’t indulge your sweet tooth when looking to lose weight? That is dangerous ground, I must admit, but a chocolate protein shake might help to vanquish your cravings. Please note that I’m referring to healthy shakes here, made from cocoa powder and milk or plant-based components.
Cocoa powder, in this case, will add that chocolaty flavor to your protein smoothie. It will prevent you from succumbing to the urge to head down to the supermarket for a chocolate bar. But that’s not its only function.
Cocoa boosts metabolism and helps your body metabolize fat faster, according to a study by the University of California. You can add cocoa powder to your pre-workout protein smoothie.
Additionally, Cocoa is a stress buster. What that means, is that you may not have to stress-eat anymore. By reducing stress, cocoa protein shakes might help you shed off that belly fat faster than anything else could.
You can quickly whip up your cocoa strawberry banana shake at home, or find a product like Quest Chocolate Milkshake.
- 1 – 2 Scoops of vanilla protein powdered
- 200 – 300 ml milk, water, almond milk, or soya milk
- Handful of strawberries
- 1 banana
- 1 tsp Cocoa powder
Add all of the ingredients into a blender and blend for 1 minute.
6. Gluten-free Protein Shakes
Gluten-free foods happen to be the healthiest. They are often unprocessed foods, including fruits, legumes, veggies, and lean meats. Over time, a gluten-free diet can help you lose weight because they have lower calories.
Gluten-free protein shakes are your only option if you have Celiac disease.
You can make yourself a gluten-free protein shake at home, or try a gluten-free product (it has to use gluten-free flavors and zero artificial sweeteners) such as Skinnygirl Protein Shake.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup homemade almond milk
- 1 cup of organic strawberries
- 1 scoop chocolate protein powder
- 1/4 cup organic raw almonds
- 1 tablespoon organic coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon organic maca powder
- 1 tablespoon organic hemp seeds
For Garnish:
- organic hemp seeds
- organic cacao nibs
Place all the ingredients into a blender and blend well.
Recipe from One Green Planet
7. Casein Protein Shakes
Casein is a milk protein like whey and can be found in cow’s milk. Unlike whey protein, Casein is digested much slower, but it does have plenty of weight loss properties nonetheless.
Casein takes up to 7 hours for your body to digest and absorbs, making it an ideal protein to take before bed. This slow digestion means that you will stay fuller for longer. Studies show that it performs better than whey and eggs in that sense. Casein protein shakes are an ideal option if you are a victim of ravaging appetite.
You can make your casein protein at home using milk and vinegar or use a ready product like Pro JYMPinit. This product has 24 grams of protein comprising of both casein, whey, and egg albumin.
Ingredients:
- 1 Scoop of casein protein powdered
- 200 – 300 ml milk, water, almond milk or soya milk
Add the ingredients to a shaker and shake well. For a better result, you can use a blender. Make sure there are no lumps.
8. Grass-fed Protein Shakes
In most cases, cows are reared in CAFOs (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations). In these places, the animals are fed with corn and soy and sometimes injected with steroids to grow bigger faster.
On the other hand, grass-fed cows eat natural grass. The protein output of grass-fed cows is far superior. Grass-fed whey or meat often also includes large amounts of vitamins, omega-3, CLA, and minerals such as magnesium, calcium, and potassium.
CLA and omega-three fatty acids are essential in weight management and prevention of stress, cancers, and heart disease. To get all these benefits, you can always look for grass-fed whey protein shakes when shopping. Such products include the Iconic Lean Protein Shake. It has 20g protein per serving. It’s also packed with fibers, it is non-sweetened and is gluten-free as well.
Ingredients:
- 2 scoops of Organic Protein
- 1 banana
- A handful of Mango chunks
- 1 cup of orange juice
- 4 ice cubes
Add all the ingredients into the blender and blend for 1 minute.
9. Egg Protein Shakes
We don’t all like milk and soy. Egg protein shakes are a good alternative. The egg powders are made by processing dried chicken egg whites. The appetite suppressing effects of this protein shake is just as robust as that of casein and whey.
You can make an egg protein shake at home; it is dead simple. All you need to do is blend an egg white into juice or Greek yogurt. Greek yogurt is much preferable, for it’s a potent weight loss protein source too.
If you don’t have the time, a ready-made egg protein shake such as Naked Nutrition Egg White Protein could suffice.
Ingredients
- 4 Egg whites
- 100 Grams of Greek yogurt
- A handful of mixed berries
- 1 – 2 tsp of honey
Add the ingredients into ta blender and blend for 1 minute.
10. Hemp Protein Shakes
It’s no secret, hemp boosts metabolism and speeds up weight loss. It helps to burn fat and build muscles. This supplement can also help you feel fuller for longer and stop your sugar cravings. It can similarly be an alternative if you are sensitive to whey, soy, and eggs. Hemp has a nutty and earthy taste that many find to be irresistible.
A hemp protein shake product you can try is Navitas Organics Cacao & Greens Essential Blend. Apart from hemp, this product also contains pumpkin seeds, pea, and other plant protein sources.
- 1 large ripe banana
- 3 heaped tablespoons frozen blueberries
- 1 tablespoon hemp protein powder
- 1 heaped teaspoon ground flaxseed
- 2 heaped teaspoons tahini
- 200ml rice milk
- Sprinkle of hulled hemp seeds (optional)
Add all the ingredients into a blender and blend until creamy
Recipe from Kind Earth.
Conclusion
Drinking protein shakes can get you closer to your weight loss goals. They take more energy to metabolize, and so more calories are burnt in the process. You also stay fuller for longer because proteins take longer to digest.
References Used in this Article
- Protein for life: Review of optimal protein intake, sustainable dietary sources and the effect on appetite in aging adults.
- A high-protein diet for reducing body fat: mechanisms and possible caveats
- B.U.N.; Blood urea nitrogen urea; creatine.
- A satiety index of common foods.
- Effects of high-protein vs. high- fat snacks on appetite control, satiety, and eating initiation in healthy women
- Low-dose whey protein-enriched water beverages alter satiety in a study of overweight women
- A Comparison of the effects of beef, chicken and fish protein on satiety and amino acid profiles in lean male subjects.
- Increased protein intake reduces lean body mass loss during weight loss in athletes.
