Whether you want to lose weight or build muscle, protein intake is one of the most important factors to keep in mind. You may achieve the required protein intake for the day with carefully prepared meals. However, in some cases, people don't have enough time to prepare a protein-rich meal, which is why they may try protein powder as a meal replacement.
Protein powder has proven to be great for fat loss and muscle building for many years. Due to its popularity, many manufacturers worldwide have done their best to come up with the best formula possible. While this gives women a variety of protein powders to choose from, it may be confusing at first to choose one that works.
On this page, we're going to give you an overview of what you can do to choose the best protein shake for you and promote healthy muscle recovery and nutrition. Additionally, we're going to give you a list of options that may work for you.
Why Is Protein Important for Women?
Protein powders for women are a convenient way to increase your protein intake throughout the day without having to spend too much time preparing your meals. One of the best things about protein powders is that they're available in most stores worldwide at different price ranges, making them accessible.
You may mix protein powder with water or milk, or even add it to other food sources. Another benefit of protein powder is that it can help you measure how much protein your body is taking per day. Taking too much protein is not always good for your body, so protein powder is a friendly way to measure how much you're taking.
Finally, vegetarian or vegan women may have difficulty keeping up with their daily protein intake, and plant-based protein powder can be an excellent choice to complement the rest of their meals.
What Are the Primary Benefits of Protein Powder?
As mentioned before, taking a healthy amount of protein per day is essential if you want to have a healthy body, promote fat loss or muscle building, and more. The good news is that this convenient protein source makes everything easier for everyone, and the best protein powders on the market have a wide range of benefits that you may enjoy.
Muscle Recovery
It's common to experience muscle soreness after a heavy workout session. Depending on the types of protein you consume, you may reduce the amount of soreness you feel throughout the day. Protein shakes often contain a considerable amount of carbohydrates, protein, and other vitamins/minerals that promote quick muscle recovery.
Weight Loss
Losing weight is often hard, depending on your genetics. If this is your case, protein powders can be a healthy complement to your diet. Organic protein shakes without sugar have proven to be one of the most popular options to promote weight loss.
Muscle Gain
Contrary to popular belief, building lean muscle can be as difficult as losing weight. Typically, you must comply with a strict diet so that your body and muscles have enough nutrition to recover and grow more healthily. Protein shakes have always been an excellent source of protein for people who want to get more muscle mass.
Improved Nutrition
Not everyone has the same protein intake requirements since all people have different bodies, goals, and activities. One of the most significant parts of your diet/calorie intake is protein. As mentioned before, it may be challenging for some people to fully commit to their diet due to several reasons. However, protein powder can be a good supplement.
Are There Any Risks to Consuming Protein Powder?
As long as you know and understand the product you're consuming, you may not have any problems with your protein. First, consuming excessive amounts of protein can cause dehydration if you don't drink enough water during the day. Additionally, some protein types may interfere with other supplements or medications.
However, the most important risk to understand is that not all protein products are regulated, meaning they may contain dangerous stimulants, hormones, or even steroids that may affect your body.
What Are the Most Popular Protein Powder Types for Women?
Knowing all protein types may help you make a better purchase decision according to your weight loss or muscle build. Keep in mind that not all protein powders may be right for you, so make sure to read this list before making a decision.
Egg or Dairy Protein Powder
As its name implies, these protein powders derive from dairy (milk and cheese) and eggs. These are the most common protein types in the world, and they include options such as the following:
- Whey protein powder
- Whey protein isolate
- Whey protein concentrate
- Whey protein hydrolysate
- Egg protein
- Collagen protein
- Casein protein
- Branch-chain amino acids (BCAAs)
The difference between most of these protein products involves the protein contents per serving, as well as body absorption rate and amino acid profile. The only exception would be the BCAAs since they include three amino acids your body doesn't produce naturally (Valine, leucine, and isoleucine). Most people use BCAAs as a post-workout supplement. Overall, whey protein is one of the most popular choices for people.
Plant-based Protein Powder
Some women prefer to back off from dairy or eggs in their diet. In these cases, plant-based protein is the perfect option for them. Here are some of the most popular plant-based products for women:
- Pea protein
- Soy protein
- Hemp protein
- Brown rice protein
Soy protein and brown rice protein contain a complete amino acid profile, which means the products contain all nine essential amino acids. While vegan protein may not be as easy to dissolve in water as whey protein, it's still a great option for muscle growth or weight loss.
What Should You Consider Before Buying Protein?
If you're planning to buy and use protein for your diet, there are a couple of factors you may need to consider to make a smart purchase. It's not recommended for you to purchase a product based on its marketing only; make sure you always review the product's ingredients, check what other people are saying about it, and more.
Sugar Contents
Protein powder tends to have a bitter flavour, so several manufacturers use sugar to enhance the flavour a bit; this is why you're going to see protein shakes in strawberry, chocolate, or other sweet flavours. While the added sugar amount may not be a problem for your nutrition, you must still check the product's label.
Typically, it would be best to consume products with less than four grams of sugar per serving. Additionally, you may consider natural sweeteners, such as monk fruit. Many people prepare protein shakes by mixing their protein powder with other fruits, which can be a nice alternative.
Ingredient Amount
You should avoid protein shakes with excessive amounts of additives. Popular products tend to contain preservatives and artificial colouring, which may not be safe for your body. In these cases, organic protein powder can be an excellent alternative to enjoy the benefits of protein without these extra additives.
Best Five Protein Powders for Women
Carlyle Non-GMO Pea Protein Powder
Carlyle's Non-GMO product is one of the healthiest options you can consume on this list. This product is soy and gluten free, and it contains 29 grams of protein in its serving size. Additionally, this organic pea protein product is also free from milk, lactose, wheat, artificial flavours, and preservatives, making it perfect for vegetarians or vegans who want to lose fat faster.
You may read more about this product on its Amazon page.
NOW Sports Nutrition Protein Isolate Unflavoured Powder
If you're looking for a product high in protein contents, this is a great option to consider. This protein contains zero grams of carbs and 20 grams of protein per serving, which is good enough for women who are looking to lose fat or build muscle. However, keep in mind that this product is flavourless; if you're going to take protein without flavour, it's recommended to mix it with fruit smoothies to enhance the flavour. This product is sugar-free.
Read more about this product on its Amazon page.
Bluebonnet Nutrition Whey Protein Isolate Powder
Women looking for enhanced weight loss or muscle growth benefit from this whey protein product. It contains 26 grams of protein per serving, and it's gluten-free, soy-free, non-GMO, and sugar-free. Additionally, it contains 4.9 grams of BCAAs, which adds extra amino acids to your diet. However, keep in mind that this product is not vegan.
Read more about this product on its Amazon page.
Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey Isolate
If your goal is to build muscle, this may be the one for you. This product contains 24 grams of whey protein, naturally occurring BCAAs, and four grams of glutamine per serving, which is an excellent formula for building lean muscle. You may take protein shakes with this powder as a pre-workout or post-workout, whichever you prefer.
Read more about this product on its Amazon page.
Orgain Grass-Fed Whey
Grass-fed whey protein is popular due to its nutritional quality. This product, in particular, contains 21 grams of protein, six grams of net carbs, and 150 calories per serving. Additionally, it's gluten, soy, sugar, and carrageenan-free. Since this is grass-fed whey protein, it's not only good to build muscle, but it's also an excellent choice if you want to lose weight. There's also a vegan protein variant of this product, so if you're looking for an entirely organic solution to lose fat, this may work.
Read more about this product on its Amazon page.
When Should You Consume a Protein Shake?
There's an ongoing debate on whether it's better to consume supplements as pre-workout or post-workout. Regarding growing lean muscle or losing fat, both options are equally good. However, you must consider the following factors in mind:
If you're consuming supplements as a pre-workout, you may take it at least 45 minutes before your workout session to enjoy its benefits, such as higher endurance, more energy, and more. On the other hand, consuming protein after your workout can provide your muscles with the right number of amino acids, helping them grow. In those cases, it's better to take your supplement within 30 minutes of finishing your workout.
Keep in mind that you don't necessarily have to take supplements for your pre/post-workout. Supplements act as meal replacements, so you may take them at any point of the day as a snack; for example, if the product is easy to digest, you may take it in the morning to boost your energy.
What Amount of Protein Does Your Body Need?
Not everyone has the same nutritional requirements, making it difficult for some women to know how much they must consume on their fat loss or muscle gain diets. In most cases, it's best to check with a nutritionist to determine what would be the best diet plan for you. However, there are some general guidelines that may help you get started.
If your goal is to lose weight/fat, for example, 20 to 30 grams per serving may be just enough to cover your needs. On the other hand, if you want to increase your muscle's size, 35 grams in each serving (or more) is appropriate.
Should You Rely on Supplements for Weight Loss?
Some women believe that if they don't take supplements, they may not achieve their desired fat loss goals. However, keep in mind that your body's easiest way to digest protein is through food. While a supplement may help you during your journey, different food types and baked goods can contain everything your body needs to recover.
Protein-rich foods, such as eggs, dairy, red meat, poultry, or beans may be an excellent alternative to supplements. In case you're a vegan, plant-based proteins, such as pea, hemp, or rice-based supplements may help you complete your full calorie intake for the day.
Bottom Line
Women can use supplements to complement any of their body goals, as long as they're careful with them. Keep in mind exercising a lot isn't going to do anything for your body; you must have a good diet to ensure your results come in sooner than later. If you don't consume your required amount of nutrients and proteins, your body may fail to recover properly from each workout session.
Remember that to find the best supplement for you, you must take a closer look at your options and check for ingredients, additives, sugar amount, and other factors you consider appropriate. As long as you chose the right option, it can be highly convenient for your diet. In the end, maintaining a proper balance between exercising and nutrition is the key to a strong, healthy body.