The Best Protein Shake Recipes for Every Body

A quick search of your local health foods store will show you the enormous number of protein powders and supplements available. Some are meant for endurance athletes, some for strength athletes, and it’s easy to feel a bit bewildered at all of your choices.

And that’s just the beginning — when it comes to actually mixing up your protein shakes for a meal replacement or for a workout supplement, what ingredients do you actually use to create your shake? Just mixing your powder with water gets old very fast.

However, we’ve created a short list of some basic, easy-to-make protein shake recipes that are tailored to different fitness and nutrition goals. Wanting to lose weight while maintaining muscle? Want to bulk up with a protein-filled workout supplement? Need to avoid milk and lactose products while getting the nutrition you need? We’ve got a shake recipe for you. Let’s get started!

Meal Replacement Shake for Weight Loss

A big mistake many protein shake newbies make is trying to replace a meal with a basic protein shake. While some protein powders are meant for this, the majority do not contain enough nutrients to replace a healthy meal. If you’re trying to lose weight with protein shakes, you need other nutrients that basic powders can’t provide.

So for this recipe, we’ll be including some light fruits with casein protein powder. Casein takes longer to digest than whey, and helps you feel fuller longer.

• 1 1/2 cup strawberries
• 1 banana, peeled
• 2 scoops vanilla or plain casein protein powder
• 5-6 ice cubes
• Water as needed
• Blend for 30 seconds

Reese’s-Cup Muscle-Building Protein Shake

Folks looking to put on muscle need to mix things up a bit. After a strength workout, your muscles need fuel immediately. Generally, whey protein is thought to be the best choice for bulking up, as the protein contained in whey digests more quickly, and thus reaches your muscles faster than casein proteins. For best results, you can either sip on this shake during your workout or consume it within 30 minutes of the end of the workout.

• 1 heaping tbsp of natural peanut butter
• 1 cup skim milk
• 2 scoops of chocolate whey protein powder
• 1 cup Egg Beaters
• Blend for 30 seconds

All Natural Protein Shake

Wanting to avoid processed milk products or lactose in your protein shakes? You may want to take a look at hemp protein powder. It’s made from hemp seeds and contains about an equal amount of protein and fiber. Plus, hemp protein has a very nice amino acid profile for general well-being. Here’s a quick recipe for a basic hemp protein shake.

• 30g (1 serving) of hemp protein powder
• 2 cups yogurt
• 1 cup raspberries or strawberries
• No need to blend — can just be stirred together if desired.

Hemp protein doesn’t contain as much protein as whey or casein (thanks to the higher fiber content), but you’ll still get 15-20 grams of protein with this recipe. Also give rice protein powder a shot, if hemp isn’t your thing. It is a little easier to digest, and mixes up a little better than hemp.

Categorized Under

Homemade Protein Shakes • Protein Shake Advice • Recipes

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