John Myers
Self-mixed protein shakes – you have to pay attention to that
There are many different types of protein shakes. From powders that are mixed with milk to completely homemade variants and vegan alternatives. Before we go into more detail about different possibilities, let’s give you an overview of some general things that you should definitely pay attention to.
- Nutrition specialists generally recommend around 1 g of protein per kg of body weight. That’s 70g per day for a 70kg adult. This amount can easily be covered with 2 protein shakes. The protein requirements of the human body are different.
- Strength athletes should ensure a protein intake of 1.2 – 1.6 g per kilo of body weight.
- During growth, protein consumption increases by about 0.2 g per kg of body weight.
- In endurance sports, a protein intake of up to 2 g per kilo body weight is recommended.
Too much protein in a protein shake – is that possible?
This question can be answered with a clear yes. The human metabolism can only process a certain amount of protein at a time. The excess amount is simply excreted by the organism. Theories according which the intake of too much protein is harmful to the liver and kidneys in the long term have not yet been proven. Our tip for consuming protein shakes is, therefore:
- Consume protein portions of no more than 30 g of protein, as your digestion cannot fully process larger portions. In return, make sure you consume several smaller protein shakes.
What ingredients should I mix into my protein shake?
Assuming a regular protein shake made with milk and protein powder, there are a few ways to spice up your shake. Here are some examples:
- Bananas: The addition of the sweet fruit can not only give your shake a taste upgrade but also contributes to an increase in performance during training with its quickly digestible carbohydrates.
- Cornflakes: If you like your protein shake a little “crunchy”, you are well advised to use cornflakes. The combination of milk and grain increases the so-called “biological value” of the proteins, which means that your body can absorb them better.
- Legumes: Legumes are also ideal as an addition to your protein shake, as they also increase the biological value. Another plus: Legumes such as B. Flaxseeds also contain zinc, which is important for protein synthesis, among other things.
Vegan protein shakes – you have to pay attention to that.
Eating vegan and high-protein at the same time is not necessarily a contradiction in terms. The range of vegan protein powders is now extensive. Soy milk, rice milk, or almond milk are suitable as a basis for your vegan protein shake.
- Many vegan protein powders contain a large portion of soy. Despite the initial hype surrounding the alleged miracle plant, it is now criticized for its influence on hormone levels. Since soy contains the female sex hormone estrogen, many men, in particular, are skeptical. Our tip: Vegan protein powder without soy.
- Since vegan products, in contrast to animal products, do not contain all the components of protein (amino acids), we recommend a varied diet, especially for vegans. The variety of different protein sources is particularly important here in order to absorb all 20 amino acids. For this reason, in addition to protein shakes, you should also regularly use other protein sources.
