I like Kelly and Juliet Starrett's philosophy on protein powder: it's not the best source of protein, but it's better than zero, or insufficient protein. For those who live on the go, it's often what we can get consistently, and hitting your protein intake targets consistently is crucial to building and maintaining healthy muscle.

what I look for in a protein powder

  • natural sweeteners: monkfruit or stevia
  • whole-food based protein sources: whey (organic or grass fed), or even meat protein sources
  • natural, whole-food based flavorings
  • few or zero additives

brands I like

  1. Standard Process (no surprise here; I love SP Complete Vanilla with a scoop of SP Whey). Their products are made exclusively from whole foods, with little to no processing. "Soil to supplement in 24 hrs" is their motto. Their animal products (mostly beef/whey) are sourced from places with high dairy standards. You'll need to get these through a healthcare practitioner; they are not available over the counter.
  2. XWerks Grow. Vanilla tastes amazing, and the dairy comes from New Zealand. I've never had indigestion with this, and the stevia makes it the perfect smoothie with a bit of fruit, spinach, and yogurt.
  3. Truvani. Downsides: it's plant based, so the protein is less bio-available for building/maintaining muscle. The ingredients are solid, though, and it's available in places like Walmart and Target.

my basic protein smoothie

  • 1 scoop SP Complete Vanilla + 1 scoop SP Whey (25 g protein total) OR 1 scoop X Werks (26 g protein)
  • 1 cup greek low fat yogurt (Fage is my favorite brand)
  • 1 cup frozen blueberries, cherries, or other fruit
  • 1-2 cups greens (spinach, chard, or mix)
  • 1 TB chia seeds (sub: flax, hemp, cacao nibs)
  • 1 cup almond milk (I like the low calorie kind; real milk is much more nutritious, but this is creamy and I don't need additional fat due to the chia)

Macro breakdown: 450 kcal / ~58 g protein

the above works well for me, a 140 lb woman trying to maintain my skeletal muscle. if you are male, or trying to gain weight, you can adjust the basic recipe by adding another scoop of protein, an extra TB of nuts/seeds, a banana, and/or a scoop of rolled oats.