Never buy a protein supplement again? Are you serious? Well, yes and no. Here's why.

Possibly one of the common supplements in most athlete’s and practitioners pantries. Equally this is the basic question I am asked on a regular basis in Gyms and in training circles. What is the best protein and which should I buy.

Approach with CAUTION  

Not all protein powders are created equal and even the ones you think are the best can still be classified as poor. Know your labels.

Protein Powder Overview 

Protein powders are derived from many forms including plants and dairy. Dairy sources are eggs and milk also seen on the product label as Whey Protein and Casein. Plant based powders are in the form of hemp, soybean, pea and potato.

Other ingredients include thickeners, sugar, natural and artificial flavouring.

You may also see an assortment of amino acids and a lot of stuff you’ve never heard of included unwanted fillers. Approach these with even more caution. Many ingredients disguise themselves under other names but are essentially sugar.

Choose Protein Carefully 

Proteins with added sugar and fillers can cause a lot of stress on the body. Many unwanted issues can result from poor supplement intake and what's more is that starches and sugars can lead to weight gain in the wrong way and cause strain on the heart and vital organs.

Digestive Stress

Many users with an intolerance to certain ingredients that contain dairy for instance may experiences gastrointestinal stress and unwanted bloating.

Protein Labelling

Many product labels do not reflect the product correctly. Even when a product has been approval from an independent testing authority, this does not mean you’re getting what the manufacturer says every time.

For the label to be true, an independent no biased testing regime would be required on every single batch of the product. This has resulted in manipulation of the market and to the customers they celebrate on social media.

If in doubt, ask yourself how likely a manufacturer is to test every single batch?

What You Don’t See 

Many products are tainted with toxins.

Research has shown that most contain heavy metals such as lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury.

Even pesticides and plastics have been found, all of which are linked to cancer and other unwanted health conditions.

Supplement Stores and Company Owners 

Generally these guys and ladies know nothing. Sounds harsh but anyone with a foundational knowledge of nutrition will generally know at least teh same if not more about the products these guys sell.

Unfortunately the level of competence and understanding of what they are selling and manufacture is a huge challenge in the nutrition industry.

There are a number of warning signs which you need to be aware of in advance, to save both your hard-earned money and even to call BS when required. Find out more on what to look out for below on some of the better product out there.

Mens Health Top Recommended Protein Supplements 

Optimum Nutrition Gold standard 100% Whey Protein 

Optimum Nutrition - Platinum HydroWhey 

Garden of Life – Organic Whey Protein Powder 

Naked Nutrition – Whey protein

Up and Close Labelling 

Optimum Nutrition Gold standard 100% Whey Protein 

WARNINGS: 

• Protein blend – No ratio shown
• Added aminos – suggests the quality of the protein is not high enough to meet 24g
• Artificial flavours
• Lecithin – Can cause fulness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhoea

Optimum Nutrition - Platinum HydroWhey 

WARNINGS:

• Littered with Sugar and palm oil
• Contains Wheat flour
• Sucralose– artificial sweetener and sugar substitute
• Dextrose – Cheap carbohydrate substitute

Garden of Life – Organic Whey Protein Powder 

• Whey Protein Concentrate (WPC)– Cheap form, however ideal dependent upon how and when users plan to take the supplement
• WPC – Side effects include bloating and digestion issues
• Requires independent tested each batch

Naked Nutrition – Whey protein

• Whey Protein Concentrate (WPC) – Cheap form, however ideal dependent upon how and when users plan to take the supplement
• WPC – Side effects include bloating and digestion issues
• Coconut Sugar – Natural sweetener, 5g of sugar per serving
• Requires independent tested each batch

Dependent upon what you’re using a protein supplement for and when you’re taking it, this can be a reason to purchase one of the above, however, do not rely on a protein supplement as the only way to get adequate protein into your diet.

The nutrition from good quality pastured eggs, grass fed beef and organic vegetables should never be overlooked.

My recommendation - Find a great source and eat like our ancestors did.