If you're looking to build lots of muscle, one of the first things you buy should be a quality protein supplement. There are a lot of quality powders out there, but there is also a lot of super-hyped junk. Here are a few tips on how to pick the best whey protein powder.
1. Look For Protein Purity
There are many different varieties of whey protein, filtered in many different ways, that are supposed to have a certain purity. These include whey protein concentrates, isolates, and hydrolysates, and even each of those has several subcategories.
However, you really don't need to worry about anything fancy when it comes to buying the best whey protein powder. There are a few important criteria that you can actually find on the nutrition facts label that will tell you everything you need to know.
First, look at the number of fat grams. While both carbs and fats factor in here, the number of fat grams per 25 grams of protein will tell you the most about the product's purity. You should aim for powders with around 2 grams or less of fat per 25-protein gram serving.
Second, look at the amount of carbs, particularly sugars. The more sugar there is in the whey, the less lactose the filtration process removed. The best whey protein powder will have somewhere in the neighborhood of 3 grams of carbs (including sugar) or less.
2. Go For Taste
Early on in my weight lifting life, I didn't think taste was so important, and that I could just chug any shake that came my way. While I can certainly do this if I have to, the best protein powder will taste good, as well as having a high purity.
There is an enormous variety of flavors available, so you'll really just need to do some research into what companies make the best flavors. Personally, I have found that you can't go wrong with chocolate, as long as you get it from a good company. I have still gotten chocolate powders from bad companies that tasted absolutely rancid.
3. Go Cheap, But Not Too Cheap
Just as there is a huge variety of protein purities and tastes, there seems to be a very wide range of prices for what is marketed as similar products. Therefore, don't just go for the cheapest OR the most expensive protein, thinking you are going to get the best whey protein powder for you money.
Personally, I usually err on the cheap side. This means that I am getting a protein that is decently pure, has a pretty good taste that I can live with, and gives me TONS of protein for not a lot of money. I usually buy protein that is about 80 dollars for 150 servings (a 10 pounds bag). This means I am getting almost as low as 50 cents per 25-gram protein serving.
Depending on your budget, and how much great taste and ultra-purity are worth it to you, you might want to spend more, and err on the expensive side. The best whey protein powder that you can possibly buy will probably be a premium product closer to a dollar per serving, but it will taste great and have the ultimate purity.
Whatever you do, just don't buy at the extreme ends of the price spectrum thinking you are going to get the best whey protein powder. The cheapest stuff possible tastes worse than dirt, and the most expensive stuff is extremely overpriced and over-hyped.
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