A very popular conversation topic that has come up with many of my clients lately is around the idea of protein shakes. The best part of this is I see that my clients are beginning to understand the importance of consuming protein to lose fat and gain muscle- and many are seeing the difference of paying attention to this macronutrient. 👌👌
Many people ask me what makes a protein shake good? Can we just buy our protein at the grocery store?? Can you buy the less expensive ones and are they still good??
My answer is a big huge MAYBE!! Here are some of the criteria you can use to see how your protein stacks up ⬇️⬇️
⭐️If you are replacing a meal- say breakfast-make sure your shake has a full macronutrient profile. Our brains and bodies NEED healthy fats and carbs too- so don’t go with just protein if this is a meal for you.
⭐️Look for UNDENATURED whey. If you can tolerate whey protein, it really is the most beneficial for muscle synthesis. But, not all whey is manufactured well. We want whey that was manufactured with low heat filtration, so the structure of the protein doesn’t get broken down before we can absorb it!
⭐️Happy cows🐮 If you’re consuming dairy, you’re really gonna do yourself a favor by making sure the dairy comes from cows that are never given any artificial hormones and are treated well (with lots of time on the pasture)
⭐️Protein pacing.For optimal results, make sure your shake has at least 20 grams of protein.
⭐️BCAA’s.💪🏻 Branched-chain amino acids are key here- which are high in undenatured whey protein. In particular leucine is considered the main signal in stimulating muscle synthesis while preventing muscle breakdown.
⭐️To my fellow plant based friends: We (thankfully) have lots more options these days when it comes to plant based protein sources, but not all are created equally. You want to make sure your plant based sources make up a complete amino acid profile. My favorite sources use some combinations of mung bean, fava bean, pea and brown rice.
⭐️No-Compromise!!! This is a BIG one for me! There have been multiple reports of protein powders containing lead/heavy metals and no amount of gaining muscle is gonna make that ok. Heavy metals are at least partially responsible for so many chronic conditions (skin conditions, gut conditions, insomnia, fatigue, the list goes on and on…) Make sure the company you purchase from is testing for these heavy metals!! Unfortunately, companies have to pay a bit more for this- so if you’re excited your Costco protein is half the price of others on the market, that is likely due to the fact that it is made with cheaper ingredients and not tested for these contaminants
These are the reasons I don’t shop for protein at my grocery store. Believe me- I have bought plenty from Whole Foods in the past, but finding a reliable, clean, high quality brand has completely changed that for me! The good news- there are lots of great options out there these days, but you may need to look beyond the grocery shelves…🛒

⭐️Lastly- and this is where I can go on a bit of a tangent…PLEASE watch for dangerous ingredients in your protein! Companies are catching on to the fact that consumers are monitoring their sugar intake. Which would be fabulous if it didn’t mean they were putting lots of other dangerous stuff in there Highest on the lost of concerning ingredients for me: artificial sweeteners!! There are quite a few types out there, but some of the names to watch out for are aspartame and sucralose. The dangers of these are too extensive to list here. All I can recommend is researching and avoiding at all costs! Also- excessive sugar alcohols can be bothersome to some people (can lead to gut discomfort) so just check the label for those too. Carageeneen is another ingredient I would definitely research before putting in my body.

For those who don’t want to do all this research on their own, here’s my go- to brand: https://jessicatreadwell1.isagenix.com/en-us/search?q=Shakes&page=1

I’d love to hear if you’re practicing protein pacing these days and what benefits you’ve noticed too⬇️⬇️

To your health,

~Jess