Protein Shakes & Supplements

So, I recently bought some Special K Protein shakes. I only bought them because a friend of mine told me that they were really good. She said that I could replace them with an entire meal. I sometimes need to replace breakfast with something quick because I'm a busy gal. I decided that before I go all crazy with protein shakes, that maybe I should do a little investigative research. After all, you should always know what you're putting into your body and how it will affect you.

What's in Your Diet?

So, the first thing I found out was that you could be putting excess calories into your diet if you add a protien shake or supplement. If you already get about 46g of protein (women) or 56g of protein (men) then adding extra protein will only add calories and force your body to work extra hard, as protein is harder to digest. Luckly for me, I watch my calories very closely, and I do not believe I get 46g of protein everyday. If you are eating your balance of protein everyday, you probably shouldn't be using a shake or a supplement. Unless of course you have a disease, are elderly, or are in some sort of athletic training.

Taste, Brand, & Cost

Obviously there are a variety of options on protien shakes, bars, and supplements. Because there are so many options, there are going to be different costs, and different tastes. Cost, for a lot of us, is important. If this is something you're going to be buying regularly, you want it to reasonable. And if you're going to be drinking/eating this product regularly, you're going to want it to taste pretty good, too. So, I've come up with a few options you might like, if you're interested of course.

Firstly, there are Special K Protien Shakes. Each one has 190 calories, 10g of protein, and 5g of fiber. They come in Milk Chocolate, Strawberry, French Vanilla, and Dark Chocolate. I've only tried the Milk Chocolate, but I can tell you that it's pretty good. I've heard nothing but good things about these shakes.The price is about $6 for a pack of 4 shakes.

Ensure High Protein shakes have a whopping 25g of protein, 210 calories, and 3g of fiber. I can't personally vouch on the taste, but my brother drinks them regularly, and he loves them. They come in Creamy Milk Chocolate and Homemade Vanilla flavors. The price is about $9 for a pack of 6 shakes. However, it does come in a powder, which is cheaper than buying the shakes premade.

Lastly, for someone who is doing some serious exercise, you might consider G Series 03 Recover Shake by Gatorade. It has 20g of protein, 270 calories, 45g of carbohydrates, and 680mg of potassium. It comes in two flavors, Chocolate and Vanilla. Price is about $6 for a package of 4 shakes.

You can get all three of these at just about any supermarket.

-Jade