Protein

Choosing a protein powder

Protein powder is a convenient way to hit your daily protein target. Every powder here is whey, which comes from milk, so it is not for anyone with a milk allergy.

Whey concentrate or whey isolate?

Both are whey. Isolate is filtered further to remove more of the fat and lactose, so it carries more protein per gram and is often easier on people who are sensitive to lactose. Concentrate keeps a little more of both and usually costs less. Read the side-by-side in Whey vs. Isolate.

How much protein do you need?

The International Society of Sports Nutrition suggests 1.4 to 2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day for most people who exercise, spread across meals of about 20 to 40 grams each. Food counts toward that total; a shake simply fills the gap. More detail in How Much Protein Per Day.

How to read the label

• Protein per scoop, and how big the scoop is
• The sweetener used, for example stevia in the natural options
• Allergen statements
• The number of servings in the tub

Source: Jäger R, Kerksick CM, Campbell BI, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: protein and exercise. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017;14:20.