8 Totally Sketch Ingredients in Your Protein Powder

By Megan Hansen

on November 13th, 2017

Let’s talk about the ingredients in your PROTEIN POWDER.

Some of them are….questionable at best. But it’s something even the healthiest of humans put in their bodies every day.

And, why?

I mean, protein powder isn’t exactly something we crave. But, it’s a multi-billion dollar industry.

BECAUSE WE’RE BUSY. WE’RE SO BUSY.

And whipping up a smoothie is a hell of a lot quicker and easier than making a spinach omelet with avocado for breakfast.

I’m all for efficiency. What’s the quickest and easiest way to get from point A to point B? Point A being hungry, point B being not hungry.

It’s pretty simple.

And protein powder really can be a GREAT, healthy addition to your diet, IF you are choosing the right one.

Here are some of my fav benefits:

It’s an easy way to knock out your “protein” when putting together a PHFF meal.

Protein sends a signal to your brain that you are full (so great for weight loss).

Protein supports muscle building and repair which revs your metabolism. Protein has a thermogenic effect on your body, so when you consume at least 25g at a time you actually BURN calories.

Helps recovery time after a really tough workout.

But here’s the bad news:

SO many protein powders are absolute trash. Like, might as well be eating Cheetos puffs (mmmm Cheetos puffs) for breakfast.

What to avoid in your protein powder:

Dextrin/Glucose/Maltodextrin – No reason to spike your blood sugar with these sugars.
Artificial Sweeteners – No reason to….ever consume artificial sweeteners. Sucralose, Splenda, aspartame, Equal, NutraSweet, saccharin – stay away!
Milk powders/milk solids – these are cheap bulking agents found in low-quality powders. They are high in lactose sugars, which can cause bloating and other GI issues.
Soy protein – watch out here. A TON of “plant-based” or “vegan” proteins contain soy. Soy contains something called “phytoestrogen”, which may cause hormonal disturbances and can damage your thyroid.
Vegetable oils. These are put into protein powders to add “richness” but are high in omega-6 fatty acids, causing inflammation. Plus, these oils can also contain trans-fats.
Carrageenan – this thickener is a major cause of gastrointestinal distress and bloating.
rBGH – if you’re using a whey protein, and it doesn’t say it’s “rBGH-free”, that means it contains bovine growth hormone. Gross.
Gluten – is a thickening agent, but there is no reason to be consuming gluten in your morning smoothie. Check your label – “Glutamine peptide” is a sneaky word for gluten!
And as a general rule, the less ingredients the better for protein powder (duh).

Here’s a quick list of a some of my favs:

xxMegan

Some of the links on this page contain affiliate links, which means I get paid a lil bit of money if you purchase something I recommend. I would never, ever recommend a product I wouldn’t purchase myself (that’s so gross).