Protein powders do not trigger weight loss, but they do provide nutritional support that can help make your workouts more effective. There is no one "best" one for everyone -- it all depends upon how you plan to use it, what your goals are and exactly how much protein you need. Protein powders are designed to do a variety of things, and you must choose the right one to be successful with your weight loss.
Protein
Most people should get 10 to 35 percent of their calories from protein, but if you weight train extensively, you may need more. Protein aids in muscle repair and growth, so make sure you get 0.63 to 0.77 g per pound of body weight to support your workouts, as suggested by the American Dietetic Association. Choose your protein source, too -- powders may come from whey, casein, egg, soy, rice or many other sources. Whey is considered the gold standard, but it comes from milk. If you are lactose-intolerant, you may have better luck with soy. Check the label on the bottle to make sure it has enough protein for you, but remember the other things you eat throughout the day. Some protein powders can have over 100 g of protein per serving, which is way too much for some people.
Carbs
Protein powder is not all protein -- many brands contain carbohydrates as well. According to Bodybuilding.com, Steffco, Nature's Best and VPX all make zero-carb options for people on low-carb diets. Other protein powders may contain more carbs than protein -- read the label before you buy. It's all in what the product was designed for. Protein powders designed for endurance athletes have high amounts of carbs, while the ones designed for bodybuilders may have a much lower carb content.
Calories
Not all protein powders contribute to fat loss -- in fact, some are designed to help you gain weight. Weight gain formulas can have 2,600 calories per serving, which will derail any diet. Consider how you'll use the powder. If you plan to replace a meal with it, it's okay for it to have a couple of hundred calories per serving. If you are using it as a muscle recovery drink after a workout or to keep you from raiding the fridge at night, you should choose a low-calorie option. Bodybuilder.com says that True Science, Dymatize and Cytosport make zero-calorie shake mixes that may better suit dieters than high-calorie formulas. Keep in mind that the calorie content is for the powder only. Unless you plan to mix it with water, you'll add calories there, too.
Taste/Price
No protein powder will help you if you won't drink it, so taste should be a factor in your decision. Most brands come in many flavors, but the flavors themselves vary from brand to brand. If the shake with the right numbers tastes awful, it's worth sacrificing a few calories or protein grams to get one that you won't mind drinking. Don't get sticker-shock, either. You'll see 5-lb. tubs of powder priced from $25 to over $100, according to the quality of the protein. A 5-lb. tub generally contains about 60 servings, so even a middle-of-the-road option at $40 is only about $0.66 per serving, which is half the price of a soda's empty calories. The nutrients you'll be providing to your body are well worth the expense.
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