Shakes made with whey protein can be a healthy addition to a weight-loss diet. Eating a diet higher in protein can help you feel full for longer and even out blood sugar levels. While the shakes themselves do not stimulate weight loss, they can serve as a part of a healthy snack or meal. Ultimately, however, you have to combine a calorie-controlled diet with increased physical activity to lose weight.
What is Whey?
Whey protein is a powder derived from milk. Processing removes most of the lactose and concentrates the protein. Whey protein shakes include whey protein isolate, the purest form of whey, whey protein concentrate, a lesser quality whey, or a combination of the two types. Whey protein shakes may be pre-mixed and sold in individual bottles or cartons. Smoothie bars also offer made-to-order whey shakes and you can easily mix your own at home with fruit, yogurt, juice, milk or water.
Benefits for Weight Loss
Whey protein helps you fit extra servings of high-quality protein into a weight loss plan. It contains no fat and all of the amino acids that the body cannot produce on its own. A study published in "Nutrition and Metabolism" published in 2008, found that a whey protein supplement high in the amino acid leucine consumed two times daily helped people on a reduced calorie diet lose more body fat and preserve more lean muscle compared to people consuming a control beverage. Protein takes longer for the body to digest, so diets high in protein can help keep you feeling more satisfied so you are less likely to overeat due to extreme hunger.
Calories
Powdered whey protein contains between 80 and 120 calories per scoop, depending on the brand. Some pre-mixed shakes sold in refrigerated cases may contain high amounts of sugar and other carbohydrates that make them higher in calories. When purchasing whey protein to make shakes at home, make sure you select 100 percent whey protein and avoid mixes with extra supplements or sugar. Some whey protein may be sweetened with stevia or artificial sweeteners, which helps keep the calorie-count down.
Recipes
If you consume whey protein shakes, account for the calories in your daily menu plan. A whey protein shake made with a banana, a scoop of vanilla whey, 1 cup of skim milk and 1 cup of blueberries can serve as a 365-calorie breakfast. At snack time, you could incorporate a shake made with 4 frozen strawberries, vanilla whey and 1 cup of orange juice for 225 calories. You could even use a whey protein shake as dessert by mixing 1 scoop of chocolate whey protein with skim milk and ice cubes for 180 calories.
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