Are protein shakes actually worth taking?

I read this article which says that you can get protein shakes which provide around 100g of protein per 100 calories:

http://www.menshealth.co.uk/food-nutrition/muscle-foods/the-worlds-best-protein-sources-313853

The most I can find online, though, is whey protein shakes that provide around 20g per 100 calories. Is it really worth buying those as opposed to just eating normal protein-rich foods like chicken, beef and so on?

Does anyone know of a protein shake that's much higher in protein provided per calories?What's the actual point of them? I need around 190 grams of protein per day so not sure if I should just eat normally or not.

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Reply 1

Meaux

If you don't have time for a meal then yes. Unless you fancy cooking some chicken at like 10 o'clock before bed?

Reply 2

Ezekiella

Original post by Meaux

If you don't have time for a meal then yes. Unless you fancy cooking some chicken at like 10 o'clock before bed?

Thanks. Are there any that actually provide more protein per calories than standard foods, though? :smile:

Reply 3

Double Agent

I think theyre a bit of a gimmick, people jump into buying a tub before they actually sort out their diet. If you're bulking, you need calories, if you consume enough decent food you should have more than enough protein to grow. It only gets a little more necessary if you're cutting and need your diet to be extremely clean, or if you struggle to fit your meals in. Even then, bodybuilding is about consistency and dedication, not about which protein shake you drink.

Reply 4

Ezekiella

Original post by Double Agent

I'm not trying to bodybuild, I'm actually trying to lose weight but I'm going to be doing a lot of exercise (including lifting) so I was wondering if protein shakes provided more of the protein I'm going to need while adding less of the calories, if you see what I mean :smile:

Reply 5

Meaux

Well I take whey isolate. Pretty much just protein. The best stuff imo :smile:

Reply 6

Ezekiella

Original post by Meaux

Well I take whey isolate. Pretty much just protein. The best stuff imo :smile:

Where do you get it from, and which one do you get? :smile:

Reply 7

username474976

They are worth it if you cannot afford chicken/beef and don't have the time to cook constantly. E.g. instead of eggs in the morning I have a shake. To be honest, without shakes I would struggle to bulk efficiently with the constraints of work, studying and a student budget.

Reply 8

BKS

It's useful if you need protein in less calories or you need it quick, as others have said.

1g protein = 4 calories
100g protein =400 calories
100 calories- 25g protein max, there's always a few carbs kicking around in there too though in reality
80g protein plus 3.4g carbs= 334 calories

don't read men's health

Reply 9

TooEasy123

depends on your goals

Reply 10

Ezekiella

Original post by TooEasy123

depends on your goals

Trying to cut, but also lifting weights in order to maintain muscle

Reply 11

rohitbd

Well they're suppose to be great post workout, but they're just a way to get some extra protein in the diet and very cheaply, you could eat like eggs/chicken breast/greek yoghurt/cottage cheese but it could be very costly and time consuming, and if you're going to be having more than 1 a day then I recommend you get a nice tasting one. Personally only drink it as a shake post workout, but love it in yoghurt or porridge to give me extra protein and flavour.

Reply 12

AreebWithaHat

Depends. I'm not a fan of chicken or fish or meat or eggs, so why protein is pretty much a necessity for me. If your diet has enough protein then it's not really required.

Reply 13

TwilightKnight

The main point of protein shakes is to get a cheap source of protein into your body post work-out so that your body doesn't start catabolizing other muscle in order to maintain the stuff you've just built/ toned. So in that way, they're definitely worth it. 100g of protein in protein shake form might cost about 70p, whereas the same amount from chicken might cost £2-3, and also involves taking the time to prepare it, cook it and eat it. It's also already basically in amino-acid form a lot of the time and goes straight to purpose versus your body first having to digest the chicken.

When I first started going to the gym I didn't use protein shakes because I basically thought along the same lines, and often found myself not gaining muscle as quickly as I wanted to whilst also being hungry more. Bought 5kg of powder online (http://www.bulkpowders.co.uk/pure-whey-protein-90.html) and although it didn't make a MASSIVE difference in muscle gain, it definitely improved it, and I also found myself cutting fat a lot faster than I had beforehand.

It's suggested that you eat between 2 and 2.5g of protein for each kg of body weight when at the gym minimum, and I just don't see a better way of doing that other than using protein shakes. I would definitely avoid the all-in-one solutions though, such as cyclone, unless you're a) loaded and b) someone who also needs the extra calories it provides in carb form (i.e, you go to the gym like twice a day) because you don't have time for other meals.

Reply 14

__Student__

Who needs them when you are encircled with chicken shops in london

Reply 15

Meaux

I get mine from http://www.myprotein.com/home.dept. It's not magic powder, just easy to consume protein that you can take anywhere & keeps a long time. Brands don't really matter, just make sure it's not full of crap.

Reply 16

Ezekiella

Original post by bertstare

Lol cmon brah, can't be serious

I don't know a lot about sports nutrition - what's wrong with what he said? :smile:

Reply 17

bertstare

Original post by Ezekiella

I don't know a lot about sports nutrition - what's wrong with what he said? :smile:

The whole idea of needing protein powder post-workout because without fast absorbing protein your muscles will " catabolise". And the idea that using protein powder makes any difference to muscle gat/fat loss.

If you use protein shakes purely for convenience reasons (ie. it's too tedious to always have to cook chicken) then fine, that's the reason I do it - but it makes no difference to muscle gain/physique and you don't by any means "need" them.

Reply 18

silent ninja

Only for convenience, and price to an extent, but don't tell me 50g of whey protein is as good as 50g of chicken protein. I don't know the science but it just isn't! There's something to be said of whole foods and nutrition.

Also ignore this bull**** about fast absorbing protein. It may well be but does this mean more muscle gain? No. Nothing proven. The eating window is by and large *******s too.

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Reply 19

Smack

Volunteer Team

How much protein do you need to reach your goals and how much protein are you currently getting from normal foods? If there's a deficit, use protein powers to make it up. It's that simple.