Looking for a more convenient way to get your protein? Try these tasty protein shakes to build muscle and lose weight.
EDITOR’S NOTE: These are best protein shakes supplements currently voted as ‘top ones’ by our esteem readers
PURE PROTEIN
- Made by Pure Protein
- Whooping 35g Protein In Single Serving
- Plus Lots of Calcium & Magnesium
- And Phosphorus, Potassium, Iron, & Vit A 7 C
- Enjoy Amazing Great Taste
- Easy, Ready-To-Drink
- Low Fats, Sugar & Carbs.
PROTEIN & VITAMIN
- Enjoys Improved Energy Every Morning
- Mixes Well With Water, No Chalky Taste
- Promotes Weight Loss & Confidence
Variety of Flavors Like Chocolate & Vanilla - Great with Almond Milk or Juice or Fruits
- 13 Servings in 1-Container
- No Need for Refrigerator
LEAN BODY
- A Massive 40g Protein – Plus Whey protein
- Lots of Vitamins & Minerals
- Promotes Weightloss on Low Carb
- Contains Zero Sugar and Healthy
- 280 Calories; Good as Meal Replacement
- Completely Lactose-Free
MILK CHOCOLATE
- Promotes Fat Loss
- Terrific Breakfast Alternative
- Whooping 15g Protein (Little Carb)
- Enjoy Daily Energy Boost & Focus
- Comes with Good Taste Too
EDITOR’S NOTE: We showcased total 9 top natural protein shakes. Scroll down
The protein shake industry is growing a lot every year, and that’s understandable when you think about it.
Nowadays, most people work out to achieve either of the 2 most popular fitness goals. Either they want to get rid of excess weight by burning off their fat cells, or they want to build bigger muscles.
Top Protein Shakes Products on the Market Today
Now with all these information, which protein shakes should you try? Here are our recommendations:
- Pure Protein Shake (from Amazon)
Instead of drinking soda from a can, why not drink Pure Protein?
This gives you a yummy Frosty Chocolate flavor, and there’s no mixing involved whatsoever. You drink it from the can straightaway. It tastes great, especially when it’s cold.
A single can gives you 35 grams of protein, and that offers about 70% of your daily requirements.
With just 1.5 grams of fat, you get the 2% of your daily total fat allowance, while the cholesterol content is just 5%. You only get 4 grams of carbs, and that’s a measly 1% of your daily allowance.
It also contains 100% of your daily calcium needs, 8% of iron, 10% of magnesium, 9% of potassium, and 50% of the phosphorus you need. Plus, you also get vitamins A and C.
The chocolate flavor is outstanding, and you get a bit of foam in the drink when you shake it first.
It’s not too sweet at all because it only contains 1 gram of sugar, so you don’t get tired of the taste easily.
Your best bet is to place it in the freezer upside down, so the best bits at the bottom are moved towards the top. Even 20 minutes in the freezer will do, and then you can take it out and give it a little shake before you enjoy it.
Pros
- You get a lot of protein in just a single serving.
- You also get lots of calcium, as well as magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, iron, and vitamins A and C.
- It tastes great, and it’s not a taste you’ll get tired of easily.
- It’s ready to drink, with no mixing necessary.
- It doesn’t contain lots of fats, sugar, and carbs.
Cons
- It’s a bit more expensive than regular shakes, but then quality does come at a cost.
Directions
According to the manufacturer: “Use in conjunction with an intense daily exercise program and a balanced diet including an adequate caloric intake.”
2.Nature’s Bounty, Protein & Vitamin ( from Amazon )
The problem with protein shakes in cans is that they can take up a lot of space in your fridge especially when you get a week’s worth of drinks.
But a can of Protein & Vitamin Shake from Nature’s Bounty won’t take up any space in the fridge at all.
This is a powder that’s especially designed to mix well with water. You can just mix the powder as is, or you can experiment and customize the taste as you see fit in your blender.
The taste is actually good enough in itself. You won’t have to choke it down like many other powder mixes that you mix with water.
But you can also mix it with other flavors by adding different fruits and even flax and peanut butter to the mix.
This contains 15 grams of protein for every serving. It also gives you 100% of your daily value for all your B vitamins, plus 800 units of vitamin D2 to help your immune system.
It has vitamin C too, plus omega-3 for helping you to build muscles. Then it provides energy by offering enzymes, along with probiotics for better digestion.
This is also a terrific source of fiber, as it gives you 5 grams for better colon and intestinal health.
Pros
- It’s available in a wide variety of flavors, including chocolate and vanilla. If you’re prone to experimenting, the vanilla is excellent as it goes well with many other different ingredients.
- It mixes really well with water, and there’s no chalky taste at all. You can also mix it in almond milk or juice, or put in various fruits.
- This offers 13 servings in one container, which you don’t have to put in your fridge.
- This can really wake you up and provide lots of energy to start the day or your workout.
- It’s very affordable.
- Many people use this for weight loss, and they’ve reported losing many pounds drinking this protein shake.
Cons
- It’s not ready to drink, and you need to prepare it properly first. But for some, that’s part of the fun. That’s especially true for those who like to use it in the blender along with many other healthy fruits.
- Labrada Lean Body ( from Amazon )
Are you looking to build muscle or to lose weight? Either way, this Lean Body supplement from Labrada Nutrition works just fine.
This works as a protein supplement for muscle builders because the 500-ml drink offers a massive dose of 40g rams of protein.
You get all that without any sugar content in the drink at all.
But this also works for those looking to lose weight. That’s because this works as a meal replacement shake that you can take in lieu of a meal.
It tastes great, and in fact the milkshake taste has garnered all sorts of awards because of how delicious it is.
It can substitute for your meal because it offers up to 22 different vitamins and minerals and that includes calcium and magnesium. You only get 280 calories from the drink.
This is available in 8 different flavors. Aside from the usual chocolate and vanilla, other options include strawberry, banana, cookies and cream, salted caramel, cinnamon bun, and café mocha.
Not only does this contain no sugar, but it’s also gluten-free. It’s also lactose-free, so you drink this safely even if you’re lactose-intolerant.
Pros
- This offers a massive dose of protein at 40 g. It has whey protein, so it’s more easily absorbed by the body after you work out.
- You get lots of vitamins and minerals too. These include calcium and magnesium which can be depleted in case you have too much protein in your body.
- This is great for those looking to lose weight on a low-carb diet. This drink contains zero sugar. With 280 calories, it can stand for a meal to make you feel full, yet you can cut down on your calorie intake.
- Plenty of people are in some way lactose-intolerant, but this is totally safe if you are. It’s completely lactose-free.
- There are lots of flavors to choose from.
Cons
- At 500 ml (17 ounces), these are in large containers that will take a lot of space in your fridge. You better have a large fridge if you’re going to buy a week’s supply.
- Atkins Milk Chocolate Delight ( from Amazon )
This is again in powder form, and they come in packs like instant coffee. A single carton comes with 12 servings that can provide 11-ounce drinks.
This is specifically designed for fans of the Atkins diet who subscribe to low carb meals.
This milk chocolate drink is great as a breakfast substitute, and it’ll make you feel full enough until lunch time.
As a breakfast substitute, it’s terrific. It gives you 160 calories, so you feel just full enough to start the day.
Each serving offers 15 grams of protein, yet you only get 2 grams of crabs and 1 gram of sugar. It’s a perfect starter for the day because it contains just 55.3 mg of caffeine (at least for the mocha latte flavor).
That’s a little bit more than half a normal cup of coffee. This also works as a snack in the mid-morning and in the afternoon.
This also contains 22 different vitamins and minerals. These include vitamins A, C, D, E, K, B12, and B6.
The the minerals include enough calcium to provide 40% of your daily value, along with 50% of your phosphorus needs.
Pros
- This is a terrific breakfast alternative. Or you can add the powder to your coffee. It helps with weight loss because it offers a low-carb alternative that can set you up until lunch.
- It gives you 15 g of protein with very little carbs and sugar.
- The taste is actually nice, and very few people don’t like it. Chances are that you will.
Cons
- It’s designed for the Atkins diet fan, so if that’s not you then you may want to look at other alternatives. It works well enough for non-Atkins fans, however.
- EAS AdvantEDGE Carb Control ( from Amazon )
This comes in a 330 ml (11-ounce) container, with a nice chocolate fudge flavor to get you going.
It’s great for those who are trying to lose weight, as it provides 17 grams of protein along with just 2.5 g of carbs and no sugar at all.
It’s also just 100 calories. In addition, you also get a variety of vitamins, including vitamins C and E and a bunch of B vitamins too.
This contains milk protein instead of the soy in previous versions. So that means 20% of the protein is the easily absorbed whey while the rest is slow-acting casein.
You should really shake this container first before you open it up and drink it, as the packed protein tends to clump up when at rest. You also don’t want to put this in the freezer—that’ll clump it up too.
Pros
- It provides lots of protein without any accompanying sugar.
- The container is quite handy to bring along with you to wherever you go.
- It tastes nice.
- It does help you lose weight.
Cons
- That clumping issue can be rather disquieting when you’re not prepared for it. So always shake up the container hard before you take a sip, and don’t put it in the freezer. If you want it cold, drink it “on the rocks”.
- Vega Protein+ Shake ( from Amazon )
Many vegetarians are rather dismayed by the distinct lack of non-dairy protein options available in the market.
But with a brand like Vega, then you know from the name alone that your needs are covered.
These contain only plant-based ingredients, with protein coming from pea, pumpkin seed, and hemp.
It does offer 25% of the daily value for up to 11 different vitamins and minerals. It contains ingredients such as carrot, spinach, and kale.
It even has organic spirulina, which is considered by some as the most nutrient-dense superfood of them all.
This is a certified-vegan drink that’s verified as a non-GMO project. It is absolutely gluten-free, and it doesn’t have artificial sweeteners, colors, or flavors either.
If you insist on going all-natural and vegan, this is what you need to make sure you get your protein, vitamins, and minerals.
Pros
- It’s great for vegans, and for those with modern nutritional restrictions as non-GMO, non-glute, and all-natural.
- You get up to 20 grams of protein for each serving.
- It also provides a gram of Omega-3 and 3 to 4 grams of fiber.
- It’s available in chocolate or vanilla.
- It doesn’t contain caffeine.
Cons
- If you’re not into the vegan and vegetarian lifestyle, you may be put off by the green color of this protein drink.
- Premier High Protein Shake ( from Amazon )
A Premier Nutrition product. This is another ready to drink protein shake, and it’s designed to fuel you with energy while it also curbs your appetite.
This makes it an ideal drink for those seeking to lose weight. It’s in a handy carton like that you see for milk.
The protein amount per serving is quite impressive at 30 grams, while it only gives you 160 calories, low amounts of fat, and just 1 gram of sugar.
It even provides supplements for 24 different vitamins and minerals.
This comes in several flavors, including chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry. It’s great for protein on the go, and you can drink it before a meal to keep yourself from gorging.
It makes you feel full enough that you won’t eat as much, and that also makes it great for those trying to lose weight.
Pros
- It’s excellent for those who are watching their sugar and carb intake.
- It offers a great amount of protein.
- It also provides a sizable number of vitamin and mineral ingredients.
- There’s a good variety in flavors to choose from, and that even includes a caramel flavor.
Cons
- The viscosity differs depending on the flavor. The chocolate version is quite thick, but the vanilla is thinner. You can mix the various flavors to get the consistency and flavor you want.
- Premier 30g Protein Shakes ( from Amazon )
Finding a great taste in protein shakes is always a gamble, and not everyone wins. So it’s nice to find this version from Premier Protein.
Like the previous entry to this list, this offers up to 30 grams of protein per serving.
This also offers just 5 grams of carbs and 1 gram of sugar, plus 24 vitamins and minerals.
It’s also available in 5 flavors: chocolate, vanilla, banana, caramel, and strawberries & cream.
What makes this product different is that it has won the national taste tests by Chefs in America for the best taste.
It has come out on top of these taste tests 3 times no, from 2015 to 2017. It’s very smooth and not gritty at all.
You can drink this as is or you can mix in fruits in a blender. You can even add this to your cereal or oatmeal.
Pros
- It offers 30 grams of protein, with little fat, carbs, and sugar amounts.
- It comes with 24 different vitamins and minerals.
- The taste is fantastic, and that’s been verified in taste tests. This isn’t just a marketing boast. Many customers agree as well.
Cons
- The protein comes from milk, so this can be a problem if you’re somewhat lactose intolerant.
- CalNaturale Svelte Organic ( from Amazon )
With a company name like Svelte, you know they cater to those who want to achieve or maintain a slim figure.
This one goes further in addressing the needs of those with certain dietary restrictions. This is organic and gluten-free, and it’s both vegan and kosher.
This uses pure organic cocoa for the taste, and the protein comes from fresh organic soymilk.
It also contains organic complex carbs to give you the energy you need. This also contains just 6 grams of sugar, as it is naturally sweetened by stevia.
This can provide you with an instant breakfast, as it gives you 180 calories and even 20% of your daily fiber needs.
It’s quite filling and its taste can help you control your hunger.
Pros
- It’s perfect for those with dietary restrictions, so this suits those with vegan and kosher preferences. It’s even suitable for the lactose-intolerant because it’s made from soymilk.
- The taste is good, as it’s not chalky.
- It doesn’t offer a lot of calories and sugar either.
Cons
- The protein content is on the low side at just 11 grams, so you may need to drink a lot more of this if you’re really going for lots of protein.
What Are The Benefits of Protein Shakes?
So how does protein help, and why take protein in particular? Here are few benefits that should convince you to try them:
- It helps you build muscle
When you want to get bigger muscles, the most recommended form of workout involves some sort of resistance training such as weightlifting.
The lifting of heavy weights result in microscopic tears in your muscle fibers.
Afterwards, when you’re recovering from your workout your body repairs the tears by using the protein in your body. The more protein you have, the more raw materials your body has to build bigger muscles.
That’s why so many people take protein shakes for muscle gain.
- It helps you lose weigh
When you have lots of protein in your body such as whey protein, your metabolism increases.
You burn up calories at a much faster rate, and that’s crucial for weight loss. When you’re trying to lose weight, you need to use up more calories than you consume.
That’s why you work out vigorously while you reduce your calorie intake. Your body is then forced to burn your fat cells for energy when it’s used up the calories you got from your meals.
Protein, as we’ve said, leads to muscle development, and having bigger muscles also leads to a faster metabolism. So take some protein shakes for weight loss and enjoy the new you.
- It can get you to bulk up
Some people are way too skinny, and they need to become bigger. That means bulking up with mainly muscle.
It’s often hard to become bigger with more massive muscles without water retention and excess fat issues.
That’s why in muscle-building, there are often 2 main cycles. The bulking cycle gets you to become bigger with more massive muscles, and then you have the cutting cycle when you try to retain your large muscles while you shed the fat you’ve taken up along the way.
You can then take sweetened protein shakes for weight gain when you’re bulking up, and then get the unsweetened low-calorie variety for when you’re in the cutting phase.
- Drinking shakes and smoothies is much more convenient
It’s not really practical to obtain all the protein you need from just food. At the very least, you need at least a gram of protein for every pound of weight on your body.
So if you weigh 180 pounds, you’ll need at least 180 grams of protein a day. You probably need a lot more than that so you can have some protein reserved for muscle-building.
Now imagine how much food you’re going to prepare every day. You can get plenty of protein from salmon and chicken, but that will require lots of time in the kitchen.
With protein shakes, you can just mix the powder in water or drink the liquid form right away. You can have your protein while driving to work or while sitting on your desk.
- Protein shakes are much cheaper too
How much will it rock your budget when you need plenty of protein in your diet?
Chicken, beef, and salmon can be very expensive especially on a regular basis. But protein shakes are priced very reasonably.
- You can get the protein for windows of opportunity
There are different types of protein, and you can get the drink with the right kind to suit your needs.
Protein does a lot of good right after a workout, when your muscles immediately try to repair your torn muscle fibers.
You can then try to get whey protein, which is much more readily absorbent in the body than slow-acting casein protein.
You can also absorb protein more quickly, and often more efficiently when you’d rink the protein rather than when you eat it.
Sometimes you may even drink it before you work out, so that the protein is ready for you to use right after your exercises.
- You can also pick from a wide variety of flavors
Many ready-made liquid protein shakes and specially-made protein shake powder comes in great flavors that you may enjoy.
These may certainly taste better than just regular protein powder that’s not specifically designed for mixing with water.
Unlike anabolic steroids or even some forms of supplements, protein shakes are completely safe.
There are very few protein shakes side effects to worry about. Of course, it does matter a lot if your drink contains lactose when you’re lactose intolerant, or if the drink contains caffeine when you’re super-sensitive to caffeine.
You also need to check if you’re allergic to some ingredients. But in general, these things are safe.
Is There a Difference between a Protein Shake and Protein Powder?
Protein shakes and protein powder are basically the same when it comes to function.
They make sure that you get the extra protein you need in a way that’s easy, quick, and convenient.
The difference is just in the form. A shake is something you drink while the protein powder is in powder form.
The protein powder can be used in a variety of ways. You can add it to your food when you customize your recipes.
You can also add them to your smoothies as you prepare them in your blender. Of course, you can also just add the powder to water. Give the mix a good shake and you got a protein shake.
If you want, you can add the protein powder to various fruity ingredients. You can concoct your own homemade protein shakes.
Technically, they’re called smoothies because you’re going to use a powerful blender to mix all your ingredients, such as bananas or blueberries.
But you can always go online and find various protein shake recipes for weight loss recommended by people on the Internet.
On the other hand, you can also get your protein shake in liquid form. This solves one of the most frustrating problems with protein powder—sometimes they don’t mix well with water.
So you put the powder in water and you end up with unmixed globs of protein powder that look and taste disgusting.
You can get your protein shakes in ready-to-drink liquid form instead. You can then just put them in the fridge and enjoy them cold when the time comes for you to drink it.
But a few protein shakes are still in powder form. Like instant coffee, they’re expressly designed to actually mix well with water.
Whether in liquid or powder form, protein shakes tend to come in a variety of flavors. That’s what makes them different from regular protein powder. They have some additional flavoring so they can taste like chocolate, vanilla, or maybe even strawberry.
The matter of taste is not as unimportant as it may seem to you. It’s actually a crucial component of the drink, because it will determine how often you actually take the protein drink you need to achieve your fitness goals.
It’s actually extremely difficult to commit to a drink that doesn’t taste any good at all.
When you have to force yourself to drink a protein shake that you find disgusting to look at or taste, then sooner or later you’ll stop drinking them altogether.
Your mind will have convince yourself that it’s not that all important for you to get your needed protein allotment for the day.
Where Can You Buy Protein Shakes?
If you’re buying protein shakes Walmart is a good bet. But we’re not really talking about your local store. Instead, you may want to go to the online store.
That’s because online you can choose from a wide variety of options. Often a great protein shake is only available online, and you can’t find them in your local grocery or health store at all.
You can also pick a product and then compare the prices from different stores, so you can enjoy greater savings.
Many online retail stores offer discounts and coupons, and you can take advantage of all those things.
Often the prices in local brick and mortar stores are more expensive, and that’s because the sellers have to consider overhead costs. They have to pay for the palace, the wages of the workers, and the electricity, and they may raise prices to compensate.
What Ingredients Should You Look For?
There are several things in the label that should get your attention:
- The kind of protein offered. As we’ve already mentioned, there are several types of protein that can help. If you’re looking for highly absorbent protein, then you need whey protein.
- Amount of protein. Take note of how much protein you get from the protein shakes, so you can calculate the minimum servings you need to add to your protein intake from your meals. Some shakes offer greater levels of protein than other kinds.
- Vitamins and minerals. To achieve your fitness goals, you need to make sure you’re not suffering from some sort of vitamin or mineral deficiency. Some of these vitamins and minerals are also very important for either weight loss or muscle building. The more of these it contains, the better it is for you in general.
- Calcium and magnesium. Why these 2 in particular? That because you may be getting more protein in your body, and having too much protein can deplete your calcium and magnesium levels.
- Stimulants. If you’re not sensitive to caffeine, then it’s great if it contains this stimulant so you can take the protein shake as a preworkout drink. This will give you the extra energy you need to really go at it when you work out. You may exercise more vigorously, lift heavier weights, do more reps, and last much longer. The more strenuous your exercises are then the more calories you use up and the more tears you cause in your muscle fibers.
Conclusion
Try any of these shakes and you can supplement your daily meals of fish and meat with these simple to consume drinks.
Take them right after you work out and feel the difference right away. Whether you’re aiming to build muscle or lose excess fat, these protein shakes will really shake up your fitness results for the better!
