There are a lot of different types and brands of protein powders on the market ranging from whey to vegan, whey isolate to vegan isolate. Whey protein is dairy based while vegan tends to be predominantly pea based but it can also be any other plant based protein. Which one you choose will depend on your personal preferences. Vegan protein powders have come a long way in the recent years in both taste and protein quality.
About Protein
Protein is found throughout the body and play countless functions in the body including helping to build muscle, repair tissue, make enzymes and hormones.
Protein powders usually contain a complete source of 9 EAAs (essential amino acids - leucine, isoleucine, valine, histidine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, and tryptophan) and of the 9 amino acids, 3 are BCAAs (branched chain amino acids - leucine, isoleucine, and valine). Other amino acids include glutamine, arginine, alanine, aspartic acid, cystine, glycine, proline, serine, and tyrosine.
It is possible to get all your protein from a healthy and nutritious diet, but a protein powder 
provides you with the most convenient way of doing so and it may be more easily digested and absorbed by the body given that it is in a powder form. When weight training I highly recommend the use of a protein powder isolate either a whey isolate or a vegan isolate for both muscle building and recovery purposes. It makes a huge difference.
Amount of Protein to Consume
How much protein you should consume daily depends on age, gender and level of activity. It is recommended by the World Health Organization that adults get a minimum of 0.8 grams of protein for every kilogram of body weight per day, or just over 7 grams for every 20 pounds of body weight. If you are athletic or into bodybuilding, you will need to consume more than this recommended amount.
One should also not just focus how much protein you are consuming in a single meal, but rather how much you are consuming in a day. In the end, it is best to spread out your consumption of protein over the entire day.
This video "The Smartest Way To Use Protein To Build Muscle (Science Explained)" explains in detail how much protein to consume daily for muscle growth:
What I Look For In A Protein Powder
- Preferably 0 sugar
- Tastes good. I have noticed that chocolate flavored protein powders predominantly tend to taste better than other flavors.
- Have probiotics which tend help with protein digestion and absorption.
- Added lactose reducing enzyme.
- A quality product.
- For a whey, it should be a whey protein isolate .
- High in protein.
My favorite is PVL’s Isogold whey protein isolate - the triple milk chocolate flavor. It is a high quality product that has an amazing, delicious taste - probably the best tasting protein powder I have ever tasted. It also meets all of my criteria that I indicated in - “What I Look For In A Protein Powder.” Of course there are many other excellent protein powders including nowadays some vegan protein powders that are great tasting so you need not limit yourself just to whey protein powders.
If you like to enjoy a snack, you can now find high in protein snacks like protein chocolate chip cookies that are both nutritious and delicious.
How To Consume Protein
I like to use it right after a workout. I will add 5 grams of creatine, 1 scoop of protein powder, 1 tablespoon of probiotic yogurt and water. During off-workout days, I will have it in the morning, usually. I only consume it once a day as I feel I normally consume enough protein from my regular high in protein diet and I want to spread my protein intake throughout the day.
Conclusion
I highly recommend that you use a protein powder daily when strength training and weight training, particularly when bodybuilding. It makes a big difference. There are so many protein powders on the market, so it may be difficult to choose the right one. Do your research online comparing easily each one and their prices. I have tried and reviewed quite a few protein powders both whey and vegan. Over the years I have tried many and there are a few that stand out or is my protein product of choice.
