 Protein
powders can play an important role in speeding your muscle building goals. While
the building blocks of your muscle gaining routine should rely primarily on solid
whole foods, there are times when protein powders can come in handy notably for
post-workout or even as a meal replacement because let's face it, it's not obvious
for everyone to consume 5-6 meals a day or eat a solid meal after a workout. Some
people prefer to ingest a liquid meal after training.
There
are several kind of protein powders and I will list a few like hydrolyzed whey,
whey isolate, whey concentrate, micellar casein and egg albumin. There are also
those with a combination of 2 or 3 types of proteins which we call a blend. While
it's a good idea to consume protein powders, sometimes it's not totally healthy
depending what ingredients there are. As you probably know, some protein powders
contain artificial sweeteners like sucralose(also known as splenda), acesulfame
potassium(also known as Acesulfame K or Ace K) and even aspartame and all these
are many times sweeter than table sugar. According to research, they are considered
as questionable for health. While there hasn't been any solid and conclusive evidence
as to the negative effects these sweeteners can have on the human body in the
long run, it's still risky as to the long-term side-effects. These sweeteners
are not only found in some supplements but in certain foods too. They are in fact
approved and authorized to be used in food and supplement production. If these
ingredients are banned, they wouldn't have been found in foods or supplements. So
if you're using protein powders containing artificial sweeteners, you might put
your health at risk or maybe not because each person immune system is different.
Sometimes you might have side-effects with some food or supplement whereas someone
else doesn't. But if you don't want to take risks, there are still natural protein
powders on the market. Check out my 25 best protein powders without artificial
sweeteners. Here is my recommended list of hydrolyzed whey, whey protein isolate,
whey concentrate, micellar casein protein, egg albumin protein and protein blend.
Hydrolyzed Whey Protein
Hydrolyzed
whey protein is becoming increasingly popular due to its extremely fast muscle
absorbing and muscle building capabilities, so it's really ideal post-workout
after a grueling workout. Hydrolyzed whey is basically a whey protein isolate
but due to a process known as enzymatic hydrolysis, the protein is broken down
further into smaller protein fragments, this is why the amino acids act so fast
to your muscles usually within 10 minutes because it's like pre-digested protein.
Using an enzyme making process versus chemicals or heat, this ensures the highest
quality undenatured protein available. One downside of hydrolyzed whey protein
is the bitterness and it's not as smooth tasting as whey protein isolate and concentrate,
so if taste is a major concern for you, you'd better stick to the other whey supplements.
But taste can always be adjusted with other ingredients added like yogurt, cereal,
fruits, oats etc...
One top-notch hydrolyzed whey protein on the market
is Muscle Food Labs Muscle Isolate. Fortified and enhanced with micronized amino
acids including BCAA's, L-Glutamine and Glutamine Peptides, Muscle Isolate is
100% Hydrolyzed Whey Protein Isolates and naturally sweetened with stevia and
naturally flavored. No acid treated protein, ion exchange or heated is involved
in the whey manufacturing process.
Other
recommended hydrolyzed whey protein without artificial sweeteners
Whey Protein Isolate
Whey protein isolate
is still one of the most popular and consumed whey protein powder in the bodybuilding
world. With a fast release of amino acids to your depleted muscle cells, it's
greatly favored post workout and it's still as quick as the hydrolyzed whey protein
and definitely recommended. A high-quality natural whey protein isolate I recommend
is Muscle Feast. Packed with the purest undenatured whey protein isolates and
free from artificial sweeteners, it is available as a 5 pound protein tub for
a total of 81 servings, 26 grams of protein per serving and 6.5 grams of branched
chain amino acids(BCAAs). That's hardcore protein for hardcore athletes. It also
has no fat, no carbs, no lactose and comes as unflavored so you can add your own
ingredients to give more taste. Great mixability and easily dissolved without
lumps. Save dollars as you'll definitely get more protein for your money by purchasing
a bigger protein tub.
You
have also the Muscle Feast grass fed whey protein isolate which is even better.
Other
recommended whey protein isolate without artificial sweeteners
Whey
Protein Concentrate
Whey protein concentrate is the pioneer of whey protein powder. When the latter
was first introduced to the health and fitness industry, this is how it initially
came ie concentrate. Although whey protein concentrate contains more carbs, fat
and lactose than whey protein isolate, it's still a good buy and worth considering
provided you get the quality ones. Whey concentrate is usually cheaper than whey
isolate but if you're lactose intolerant, it's wiser to opt for whey isolate or
hydrolyzed whey protein. Below is a list of high-quality grass fed whey protein
concentrate for your muscle building goals. Micellar
Casein Protein For
micellar casein protein, you also have natural protein supplements. This kind
of protein is slow-digesting and makes a great prebed drink which can keep your
body anabolic while you're sleeping for several hours. I
recommend the Muscle Feast and Naked Nutrition brand of casein proteins.
Muscle Feast casein proteins come as sweetened and unsweetened. For the sweetened
ones, you have chocolate, cappuccino and vanilla. These are sweetened naturally
with stevia and cane sugar or just stevia. All the flavors are natural as well.
For the unsweetened one which is also unflavored, it's called the hardcore
micellar casein. There is really nothing apart pure micellar casein, no sweetener
at all and no flavor. It's pretty tasteless and bland but you can add your own
ingredients like fruits to give more taste. For me, this is simply the best micellar
casein protein money can buy, nothing added just the pure stuff.
Same goes for Naked
Nutrition which is 100% premium micellar casein from US farms with nothing to
hide as it contains only one ingredient which is pure micellar casein. No fillers,
chemicals, artificial sweeteners whatsoever just the real good stuff. Tastes like
regular milk when mixed with almond milk but packed with 26 grams of protein and
5.9 grams of BCAAs. To give more taste, you can also add frozen fruits like frozen
blueberries and frozen bananas with it. This product is actually getting rave
reviews from muscle building enthusiasts.
Egg Albumin Protein
In terms of nutrition,
eggs provide one of the best protein out there for building muscle fast. Bodybuilders
simply love eating eggs and they are ideal for breakfast. If you want to eat several
eggs everyday without having to separate the yolks from the albumin which is the
egg white, consider egg white supplements. Separating the yolk from the albumin
is usually done because too many yolks per day isn't too healthy.
MRM(Metabolic
Response Modifiers) has made its name in sports nutrition by being dedicated to
produce top-notch nutritional supplements. With their All Natural Egg White Protein,
which is hormone FREE and antibiotic FREE, this promotes natural and healthy muscle
maintenance. No artificial flavors, colors or sweeteners and no cholesterol or
fats.
Protein
Blend
A protein blend can also be a great addition to your
supplement stack as you get the best of both worlds. Still going the natural route,
Muscle Feast produces some of the best protein blend supplements on the market.
With their "Premium Blend Protein" supplements line, you get 5 pounds
of ultra high grade protein consisting of whey protein isolates, hydrolyzed whey
and micellar casein great for post-workout or anytime. Due to the fast and slow
absorbing proteins, you can start feeding your muscles within 5 minutes and up
to 7 hours. This is what is really great about protein blends. With the 5 pound
protein tub, you get 27 grams of protein per serving, 6.2 grams of BCAAs, 5 grams
of glutamine and 76 servings. All natural without fake sugars, gluten free and
lactose free, Muscle Feast "Premium Blend Protein" is available as unflavored,
chocolate, cappuccino and vanilla. The flavored ones are sweetened with stevia
which is a natural herbal sweetener. This is truly an outstanding product.
Other protein blends without artificial sweeteners
By using protein powder without artificial sweeteners, you will be achieving
a lean muscular physique faster along with a proper diet and training but at the
same time keeping your health safe. |
