While whey protein shake is the most popular as a protein recovery drink after a demanding workout, some people still prefer to make their own high protein shake without having recourse to whey. Milk is an option although it's not the best one because milk contains casein which is a slow digestible protein. And after a workout, you need a fast acting protein like whey. But according to research, milk can still be used as recovery drink for post-workout. Milk aids in muscle growth and helps promote fat loss as well as containing calcium, vitamins and minerals for general health.

A great benefit of drinking milk post-workout is it comes cheaper than whey. Drinking plain milk alone is a good idea but why not be more creative and make your own delicious high protein milk shake. It's better to use skim milk powder or low fat milk powder as too much fat can slow the absorption of amino acids from protein into the muscle cells. Did you know there are many things you can add to milk like fruits, oats, yoghurt, frozen yoghurt, icecream, peanut butter? Yep and these food items go well with milk. Here are some high protein milk shake recipes I used before. They can easily be used as muscle building drinks.

Recipe 1

12 ounces of water
3 tablespoons of low fat milk powder (if you buy low fat/skim milk directly in bottles, well just use twelve ounces)
1 cup of 100% whole grain oats like rolled oats
1 frozen yoghurt (strawberry and cherry are my favorites)
1 average banana (cut in small slices)

Add all these items in a blender and mix well. End result is you get a delicious and tasty high protein milk shake.

Recipe 2

12 ounces of water
3 tablespoons of low fat milk powder (if you buy low fat/skim milk directly in bottles, well just use twelve ounces)
1 cup of 100% whole grain oats like rolled oats
1 frozen yoghurt (plain sweet yoghurt without any fruit flavors)
1 average banana (cut in small slices)
4 strawberries (cut in half each)

Add all these items in a blender and mix well. End result is you get a delicious and tasty high protein milk shake.

These milk shakes can give around 20-25 grams of protein per serving.

TIPS

(1) If you want the milk shake to be colder, you can add a few ice cubes. Since am using frozen yoghurt, my shake will already be cold.

(2) You don't really need to add any sugar or sweetening foods like honey because you get sugar from the yoghurt and the bananas. But sometimes, I would like my shake a little bit sweeter and I add 1/2 tablespoon of brown sugar. Just depends on taste.

(3) Whole grain oats are low Glycemic Index(GI) foods and usually considered slow digestible complex carbohydrates so not the best choice for post-workout where you need fast acting carbs. But that's not necessarily the way. Grinded oats digest faster and mixing them in a blender will grind them to pieces. Oats also contain protein and has been proven to lower cholesterol levels as well as fueling a good amount of energy to replenish lost muscle glycogen stores. Whole grain oats are one of the healthiest foods available and super foods for muscle building.

(4) Frozen yoghurt - adds consistency to the shake and makes it thicker and also contains protein as it's derived from milk.

(5) Bananas - contain vital nutrients like potassium(big boost for muscle recovery), fibre, carbohydrates and even some protein. Prevent muscle cramps and fuel good amount of energy.

(6) Strawberries - excellent sources of vitamin C more than oranges and also contains potassium and other valuable nutrients.

So if you want to bypass whey protein shake, these high protein milk shakes can be a good alternative as recovery drinks for your post-workout. And if you want a great meal for quick and nutritional breakfast, try the recipe below. Just mix all the ingredients in a blender and you have all the energy to start the day.

12 ounces of water
2 tablespoons of low fat milk powder and 1 tablespoon of full cream milk powder
1 cup of 100% whole grain oats like rolled oats
1 average banana (cut in small slices)
1 tablespoon of peanut butter (excellent source of monounsaturated fats, omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids. Those are healthy fats.)
1 tablespoon of brown sugar

Incase you add whey to this breakfast shake, check whether it has sugars. Flavored ones have sugars whereas Unflavored ones have none. If you're using the flavored ones, remove the 1 tablespoon of brown sugar. On the other hand, if you're using the unflavored ones, keep the 1 tablespoon of brown sugar.

Cheers and enjoy.

About the author

Jean Lam is the webmaster of Body Building Resource which provides articles on weight training, nutrition and fitness, body building book and DVDs.

Incase you want to add whey protein powder to these shakes above, you can add 1 scoop and as a result increase your protein dosage. Also, since you're adding whey, you get a more effective post-workout protein shake as whey is the ideal post-workout drink by far. Check out the whey protein products available at the whey protein store.