How To Choose The Best Protein Powder For You - Easiest Criteria To Use

Protein powder.


Super popular. Well researched. Effective.

But which one should you choose? You need to learn how to make this decision the right way. 

Luckily I have some basic criteria to share with you. 

In this blog post, I explain how to choose the right protein powder option on the market so that you do not waste your money (or simply to keep it nice and simple for you so you can focus on more important things). 

DISCLAIMER: The information in this post is for guidance only and is not individualized advice for you! Your unique situation needs to be taken into consideration and adjusting your dietary intake.

Choose Whey or Soy ​

Simply put, if you are not vegan then go for whey. Or casein if you like to use your protein powder in recipes. If you are vegan, consider trying a soy-based protein powder (if you can source some).

This ensures you are selecting a “complete” source of protein from the start with higher bioavailability and therefore getting the most bang for your buck if you are going to drop a good dollar on a supplement. 

Most plant-based protein powders are based on pea and brown rice protein (or similar combinations), and this is still a great choice for vegans and is much easier to find. However, I have personally not liked the taste of the ones I've tried but this can be very individual so take this with a grain of salt. 

Aim for 25g of protein per serve or more

Your protein powder needs to give you a good dose of protein per scoop otherwise it isn't worth it. For most people, taking protein powder is a top-up or a replacement when you skip a meal so you need the protein quantity to be adequate.

If you can get 25g of protein at least, your choice is a solid one.

Aim for 150 calories per serve or less

This connects to the above point. Per serve or scoop, try and choose a protein powder that doesn’t exceed 150 calories. 

The reason is that ideally, the powder shouldn’t be using up your calorie budget by much to be a viable addition. Especially if you are on a fat loss plan.

So 150 calories or less and 25g of protein or more. The dynamic duo criteria. 

Less fillers and random supplement additions

This is a tricky one because standard practice is that supplements will have additional ingredients and fillers for reasons that are perfectly fine and normal, making it tricky to know which to avoid or which is pointless.

To keep it simple, try and look at the ingredients and search for things that are touted on the label as supplements and try and stick away from these. 

Companies add stuff to things like protein to make it seem fancier and charge more when you may not even need the extra supplement nor not know if its a useful one in the first place. 

Choose a product that is as much 100% protein as possible. Keep it simple.

Look for HASTA or Informed-Sport Approved

This is for the athletes out there. If you know you get tested for banned substances, then please take extra care and precaution.

By ensuring you choose protein powder that is HASTA or Informed-Sport certified, you minimise your risk of contamination and getting done for a banned substance.

You can find the stamp on the product and do your research ahead of time to find the right option. Here in Brisbane, we have a business called Batch Tested who can help you out if need be or reach out to me and I can guide you.

Recap

There you go!

Now you have the basic criteria you need to more easily and effectively find and select the right protein powder for you.

But before I leave you….

I have a couple of questions for you. 

Do you feel you need expert guidance when it comes to your fuelling, recovery, and nourishment?
Not seeing the body you feel happier, healthier, and more confident in?
Performance lagging like an early 2000’s dial up internet setup?

I may be able to be of assistance. 

If you are ready to take your nutrition and body to the next level and elevate your performance in a way that doesn’t make you want to punch your Sports Dietitian, then let’s chat.

I have developed a bespoke nutrition coaching solution that allows you to work with me personally 1:1 to help start bridging the gap between where you are now and where you want to be with your physique & performance. 

In this program, I'll personally coach you using my flexible nutrition system to help you harness the power of calories and macro strategy to regain your competitive edge - think of it as a bespoke nutrition solution that empowers you to eat better to achieve better. 

This includes supplement advice and coaching, to take out the guesswork when it comes to things such as protein itself. 

If you want to have someone in your corner guiding you with all this, ensuring you only focus on the ‘right stuff’, and get better results while doing it all… send me an email and let’s chat.

I do high level nutrition coaching for active professionals and athletes and I have spots open for new clients wanting to leverage the power of nutrition with a Sports Dietitian

Interested in learning more? 

Simply email me at: [email protected] to have a chat about this and see if we are a good fit to work together and get you your best results yet. 

Or to apply now to see if you are a good fit, simply CLICK HERE and start the process for reaching your peak potential. 

Sports Dietitian and Coach Aleksa

Brisbane Sports Dietitian and Nutritionist