Protein shakes are an easy way to get the fuel your body needs. Whether you’ve just finished a workout, are in a time crunch, or need a quick late night snack. Protein shakes are perfect for all of those situations. They can hold you over until your next meal and help  with muscle development. But, it’s important to know that shakes are a great addition to your diet,they should never be a replacement for the protein your body needs.

Let’s recap on what protein is exactly. Protein is the macronutrient that your body uses to build muscle, repair cells, and do most of the cellular processes in your body. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein a.k.a they are what makes up the strands of protein that you are consuming. When you drink protein, your body breaks down the strands of protein into those amino acids to use for whatever the body may need. Maybe some cells need to be repaired, maybe your workout signaled that there needed to be muscle built. Those amino acids are doing all of that work. Whatever amino acids are not used are exited from the body. You do not store protein and should only be taking the recommended amount which is 10-35% of your daily calories.

When purchasing a protein powder I highly recommend doing your research. There are soo many brands out there claiming to be the best.For me, I always look at the ingredients and the protein content to carbohydrate content. I am drinking a protein shake for the protein not the carbohydrates. A good example of this would be Trusupps, Vanilla Creme, it has 20 grams of protein and only 2 grams of carbohydrates. It’s perfect! I also recommend looking into if there are a lot of added sugars and fillers in the product. Research will always do you wonders!

The decision on whether not to have a protein shake lies solely on how your schedule, workout intensity, and eating habits are laid out. If you are noticing that you do not eat enough high quality protein sources throughout the day then maybe a shake will help you reach your protein goals. If you notice that you really just cannot eat breakfast in the morning but you can get a shake down then maybe you could add a shake in. Ultimately, you want to get your protein sources from whole, natural foods. Protein shakes are highly processed and it is much easier on your stomach to eat actual food. So figure out what works best for you!