How to pick a protein powder?

suzan06

I need to add protein powder to my 9 year old's oatmeal at the advice of his dietician. She didn't recommend any particular brand.

How do I choose which protein source?

I know I want something without added sugar, fake sugar, flavors, etc. Can I buy just plain protein powder? I don't mind of vitamins are added, just don't want any junk.

Is Costco the best place to buy?

Thanks for any advice. We have been using up some old stuff and it was gross- brown rice protein, had a horrible texture and didn't dissolve. Anything will be better than it!

cathipa

I would call and ask what brand they recommend or what ingredients she would like to avoid since this is for medical purposes. Seems they should recommend something.

Lizzy622

MRM makes a plain unflavored and unsweetened whey protein powder. I'm sure there may be other brands. My daughter did some research and said that whey or whey isolate is the best as long as there are no milk allergies.

jen_092

If your grocery store sells Bob's Red Mill brands check their section for plain protein powder!

rodecena

Hemp protein is good i get it from vitamin shopper

nowine4me

Quest makes an unflavored powder. I've not tried it, but I love their other products. You might be able to order a few sample packs on their website.

sgt1372

I buy the powder which offers the most protein for the least cost.

You can get a bag of 6# of Muscle Milk Cytosport for just $40 at Costco, which has 27g of protein w/each serving. There are about 75 servings per bag which works out to about 2 cents per gram of protein or about 53 cents per serving.

That's pretty good but you can do even better than that.

I also bought a huge supply of MyProtein powder -- 22 lbs -- on sale for just $110 or $55 per 11# bag awhile back. Haven't even opened the bags (except to check for taste) since I bought them. Regular price is $85/11#. They are actually having another sale for the same price now.

See: https://us.myprotein.com/home.dept

Each serving of MyProtein powder has 19g of protein and there are about 200 servings in each 11# bag, which works out to just 1.45 cents per gram of protein or about 27.5 cents per serving.

Doesn't get much cheaper than THAT!

H_Ock12

Isopure Whey Isolate is unflavored and blends well with pretty much everything.

ninerbuff

Why does he have to add it to his oatmeal? Why not just get some chocolate whey protein and mix it with milk so it tastes like a chocolate milk drink?

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

cronus70

ninerbuff wrote: »

Why does he have to add it to his oatmeal? Why not just get some chocolate whey protein and mix it with milk so it tastes like a chocolate milk drink?

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

This would be my preference, mix a flavoured protein powder with milk and let him have it as a milkshake to accompany his oats.

rosebarnalice

cronus70 wrote: »

ninerbuff wrote: »

Why does he have to add it to his oatmeal? Why not just get some chocolate whey protein and mix it with milk so it tastes like a chocolate milk drink?

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

This would be my preference, mix a flavoured protein powder with milk and let him have it as a milkshake to accompany his oats.

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I, on the other hand, find the texture of protein shakes to be disgusting, and as a child it would have triggered a very strong gag reflex., so I would have eaten the oatmeal before I could choke down the shake.

I would encourage you to experiment and see what your child likes-- oatmeal or shake, chocolate or vanilla, or plain. Maybe start with one or two that you can get on sale. Here's my current collection, which all have their pros and cons taste and texture-wise, but the trait they all share is that I got them all at about half price by checking at different stores.

[ps. While I like it as an adult, as a kid, I would have HATED the hemp powder because it turns oatmeal a truly wretched shade of green.]

psuLemon

Muscle Pharm, Body Tech, ON and Dymatize all mix with oats pretty well. But you can also look at www.labdoor.com for efficacy. And I tend to max a lot of recipes from www.theproteinchef.co when it comes to oatmeal.

coreyreichle

cathipa wrote: »

I would call and ask what brand they recommend or what ingredients she would like to avoid since this is for medical purposes. Seems they should recommend something.

Echoing this.

But, if the doctor doesn't care, I but my protein powder from Aldi's now. $15 for a 2/lb can.

You'll find that aside from very specialized users, the different protein powders are all the same, generally: Whey protein.

frankbacon33

Most nutrition stores will allow you sample proteins. It takes some trail and error to find the right one for you. My go to is to get a vanilla favor powder. From there you can favor it with about anything.

suzan06

Thanks everyone.

He could do a shake, but we don't usually buy milk, and he eats oatmeal every morning anyway, so one less dish to wash and perishable grocery to keep stocked if we do it that way.

If I am making a smoothie I'll throw some in, but I'm not going out of my way to make one daily at the moment.

Luckily he is an easy-going kid who doesn't mind green oatmeal, etc.

I will order a few samples of the brands mentioned and check out the whey offering at Costco.

trorion

sgt1372 wrote: »

I buy the powder which offers the most protein for the least cost.

That's where I was going to to...what's on sale. You can always buy it bulk at places like Sprouts, I think bulk soy protein runs about $3/lb but don't quote me.