Protein Powder help

Post-workout, even pre-workout (some like to do both) go for whey. Each person has their own preference in terms of brands, I personally use Allmax and Allmax only because of taste , I've tried a few others and it just doesn't compare there could be more out there but eh, I'll stick with what I know.

Now then in terms of type of whey, there is Hydrolysate, Isolate and Concentrate. Price-wise Isolate will be most expensive, but if you're looking for good-quality protein and 'low-calorie' best to go with Isolate. It has 90% pure protein and some even have natural sweeteners though those tend to taste a little odd or be more expensive. it's relatively fat-free (some have 1g of fat but most I've seen have none or under a gram), low-carb

Concentrate is about 75% pure, has more calories and a few grams of fat. Can vary from 1.5-3g though it's all 'good' fats. The calories can vary from the 140 up to past the 200 mark.

Hydrolysate is better than concentrate though in my opinion, not as good as Isolate. it's essentially a blend of Isolate/Concentrate.

If you want a shake before bed, or on the days where you know you won't be eating a good source of protein every 3 hours or so go for casein. Unlike whey which gets in your bloodstream within 20 minutes of ingestion, casein is a slow-digesting protein so can take 3-4 hours to digest, the Allmax casein claims to take 7 but there's no way I can prove that. Purpose of protein ion a regular basis is to fend off some muscle breakdown, also known as catabolism and keep the muscle you've worked hard for.

In terms of flavor...All depends on the brand you buy really, some taste nastier than others. Though my rule of thumb is to always start with Vanilla, for whey anyway. It's 'safe' in that you can stick it in anything pretty much and judge the brand you buy in terms of overall taste (strong, pr not very noticeable?) Is it amazing or disgusting? And how's the mixability? If you made a shake without using a blender (stick a scoop in a water bottle and shake for say 20-30 seconds) is it gritty?Clumpy? Is it mixed well tot he point where you can't feel any grittiness?

If you want to put in food, vanilla can work in some things such as oatmeal but if you stick in food primarily go for unflavored. If you'll be making a shake on a regular basis, go for vanilla for starters and work your way from there. As well don't be afraid to ask the salesperson(s) what they recommend, obviously they'll tell you about the stuff they use but they're also knowledgeable about the other brands as well. Essentially, go by trial and error in terms of taste.

As well a good protein powder will have a good overall Profile, so don't be afraid to look at the container. How many grams of protein per serving? What's the amino profile like? Is there any ingredient your stomach can't handle?

Should mention - if you're lactose intolerant or really into veganism, go for hemp or soy though their amino acid profile (essential stuff your body needs but can't produce on its own) is inferior to that of whey/casein

I was wondering this exact same thing! Thanks Amybg for that awesome answer!

Bump

A suggestion - or rather what you should be doing, is research, research and more research! Look at reviews to get a general idea though everyone has their own taste, if it makes any lactose-intolerant people out there feel any better about their choices with protein. I mentioned hemp and soy but you could still try whey/casein. Both are derived from milk but go through a filtering process which gets most of the lactose (in the high 90's though I'd say 99%) so it's pretty lactose-free. You can't know unless you try, right?

But yes out of the things you should be looking into is cost, ingredients, sweeteners (artificial or natural), any extras tehy may have put in there. Each person has their own preference in terms of brand, Optimum Nutrition seems to be more popular in some cases but I get more bang for my buck in terms of servings plus find the taste better.