Total revelation: I am one of those annoying people who started working out during the quarantine. After years of giving up selfless gymnastics after a month or two, I finally found a program that I liked and continued with it. With this new obsession with exercise, however, others came: tracking my macros, monitoring my activity through a brand-new Apple Watch and changing my eating habits to complement my goals. This introduced me to the vast world of protein powder – the exploration of which has been a journey in itself.
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As a vegetarian who focuses on building muscle, I quickly realized that I would need to find ways to add protein to my diet, in addition to eating obscene amounts of peanut butter and hummus. After a little Google search, I discovered whey, a protein made from milk that is easily digestible (unless you are allergic to lactose or milk, in which case you should avoid it). After a little more research, I decided that whey protein powder would be the one that would most benefit my diet and fitness goals. Because exactly? Apparently, whey protein can limit muscle breakdown and help repair and rebuild muscle, especially when consumed within 60 minutes of your workout, Heidi Skolnik, a sports nutritionist from New Jersey, said earlier Form.
Hoping for the best, I somewhat hesitantly bought the smallest packet of whey protein powder I could find. That hope must have worked, because the first one I tried ended up being the one I liked the most. Type: Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey Protein Powder in double rich chocolate (buy, starting at $ 52, walmart.com), my absolute favorite protein powder. (Related: The best protein powders for women, according to nutritionists)
Buy: Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey Protein Powder, starting at $ 52, walmart.com
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After trying other powders, I can safely say that Optimum Nutrition Double Rich Chocolate is the best-tasting protein – at least in my opinion. The idea of drinking really helps me gain strength during training, knowing that I will reward myself in the end. It tastes like super rich chocolate milk with maybe a hint of brownie and has no chemical or disgusting taste. Mixing it in a shaker with oat milk is just divine.
Not only is it delicious, but it also fills seriously. I learned not to make the mistake of drinking too close to dinner, because otherwise it would spoil my appetite. And I can feel confident knowing that I am putting a high quality formula on my body. For your information, when buying protein powder, your best bet is to look for whey protein isolate – not concentrated – as it contains the highest concentration of protein (90 to 95 percent) and very little fat, according to Skolnik. This particular protein powder has a mixture of both, but contains more isolates than concentrates, making it a solid choice. Per scoop, it also has only 1g of sugar, 25g of protein and more than 5g of branched chain amino acids (also known as BCAAs, a group of three essential amino acids – protein building blocks – which are superimportant for muscle growth and physical performance) That is, it is more than supplementing my low protein diet. (Related: Why you might want to skip the recommended daily protein intake)
I’m not the only one obsessed with the protein’s unbelievable taste and quality. Walmart buyers who reviewed it say it’s the best protein powder they’ve ever tasted and it helps build muscle without causing bloating. (It is worth noting: lactose in whey protein powders can sometimes cause digestive problems, such as bloating, cramps and diarrhea, especially in people who are lactose intolerant.) One reviewer said they changed their usual brand after trying Optimum Nutrition, and I haven’t looked back since.
Although I started with a half-kilo bag, it didn’t take me long to upgrade to the 2.5-kilo tub. I researched several other powdered proteins, but none corresponded to Optimum Nutrition. Typically, the £ 5 jug can be found on other retail sites for $ 60, but now has a $ 52 discount at Walmart. And, if you’re not a big chocolate fan, you can also snap the same powder into a vanilla ice cream flavor – which I can only believe tastes as delicious as a vanilla milkshake. (Related: Unflavored protein powder that you can add to anything and everything)
You’ve been warned: when you try Optimum Nutrition’s delicious Gold Standard Whey protein powder, you’ll never look for another protein powder again.
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