When is the best time to drink a protein shake? Protein shakes are hot! More than ever, people are drinking protein shakes on a daily basis. Many athletes today take a protein shake after a hard workout. But when is the best time to take a protein shake? In this article, we'll take you through this.
Why protein shakes?
Proteins are essential for the production of muscle tissue. Especially athletes who train a lot and heavily, therefore have a greater need for protein and sports supplements. If the body does not get enough protein from food, it will start using protein from muscles to make up for the shortage at the expense of muscle mass. So you can train all you want, but if you don't get enough protein, your muscle strength and mass will not increase. Want to know more? Then read our blog Why does our body need protein.
How much protein do you need per day?
Protein is a building material for the body and is essential for building or maintaining muscle mass. How much protein per day you should eat is different for each person. The exact amount of protein your body needs daily depends on age, health, weight and physical activity, among other factors. Read more about it in our blog: How much protein you need per day.
Before working out
There are many different opinions about the best time to take a protein shake. However, research has shown that taking protein shakes right before or during your workout has little effect. If you want to supplement protein through a protein shake before your workout, do so well over an hour before your workout. The body processes protein differently from carbohydrates and fats and can take quite a bit of energy to do so. The main issue is total protein intake throughout the day. During a workout there is no need to take protein, supplementing fluids and carbohydrates is much more important then.
After training
After training and during an intense training period, muscles have a higher protein requirement than normal. To meet these protein needs, fast proteins such as whey protein are a good option. These are easily and quickly absorbed by the body to meet this extra need. Whey is therefore good to take immediately after a workout. However, if you are lactose intolerant or vegan, plant-based proteins derived from peas can also be a good alternative. See which protein products suit you best.
With breakfast
When you exercise a lot and put a lot of strain on your body you increase your protein needs. After sleeping, the body has used up all the protein and other nutrients. Therefore, your body may be protein deficient at that time. Taking a protein shake during breakfast can therefore be a good solution. This allows the recovery of the muscles to continue quickly. In addition, it is also simply a tasty addition to the most important meal of the day.
Before sleeping
Taking a protein shake before sleeping can also be a good idea. It ensures that there is no protein deficiency during the night and the muscle recovery process continues. Casein in particular is great for this. Casein is slowly absorbed by the body. The proteins are gradually processed over a period of up to seven hours. In addition, it quiets the feeling of hunger and you burn extra calories while consuming these proteins. Read all about the benefits of casein here.
What should you pay attention to?
Many proteins generally contain ingredients such as GMOs, artificial flavors, dyes, refined sugars and other unhealthy additives that we believe do not belong in a healthy and balanced diet. In addition, the production process pays little attention to the welfare of humans, animals and nature. The above is exactly why we started developing our products.
Ekopura works only with pure, healthy and organic ingredients. The result: protein that is free of artificial and unnecessary additives and is good for humans, animals and the environment. Click here for more information about our products.
