Should I drink the foam in my protein shake?
Drinking the foam in a protein shake is a matter of personal preference, and is perfectly safe. As you just learned, the foam is just air bubbles that have been incorporated into the liquid. While some people may find the foam unpleasant or unappetizing, others may not mind it or even enjoy it. Additionally, the foam contains the same nutrients as the rest of the shake, so there is no downside to consuming it from a nutritional standpoint. That being said, if you prefer not to drink the foam, you can simply scoop it off the top of the shake before drinking.
How to prevent foam in protein shakes.
Foam, whether it is light and airy or frothy and dense, gets in the way. Use the following tricks to get rid of protein shake foam once and for all.
Add fat.
Even a small amount of fat interferes with the formation of foam. Fats weaken the bonds that hold the air bubbles in place, causing them to collapse more easily. Good sources of fat to add to your protein shake include nut butter, avocado, and coconut oil.
Mix slowly, use cold liquid.
If you use a shaker bottle, shake gently. If you have a blender, use the slowest setting. Finally, use cold milk or water, the colder the better.
Avoid food additives.
Again, most protein powders contain stabilizers, which facilitate the formation of foam. Choosing a protein powder without stabilizers will solve most of your foaming problems. Here are a few of the most common stabilizers used in protein supplements:
acacia gum, carob bean gum, carrageenan, cellulose gum, gellan gum, guar gum, gum arabic, inulin, locust bean gum, soy lecithin, sunflower lecithin, xanthan gum
When it comes to identifying food additives, go with your gut. 😉 As a rule of thumb, they are the ingredients that you cannot pronounce.