How many scoops of protein powder?
How many scoops of protein powder? The number of scoops you should use depends on the protein powder and on your personal protein needs. Keep reading to learn more.
The scoop on protein powder.
How many scoops of protein powder per serving?
How much is a scoop of protein powder?
How many scoops of protein powder should I take?
Why drink wholesome?
How many scoops of protein powder per serving?
The serving size for most protein powders is 1-2 “scoops.” You can find the serving size on the Nutrition Facts label. Sometimes it is listed as 1-2 “heaping” scoops, which is the maximum amount of protein powder that can be scooped at once.
How much is one scoop of protein powder?
Scoops are often included in the packaging and scoop sizes vary. In other words, different manufacturers use different scoops. You therefore cannot use any scoop and expect an accurate serving size. You must use the scoop included in the original packaging.
Not all manufacturers use scoops. drink wholesome, for instance, does not include scoops in its packaging. A scoop is by no means necessary for an accurate serving size, and we feel that the convenience of having a scoop does not justify the plastic waste it generates. Many of our customers are subscribers, meaning that they buy one or more bags a month. If we were to include scoops, hundreds of customers would receive 12 + scoops each year, which is a lot of wasted plastic. Instead of scoops, we list our serving size in tablespoons. One serving of our chocolate protein powder, for instance, is “about 6 tbsp.”
Scoops, especially heaping scoops, are not always accurate measures of a serving size. This matters because the Nutrition Facts are based on the serving size. If the serving size is one 30 grams and you scoop 60, you are getting twice the calories, protein, etc. than what is listed on the label. For an accurate serving size, refer to the metric measure on the Nutrition Facts label. Servings sizes are always listed in grams (g), and can be measured using a kitchen scale. As a consumer, you should also know that the FDA allows a margin of error of 20% for the values on the Nutrition Facts label. That means that a 100 calorie serving of protein powder could contain up to 120 calories without violating the law.
How many scoops of protein powder a day?
As a rule of thumb, two servings (2-4 scoops) of protein powder per day is enough. That said, the recommended number of scoops of protein powder per day depends on the protein powder and on the scoop size. It also depends on who you are and on your nutritional goals.
The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. This roughly amounts to 56 grams per day for men and 46 grams per day for women. That said, the protein needs of some people are much higher. Athletes, for example, can need as much as 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day.
In case you were wondering, it would be difficult for a healthy individual to consume too much of protein. You would have to eat an ungodly amount of protein powder to overdo it. You can easily overdo other ingredients in protein powder, however. Keep reading to learn more.
Why drink wholesome?
drink wholesome is additive-free.
One of the reasons why we make the best protein powder is that we do not use food additives. Most protein powders, on the other hand, are full of food additives.
Food additives may improve characteristics like taste, texture, and shelf stability, but they can also cause uncomfortable side effects and long-term gut damage. Basically, because they look nothing like real food, food additives are hard to digest. They therefore sit in your gut for longer than food should, which gives your gut bacteria more time to eat. As they eat, these bacteria produce gas, causing bloating and stomach pain.
Gas also slows colonic transit (the amount of time it takes food to travel through the colon), which can lead to constipation. Over time, food additives can add up (especially if you drink a protein shake every day), and disrupt regulatory pathways in the intestine. Eventually, this can lead to the development of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and systemic inflammatory disorders.
When buying protein powder, one additive to avoid in particular is artificial sweeteners. Artificial sweeteners are among the most harmful food additives in the long term as they alter the composition of your gut microbiota. This can lead to serious, chronic GI problems, widespread inflammation, and permanent damage to the gut microbiome.
Some sweeteners, especially sugar alcohols like xylitol, are poorly absorbed by the gut, meaning they feed your hungry gut bacteria. They can also cause diarrhea because they draw water into your intestines. Now you may finally have something to blame for those post-protein shake trips to the bathroom!
Here is a list of the most common food additives in protein powder:
acacia gum, acesulfame potassium, artificial flavors, aspartame, carrageenan, cellulose gum, dextrin, dextrose, erythritol, gellan gum, guar gum, gum arabic, inulin, locust bean gum, “natural” flavors, maltodextrin, rice syrup solids, soy lecithin, silica, sucralose, sunflower lecithin, xanthan gum, xylitol
When it comes to identifying food additives, go with your gut. 😉 As a rule of thumb, additives are ingredients that you cannot pronounce. Food additives are not the only thing to avoid when buying protein powder, however. There are several other ingredients that can upset your stomach.
the alternative:
Protein Matrix Comprised of (Whey Protein Concentrate, Whey Protein Isolate, Calcium Caseinate, Micellar Casein, Milk Protein Isolate, Egg Albumen, Glutamine Peptides), Polydextrose, Sunflower Creamer (Sunflower Oil, Corn Syrup Solids, Sodium Caseinate, Mono- and Diglycerides, Dipotassium Phosphate, Tricalcium Phosphate, Soy Lecithin, Tocopherols), Natural and Artificial Flavor, MCT Powder (Medium Chain Triglycerides, Nonfat Dry Milk, Disodium Phosphate, Silicon Dioxide), Lecithin, Cellulose Gum, Salt, Yellow 5, Sucralose, Acesulfame Potassium, Papain, Bromelain.
*This is the actual ingredient list of one of the best-selling protein powders in the United States.
drink wholesome is dairy-free.
Another reason why we make the best protein powder is that we do not use dairy-based proteins. Many protein powders are made with whey and casein, which are byproducts of cheese and yogurt production, and known to cause digestive issues. This is especially true for people with lactose intolerance and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
drink wholesome is made with real foods.
A final reason why we make the best protein powder is that we do not use protein isolates. Most protein powders, on the contrary, are made with protein concentrates and/or isolates, foods stripped of everything but the protein. They appear on the ingredient list as “pea protein” and “whey protein” as opposed to “peas” and “whey.”
I will not go into the details, but protein concentrates and isolates undergo heavy mechanical and chemical processing before becoming protein powder. Sometimes, manufacturers use chemical solvents like hexane to isolate (separate) the protein from the food. This means that what you end up putting into your body looks nothing like real food.
If you think about it, your gut was designed to digest naturally occurring foods, not laboratory formulated imitations, so if you feed it anything but real food, it might get upset. The long term implications of eating processed foods like protein isolates are still not well understood, but more and more research is finding that it can alter the composition of your gut microbiota, and lead to permanent damage to your gut microbiome.
Your gut does more than just help you to digest food; it protects against pathogens, educates your immune system, and affects directly or indirectly most of your physiologic functions. Disruptions to the gut microbiome have therefore been linked to the development of many chronic diseases. It follows that it is in your best interest to avoid protein powders made with protein concentrates and isolates.
Instead of using protein concentrates or isolates, we make the best protein powder with whole foods like egg whites and almonds. Egg whites are simply pasteurized and dried before becoming protein powder. Almonds are just roasted, pressed to remove some of the oil, and ground. Whole foods like these are an easy to digest, gut-friendly alternative to protein concentrates and isolates.
Whole foods contain a variety of enzymes and other digestive aids that help to break down the food, making it easier for the body to absorb the nutrients. Protein isolates and concentrates, on the other hand, have been stripped of these digestive aids, making them harder for the body to digest and absorb. Moreover, minimally-processed plant-based foods like almonds are rich in fiber, which helps promote healthy digestion and regular bowel movements.
Unless you have a sensitivity or allergy to eggs, egg white protein is the best protein for your gut. Egg whites are low in fiber, low-FODMAP, naturally alkaline, and have the highest protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score (PDCAAS) of any whole food. Our customers have experienced fewer digestive issues with egg white protein powder than with any other type of protein powder.
If you cannot eat eggs, try our vegan almond protein powder. We prefer almonds to other plant protein sources because they are more gut-friendly. Research suggests that almonds possess prebiotic properties that can improve the diversity and composition of the gut microbiome.
drink wholesome is the best protein powder.
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This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. drink wholesome is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.