How to Find the Best Protein Shakes for Kid Athletes
📌 Overview and Key Takeaways
This is a Certified Nutrition Coach’s guide on how to find the best protein shakes for kid athletes.
Discover how to safely meet your protein needs.
Protein Shakes for Kid Athletes
Are Protein Shakes Good for Kid Athletes?
Protein shakes can be a helpful way for kid athletes to meet their daily protein needs, but they are not right for every child.
Childhood is a time of rapid growth and physical activity, including participation in organized sports.
Protein is especially important for growing, active children because it is needed to build and repair muscle tissue.
Without enough protein, children might not grow and develop as expected, and young athletes might not recover well between workouts.
Children already have higher baseline protein needs per kilogram than adults due to growth and exercise further increases requirements.
For kids aged 4 to 13, the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for protein is at least 0.95 grams per kilogram of body weight per day (Nutrients, 2021).
There is no widely accepted recommendation for kid athletes, but it is likely modestly higher than the RDA (Pediatrics, 2016).
Keep in mind that kid athletes should try to meet their protein needs by eating foods like eggs and fish.
Some kids, such as picky eaters or those with dietary restrictions, might have a hard time doing so, however, which where a protein shake can help.
Adding a protein shake to a kid athlete’s diet can help ensure that he or she is getting the protein needed to grow and recover from playing sports.
That said, not all protein shakes are created equal.
Daily Protein Intake Calculator
What Are the Best Protein Shakes for Kid Athletes?
As long as you are eating a balanced diet – getting protein from a variety of sources – any type of protein powder can help you meet your total daily protein needs.
Ingredients do matter, however.
Many protein powders contain ingredients that might contribute to painful side effects and even long-term gut health problems.
Among the top offenders are artificial and ultra-processed food additives.
🚫 Avoid Food Additives
Regularly consuming emulsifiers, thickeners, artificial sweeteners, and other ultra-processed additives might upset your stomach.
It might also alter the makeup and function of your gut microbiome – the community of microorganisms living in your digestive tract (North Clin Istanb, 2020).
These shifts, known as gut dysbiosis, have been shown to contribute to the development of several chronic conditions, including allergies, asthma, and obesity (Microb Ecol Health Dis, 2015).
More research is needed to clarify these relationships, but I would still recommend avoiding food additives whenever possible.
⚠️ Here is a list of the most common food additives in protein shake and powders:
- acacia fiber
- acacia gum
- acesulfame potassium
- artificial flavors
- ascorbic acid
- aspartame
- calcium carbonate
- carrageenan
- cellulose gum
- dextrin
- dicalcium phosphate
- dipotassium phosphate
- erythritol
- gellan gum
- guar gum
- gum arabic
- inulin
- locust bean gum
- maltitol
- maltodextrin
- mono- and diglycerides
- ‘natural’ flavors
- rice bran extract
- rice dextrin
- rice hulls
- rosemary extract
- silica
- silicon dioxide
- sodium alginate
- soluble corn fiber
- sorbitol
- soy lecithin
- sucralose
- sunflower lecithin
- tocopherols
- tricalcium phosphate
- xanthan gum
- xylitol
- zinc oxide
As a rule of thumb, if you cannot find an ingredient in nature or make it at home, it is likely a food additive.
🚫 Avoid Protein Concentrates and Isolates
I also recommend avoiding protein concentrates and isolates.
Most protein powders are made from one or both of these ultra-processed protein sources, which have been mechanically and/or chemically stripped of everything but the protein.
This includes the enzymes, fiber, and other natural digestive aids that help you break them down.
You therefore might not digest them in the same way that you do whole foods, which could affect your gut health.
For example, one study shows that regularly consuming protein concentrates and isolates might disrupt your gut microbiome (Nutrients, 2018).
Another study shows that it could cause the formation of toxic byproducts in your gut (Mol Nutr Food Res, 2024).
Although further research is needed, you can play it safe by choosing protein powders made from minimally-processed protein sources like egg whites and almonds.
Our customers find them to be more gut-friendly.
Order Samples to see for yourself.
Sources
- Nutrients (Nutrients). Dietary Protein Requirements in Children: Methods for Consideration. 2021.
- Pediatrics (Pediatrics). Use of Performance-Enhancing Substances. 2016.
- Northern Clinics of Istanbul (North Clin Istanb). Food additives and microbiota. 2020.
- Microbial Ecology in Health and Disease (Microb Ecol Health Dis). Dysbiosis of the gut microbiota in disease. 2015.
- Nutrients (Nutrients). Effect of a Protein Supplement on the Gut Microbiota of Endurance Athletes: A Randomized, Controlled, Double-Blind Pilot Study. 2018.
- Molecular Nutrition & Food Research (Mol Nutr Food Res). In Vitro Fermentation of Animal and Plant Protein Isolates by the Human Gut Microbiota Under High and Low Carbohydrate Conditions. 2024.
Editorial Guidelines
This article was written by a Certified Nutrition Coach and reviewed by a Registered Dietitian. We rely on peer-reviewed research and trusted medical sources, and regularly update our content to ensure accuracy and clarity.
Frequently asked questions
Who Is Drink Wholesome for?
Drink Wholesome makes protein powder for sensitive stomachs, GERD, IBS, and other gut issues. It’s suitable for most food sensitivities, including lactose intolerance, and won’t cause side effects like bloating, constipation, and reflux.
Why Is Drink Wholesome Good for Sensitive Stomachs?
Drink Wholesome is the best protein powder for sensitive stomachs because it’s additive, dairy, and gluten-free. It’s also made from minimally-processed protein sources like egg whites and almonds. Other protein powders are made from ultra-processed protein concentrates and isolates, which look nothing like real food.
What’s the Difference Between Protein Powder and Meal Replacement Powder?
Drink Wholesome makes gut-friendly Protein Powders and Meal Replacement Powders. Protein powder is high in protein and low in everything else, whereas meal replacement powder contains fats, carbs, fiber, and protein because it’s intended to replace the nutritional value of a balanced meal.
What’s the Difference Between Almond, Collagen, and Egg White Protein?
We make three types of stomach-friendly Protein Powder: Collagen Protein Powder, Egg White Protein Powder, and Vegan Almond Protein Powder. As long as you get protein from a variety of sources, any type of protein can help you meet your total daily protein needs. In other words, for someone with a balanced diet, there is no advantage to consuming one type of protein over another. Order Samples to see which type you like the most.
Ask Our Dietitian
If you’re wondering which Drink Wholesome product is best for you, ask our Registered Dietitian. For personalized medical advice, consult your healthcare provider.
High Protein Blueberry Pancakes
PREP TIME
5 min
COOK TIME
5 min
SERVES
2
Ingredients
- ¼ cup Drink Wholesome
- ⅓ cup flour
- 2 egg whites
- ¼ cup plant milk
- 1 tbsp nut butter
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 cup blueberries
Instructions
In a blender, combine the egg whites, milk, ¼ cup blueberries, and almond butter. Pour the mixture into a small mixing bowl and add the protein powder and flour. Whisk until smooth. Pour ⅓ cup batter onto a heated and greased (or non-stick) pan to form pancakes. Cook each side for 2-3 minutes. This recipe makes 4-5 pancakes. Then, in a small saucepan, heat ¾ cup blueberries and the maple syrup over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 8 minutes. Plate the pancakes and spoon blueberry jam on top.
Author(s)
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