I have been having an email conversation today with loyal reader Andrew about what ingredients a post workout protein shake should include. In this post I want to take a quick look at what I feel are the most important ingredients for a post workout protein shake.
The most important ingredients for a post workout protein shake
Remember, when having a protein shake it is important to consider not only the ingredients but also the timing. Your post workout shake should be taken immediately after your workout. Not five minutes later. Not three minutes later. Immediately. You need to give your muscles protein and energy as soon as possible. With that in mind here are some of the important ingredients:
1. Milk
Milk has a lot of protein in it and the type of protein in milk is called casein. Casein is a slow digesting protein and it is one of the best proteins there is for building muscle. It is good to have this protein after your workout and then again before bed as it will provide a few hours of proteins for the body to work with.
Milk is also important for the protein shake to make it taste good! I always use a non-homogenized milk that has not been heated too much as I feel this really impacts on the quality. Some people believe that this is dangerous as it has a lot of germs in it. I am not too sure - make up your own mind.
2. Whey protein powder
We all know how important whey is for bodybuilding. It is a by-product of cheese that comes from milk during the cheese making process. The two main types of whey protein are isolate and concentrate - isolate being higher in protein and lower in calories as it has been purified more. Whey is an essential ingredient to any serious post workout shake.
3. Gatorade
Not many people include Gatorade in their post workout shake and it is a shame. This stuff is designed to hydrate you fast and also has a lot of water in it. The salt in Gatorade helps you hydrate a lot quicker. A dash in a protein shake helps with recovery.
4. Banana
Bananas are full of so many vitamins, minerals, proteins and more that they are truly a super food. I make all of my protein shakes with banana in them as I love the taste and I find it an easy way to get more fruit in my diet. An added bonus of banana is that it causes a mild sugar boost which helps your body release insulin and as such push nutrients in to the muscles. Many bodybuilders believe that this is a key to successful post workout eating.
5. Multivitamins
If you take a multivitamin it is a good idea to have it now while you are getting a lot of other vitamins and minerals. Your body is somewhat depleted after a hard workout so now is a good a time as any to top yourself up.
6. Egg
Eggs are an amazing food for bodybuilders. They are full of all the nutrients that a baby chicken would need to grow had the egg been fertilized and incubated. The protein in egg is the highest quality protein there is as it is raw and uncooked and 100% absorbed by the body. Eggs also have a lot of good fats and cholesterols in them which is essential for healthy bodybuilding. I usually have one or two in a post workout shake.
Homemade are better than store bought
At my gym they sell a wide range of Musashi protein shakes. These are quite expensive and not all that good for you. Sure they have a lot of protein in them but the other ingredients are artificial and they are packed full of poisonous refined sugar.
It is a much better idea to make your protein shakes at home with fresh ingredients. Over time you will save money and you will be doing your body a big favor. I have found from my own experience that muscle gains are a lot bigger when you have fresh ingredients in your cup.
Getting only the best ingredients
I am a firm believer that what we eat has a huge impact on how healthy we are. I also think better quality ingredients mean better quality results. For this reason (and others) you should take some pride in how you select your food. Here are some pointers:
- NEVER buy cage eggs. Always buy free range eggs from chickens on a big farm. They are better for you and much more ethical.
- Buy local bananas. Try to buy bananas that have been grown in your own country to support local trade.
- Carefully select the milk you buy based on how they prepare it and what the companies treatment of the cows is like
These are some of the most important ingredients and tips for making a post workout protein shake. If you have any others we would really like to hear them. Leave a comment as it may help the tens of thousands of people who read this site.
May 13th, 2008 at 12:10 pm
awesome right up RT,
i’ve managed to change my diet so every meal has some form of fruit in it/with it now
this has helped me heaps, as this was the part of my diet that i was having trouble with as my knowledge base isn’t the biggest & didn’t want to make any un-healthy mistakes.
Thanks again RT
cheers
Andrew
May 13th, 2008 at 7:17 pm
These are all great ingredients, but I’m not sure about mixing all of them in a post workout shake. Milk, whey protein, and a banana are sufficient in my opinion.
You should take your multivitamin earlier in the day, before your workout. Eggs are a great source of protein, but they can be eaten at another time. Gatorade in a shake just sounds weird to me…but replenishing your fluids and electrolytes is definitely important.
May 13th, 2008 at 7:54 pm
Andrew - - No worries!
Muscle Post - - Why do you frown on eggs in the protein shake?
RT
May 14th, 2008 at 11:53 pm
I like to throw a handful of walnuts into my shakes….for some variety, try some tinned pears or peaches or some berries.
May 15th, 2008 at 12:10 am
Tully that is a freaken brilliant idea! thanks!
RT