Calories
One serving of a protein shake, prepared by diluting 30 g of powder in water, contains an average of 110 kcal. If you make a cocktail with milk, its calorie content can increase from 200 to 350 kcal. The conclusion suggests itself: if you are trying to lose weight, protein should be prepared in water or, in extreme cases, in milk of minimal fat content. If you drink it after a workout for muscle recovery and growth, preparing it with milk is acceptable, but you should still try to prepare a cocktail with low-fat milk - you don’t need extra fat in your diet.
How to properly breed protein
How to dilute protein so that it is absorbed as much as possible? It is necessary to strictly observe the “powder/liquid” proportions, and not to use liquids that the manufacturer has not indicated as acceptable. For example, some protein mixtures are perfectly diluted in water, milk, and juice, while some require dilution only in heated skim milk or only in soft warm water. This is determined primarily by the composition of the cocktail itself. For example, if it contains coarse creatine, it is almost impossible to dissolve the cocktail in cold water until it is homogeneous and acceptable to taste.
It is also important to choose the right whipping method. Before diluting protein in a shaker, make sure that the manufacturer has provided this option! Some mixtures can be mixed in a hand shaker (although this will still be a good additional workout for biceps, triceps and their synergistic muscles). Other mixtures - and this is always indicated on the package! - require the use of an electric mixer or blender. In order for all their ingredients to swell and dissolve, evenly distributed in the foam, they need a long whipping time.
Is it possible to dilute protein in juice? This is allowed only by some formulations, which, as a rule, do not include milk protein. Or you get a very interesting consistency - with flakes. It will still taste good, so if the first experiment was successful and the protein still dissolved as best it could, this is a good way to diversify your diet.
Fat
If you purchased a good protein product that is high in protein, low in carbohydrates and low in fat, then you definitely paid part of your money to the manufacturer to purify the product. What is the point then of adding milk fat back to where it was extracted from at your own expense? That's right, none. Good protein concentrates, such as isolates, or any other products with a high percentage of protein, for example, 80-85%, are best made with water or milk of the lowest fat content. Of course, this does not exclude the possibility of preparing it with any milk, but it looks somehow, in my opinion, not logical. If this contradiction doesn’t bother you, you can even make it with whole cow’s milk, if you like. But in this case, I would simply buy the protein cheaper, with a little less protein and a little more carbohydrates and fats. Ready-made cocktails in both cases would differ little from each other in basic parameters, but my version would cost less.
Protein Dilution Rules
The basic rule is to accurately measure the components, maintain the temperature of the liquid, pour the powder into the liquid and beat for a LONG time! Well, at least 10 minutes, at least, in a hand shaker, and 5 minutes in a mixer. After each shake, the container and mixing elements (and especially the springy shaker ball) must be thoroughly washed and dried: microbes consider protein shakes an excellent breeding ground and begin to develop on the walls of the unwashed mixer bowl literally immediately. Residues of milk fat, turning rancid and permeating the plastic with its smell, can also seriously spoil the impression of subsequent servings.
The shaker in which the milkshake is prepared and stored must be sterilized regularly. If you plan to take an already diluted cocktail with you and store it in a shaker for several hours, its glass should be made strictly of polypropylene! Only this plastic can withstand boiling, is absolutely harmless to our body and practically does not absorb fat.
Carbohydrates
Protein shakes made with water contain an average of 1-2 grams of carbohydrates. As mentioned above, this is ideal for a low-carb diet. Cooking with any milk will result in an additional 12-13 g of carbohydrates. When reducing fat mass, every gram of carbohydrates is on a pencil, and just drinking an extra 13 g is simply an unaffordable luxury. That's about 4 teaspoons of sugar! And if three times a day, then this is already 40 g of sugar only with milk. If protein is consumed at the stage of weight gain, then carbohydrates will not be a hindrance; you can do it with milk, but be careful of the fat content.
How long does diluted protein last?
On average, manufacturers indicate that diluted protein can be stored for several hours; this mainly depends on the liquid in which the dilution was made, on the air temperature and on the cooking conditions: the microbiological cleanliness of dishes, hands and the air in the room where the products were measured. Milk, even sterilized, in a cocktail sours very quickly without refrigeration, and it is irrational to store it for more than 2-3 hours. In essence, the “life” period of a diluted cocktail is enough for the duration of training, so that you can drink half of the cocktail before and half after it.
Cocktails diluted in cold water or juice with natural preservatives can be stored for up to 10 hours. Microbiological spoilage in them does not begin as quickly as in dairy products, but they separate more strongly and require additional whipping before use. What’s much worse is that protein is destroyed in them. Even if the drink remains safe for health, it may lose its special properties. And then preliminary breeding becomes a pointless waste of money.
Storing a diluted shake is not the best option; ideally, a protein shake is diluted immediately before use, which is what the manufacturers insist on. Therefore, if you have to prepare a drink in advance, it is advisable to check with the manufacturer how long the diluted protein of a particular brand can be stored and under what conditions.
Protein
Although protein shakes made with water are already rich in protein, making them with milk can increase the concentration of this component. All milk contains approximately 3% protein. As a result, a milkshake may contain not 22-25 g of protein, but 30-33 g. 25% more! This costs extra money (exactly the cost of milk), but when gaining weight it will not be superfluous at all. There is one more advantage. In most cases, “protein” means whey protein. It is absorbed very quickly. The protein in milk consists of 80% casein, which takes a long time to digest. This means that a cocktail made with milk will be able to ensure the supply of amino acids to the blood longer, which is, of course, very good.
How to dilute protein in a shaker?
Why do many people recommend using a shaker to make protein shakes? Because thanks to the shaker you can get the most homogeneous mass, which in consistency will not resemble semolina porridge from kindergarten with terrible lumps. How to properly dilute protein in a shaker? Simply pour milk into the shaker, add the required amount of protein, close the lid and shake the shaker until the mixture becomes homogeneous. Hand shakers have special balls or meshes for this purpose.
How to choose a dilution liquid
Before preparing the mixture, you also need to decide what is best to dilute the protein with.
The most
ideal liquid option for product guidance is skim milk .
It is enriched with calcium, healthy carbohydrates and plenty of protein. Alternatively, kefir is also suitable. To make the mixture as healthy as possible, you need to know how to dilute protein with milk. To prepare, you need to take from 250 to 500 ml of milk. It is important to take into account that the temperature of the liquid should be room temperature. Cold will negatively affect digestion, hot will denature the protein. The mixture is poured with milk, and not vice versa, otherwise the cocktail will turn out with lumps.
It often happens that there is no milk on hand or the body does not tolerate it. Then you can dilute the protein with water, juice or compote .
If water is used, it must be filtered, boiled, or the mixture must be diluted with purchased water from a bottle - regular or mineral.
Quality of Protein Powder
The ideal protein for a person contains per 1 gram:
- Isoleucine - 40 mg.
- Leucine - 70 mg.
- Lysine - 55 mg.
- Methionine and cystine in total - 35 mg.
- Phenylalanine and tyrosine in total - 60 mg.
Protein corresponding to mother's milk is considered ideal for growth. Whey protein came closest. On the market today there are: whey, egg white, casein, soy, wheat protein. Plant protein is incomplete; for example, wheat protein contains little lysine.
How to dilute whey protein? Just like anyone else. Whey protein is nothing but proteins derived from whey.
Cocktail ingredients
If the protein is diluted in milk, then the cocktail, in addition to protein, also includes carbohydrates and fats. Many manufacturers enrich their product with vitamins, for example, vitamin B. There is little point in this, since the need for vitamins is covered by food and vitamin supplements. How to dilute protein enriched with mineral supplements and vitamins?
It is best to take this protein with water. Why? Everything is very simple. If the protein is enriched, for example, with iron, then it should not be taken with milk. Milk itself contains a fairly large amount of vitamins. Some components of milk can neutralize protein components. Why do manufacturers fortify protein? For the sake of profit, it's simple. If we talk about protein enrichment, it is best to add amino acids to it.
How to stir the additive
Properly mix protein in a shaker . This is the most convenient option for obtaining a homogeneous mixture. A shaker is a measuring cup with a convenient lid and a closing spout through which you can pour the additive or simply drink it. After all the ingredients are placed in it, close the lid tightly and, using progressive smooth movements, shake the glass up and down until thoroughly mixed.
You can also stir a protein shake without a shaker. To do this, use a container with high sides and a mixer or a regular fork. The most important thing is that after consumption, you must thoroughly wash all the utensils used, preventing the remains of the cocktail from souring.
However, it is not enough to know how to stir protein; you also need to take into account the rules for storing it .
If you know how to properly dilute a protein shake, the supplement will provide maximum benefit and be most fully absorbed in the body.
Most popular questions:
— Is it possible to dilute protein in kefir?
— Yes, kefir is a dairy product that contains amino acids, as well as lactic acid bacteria, which help improve the absorption of the supplement. In addition, kefir is an ideal product for those suffering from lactose intolerance.
— Is it possible to mix protein with juice?
- Can. The juice contains fructose, as well as a large amount of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. And, in addition, the taste properties of the protein, when diluted with juice, are significantly improved.
— How to dilute protein: proportions?
- Usually this is 250 ml or more of liquid, which is diluted with 20-30 grams of dry mixture. The main thing is not to exceed the daily protein requirement, which is calculated according to the formula - 2 gkg of your own body weight.
— What kind of water should you dissolve protein in?
— Protein must be dissolved in boiled, mineral or filtered still, warm water.
— Is it better to dilute protein with water or milk?
— It is better to dilute protein in milk, as it is rich in amino acids and carbohydrates, which are essential for the growth of muscle mass during active training.
Whey Protein Isolate
Whey protein isolate is highly purified (more than 85% protein) and contains no fat or carbohydrates. When producing isolate, whey is dehydrated, lactose, harmful cholesterol, and animal fat are removed. The isolate helps quickly restore muscles after strength training, prevents catabolism and enhances anabolism.
The isolate, due to its high purification, is less allergenic than concentrated proteins. This supplement is essential for bodybuilders with lactose intolerance. Compared to regular isolates, whey is better absorbed, has an antioxidant effect, and improves immunity.
100% Whey Gold Standard is a whey protein that is quite common among athletes. It is ideal after anaerobic training. How to dilute 100% Whey Gold Standard protein with milk? First, calculate how much protein you need per day. Divide the daily amount in half. And consume no more than half of protein. Ideally, the ratio of natural protein to protein should be 2:1.
