Are protein shakes good for you?

Making protein shakes part of your health and fitness strategy sounds logical. Everyone’s doing this – right? But are protein shakes really good for you?

The extra calories in protein shakes can be more harmful than healthful if you don’t balance them with activity.

If you’re an elite athlete looking for convenient protein, a shake may be for you. But if you’re not in this group, the extra calories can be more harmful than healthful.

“No one really needs protein shakes,” said Paula McIntyre, a registered dietitian and nutritionist with Marshfield Clinic Health System. “You can get the recommended amount of protein by choosing high-quality protein-rich foods.”

Pros and cons of protein shakes

Protein shakes are convenient. They’re not messy and take only minutes to make.

What are the downsides to these tasty shakes?

High calories: Some protein shakes have between 300-500 calories, McIntyre said. The average adult might not burn this in a workout.

Cost: Pricing varies, but protein powders can be expensive.

Finding good protein shakes

You can avoid the cons if convenience is a priority. Compare your exercise to calories in your preferred protein shake.

“Balancing diet and activity is the only way we can build muscle mass,” McIntyre said. “People who exercise 30 minutes a day don’t need the extra calories in many protein powders because they’ll undo what they just did.”

Pay close attention to labeling and ingredients – healthy protein powder is important.

“If you’re interested in protein powders, look for whey or casein,” McIntyre said. “Stay away from anything labeled ‘fortified with herbals.’ Herbals can interact with medications and cause other issues.”

McIntyre recommends mixing protein powder with eight ounces of skim or 1% milk. This blend is just as effective as water but has additional nutrients – a benefit to your workout and overall health.

Protein shake alternatives

If shakes don’t fit your needs, consider these protein packed alternatives:

Beans – navy, kidney, pinto and black beans
Low-fat chocolate milk
Lean meat, like fish or chicken breast
String cheese
Edamame
Quinoa – try our quinoa and black bean salad
Low-fat milk or light Greek yogurt
Eggs
Soy
Peanut butter

Protein shakes are OK if they fit your exercise plan and lifestyle.

Try this recipe

For a lower-calorie, high-protein shake option, try this protein shake recipe.

Key Lime Protein Shake

Prep time: 5 minutes

Servings: 1

Ingredients

1/2 cup fat free cottage cheese*
1 scoop vanilla whey protein powder
1 tablespoon lime juice (fresh or bottled)
5 – 10 ice cubes (less for thinner consistency)
1/2 – 1 cup water (alter according to desired consistency)
2 – 4 packets Stevia (or ¼ -1 teaspoon sweetener of choice)
2 – 3 drops green food coloring or a handful of spinach to make it green!
Optional: 1 graham cracker, crushed into crumbs

*If the texture of cottage cheese turns you away, try a 5.3 ounce container of Dannon Light & Fit^® vanilla Greek yogurt or 6 ounces of low-fat vanilla-flavored yogurt.