Best Protein Powders for Athletes

Getting enough protein in your diet can be a challenge. Protein powder makes it easy. It is easy to eat, takes little time to prepare, and is something you can afford on a budget.

Some people may prefer protein powder with other ingredients that can help athletes. Other people don’t want any other ingredients.

Some types of protein are easier to digest and healthier. Protein from some companies is also higher quality. When protein powder is produced poorly, unhealthy chemicals may remain in the mix, so buy powder from a well-known and trusted brand.

Not all protein powder is created equal. There are many different sources of protein – whey, egg, rice, ext – and some sources have special benefits. First, we will talk about the best types of protein powder and then go into what companies offer the best products.

Different types of protein powder

Whey protein

This may be the best option for most people because you can digest it quickly. This rapid digestion makes whey protein great fuel for workouts.

Whey is made out of milk. When dairies make cheese, they remove a by-product called whey. While whey doesn’t go into the cheese, it is edible and very high in protein.

Whey is often used to make animal feed. Companies also use it to make protein powder.

Whey is rich in BCAAs, which are amino acids that help you build muscle faster. For this reason, it can help you build muscle faster than other protein powders do. Many people take BCAAs as a muscle-building supplement; you can also get these amino acids in whey.

A disadvantage of whey is that not everyone can digest dairy. If you have trouble digesting milk and cheese, whey is not a good idea.

Casein protein

Casein is great if you are trying to lose weight. You will digest casein slowly, not quickly – casein slows your digestive system down. Like whey, it is made of milk.

Casein can help you lose fat and gain muscle. If you are both strength training and eating a calorie deficit, casein may work better than whey.

Egg protein

Egg protein is complete and healthy. It may be more digestible than any other kind of protein. Eggs also help you stay full for a long time, so egg protein powder may do the same.

Egg protein contains every type of essential amino acid. Amino acids are great for everyone, including and especially athletes, so egg protein may be one of the healthiest options. If you cannot digest dairy, egg protein might be your first choice after whey.

Rice protein

Even if you are not a vegetarian or vegan, rice protein still has its advantages. Like egg protein, it contains all nine amino acids.

As far as digestion goes, everyone responds differently to different powders, and rice protein can be much better than whey for many people.

Rice protein is also tasty and smooth and makes better tasting protein shakes than other types of protein powder do.

Don’t get stuck with a powder that gives you digestive problems. Protein powder doesn’t have to be hard to digest. Try a few different kinds and find one you like and can digest easily.

The best protein powders for athletes in 2022

Garden of Life grass-fed whey protein

• CLEAN WHEY PROTEIN: Truly Grass Fed Certified, Non GMO Project Verified, Gluten free, Soy free, NSF Certified for Sport and Informed Choice for Sport Certified, with No added hormones, No antibiotics, No added sugars
• POST WORKOUT RECOVERY: Our Garden of Life Sports Whey Protein Isolate helps you refuels & repair muscles after a hard workout with 24g Grass Fed Whey, 4g Glutamine and over 6g BCAA amino acids
• IMMUNE SYSTEM SUPPORT: This protein shake supports your immune system during a taxing training regimen or dieting cycle; rBST, rBGH and antibiotic free, un-denatured, cold-processed, micro-filtered, Non-GMO Project Verified and BSE free
• VANILLA PROTEIN POWDER: Our whey isolate protein powder helps reduce recovery time after a workout, helping you get back to training faster
• PROTEIN FOR A LEAN BODY: This protein powder for men and women can be used within an hour after a workout or throughout the day to combat hunger and improve satiety

If you care about where your food comes from, you might insist on whey from grass-fed cows. The Garden of Life whey comes from an antibiotic-free, non-GMO, grass-fed source.

The powder provides protein, amino acids, and glutamine – it does not contain sugar or other muscle-building ingredients. Whey protein can be great for your immune system, especially if it comes from such a clean source.

Garden of life whey will keep your immune system running while you recover from a hard workout. Garden of life whey can also prevent hunger, so you can use it to help you lose weight as well as build muscle. Take the powder one hour after a workout for the best results.

Pro Performance GNC whey protein

• GO PRO: Gluten-free protein powder designed to support healthy metabolism and lean muscle recovery when used in conjunction with an exercise program
• 24g PROTEIN: Kick start lean muscle repair with just one scoop
• 9 ESSENTIAL AMINO ACIDS: Needed for growth, repair and maintenance of muscles
• HIGH-QUALITY: Tested to meet industry standards and certified Banned Substance Free
• SHAKE IT UP: Choose from Unflavored, Natural Chocolate, Vanilla Cream and more

Pro performance is a very popular and trustworthy brand that makes very pure protein powder free of harmful substances. Their powder is affordable and passes all industry purity tests.

It is also some of the tastiest powder you can find, and it comes in many different flavors. The powder is gluten-free, offers 24g of protein per scoop, and is rich in amino acids.

NOW sports nutrition egg white protein

• NOW Sports products are comprehensively tested so you can trust that our products are pure and effective for every level of athletics.
• 16 G PROTEIN PER SERVING: An excellent natural source of high-quality protein to add to your daily smoothie!
• HIGH-QUALITY PROTEIN: Good quality proteins rate well on the Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score, the most accurate measurement of a protein’s quality, and this protein rates as one of the highest quality proteins available.
• GMP Quality Assured: NPA A-rated GMP certification means that every aspect of the NOW manufacturing process has been examined, including our laboratory/testing methods (for stability, potency, and product formulation).
• Packaged in the USA by a family owned and operated company since 1968.

This is a great choice if you can’t digest whey. Egg white protein is very high in amino acids and can improve your health as well as help you build muscle. The protein powder passes third-party tests, including lab inspections.

Unlike whey protein powder, many people use egg white protein powder in recipes. The egg protein is free of hidden allergens and does not have artificial colors or flavors. Both informed choice and informed sport certify this as a clean supplement free of bad additives.

Ascent Native Fuel Casein Protein Powder

• Recover while you sleep: help prevent muscle loss overnight with this slow-digesting protein
• Zero artificial ingredients
• 25g protein per scoop, 11g of naturally occurring BCAAs, and a clean, minimal ingredient panel
• Certified Gluten Free & Informed Choice Certified
• Usage: Mix with 10-12 oz liquid or make into a pudding (see below for recipe)

This is a casein protein powder, so it is best if you are trying to improve your body composition. Casein can help you lose fat and gain muscle.

Instead of taking it before a workout, you should take it before bed to digest protein all night. The last thing you want while losing weight is to lose muscle as well. Take this slow-digesting powder before bed, and it will prevent your body from breaking down your muscles for fuel.

This protein powder is so high in BCAAs that you might not even need a BCAAs supplement. In my experience, BCAAs (branched-chain amino acids) boost your workouts as well as creatine and better than anything else.

Can you eat too much protein powder?

Getting nearly all of your daily protein from protein powder is not a good idea. Aim to eat protein-rich foods and then boost your protein intake further by using powder.

There is nothing wrong with getting 20 or 40 grams per day worth of protein from protein powder. If you want to use more, you could try 80 grams worth of pure protein from supplements.

More than 80 grams is not dangerous, but it might not be a good idea. Remember that you get lots of vitamins and healthy fat when you eat high-quality meat, not merely protein. Don’t miss out by replacing high-protein foods with powder.

However, protein powder can improve your health. While protein deficiency is not common, people usually only eat enough protein for passable health, not excellent health.

With protein powder, you can reliably eat enough protein every day. Without it, there may be too many low protein days. It can be difficult to eat a high protein meal every day.