Protein Shakes Pros and Cons List
In the modern era where we’re bombarded with images of happy and healthy people everywhere we go, the pressure to get in shape becomes paramount. One of the biggest things that people are told with are that they need tons of sports supplements to achieve their fitness goals. Without question, the most popular supplement for this goal is the protein supplement. Marketed as the anabolic super-complex that will achieve the body of their dreams, people interested in getting in shape are bombarded with propaganda that tells them they have to take protein supplements. While protein supplements are most certainly very useful and often tasty, they aren’t always the end all be all of supplements. You’ll not only learn the pros and cons of protein shakes, but you’ll learn about their benefits as well.
List Of Pros Of Protein Shakes
1. They are Convenient
The best part about protein shakes is probably their convenience. With food, it takes a lot of time to prepare and make meals. This can take several hours, several minutes, but with someone with a busy, busy schedule, accomplishing the task of making big meals is simple unfeasible or impossible to accomplish. With protein shakes, you can literally consume the equivalent amount of protein you’d get in a meal of chicken in under 30 seconds of time. This is very convenient for busy people, and if you’re a fitness enthusiast or simply someone looking to save time, you can make a shake instantly and get the food that you need. Protein shakes are definitely awesome for people on-the-go.
2. Protein Shakes Build Muscles
Protein shakes are critical to building a strong, muscular physique. When you lift weights, you break down your muscles. This is the very essence of building muscle. By breaking the muscle down, you have to consume protein and other macronutrients because they serve as the building blocks to your muscle gain. As your bodies repair themselves, they sap nutrients and macronutrients from places in the body, and if you don’t consume enough, your body will not grow. By consuming protein shakes, you guarantee that your body is consuming the necessary amount of protein to build a superior physique. Protein shakes are super important for this reason because oftentimes novice lifters or people just getting into fitness are completely ignorant as to how much protein they have to consume. On average, it’s a good idea to consume the equivalent of 1g of protein per kilogram of bodyweight, and with one or two protein shakes, you can easily make this possible.
3. Jam-packed With Amino Acids
One of the best things about protein shakes is their bioavailability. Bioavailability is a fancy word that means, “able to be used by your body.” When we consume vitamins and minerals, our bodies absorb them to repair, replenish and keep the body functioning properly. With protein, it is a macronutrient that is composed of amino acids and other valuable nutrients. Protein shakes also happen to be composed of very bioavailable nutrients and amino acids, making it highly desirable for people that want to guarantee that they’re getting all of the nutrients they need to be healthy and strong. With other forms of protein, it takes longer for the body to breakdown all of the ingredients that compose your food. When you eat other animal sources, it becomes very hard to break down for your body, but when you consume protein shakes made of milk or whey proteins, it makes it tremendously easier for your body to consume.
List Of Cons Of Protein Shakes
1. They Can Be Very Expensive
When you compare one serving protein to one serving of something like turkey or chicken, they can be very expensive. One of the main reasons that people buy shakes is so they can enhance their convience. Even though this seems like common sense, for a lot of people, it’s simply not necessary to eat these shakes, so if you have trouble affording them, don’t worry. It’s not entirely critical to pay for shakes if you don’t absolutely need the food.
2. Protein Shakes Are Often Unncessary
While we mentioned earlier that protein shakes are very useful and often necessary for individuals that underconsume protein, the reality is that most people do not need protein shakes. The main reason for this is that your body does not necessarily need more protein if you just imminently exercised and had food in your system. The reality is that again, you only need about 1g of protein per kilogram of body weight. Most protein shakes, even single serving shakes, contain upwards of 25g per serving. If you eat breakfast high in protein or have chicken or steak for dinner, there is no doubt that you will have more than accounted for your protein needs.
Keep these pros and cons in mind next time you plan on having a shake.