Protein shakes are excellent for providing your body with the nutrients it needs to grow, but they’re often tasteless. If you’re wondering how to make protein shakes that taste good, we have you covered.
While some protein may taste good, most protein powders on the market can taste pretty gross. Considering its effects and wide range of fitness benefits, most think that the awful taste is just the price to pay for their gains.
On the other hand, some can’t drink protein shakes because it tastes so bad. Even if it’s a mandatory requirement of their diet plan, they’ll always try to put it off.
How to Make Protein Shakes Taste Good
Do you think your protein powder tastes like cardboard? Luckily, you can do a lot more than just toss the powder in water chug it. Here are a few ways to transform your regular protein shake from tolerable to tasty.
Blend with Fruit
Fruits can add a delicious kick to your tasteless protein shake without making it unhealthy. In fact, fruits can make your shake much healthier, giving your body one portion of its daily allowance.
The best part about blending fruits with your protein shake is that you can make it the night before and keep it in the fridge. Bananas, raspberries, and strawberries are very flavorful options. However, you might have to experiment with a few fruits before finding your favorite flavor.
Raspberry and grapefruit make an excellent combination, but you can also try banana and strawberry or peach and blueberry. Fruits like banana and pineapple can give a tropical punch to your protein shakes. For extra nutrients, try adding some vegetables like cucumber, kale, or spinach.
Add Cocoa Powder
When we said some protein shakes taste good, we were talking about the chocolate-flavored ones.
However, flavored protein powders are expensive, and you may not be willing to spend that extra money. Don’t forget, chocolate-flavored protein powders may be high in sugar, which doesn’t make it very healthy.
Luckily, you can make your chocolate-flavored protein shake using unflavored protein powder. As you make your protein shake, toss some cocoa powder in the blender to improve its flavor.
However, unsweetened and raw cocoa powder is much better than packaged options if you don’t want to mess up your diet. If you’re using good quality cocoa powder that has a rich flavor, you only need a small amount to make a tasty protein shake.
Use More Milk or Water
The instructions on protein powder packets may be the reason you’re having a bad time drinking your protein shake. Most packs mention that you should mix one scoop of protein powder with eight ounces of water.
Doing so creates a very thick shake that becomes really difficult to swallow. Drinking that thick, pasty protein shake can be even more challenging if you’re thirsty and tired from working out. Using more water to make your protein shake can improve its consistency, making it easier to chug.
Ideally, you should raise the water quantity to twelve or sixteen ounces. Your body needs fluids anyway; increasing water quantity can be an excellent place to start recovery.
Adding milk instead of water is another excellent way of enhancing the taste of your protein shake. While milk can’t necessarily make it more flavorful, your protein shake can taste marginally better. You can add a sweetener or honey to make your milk protein shake tastier.
Add a Spoonful of Peanut Butter
If you struggle to chug down your protein shake, the mix-and-match technique is excellent for improving the flavor. But, it can also be pretty healthy.
For instance, the peanut butter adds a delicious and unique flavor and provides you with healthy fats at the same time. Besides, peanut butter also contains protein. So adding a spoonful will also provide extra protein for muscle gain and recovery.
If you’re allergic to peanut butter, cashew and almond butter also make for great alternatives. While most nut butters are high in calories, these calories are nutrient-dense and healthy. So, cashew or almond butter will also give you extra calories and added nutrients that you need to grow.
Additional Tips
While more flavored protein options are becoming available in the market, most people prefer unflavored powders. If you don’t like how they taste, here are a few tips to make drinking protein shakes easier.
Mix it Right
One thing about protein shakes is that the texture and taste go hand in hand. A protein shake will automatically be harder to drink if it’s lumpy.
If you use a spoon to mix your protein powder, it may be time to switch to a protein shaker. The mixing system in these shakes ensures that the powder blends well and the drink is easier to swallow.
Choose High-Quality Protein
You will find that high-quality protein powders taste much better and are easier to drink than cheaper options. Usually, cheaper protein powders don’t have very good quality and have an unappealing texture and taste.
They may contain artificial flavors and fillers that make protein shakes taste weird and artificial. When choosing a protein powder, request a sample packe`t first so you can easily switch to another brand if you don’t like how it tastes.
Drink Your Shake Immediately after Making It
The flavors of a protein shake tend to fade with time. Drinking your protein shake immediately after making it will ensure that you taste the flavors. If you’re not going to drink it right away, make sure to store it in the refrigerator.
Bottom Line
A protein shake is a must if you’re trying to build muscle mass or recovering from intense strength training. However, protein shakes do not taste as good as their fancy names suggest. In fact, many people struggle with drinking theirs due to the bland taste and unpleasant texture. Adding fruits, cocoa powder, and peanut butter can help improve its flavor. You can also use more water to replace it with milk to make your protein shake more tolerable.
