4 Most Popular Whey Protein Powder Flavours

When you want to get more protein in your diet or increase lean muscle, improve athletic performance or enhance post-workout recovery, whey protein powder is an efficient way of achieving these goals.

But if you’re new to the world of whey protein powder, it’s natural to have a few questions. What is flavoured whey protein? How can I benefit from it, and how can I incorporate the flavours into my everyday diet?

We’ve pulled this guide together to answer exactly those questions and give you a heads-up on the four most popular flavours of this muscle-building supplement.

What is flavoured whey protein?

Whey protein is derived from milk. If you’ve ever opened a pot of yoghurt and noticed the watery liquid on the surface, that’s exactly what whey is.

Milk contains two types of protein: whey and casein. Whey protein separates out from the casein during cheese production. From there, it can be dried and transformed into a powder to use as a supplement.

Add flavours to it, and you have a flavoured whey protein supplement that can be added to smoothies or meals for a health and fitness boost.

Whey protein is available in isolate and concentrate forms. Whey protein isolate goes through a more intense production process and contains a higher percentage of protein.

Whey protein concentrate has higher levels of fat, lactose and carbohydrates.

Benefits of whey protein

There are many benefits to using whey protein to help you achieve your health and fitness goals:
It offers a wide range of amino acids that you simply can’t get from plant-based protein supplements.
One of these is leucine, which helps trigger the muscle-building process in your body, so it’s great for anyone aiming to add bulk. A study published in the journal Nutrition & Metabolism (1) found that subjects who took a whey supplement lost more body fat and retained more lean muscle.
It’s also believed to help lower cholesterol. In a study published in The British Journal of Nutrition (2), whey supplements were given to a group of overweight participants for a period of 12 weeks. Another group received casein. Those who consumed whey showed a “significant decrease” in their cholesterol levels.
Whey protein has been found to help reduce blood pressure. A study (3) published in the International Dairy Journal revealed that beverages containing whey protein supplements helped reduce blood pressure in people with hypertension. Their risk of developing stroke and heart disease was also lowered as a result.
What’s also good to know about whey protein is that it is low in lactose. As such, it can be consumed by many people who have a sensitivity to it.
As you can see, there are many reasons to include whey protein supplements in your diet, just for health alone!

Unflavoured whey protein

Unflavoured whey protein is actually one of the top four most popular “flavours” on our list. As it has no discernible flavour, you have more choices when it comes to making fruit or vegetable-based smoothies.
It’s a versatile choice, perfect for anyone who likes experimenting with their own recipes for smoothies and shakes.

How to incorporate whey protein into your meals;
Unflavoured whey protein is so versatile when it comes to adding it to your food and drink. You can sneak it into many different foods such as:
Greek yogurt
Soups
Stews
Dips like guacamole and hummus
Cottage cheese
It’s also perfect to use in smoothies and shakes with any fruits or vegetables of your choice.

Banana flavoured whey protein

Banana flavoured whey protein is popular for its sweet and wholesome taste. It lends itself to a whole range of fruit-inspired foods and drinks. It is ideal if you want a sweet hit that’s actually good for you!
We love it for its versatility and smooth, creamy flavour.

Ways to incorporate banana flavour;
Banana flavour whey protein makes a great base flavour for smoothies. It can be added to a surprising variety of foods, too:
Add it to your banana smoothie for a concentrated flavour boost. For a simple recipe, combine banana, milk, honey, ice and a couple of scoops of banana flavour whey protein powder.
Bake your way to fitness with banana bread with a couple of tablespoons of banana whey protein powder added in.
Add to pancake batter for a healthy breakfast.

Chocolate flavoured whey protein

Who doesn’t love the rich, luxurious taste of chocolate? It’s even more lovable when it’s a whey protein flavour and has health benefits, too. Perfect for adding to a whole range of bakes and smoothies, the chocolate flavour will never let you down.
You can see why chocolate is in our top four flavours, thanks to its unrivalled and popular taste.

Ways to incorporate chocolate flavour;
Add chocolate flavour whey protein to post-workout snacks and drinks for a guaranteed flavour hit.
Use a scoop in healthier chocolate brownies, with wholemeal flour, maple syrup for sweetener and dark instead of milk chocolate.
Make a healthy chocolate smoothie by blending avocado, banana, two tablespoons of chocolate flavour whey protein powder, milk, honey and ice cubes.
You can also sprinkle your chocolate whey protein powder over cereal or stir into porridge for a chocolatey hit.

Vanilla flavoured whey protein

It’s no wonder vanilla made it to our top four whey protein powders. Its rich, creamy taste is delicious in its own right, and it’s mild enough to use in combination with a wide range of other flavours.
Vanilla’s a winner, thanks to its ever-popular taste and ability to enhance so many different recipes.

Ways to incorporate vanilla flavour;
There is no end to the ways you can use vanilla whey protein powder in your healthy shakes and snacks:
Combine almond milk, bananas, a couple of scoops of vanilla protein powder, maple syrup, walnuts and flax seeds for a healthy smoothie.
Make healthy vanilla cookie dough with one scoop of vanilla whey protein powder, two tablespoons of coconut flour and a quarter cup of almond milk.
Create a refreshing drink by adding half a scoop of vanilla whey protein powder to black tea with a sprinkling of cinnamon on top.
The simple way to health and fitness
What all these varieties of whey protein powders have in common is that they’re a simple way to enhance your lean muscle in combination with a fitness regime. They also come with a whole host of health benefits.

So take your pick of flavours and have fun experimenting with making your own recipes for health-boosting shakes, smoothies and snacks.

References;

1. Frestedt J, Zenk J, Kuskowski M, Ward L, Bastian E. ‘A whey-protein supplement increases fat loss and spares lean muscle in obese subjects: a randomized human clinical study,’ Nutrition & Metabolism, 2008; 5: 8. Published online 2008 Mar 27. doi: 10.1186/1743-7075-5-8.

2. Pal S, Ellis V, Dhaliwal S. ‘Effects of whey protein isolate on body composition, lipids, insulin and glucose in overweight and obese individuals,’ The British Journal of Nutrition, 2010 Sep;104(5):716-23. doi: 10.1017/S0007114510000991. Epub 2010 Apr 9.

3. Fluegel S, Shultz T, Powers J, Clark S, Barbosa-Leiker C, Wright B, Freson T, Fluegel H, Minch J, Schwarzkopf L, Miller A, Di Filippo M. ‘Whey beverages decrease blood pressure in prehypertensive and hypertensive young men and women,’ International Dairy Journal, Volume 20, Issue 11, November 2010, Pages 753-760.