protein shake challenge - who wants to play?

Thank You!!! And I have been checking your blog for reciepes. I usually mix with 8 oz. of milk. I'm going to try the coffee mixed in, because I have been missing my morning cup of joe!

You might like the Isopure ready to drink protein drinks.  They look like Gatorade or something like that and are the consistency of water.  They have different fruity flavors and I think they have a slight metallic aftertaste but I can drink them.  Some people say they have a  horrible aftertaste and just can't stand them while some say they have no aftertaste and no protein-y taste at all.  You can buy individual bottles at Vitamin Shoppe, and probably at GNC, too.  You might wanna try a couple different flavors because you might hate one but love another.

If you use less protein powder and/or more liquid, you'll get a thinner texture shake.  You'll get less protein per ounce, but if it tastes/feels better you might be able to drink more ounces.

Try putting a spoonful of instant coffee (I usually use decaf) in a chocolate shake.  The coffee taste/smell does a pretty good job of covering up the protein taste/smell, I think, at least most of the time.  Coffee in a chocolate shake gives you a mocha flavor.  I like coffee in a vanilla shake a lot, too.

Also, try a hot mocha coffee drink.  I would heat up a mug of water, and while it's heating mix your chocolate protein powder with a couple ounces of milk and stir it really well until you get a paste.  You don't have to use a whole scoop of protein powder if you want to try it with less.  Get your water hot enough to be a hot drink, but no hotter than necessary.  Don't have it boiling.  Then stir in the protein paste, a spoonful of instant coffee, a little splenda if you need it sweeter, and a little sugar free chocolate syrup if you need more chocolate flavor.

Thank you so much Kelly for the suggestions. I had friend take me to Viatimin Shoppe and I picked up some of the isopure ready to drink in orange and fruit punch. I'm going to try those today. I also can't wait to try the coffee added. I drink coffee every morning, well before surgery...so the coffee mixed in may be good! I called the nutritionist because I knew I wasn't getting enough protein (I was getting in maybe 19-20 grams) and she told me to mix less powder as well. She said try half a scoop in 8 oz of liquid, and make it very cold. She also told me to try carnation instant breakfast which she doesn't really like to recommend, but if it will get me some protein then drink it.

If you try the carnation instant breakfast, make sure you get the no sugar added ones.  They still have sugar because it's made from milk which naturally has sugar in it, but the regular ones have lots of added sugar.  The instant breakfast has very little protein, like five grams a package, so it's better than nothing but not that much better.  If you like it, though, you may be able to mix a small amount of protein powder in it and still find it drinkable and get a little more protein.

I like the Isopure ready to drink really really cold.  Sometimes I even stick one in the freezer for 30 minutes or so before I drink it.  Not long enough to freeze it but long enough to make it really cold.

1.  What brands of protein shakes have you tried so far?  And what flavors? Syntrax Nectar, 4EverFit, Click, Jay Rob (YUCK), GNC -Cookies and Cream and I think that is all....

2.  What are you mixing your protein powder with (skim milk, soy milk, water)? Water, Sugar Free Hot Chocolate, skim milk, Crystal Light

3.  How are you mixing your shakes (in a blender bottle, in a blender)? Typically just a glas with a spoon

4.  What other ingredients have you tried adding to your shakes? Now that I think about it, absolutely nothing - guess I haven't been too adventurous! 

5.  What specifically have you not liked about the shakes you've tried? I have been making a Chocolate Protein Shake mixed with Hot Chocolate. Although I make a slurry with my protein powder with cool water and then add it to my Hot Chocolate - I get these chunkies floating in it that feel like paper????? It is really good, but the chunkies kind of get to me.

6.  What sort of flavors do you like?  Do you like chocolate, or dislike chocolate?  Do you like coffee?  Do you prefer fruity flavors? I like chocolate, I DO NOT LIKE coffee and I really enjoy fruity flavors. I do try to go with the lower caloried drinks - I have wanted to try syntha, but think the calories are really high.

7.  Have you tried protein powder in warm drinks? Yes! Please see #5.

While caloric content is something to watch out for, it’s the MAKE UP of the caloric content that is more significant to post-ops. Here’s a good way to check it out:

 

What are the total calories? (Most good protein powders are no more than about 130 calories per scoop)

 

Of those calories, how many total carbs?

 

Where do those carbs come from? (If it is a fruity protein, it may be fructose. If it is whey concentrate, it may be lactose. Both tend to do ok in our systems but if the carbs are high you have to explore other options for the liquid you add to it)

 

How much protein does it have relative to calories? To me a protein powder should have at least one gram of protein for every 10 calories.  A great one has more like 2 grams for every 10 calories. My powder has 130 calories per scoop with 26g of protein so it fits that equation.

 

If you tried it, what would you think you need to add to it to make it better/more palatable? That’s important because if you choose a powder where you feel you have to add cocoa and pudding mix and all the rest of it, you may not be doing yourself many favors. Sugar-free flavored syrups (Torani, Davinci) are calorie and carb free so those are good options.

 

How many calories per scoop is the Syntha?

Oh, chunkies are no good.  If you get chunkies in a hot protein drink, there are a couple of things that might be causing the problem.  First, your liquid might just be too hot.  Even if you get a really smooth paste before you put it in the hot liquid, if the liquid is really hot it might start to separate.  Some brands might be more likely to do that than others.  So you could try not heating the water quite as much (although I know lukewarm hot chocolate is not so tasty, be depending on how hot you usually start with it, you might be able to make it a little less hot and still have hot chocolate) or try a different brand and see if the same thing happens.  Also, make sure when you mix the protein with cool water that you're stirring until it's really, really smooth.

Has your protein powder been dissolving well for you just stirring with a spoon?  Some brands do but I have found many don't.  So a blender bottle or blender might make some come out better.

And good grief, try adding other stuff!  There are very few brands I've found that I really like just plain.  I have to put stuff in them.  If you like fruity flavors, add some berries or half a sliced banana.  If you add frozen fruit, you get a thicker, frostier shake (gotta mix them in a blender).  Banana goes well in chocolate, too.  And if you like fruity flavors, one of my favorites is milk, vanilla protein and a little packet of orange crystal light (well, I use the walmart brand, but the same thing).  I put it in the blender with a handful of ice and it tastes like a creamsicle.

Adrienne,

Have you tried the Jay Robb Tropical Dreamscicle? I know you listed you didnt like his brand, but you like fruity flavors.

I mix that flavor with almond milk (cant tolerate regular milk). I add a splash of orange extract and a tsp of sugar free orange jello (Mostly for color). It really makes it better IMO.

I also found that I like to have ice cubes in my shake for  one...to keep it cold, and two...to help with the mixing. I shake it up in a blender cup with the blender ball, and I drink with a straw.

Also, if I add the milk first, then the powder it helps. Sometimes when I add the powder int he bottom of the cup, then the liquids some of the powder sticks in the bottom corner of the cup and wont participate in the whole mixing thing.

I was reading something just last night about how the color of food affects how we think it tastes.  They gave people different flavored liquids to drink, and the drinks were all artificially colored, but the colors didn't match the flavor.  Like, one drink was yellow but it was cherry flavored.  People said it tasted like lemonade.  When they were given the same exact flavor but it was red, they identified it as cherry flavored.

Beyond that, I think the appearance of things really affects how we think it tastes, too.  I bet if you made the same exact protein shake but poured some into a cheap plastic cup and  poured some into a nice glass and topped it with a little fat free cool whip and a sprinkle of chocolate shavings, most people would say the one in the nice glass tasted much better and would not even realize they were the same shake.

Kelly, YES!! absolutely agree. Something about the orange color makes it more creamscicley tasting! Just like Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream (not that I can eat it anymore) but it has to be green. Just doesnt taste the same if its white :)