A GAME CHANGER FOR YOUR OVERALL WELL-BEING

PROTIEN POWDER

By Matt Berger and Shannon Webb

The world of protein powder is where the pursuit of fitness and optimal nutrition collide. While commonly associated with gym enthusiasts, protein powder offers benefits that extend far beyond the weightlifting, bodybuilding, and muscle-building realms. Whether you're a vegetarian, vegan, picky eater, or someone looking to achieve specific health goals, protein powder can be a game-changer for your overall well-being.

There are many reasons why protein powder is a valuable addition to your diet. From weight loss to muscle gain, there's a protein powder tailored to meet your unique requirements. As you embark on your journey to find the perfect protein powder, it's essential to consider a few key factors.

The first key factor is the source of the protein, which can be either plant-based or animal-derived. This choice is influenced by your dietary preferences, making plant-based protein ideal for vegans, vegetarians, and those with lactose intolerance. Beyond the protein source, flavor plays a vital role in ensuring your protein powder experience is both enjoyable and sustainable. With endless options ranging from classics like vanilla and chocolate to unique flavors like peppermint hot chocolate, there is a taste to satisfy anyone's taste buds.

Additionally, different protein powders fulfill distinct roles, allowing you to address specific nutritional needs. The Cool Springs Nutrition Faktory, owned and operated by Shannon Webb, carries a wide variety of protein powders to help achieve your specific goals and needs. Some are enriched with collagen for improved skin health, while others are formulated to aid weight gain or loss. By tailoring choices to chosen goals, you can maximize the benefits of protein powder in your daily routine. To help explore the world of protein powders, we have outlined some popular brands available at Nutrition Faktory in Franklin.

Vegan Protein Powders

Vegan Protein powder is made completely free of animal-based ingredients. They are typically made with hemp seed, brown rice, soy, peas, or other plant-based ingredients that are particularly high in protein. Webb explains, “Most of our vegan powders are soy-free therefore they are multi-sourced protein options. Ambrosia Planta and 1st Phorm are some of my store's best sellers.”

They are also more easily digestible than many other protein powder options, so it’s great for people with sensitive stomachs or allergies, as they don’t contain dairy, soy, or gluten. Switching up your protein sources can also promote gut health, cause less bloating, they work well in a larger variety of recipes, and are equal in benefits to animal-based protein sources.

Ambrosia Planta is a premium plant-based protein powder designed to support an active and healthy lifestyle. With a combination of high-quality plant-based ingredients, Planta delivers a complete amino acid profile that is easy for the body to digest and absorb.

Best Protein Powder for Weight Loss

The role that protein powder plays in weight loss is simple. Protein helps build muscle, and muscle burns more calories than fat does. The more muscle you have, the more calories you’ll burn.

When choosing a protein powder for your weight loss journey, it’s best to avoid any that have added sugars or sweeteners, as well as those with added branched-chain amino acids. Inspired ISO PF Protein contains 25 grams of 100% pasture-fed whey protein isolate and has fewer additives than some of the other protein powder options. There’s only 1 gram of total sugar per serving, with 0 grams of extra sugar added. Ryse Loaded Protein is made with extremely high-quality whey protein with whey isolate being the primary protein source and they offer tasty flavors like Gingerbread Cookie, Cinnamon Toast, and Fruity Crunch.

Best Whey Isolate Protein Powder

Whey is a type of protein that’s found in cow’s milk and dairy products. The isolate version of whey is more processed to filter out fats and carbohydrates.  The result is a product that has a 90% or higher whey protein by weight, making it one of the cleanest protein sources. This makes whey isolate protein powders amazing for gaining lean muscle.

1st Phorm and Transparent Labs are some of the best options for whey isolate protein powder. 1st Phorm is a premium-sourced whey protein that is one of the best-tasting on the market and because of the select protein, it is easily digested. Transparent Labs was developed with a focus on the quality, effectiveness, and cleanliness of ingredients with each ingredient meticulously chosen. Both are popular brands at the Nutrition Faktory in Franklin.

Best Protein Powder for Muscle Gain

Protein is crucial for gaining muscle, especially lean muscle. When choosing a protein powder for this specific type of muscle gain, it’s important to look for high-quality sources of protein with a complete amino acid profile and minimal additives. Webb suggests PEScience’s Select Protein Powder for muscle gain. It is a gamechanging protein supplement that contains 24 grams of whey and casein protein in each scoop for quick and slow digestion, providing your muscles with nutrients for up to seven hours.

Best Collagen Protein Powder

Collagen protein powder is derived from collagen, which is a structural protein found in our bodies. It plays a huge role in our skin, bones, muscles, tendons, and ligaments, providing structural support and helping maintain the integrity and elasticity of the tissues. Some of the biggest advantages of using collagen protein powder are that it promotes hydration, firmness, and elasticity for healthier skin, as well as helps to maintain the structure and strength of joints and bones.

Collagen by Revive is a potently dosed, halal-certified formula designed to support various aspects of everyday health. It is comprised of extremely high-quality all-natural ingredients such as hydrolyzed marine collagen peptides sourced from white fish, TRAACS® Magnesium, and Vitamin C. 1st Phorm’s Collagen contains 50mg per serving of Dermaval™, which is a revolutionary phytonutrient-rich complex that increases and helps maintain healthy levels of elastin in the body, perfect to add to a cup of coffee!

Best Casein Protein

Casein protein powder utilizes protein derived from milk, similar to whey protein. However, while whey protein is specifically used to digest protein quickly, casein is the exact opposite. It’s used when someone wants their protein to be slowly released, like when they’re sleeping or without food for an extended period of time.

Casein protein has its advantages, like promoting muscle recovery and reducing muscle protein breaking. It can also be used for weight management, as it tends to promote feelings of fullness. NutraBio Micellar Casein is a slow-digesting, anti-catabolic protein with a sustained release for prolonged amino acid delivery. Each serving is packed with five grams of BCAAs and five grams of Glutamine. Titan Nutrition’s 100% Micellar Casein is the most advanced sustained-release protein available, ideal for long-term anabolic support and recovery using only 100% native casein protein.

As you can see, there are plenty of protein powder options to choose from. There is a protein powder for every need, every dietary restriction, and every taste preference. When choosing your next protein powder, it’s important to look at what your goals are, what ingredients you want to have in it, and what flavor profile you think would suit you best.

Stop by the Nutrition Faktory in Franklin to find everything you need to start or upgrade your protein powder journey. Browse their vast selection of protein powders and begin to improve your overall well-being today.