Does The Quality Of Your Protein Powder Really Matter?

Let me begin by saying that I’m not talking about the difference between WHEY protein, casein protein, pea protein, hemp protein and all the other protein’s out there. Oh no. I’m talking about the stuff that goes into your protein.

Protein

Like fat and carbohydrates, protein is an essential macronutrient that is required for the body to function and to stay healthy. Our bodies rely on protein to build muscle and other tissues, create new cells, manufacture neurotransmitters and produce enzymes. Basically, without protein our bodies wouldn’t survive. Protein comes in all shapes and sizes and whilst I’m an avid consumer of protein powder, I always encourage people to try and get their protein from the most natural sources possible. 

How much protein you should be consuming is entirely determined by your own factors such as weight, age, gender, height and your overall activity levels. For example, a body builder would require more protein than a desk worker who doesn’t have a particularly active lifestyle. You can get a rough estimate of how much protein you should consume daily here.

To put it bluntly, yes the quality of your protein really does matter. Like, really really. Think of the term, you are what you eat and that’s exactly what I’m talking about. Whilst I like to enjoy a healthy and balanced lifestyle (hello vegetables and hello pizza), about 80% of the time I do like to know exactly what’s going in my body and sadly, many people don’t really think about the ingredients their putting into their bodies when it comes to protein powder. Many people hear the word ‘protein’ and instantly believe that whatever it is, whey, isolate or vegan protein, that it must be good for them, right? Na uh. Wrong.

Some protein powders and quite sadly, a few of the one’s I’ve tried and tested, contain ingredients that serve no purpose, are only used to ‘bulk’ out the protein and ultimately, can pose a potential risk to your health. So why do companies use these weird and wonderful ingredients? Mainly to create the illusion that their product is of high quality and provides more than enough benefits for the body. Which let me tell you, is one big fat lie. Ever heard of the expression ‘don’t eat anything you can’t pronounce’? 

Many protein powders out there can contain refined sugars, artificial sweeteners, flavourings, un-neccesary carbs and fats (unless your diet requires it) and most often, are more calories than they’re worth. If you’re unlucky enough, you may also find some ingredients like locust bean gum, anthem gum, guar gum or carrageenan in your protein powder. These are addictive thickening agents that change the texture and appearance of poor quality protein powders and have been known to do more harm than good for our bodies.

That’s not all though. Oh no. When it comes to certain WHEY protein powders, you’ll want to question the kind of milk that’s been used to create your beloved muscle growing powder. For example, a lot of cheap protein powders are filled with WHEY protein that come’s from cows who have been bred and raised in an over populated farm, fed on a poor diet and induced with lots of different drugs. In this case, you are what you eat and what your food eats. As for those who consume a vegan powder (like moi), we need to consider where our protein is being sourced from and how. The most common problem when it comes to plant protein powders is whether or not it’s been grown with the use of pesticides, herbicides and fungicides. This is when it’s important to read the label.

Vivo Life PERFORM protein raw plant protein

When it comes to protein powder’s you can bet ya bottom dollar that I’ve tried and tested them all. From WHEY protein, to isolate protein and now, to my favourite – raw plant protein – which I’ve been using for roughly two years now (check out a full detail review here) from Vivo Life. Why them? Because they’re quite simply the best quality protein company that I’ve come across. Their ingredients are simple, easy to pronounce (ha) and most importantly, my body responds well to each and every ingredient. No bloat. No tummy rumbles and no feeling hungry after an hour of consumption. Have a peep below at the benefits of Vivo Life’s PERFORM protein:

New and improved PERFORM protein

My favourite PERFORM protein of their’s has got to be the Salted Maca Caramel, however with the launch of their new and improved Madagascar Vanilla flavoured PERFORM, I have to say that it is now a very close contender. Vivo actually upgraded two of their recipes, the vanilla one and the raw cacao and now both come with a smoother flavour, a creamier texture and definitely no earthy aftertaste (which many vegan protein’s have!). I never really had a problem with the vanilla flavour before but I absolutely love the improved version now!

In my opinion, Vivo have packed their PERFORM protein’s with the finest plant based ingredients, such as madasgascan vanilla bean and rich Ecuadorian Arriba Cacao (how many protein companies can say they use those ingredients?!), and I think they’ve managed to create one of the best tasting vegan plant based protein out there. No fibs being told here.

If you’ve tried both of the PERFORM protein’s before than you’ll be familiar with their green appearance thanks to the spirulina. However, green be gone as they’ve now removed the spirulina and chlorella from the products which has ultimately improved the flavour (by a lot I think) and for many, you won’t be put off by it’s colour. Although I have to say, this never really bothered me.

But that’s not all. Oh no. Of course Vivo had to replace the health benefiting spirulina and chlorella with something else – reishi mushroom! Now let me get this out the way quickly – no, your protein powder will not taste like mushrooms. In fact, your body will love you for consuming reishi mushroom. In case you’ve been out of the loop, medicinal mushrooms are big right now – particularly reishi mushrooms as it’s the most highly prized and studied medicinal mushroom on the planet. Bet you didn’t know that, huh?

Reishi mushrooms date back to ancient times and have been used for many years to help boost our immune system, reduce inflammation, enhancing cognitive function and support liver health. And when it comes to training the anti-inflammatory properties can really support our muscles and tissues when taking PERFORM post workout.

“That’s the kind of company you want to buy from – one that doesn’t urge you to check the labels. It’s safe and you know it.

Not only does reishi mushroom support our bodies training wise, but it also helps to stimulate the brain and help to reduce the growth of cancer cells. Vivo Life don’t just focus on our training needs but on our overall health and wellbeing, too. It’s reason’s like these why I would choose Vivo Life again and again over many other companies.

When a brand like Vivo care that much about the ingredients that go into your products, you know they’re not just in it for the money. They’re in this to help support our bodies, produce amazing quality products and build a foundation of respect and trust from their customers. I can, hand on heart, say that when I buy from Vivo Life I no longer have the urge to look at the ingredients anymore – simply because I’ve been using them long enough to know that whatever I purchase from them, it’s only got the good stuff in! That’s the kind of company you want to buy from – one that doesn’t urge you to check the labels. It’s safe and you know it. 

So yes, the quality of your protein powder really does matter. In fact, go check your protein pouches now and make sure you’re consuming ingredients that are only beneficial to your body! Go, go, go.

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Although I am an ambassador for Vivo Life, this post was not asked for. I’m simply answering a question which I’m asked by my followers quite often and one that I think needs to be discussed. If you are however interested in Vivo Life’s products then check them out here and use my code HANNAH10 at the checkout!