What makes a good protein supplement?

If you have ever used any supplement, the chances are you have asked this question. The answer really isn't all that complicated.

The problem is that, like much of the information in the health and fitness industry... there is tons of it. Both good and bad. For many of

us, too much information to process. No way to know what is good, bad, legit or BS.

If you type "Protein Supplements" into Google you will get "About 367,000,000 results (0.87 seconds)".

367,000,000 hits in less than a second! Wow. I don't even know where to begin. What worse, it's all ads at the top. Everyone is trying

to sell you something.

I am going to give you 4 tips to finding a great protein supplement. These might not be the only things you use to decide which protein

is right for you but if it checks all the boxes, you are doing good.

1) Budget. Let's start with this one because it often times is the first place that people go. We have all heard someone say, "you can't

put a price tag on your health" and I agree but it still matters. Figure out what your budget is first and it will make things much easier. I

will caution you, many cheap proteins are filled with fillers and worthless crap that does no good to you. They are often times loaded

with artificial colors, dyes, sweeteners and more. Some can even do more harm than good. That doesn't mean the over priced, well

marketed protein is the best either. Just figure out a budget and we will go from there.

2) Taste. Ever see someone in the gym sucking down a protein shake and trying not to gag at the same time? Pinching their nose and

drinking it as fast as they can? Don't listen to what they tell you, taste does matter! Think about it, if your shake taste good won't you

be more likely to use it? Why torture yourself and drink a cardboard or dirt tasting shake? They are many good options that tast good

too. We also have fun ways like adding fruit, almond milk and other goodies to make our shakes even better! Don't tourture yourself

with your nutrition, enjoy it. You will be much more successfull if you enjoy your health/fitness journey.

3) Quality. At the end of the day, this is one of the most important things to look for in a protein supplement. Don't take their word for it,

you have to do your research. Supplement companies spend millions if not billions of dollars ever year to find clever ways to convince

you that their protein is the best. We have to do a little research and know for ourselves. We have to consider the sources of protein,

artifical or natural ingredients. Are you looking for a protein that is gluten, soy, or dairy free? Does the company/brand have a good

reputation? Do they have a clean track record? Many supplement companies have been fined multiple times for banded or illegal

substances in their products. Does the ingredient/nutrition label have a laundry list of ingredients that you can't pronounce? Quality of

the product should be high on the list when selecting a protein supplement.

4) 3rd Party/Independent Testing. This is another big one when we think in terms of quality, purity and cleanliness. Just because a

product doesn't use 3rd party or independent testing doesn't mean it isn't good but any company that is going to spend their own

money to meet these standards moves up a notch in my book. There are a bunch of recognized organizations that do testing on

supplements, here's a couple of the bigger ones in the game. Banned Substances Control Group Certified or BSCG, NSF Safe for

Sport, Certified Vegan and Certified Gluten-Free. If you are an athlete and you get tested, you should only use supplements that are

BSCG or NSF Safe for Sport. It is also important to check with your organization for a list of banned supplements. Many over the

counter supplements are still banned by organizations. If Gluten-Free, Vegan, Cruelty-Free are important to you then make sure the

product is certified. 3rd Party Tested products generally tend to be higher quality, sometimes more expensive but not always.

In the vast sea of the internet, social media and local gym locker rooms we are flooded with advise and information. Some good, some

not so much. Hopefully these tips can help you make a better decision. There are many cheap supplements available at Walmart.

Just remember, Walmart is in the business of selling products and not always quality.

Still struggling to decide what is best for you? We are here to help. If you have any nutrition questions, feel free to reach out.

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