So you just bought some protein powder to help fuel your muscle growth but are having trouble finding the nest liquid to mix it with !
When deciding to make your protein shake with milk or water it’s important to know what your dietary goals are. In other words are you trying to gain muscle, lose weight, maintain size, or train for athleticism.
Each of these goals pose a different calorie and macro total. For example: when tryin to lose weight we want to aim for lower calories and less fats and carbs. Or when trying to build muscle we want to be in a calorific surplus with more carbs and protein .
Knowing your goals will help determine what liquid to mix your protein powder with. So for our next section we will go into detail about each of these goals and what you want to look for in a base liquid for your protein shake:
What’s the Best Protein Shake Base Liquid?
As mentioned before we will be determining this question based on specific goals ! However it’s important to remember that enjoying your protein shake is one of the most important steps!
If you don’t like milk I wouldn’t suggest using milk as your shake base liquid! On the other hand if flavor is your main interest using water for your protein shake can be a bit on the dull side.
A good medium that I personally enjoy is almond milk. ( or any other plant based milk combinations. Cashew milk, coconut milk, soy milk, etc.)
I’ve really had the best experience using almond milk in my protein shakes or even protein oatmeal. You really get the best of both worlds as almond milk has much lower calories than regular milk, and you still get the best flavor from your protein powder!
Should You Have a Protein Shake with Milk or Water?
Weightloss:
water/ almond milk
Why?
Water and almond milk are going to keep your calories controlled. Water has zero calories and unsweetened almond milk has about 30 Cal per cup. This low calorie base liquid is perfect for someone who is trying to stay in a calorific deficit to lose weight!
Muscle Gain:
Whole milk/ skim milk
Why?
Whole milk, skim milk, or any milk will be the best bet for building muscle mass. Milk with the protein powder will keep your calories up and the fats in the whole milk will help supply your body with energy to help promote your gains!
Lean bulk:
Almond milk/ skim milk
Why?
A successful lean bulk is all about keeping your macros perfect. This one is ball about preference, however, if I was to pick the perfect liquid for my protein shake while lean bulking I’d go with almond milk. Like I mentioned before the calories will be minimal and easy to manage for your diet plan.
Dirty bulk:
Whole milk
Why?
Obviously a dirty bulk has few restrictions so again this is all about preference. However, the idea is to eat as much as possible so for this one I have to go with whole milk. You can even take it a step further and add some peanut butter or any other snacks you’d like to make it as dirty as possible!
Hard Gainers:
Whole milk
Why?
Very similar to the dirty bulk, hard gainers must eat in a calorific surplus to achieve their goals. I would also recommend adding peanut butter and maybe ever some oatmeal into the shake when trying to build muscle as a hard gainer. But whole milk certainly is recommended.
Athleticism:
Whole milk/ skim Milk
Why?
When training for athleticism or explosiveness you burn a ton of calories. Again we want to make sure we are properly fueling the body. Utilizing regular milk in our protein shakes will help do just that!
Milk Protein Shake
Although I made suggestions about each specific dietary goal and whether you should use milk or water for your protein shake, there is a time and place for everything. No matter what diet plan or goal you have there may be a situation when you can utilize each of these liquids to benefit your needs.
Milk is going to give you the most calories and the thickest protein shake. Its great for when you won’t be eating anything for long periods of time and need something to keep you full to avoid over snacking.
When you use milk to make your protein shake you’re adding about 150 Cal and around 7 grams of extra protein. This makes a shake mixed with the average whey protein powder with about 300 Cal and 30-37 grams of protein. It also adds Vitamin B12, Calcium, Riboflavin, as well as phosphorus! Your protein shake will thus be transformed into more of a meal replacement drink then your average bodybuilding supplement.
Water Protein Shake
Whenever you’re focus is calorie management and flavor isn’t of upmost importance I highly recommend using water as your protein shake base liquid.
Water is great when you will be eating a meal as well as a shake because it has the least amount of calories and won’t make you as bloated as the others.
It also is the easiest liquid to come by especially when you’re away from home or at the gym. This makes water a great option whenever you need a quick 30 grams of protein away from home!
Almond Milk Protein Shake
Almond milk to me, is the best liquid for your protein shake. You get the best flavor from your protein powder that is truly enjoyable. You wont get as bloated as whole milk, and you keep the calories minimal.
I use almond milk with almost every one of my protein shakes. As I said before I also use almond milk when I’m mixing protein powder with my overnight oats.
It saves me some calories so I can add some other foods I enjoy to create a better meal in my opinion.I also am able to have a snack with my protein shake ( one of my Protein Hacks)
The number one reason I use almond milk to make my protein shakes is because I truly enjoy then flavor it creates with the protein powder. I’ve compared several protein powders with several different liquids and have always had the best results when using almond milk.
Coffee Protein Shake
This is more for the morning gainer. You can easily mix protein powder straight into your coffee, or even mix it into a small amount of milk or almond milk and use it as a creamer for a high powered protein packed coffee.
I often utilize this a morning pre workout drink to fuel my muscle gains after a night of sleep and prepare my body for my morning workout. Caffeine is a great pre workout and pairing this with a banana can really give you the edge in the gym.
Regardless of whether you’re working out or not, if you’re drinking coffee in the morning, adding protein powder can turn any cup of coffee into a better option for your dietary needs.
In Conclusion
As long as we remember what are goals are, and how we are using our protein powder, we can utilize all of these liquids and more to create a delicious protein shake. It’s great to know how each can be used for different occasions as well as different recipes.
To conclude, I challenge you to experiment with your protein shakes and find the liquid that you enjoy the most. Because, what matters most is to create shakes that work best for you and that you actually enjoy!