The 7 Best Protein Powders For Building Muscle in 2023
Written and supplements tested by Martin Ebner, Head Personal trainer and sports nutrition specialist at Ebylife. (Updated Jan 6 2023)
Protein is my favorite of the three Macronutrients. Asides from its crucial role in supporting muscle growth, recovery and maintenance, its also fundamentally important for a healthy life. More on that shortly.
Unlike the other 2 macronutrients, carbohydrates and fats, getting enough protein as a singular macronutrient can be quite difficult. When I hear people say that they get their protein from nuts, legumes or Broccoli, my eyes roll into the back of my head.
Nuts can be as much as 85% fat so to get a 25g serving of protein (from peanuts which have one of the better ratios of fat to protein) you would have to eat 567 calories and 49g of fat. Not exactly efficient is it!?
Legumes, such as chickpeas contain a ratio of roughly 3:1 carbs to protein which means to get a 25g serving of protein, you would need to eat 250g of them. That’s 450 calories and 75g of carbohydrates. Not efficient either! Plus you'll be a human whoopee cushion.
Broccoli, as much as I love it, isn't any better. To get a 25g serving of protein, you would have to eat 1 kilogram of it (trust me, that's a lot!). It's also 370 calories and 67g of carbs.
Now. This isn't to say that you can't fulfill your nutritional protein needs from diet alone. You absolutely can and it should be your priority to do so. However, if you find you're struggling to get your daily hit of protein or if your goal is to build muscle, you may want to consider taking a protein supplement. In this article, we’ll look at 7 of the Best protein powders to build muscle for every dietary requirement.
How Much Protein Do You Need to Build Muscle?
Protein is the building block for muscle growth, repair and maintenance, and without adequate high-quality protein to fuel your muscles, they don't stand a chance. To build muscle effectively, you must first create a calorie excess. A minimum of 500 calories is recommended. It's a good idea if you're just starting out to start on the lower side and build up as required.
In terms of how many of your total calories should come from protein, this is a highly debated topic. Some bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts routinely chow down on as much as 5g of protein per kilo of body weight. While this certainly isn't recommended or needed for your average Joe looking to build a beach-ready physique, to put your body into an anabolic state, I would suggest you aim for a minimum of 2g of protein per kilo of bodyweight. Personally, I like to aim for around 3g.
See our: Skinny Guy’s Bulk-up diet plan and Skinny Guy’s Bulk-up workout plan
Protein's Role in a Healthy Diet
Asides from its key role in building, repairing and helping maintain muscle mass, several studies also show that high protein diets are beneficial and promote a healthy body composition and weight loss by encouraging satiety related to increased diet-induced thermogenesis. In other words, protein can help you feel fuller and more satisfied.
Protein is also responsible for regulating the body’s fluid balance, affecting hormone secretion, aiding in digestion and facilitating muscle contraction. Protein is a key component of every cell in the human body and without it, we would fail to exist.
Unlike carbs and fat, your body isn’t able to store protein so it has no reserve to rely on when you're running low. Symptoms of protein deficiency include poor concentration, lethargy, a slow metabolism, trouble gaining muscle and low immunity. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the 7 Best protein powders to build muscle.
The Best Whey Protein Powder for Building Muscle
Whey is one of the two proteins found in cow's milk, the other is Casein.
Whey is by far the most popular protein powder and supplement, especially amongst bodybuilders and is often considered the most effective for muscle growth and recovery. It is very easily absorbed and therefore can be quickly utilized by the body, making it the ideal choice first thing in the morning and immediately following a strength training workout when your body is most depleted and craving nutrients to fuel muscle growth and recovery.
My top whey protein powder pick is Transparent Labs 100% Grass-Fed Whey Isolate.
Transparent Labs 100% Grass-Fed Whey Protein isolate contains an 88% protein-by-weight ratio (28 grams per 32-gram scoop) making it one of the industry leaders. It’s also free from artificial sweeteners, food dyes, gluten and preservatives.
Note: If you are lactose intolerant, whey protein may not be suitable for you. If in doubt, use this supplement sparingly and build up your serving size and consumption accordingly.
Related article: Collagen vs. Whey: Which Is Better for Building Muscle?
The Best Casein Protein Powder for Building Muscle
Casein is also a very popular choice for muscle growth and recovery, but unlike whey protein, casein is digested and absorbed at a much slower rate.
Casein stimulates the production of micelles in the stomach. Micelles are gel-like substances that provide amino acids into the bloodstream. This results in a slow sustained exposure of the muscles to amino acids, decreasing the potential for muscle protein breakdown.
Because of its slow rate of digestion and absorption, casein is recommended before bed to provide a slow and steady delivery of protein to help aid in muscle growth, recovery and to prevent muscle catabolism (breakdown) while you sleep.
My top casein protein powder pick is: Transparent Lab’s 100% grass-fed Casein protein
Transparent Labs Casein is made with pure micellar casein derived from grass-fed cattle. It is one of the industry's cleanest casein protein powders and offers a sustained release of all the essential amino acids needed to promote muscle growth and recovery for up to 8 hours. It’s also free from artificial sweeteners, food dyes, gluten and preservatives.
Note: While Transparent Lab’s casein protein is gentler on the stomach than many of its competitors, If you are lactose intolerant, casein protein may not be suitable for you. If in doubt, use this supplement sparingly and build up your serving size and consumption accordingly.
The Best Protein Powder Blend for Building Muscle
It's rare to find a protein powder that blends together different types of protein for a more complete formula.
Crazy Nutrition’s Tri-Protein has done exactly that. It uses a combination of whey protein isolate, whey protein concentrate, micellar casein, milk protein concentrate, and hydrolyzed whey. By using proteins that are digested at different rates, Tri-protein by Crazy Nutrition can provide your muscles with a quick blast but also a slow more sustained release of protein making it an ideal choice for the morning, post-workout, in between meals, as a snack or before bed.
Tri-protein offers a 60-day money-back guarantee if you aren't 100% satisfied. While I haven't tried all 3 flavors, the Salted Caramel was delish!
Note: While Tri-protein contains a digestive enzyme blend called, DigeZyme® if you are lactose intolerant, this supplement may not be suitable for you. If in doubt, use this supplement sparingly and build up your serving size and consumption accordingly.
The Best Collagen Protein Powder for Building Muscle
Collagen protein is growing in popularity due to its powerful array of health benefits. Best known for its impressive Anti-ageing properties, it also promotes healthy hair, teeth and nails, reduces joint pain, boosts metabolism, increases muscle mass, improves gut health, protects against cardiovascular decrease, and promotes better sleep.
Unfortunately, from as early as our mid-twenties, the body's natural production of collagen decreases at a rate of roughly 1% per year. This is where collagen supplements come in handy to help restore collagen levels. Collagen protein is always effective and can be taken in the morning, afternoon, post-workout, in the evening or on the go.
My top Collagen protein powder pick is: Amandean Marine Collagen
Amandean offers a variety of high-quality collagen products but their Single-sourced Marine Collagen is their stand-out product. It’s 100% all-natural, free of pesticides, hormones, chemicals and contaminants. It’s also non-GMO, gluten-free, fat-free and flavorless. This means you can mix it with your morning coffee, post-workout smoothie or even add it to your favorite meals to bump up your protein intake.
Amandean is currently only available in the United States.
The Best Rice Protein Powder for Building Muscle
Plant-based proteins are growing in popularity thanks to a shift in our eating habits and environmental awareness. A great option for vegans and those that follow a mainly plant-based diet who might otherwise struggle to get their recommended daily protein requirements from diet alone. Soy, quinoa, artichoke, alfalfa, flaxseeds, chia seeds and my personal favorite, brown rice protein powders are a fantastic and easy way to increase your protein intake to support your health and fitness goals.
My top rice protein powder pick is: Naked Rice
Following Performance Lab's decision to discontinue their organic wholegrain rice protein powder, I switched to Naked Rice.
With just one ingredient: organic sprouted brown rice protein and made using a hexane-free extraction process to create a protein with a superior amino acid profile, it's a fantastic alternative to whey for those on a plant-based diet or who suffer from any form of lactose intolerance.
Naked Rice is free from gluten, dairy, Soy, GMOs and synthetic additives. It’s also flavorless which means you can mix it with your morning coffee, post-workout smoothie or even add it to your favorite meals to bump up your protein intake.
Naked nutrition is currently only available in the United States..
The Best Pea Protein Powder for Building Muscle
Pea Protein is the most popular plant-based protein source and ingredient in vegan protein powders. Pea protein is very easily absorbed by the body making yet another great plant-based alternative to whey protein.
My top pea protein powder pick is: Naked Pea.
With just one ingredient: Pea protein that is extracted from yellow split peas. Grown on farms in the US and Canada, it's a clean and healthy option for those on a plant-based diet or that suffer from any form of lactose intolerance.
Naked Pea is free from gluten, dairy, Soy, GMOs, and synthetic additives. It comes in 2 delicious flavors, Chocolate and vanilla and also has a flavorless option that you can add to your morning coffee, post-workout smoothie, or to your favorite meals to increase protein content.
Naked nutrition is currently only available in the United States.
The Best Insect Protein Powder for Building Muscle
Another protein source that’s growing in popularity is insect protein. Cricket, honeybee, yellow mealworm, Mopane caterpillar, domesticated silkworm and African palm weevil larvae are just some of the insects used to make insect protein powders.
Although not widely popular yet in the western world, Insect proteins are both more environmentally friendly and often pack more protein per gram than any of its animal-sourced protein competitors.
My top insect protein powder pick is: Chirps Chocolate Cricket protein
These little bugs pack a lot of power. With 21 grams of protein, all 9 essential amino acids, 59% of your daily B12, naturally occurring prebiotics and just 4g net carbs per serving, Chirps Cricket protein is a great option for those that aren’t squeamish. It’s also free from soy, whey, gluten, and growth hormone recombinant bovine (rBGH) which makes it light on the tummy.
Disclaimer: The content on this blog is created to inform, but should never be taken as professional medical advice. The content of our articles is not intended for use as prevention, diagnosis and/or treatment of any health complications. Before making any lifestyle changes that include diet, using supplements or exercise regime, always consult your doctor or nearest health care specialist.
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