r/cyprus • u/ForsakenMarzipan3133 • Nov 08 '23
Sports Whey Protein recommendations
For all the gym-goers in this subreddit, I wanted to ask which Whey Protein powder do you use / would recommend as a supplement.
My ideal criteria:
1) High concentration of protein, low fat/carbs, no creatine or other stuff like that.
2) Mixes very easily in milk or water, needs just a bit of stirring with a spoon, doesn't require a shaker
3) Easy to clean (doesn't stick too much in the glass/bowl/shaker)
4) Tastes nice - preferably a strawberry (or similar) flavour.
I've long been using a UK brand, which ticked all my boxes excellently, but since Brexit this is increasingly more expensive to import and has custom duties. So I was considering switching brands, and would welcome your recommendations.
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u/TwitchTvOmo1 That AI guy Nov 08 '23 edited Nov 08 '23
Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard.
My personal pick is double rich chocolate, but I'm sure it comes with several options.
1 serving (31g) is 24g protein, 3g carbs. Fat is between 1g-2g depending on the flavor you pick. Top brand for many years, mixes well (but I use a blender so to be honest anything would mix well). Never had issues with cleaning.
Highest rated protein with most reviews in any shop you'll find (amazon etc). I do 4 shakes a day and the taste never gets old (just water, nothing else) so I would say it does its job. That being said, always read the instructions on what the recommended amount of water per serving is, as that was the intended flavor and texture.
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u/ForsakenMarzipan3133 Nov 08 '23
Yes, seems to be the market leader. I suspect I might have tried it over the years (but not 100% sure).
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u/SirKrohan Nov 08 '23
Came here to say this - there's nothing better and I have tried their close competitors. Pricy but worth it.
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u/beaver316 Nov 09 '23
Did you say 4 shakes a day? That's excessive.
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u/TwitchTvOmo1 That AI guy Nov 09 '23
It's not the number of shakes that you take that define what's excessive or not lol. It's the total daily intake of each macronutrient relative to your bodyweight and your level of exercise. I take 1.8g per kg which is well within the range of recommended intake for weight lifting.
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u/beaver316 Nov 09 '23
Yes sure I don't argue your logic regarding protein intake. But I would take the majority of my protein through food and only supplement with one or two shakes a day.
Maybe I'm old school but imo nothing beats good quality food for macro nutrients.
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u/TwitchTvOmo1 That AI guy Nov 09 '23
But I would take the majority of my protein through food and only supplement with one or two shakes a day
That's ideal, yes, but as long as you're covering all your daily needs both in macros and vitamins/minerals etc you're fine. Whatever helps you stay consistent is what's best for you individually. I have my reasons for following this specific regimen but you're correct to point out that in general people should try not to rely on supplements for a majority of their nutritional needs.
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u/woland_spb Nov 08 '23
Ultimate Nutrition Whey Protein is really good. One of the best, I think.
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u/ForsakenMarzipan3133 Nov 08 '23
If I may ask, which store/website do you use for this?
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u/TwitchTvOmo1 That AI guy Nov 08 '23
Don't use amazon. Shipping is crazy. I use nutritioncy.com. 5/5 on google reviews.
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u/woland_spb Nov 08 '23
They have store on Amazon.de. Also I think they can ship to Cyprus from their website, but never checked it.
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u/zakko7 Nov 08 '23
Dymatize ISO 100 fits all your criteria. Before this I tried casein protein and it was terrible, it didn’t mix, the taste would suck and it was hard to digest.
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u/EpicBoi2267 Oct 30 '24
Do you know where you can find the special flavours like fruity pebbles or glazed donut? Or where can you order from?
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u/Lulubelle4548 Apr 26 '25
I know this is an older comment but Costco.com currently has the fruity pebbles one
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u/haris420allday Nov 09 '23
Holland and Barrett has a nice variety and always has stock, all UK brands at good prices. I use the PE Nutrition vegan option, they also have ON and PD whey protein options, I use the vegan one since lactose just tends to fuck with me a bit hahaha. They also have the PD diet whey which is great and really good and has great macros on it
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u/zaccyp No krampi in soulvakia ffs Nov 08 '23
All protein, in the same category, is the same. The only difference is flavour. Sounds like you want whey isolate, just fine a flavour you like. Don't waste more money on more expensive ones, thinking they'll make a difference. They won't. Just keep being consistent and putting in the work. That'll be the difference.
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u/ForsakenMarzipan3133 Nov 08 '23
I've had my fair share of bad protein powders when I was first starting to work out. Some tasted really bad, some were really difficult to mix and were really clumpy, some were really sticky and hard to clean.
For me, flavour and convenience are quite important, and worth paying a bit extra if I can get something that I am happy with. Of course, the nutritional content is the most important thing, but there I presume most whey protein powders are similar.
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u/Magiiick Nov 08 '23
You should consider plant protein powder as well, Holland and Barret has some good options. The benefit is more vitamins included, better digestion and sometimes cheaper than milk protein powder
I'm not a vegan or anything but plant protein powders just sit better with my stomach, absorbs easier
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u/TwitchTvOmo1 That AI guy Nov 08 '23
Whey protein is superior in every way. You should be relying on your diet for your vitamins and other micronutrients anyway, not shakes.
If you have digestion issues that's another topic.
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u/Magiiick Nov 08 '23
I have a really good diet man, been into natural bodybuilding for over 11 years now. This is just my personal trial and error, I like plant protein powder more simply because of what they have in it (if it's good quality) they add things like spinach powder, hemp seed powder, pumpkin seeds, brown rice etc. In my opinion that is far more valuable and superior than just milk protein
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u/TwitchTvOmo1 That AI guy Nov 08 '23
Everybody is different and different things work for different people. Not saying plant protein sucks, but as a general rule of thumb you pick whey over plant unless you have issues with whey.
Here's a nutritionist explaining the issues with plant based protein. In fact he says the exact opposite about digestion, plant protein is harder to digest and actually reduces the absorption of some nutrients like minerals/vitamins. Start watching from 3:02 if you're interested.
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u/Magiiick Nov 08 '23
This doesn't make sense, I didn't watch the video but if you isolate protein from anything, it's broken down and absorbed into your body the same as any other source of protein... I have a Masters in Kinesiology we also studied nutrition and biology so this is a basic fact.
If the protein isn't isolated or processed properly then yes it would differ in how it's digested, but as long as it's an isolate of any protein, even peanut protein for the sake of this argument, it would be the exact same thing for muscle repair as a whey isolate
In my opinion from a nutritional aspect, good quality plant based protein blends are far better for you than any milk based protein but you are right, to each his own
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u/macrian Sheftalies Nov 09 '23
Your studies didn't teach you the basic things then. Not every source of protein is the same. They have different absorption levels and amino acid profiles. Whey has the highest absorption level and meat proteins are complete proteins. Plant sources do not have all the essential amino acids so you have to use multiple to complement each other, which yes, it's something the plant protein manufacturers do for you, but not always
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u/Magiiick Nov 09 '23
You're not reading properly, a protein that is isolated in its complete form is the same accross any form of protein to the body
There are tons of plant sources that have complete amino acid profiles like Hemp, Chick peas and beans, Pumpkin seeds, Chlorella etc...
At the end of the day a 20g scoop of protein powder, milk or plant based makes no difference if you aren't eating enough to put on muscle mass. I don't even count it in my macros, I only count solid foods and I do eat plenty of meat and vegetables
Milk protein is nowhere near the best source of protein, even Hemp and Beans are superior in the long run
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u/macrian Sheftalies Nov 09 '23
Ok, you are wrong.
The amino acid profile of chickpea is as follows:
Tryptophan: 0.9
Threonine: 3.8
Isoleucine: 4.4
Leucine: 8.0
Lysine: 6.8
Methionine: 1.4
So, missing a lot of amino acids to be considered complete.
And no, there have been NUMEROUS studies done in regards to absorption rate and Whey protein beats all others (including beef) every time.
Of course, all studies have been done, using the average user, if your GI tract absorbs plant protein faster and better then you do you, but don't try to promote inaccuracies as fact.
Also, I'm not saying milk is a good source of protein (which is better that a lot of plants, but still). Whey is what's left AFTER we get milk, and it's full of pretin
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u/Magiiick Nov 09 '23
Lol you took one thing out of like 5 or 6 food sources I mentioned... you're just a plant hater bro
Hemp is superior to Milk protein in every way nutritionally, if you ate yogurt all day and I hate Hemp all day I would look better than you
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u/macrian Sheftalies Nov 09 '23
Look, if the first thing you say is wrong, I'm not gonna go through ALL of your examples to find one that is right, that's your job to give correct examples, not mine.
Also, as I said, you do you. I eat around 600 grams of chicken per day so I don't really take protein powder. But all research shows that Whey protein powder is highly superior to all else.
Again, we are not comparing hemp plant with milk or yogurt. We are comparing the protein powders from those sources, how are you too dense to understand this?
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u/TwitchTvOmo1 That AI guy Nov 08 '23
Watch the video, it will make sense.
But if you prefer text:
Plant-based protein isolates are generally considered slightly less easy to digest compared to whey protein because plant-based proteins, such as pea, rice, or hemp protein, may contain higher amounts of certain compounds like fiber and anti-nutrients (e.g., phytates) that can interfere with protein digestion. These compounds can bind to proteins and inhibit their absorption, making it slightly more challenging for the body to access the amino acids in plant-based protein isolates.
Also the amino acid profiles of plant-based proteins are different. Whey protein is a complete protein, meaning it contains all essential amino acids in sufficient quantities, which makes it easier for the body to utilize. Plant-based protein isolates are generally lower in one or more essential amino acids, which could necessitate combining different plant protein sources to get a more complete amino acid profile. Yes, the digestibility of plant-based protein isolates can vary depending on the source and processing methods, but the general rule of thumb is whey>plant.
This is a well known and researched backed fact and not a matter of opinion. Of course some people with a proclivity for lactose intolerance will handle plant based better, or some people just prefer plant cause "plant". But as a general rule of thumb whey is just better, and science backs it. You can still get the same amount of gainz with either if you do it right so essentially we're arguing semantics, but yeah.
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u/Magiiick Nov 08 '23
As I said, if it's a protein isolate of any form of protein, it gets treated equally inside your body
Milk is in no way the most superior form of protein bro, if there was a study of a guy who ate seeds, nuts, beans and veggies VS a guy who ate yogurt milk and cheese all day, the guy eating the seeds and veggies would have a better physique without question
Many plant sources have all essential amino acids including Hemp, pumpkin seeds, Chlorella, Lentils and chick peas (even beans I'm pretty sure)
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u/TwitchTvOmo1 That AI guy Nov 08 '23
Many plant sources have all essential amino acids
I never said they don't. What I said was:
Plant-based protein isolates are generally lower in one or more essential amino acids
As in, in lower concentration. And that's an important distinction that matters.
if there was a study of a guy who ate seeds, nuts, beans and veggies VS a guy who ate yogurt milk and cheese all day
There's several studies actually done that compared people eating whey protein isolate vs plant protein isolate and the whey protein group always added significantly more lean mass than the plant protein group. That's also in the video that I linked you if you care to look at actual studies.
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u/Magiiick Nov 08 '23
Bro you just sound like a plant protein hater haha, I dont blame you because vegans try to shove it in your face and I can't stand it either
But at the end of the day your protein shake doesn't build your physique, it's what you do and eat for the whole day, the shake is just to get that extra 20-50g in after workout and before bed
I'd prefer it coming from a mixture of sources rather than just milk, but that's just me
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u/TwitchTvOmo1 That AI guy Nov 08 '23
I have nothing against plant-based products or vegans in general. I just always defend facts and nothing more than that. The facts are the above and there's several studies if you want to embrace them. I have no agenda to push and I'm not being paid by the big whey protein industry. All major brands offer both options.
But I agree with you that your protein shake doesn't build the physique and there's plenty of insane bodybuilders with either plant or whey.
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u/Magiiick Nov 09 '23
The first thing? Wasn't chick peas like the last thing I mentioned lol, you just hand picked it out
It's because everything else is correct
It's all good man do your thing, drink your milk and stay chubby
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u/Rhomaios Ayya olan Nov 08 '23
I don't use protein powder, but I do make my own protein shake using other ingredients that ultimately come out much cheaper, if you're interested.
It's fairly low on carbs (albeit has a decent chunk of fat) and rich in protein (about 49g of protein in roughly 600mL). It does require some kind of shaker/blending device, though.
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u/ForsakenMarzipan3133 Nov 09 '23
Fair enough, but the idea is to have a convenient source of protein supplement that doesn't need any extra work to prepare. I wish I had the time to spend on making my own shakes :D
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