Whether you want to bulk up or shed some extra pounds, protein shakes should be an integral part of your diet. Why? Because they are packed with essential nutrients to keep your body and muscles healthy. And there’s absolutely no clean-ups or prep work involved!
That said, stay away from store bought protein shakes as they contain way more sugar than needed. Instead, whip up your protein shake with the ingredients you love. This way, you get the best nutrition from the flavors of your choice.
Nourishing your body doesn’t get easier than this!
Here are 10 best protein shake recipes that your tongue and body will love.
PB&J Shake – bring out the child in you
Do you love PB&J sandwiches? If so, you got to absolutely try this shake that has a salty-sweet flavor to it.
Ingredients
Frozen berries – 1 cup
All-natural peanut butter – 1 or 2 spoons
Protein powder – 1/4 cup
Rolled oats – 1 -2 spoons
Soy milk – 1 cup
You can substitute soy milk with any other unsweetened milk such a rice bran milk or almond milk. There’ll be no change in the taste. Blend all the ingredients together in a blender to enjoy this traditional flavor.
Nutrition
Total Calories – 228
Fat – 7.5 grams
Saturated fat – 1.3 grams
Carbohydrates – 23 grams
Fiber – 5 grams
Sugar – 11 grams
Protein – 16 grams
This shake not only takes you back in time to your childhood days, but is also a great post workout snack.
Vanilla coffee shake – for an energetic morning start
This is the perfect shake to get you up and going in the mornings. It’s also a great alternative to the sugary coffee drinks sold in coffee shops.
Ingredients
Vanilla protein powder – 2 scoops
Milk – regular, soy milk or any other variant of your choice – One and a half cups
Coffee-flavored ice-cream (low-fat preferably) – One and a half cup
Combine all the ingredients and blend them together to get a heavenly shake that is sure to wake your muscles and senses.
Nutrition
Calories – 482
Carbohydrates – 39 grams
Protein – 66 grams
Fat – 7 grams
The nutrition may vary slightly depending on the choice of your milk. These values are calculated for one and a half cups of fat-free milk.
Fruity Coconut smoothie – a tangy flavor for improved hydration
If you’re in the mood to try an off-beat flavor, try this coconut water smoothie. Coconut water is a natural hydrator that contains essential electrolytes to replenish your body’s hydration after an intense workout. In fact, it contains 470 mg in a 8 oz can, which is more than the potassium present in an average size banana. This makes coconut water ideal for maintaining the electrolyte balance in your body.
Besides, coconut water is proven to have anti-oxidant properties that flush out the toxins from your body and protects against an array of diseases like diabetes, kidney stones, high blood pressure and more.
Ingredients
Protein powder, preferably strawberry to add a fruity flavor – 2 scoops
Mixed frozen berries – 1 cups
Coconut water – 8 oz
You can find canned coconut water in most grocery shops. If you can’t get it, cold fruit tea is a fair replacement.
Blend all the ingredients and sip into this cool delight.
Nutrition
Total calories – 135
Carbohydrates – 50 grams
Protein – 21 grams
Due to the presence of potassium, this shake makes it the ideal drink for a sweaty session.
Spinach smoothie – tastes nothing like spinach
Are you one of those people who hate spinach? Well, the bad news is spinach is a super food and contains many essential vitamins and minerals needed for your body. And the good news is, the ingredients in this smoothie completely mask the flavor of spinach, so you don’t get to taste the spinach flavor, but your body gets the required nutrients from it. A double bonanza!
Ingredients
Unsweetened milk (almond, soy or anything you prefer) – 1 cup
Spinach, preferably organic. Washed and rinsed – 1 cup
Mango pieces (frozen is fine too) – 1/4 cup
Pineapple pieces (fresh or frozen) – 1/4 cup
Banana – 1/2 big banana or 1 small banana
Flax meal – 1 tablespoon
Chia seeds – 1 tablespoon
Vanilla protein powder – 1 scoop
Flax meal and chia seeds give you an extra dash of protein, but they are optional. You can replace them with nuts or just about anything else you like.
Nutrition
Total calories – 231
Fat – 8 grams
Saturated fat – 0 grams
Carbohydrate – 23 grams
Fiber – 9 grams
Sugar – 11 grams
Protein – 19 grams
This shake is the perfect lunch if you’re time-strapped and can be had before or after a workout session as well.
This drink gives you 33 percent of the day’s Vitamin A, not to mention the micronutrients in the form of minerals that come from spinach, mango, pineapple and banana.
Key lime creamy shake – enjoy a satisfying meal
Who doesn’t like to have a creamy key lime pie shake? It’s a great alternative if you love key lime pie, but want to stay away because it’s not such a good idea for your waistline.
This shake has all the flavors of key lime pie, except that it is low in sugar and calories. This makes it great as a meal or as a snack after workout.
Ingredients
Cottage cheese (fat free) – 1/2 cup
Protein powder – 1 scoop
Stevia or any other sweetener – 2 packets. You can choose to make it sugarless as well.
Spinach – a handful for the green color. Alternately, you can also go in for a green food color.
Vanilla pudding mix – 1 tablespoon
Graham cracker – 3 pieces crushed
The last two ingredients are optional and you can instead use walnuts or almonds too. Though the addition of cottage cheese may sound a little weird, it sure adds a lot of depth to the consistency. If you’re allergic to dairy or want to go vegan, substitute cottage cheese with tofu.
Nutrition
Total calories – 180
Protein – 36 grams
Sugar – 4 grams (none if you go sugarless)
Fiber – 0 grams
Carbohydrate – 7 grams
Fat – 0 grams
Enjoy this fat-free and sugar-free protein shake and get the satisfying flavor of key lime pie.
Tropical smoothie shake – takes you on a tropical vacation
Your mind will take you on a vacation to the tropics, as soon as you take a sip of this refreshing protein shake. To top it, the nutrients that you get, especially abundant doses of vitamin C and potassium, is good for your body as well.
Ingredients
Frozen berries – 1 cup
Frozen banana – 1 small. Freeze the banana for a few hours before you make this smoothie. It’s best you blend the banana before freezing, for a smooth blend of flavors.
Orange (peeled, deseeded and cut) -1
Plain or Vanilla Greek yogurt – 4 to 6oz
Protein powder (Vanilla/Strawberry) -1 scoop
Blend all the ingredients in a blender. Use the right setting to get the consistency you want and voila! your tropical smoothie is ready. Pour into a glass and enjoy it cold.
It’s the perfect drink on a hot day or after a fiery session at the gym. It not only cools your body, but also replenishes it with essential nutrients like potassium.
Nutrition
Calories – 350 (Could change depending on the size of banana and orange)
Fat – 1 gram
Fiber – 14 grams
Protein – 22 grams
Sip this tropical smoothie and imagine yourself basking on the sunny beaches of a private tropical island!
Chocolate protein shake – for all the chocolate lovers
This insanely rich protein shake is loaded with everything amazing for your body, mind and senses. It tastes sweet, but not sugary while the ingredients are an instant mood booster. Your taste buds will also thank you for this heavenly chocolate flavor.
Ingredients
Medium-sized Apple (chopped) -1
Almond butter – 1 tablespoon
Grated dark chocolate – 1 cup
Cocoa powder – 1 tablespoon
Yogurt – 1/2 cup
Dates (pitted) – 2
Protein powder – 1 scoop
You can opt for plain chocolate instead of dark chocolate, if you don’t like the bitter taste. Blend all the ingredients except dark chocolate. Pour the smoothie into a glass and top it with grated chocolate.
Nutrition
Calories – 270
Protein – 26 grams
Fat – 5 grams
This is a great way to indulge in a delicious and rich shake without worrying about its impact on your waistline.
French toast shake – take a walk down the memory lane
How many of us have fond memories of waiting in the kitchen for a slice of warm French toast smelling of cinnamon and dripping with maple syrup? Well, makes you want to go back to your mom’s house! Or you can whip up a similar tasting smoothie with these ingredients.
Ingredients
Cottage cheese (fat free) – 1/2 cup
Vanilla protein powder – 1 scoop
Sugar-free maple syrup – 1 to 2 teaspoon
Cinnamon – 1/2 teaspoon
Nutmeg or pumpkin pie spice – Just a dash
Butter – 1/2 tsp
Water Half to 1 cup, depending on the consistency you want.
Add all the ingredients except nutmeg and blend well. Pour into a glass and sprinkle the pumpkin spice powder on top.
Nutrition
Total calories – 180
Protein – 36 grams
Sugar – 4 grams
Carbohydrates – 7 grams
Fat – 0 grams, if you use fat-free cottage cheese
This creamy protein shake is sure to bring back many of your childhood memories
Vanilla Chai protein shake – a mouth-watering combination of flavors
This Vanilla chai protein shake combines a wide range of different flavors to give you an after taste that’s like none other. Plus, it’s good for your body as you get many essential nutrients in the form of potassium, fiber and not to mention, protein.
Ingredients
Unsweetened almond or soy milk – 1/2 cup
Chai tea (brewed and chilled) – 1/4 cup
Vanilla protein powder – 1 scoop
Frozen banana (preferably squished before freezing) -1
Ground cinnamon – 1/2 tsp
Unsalted natural almond butter – 1 tsp
Ground walnuts – 1 tsp
Blend all the ingredients except walnuts. Pour into a glass and top it with walnuts for a delicious new flavor!
Nutrition
Total calories – 219
Protein – 17 grams
Fat – 9 grams
Carbohydrates – 20 grams
Fiber – 4 grams
You can identify a different flavor in every sip and the blend of it all truly makes this a one-of-its-kind protein shake after a hard workout session.
Lean green smoothie – a real time saver
When you’re pressed for time and want to skip breakfast, just make this smoothie and get going within just a few minutes. The natural ingredients in this protein drink keeps you full for a few hours, and at the same time, adds the necessary good stuff for your body.
Ingredients
Vanilla protein powder – 1 scoop
Barley grass powder – 1 tsp
Wheat grass powder – 1 tsp
Flaxseed powder – 1 tsp
Sugar-free Vanilla flavoring (optional) -1 tsp
Whip up all the ingredients in a blender and within just a couple of minutes, your power-packed breakfast is ready.
Nutrition
Total calories – 162
Fat – 3 grams
Carbohydrates – 7 grams
Protein – 25 grams
This low-calorie protein-filled shake is a great way to kick-start your day.
In short, protein shakes fill the nutritional gaps that arise due to heavy workout sessions and a stressful lifestyle. Many times, we are unable to cook healthy food and we tend to either skip meals or opt for not-so healthy foods. These protein shakes are the perfect way to get the nutrients you want, without spending too much in the kitchen. Not to mention, the mouth-watering taste it can add to every sip.
So, enjoy these shakes and stay healthy!
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