Should Whey Protein Powders Be Part of Your Healthy Family Diet?

I originally thought whey protein powders were a by-product of subterranean metal mining operations. When I first heard about whey powder, my only point of reference was “Little Miss Muffet sat on her tuffet, eating her curds and whey. Along came a spider…” I thought whey powder was something that a nursery rhyme character traded for her personal safety from an attacking arachnid.

What is Whey Protein Powder?

Upon further investigation I found that whey powder is a natural protein resulting from cheese making. Most whey powders are derived from milk protein. Whey is considered high in proteins that are easily absorbed by your body.

Why do you need whey protein powder?
Whey helps build muscle mass and decrease body fat (when taken after exercise.)

According to an August 2009 study in the Nutrition Journal, whey protein may improve heart health.

How do you make it part of your healthy diet?
Whey powders contain calories, so I put them into smoothies or drink them with milk once or twice a week.

The label of the whey powder vat recommends that you use them daily in additional to your weight lifting regime.

But I think whey powder mixed into a glass of milk is an excellent post-workout snack for fast muscle recovery.

Although whey powder is considered safe for children who are not allergic to dairy products, I do not give whey to my children. They should be getting their protein from food. I think this Healthy Diet Mom supplement is best left for the adults.

My personal favorite is Trader Joe’s Vanilla Whey Powder. My husband, of course, prefers the chocolate flavor. If you don’t have a Trader Joe’s near you, try the Designer Whey brand. These two brands dissolve well. I found that some of the cheaper brands don’t blend well and form “clumps”, so be careful.

Whey powders can be much cheaper if you buy them on-line, and home delivery is always easier for me than a trip to the market. Try the 100% Whey brand for a good, but less expensive whey powder.

Ways to use Whey Powder:

• 1 scoop in 8 ounces of milk
• 1 scoop in a serving of a healthy fruit smoothie
• 1 scoop sprinkled on top of breakfast cereal
• 1 scoop mixed with fruit juice

Return from Whey Protein Powders to Supplements