You want your whey protein shake to taste great. Without added sugar that makes hitting your diet and fitness goals impossible. After whey protein, it’s the sweetener used in your shakes that matters most when it comes to taste and its effectiveness.
When I was developing Better Whey, I set out with these things in mind. I wanted to make the most delicious shake possible that was healthy and not likely to throw my diet off track due to the excessive carbohydrates and calories.
The sweetener I decided to use is stevia. After reading this article you will know why. You’ll also know how it can benefit, not harm your health.
“The addition of Stevia rebaudiana leaf extracts to whey protein appears to be a potential strategy for those who want to increase muscular mass and strength and also improve mitochondrial function. This strategy may be useful for both athletes and patients with metabolic disorders, such as obesity and type 2 diabetes.” Nutrition And Metabolism
The Benefits Of Using Stevia In Whey Protein Powder
Stevia Is Sweeter Than Sugar
Stevia is at least 300 times sweeter than sugar. This means a little bit goes a long way to making our whey protein shake taste great. We add very little to our whey protein powder – we’re talking a pinchin every scoop – because that’s all you need.
This also gives us more room to pack more protein into every scoop. That way you get what you want, whey protein instead of a heaping scoop of sweetener that doesn’t taste as good or benefit your health.
It’s Safe To Drink And Eat
Unlike sugar and other artificial sweeteners such as erythritol, aspartame, and Splenda you don’t have to worry about stevia being safe. You can pretty much eat as much as you like without worry. For example, if you weigh 150 lbs you can eat as much as 14 tablespoons of it a day without worry, according to the World Health Organization. Since it’s so sweet that’s not likely to happen.
I know it isn’t for me, and I have a huge sweet tooth. We’re talking about drinking 3 liters of soda and multiple candy bars a day. That’s why I used to drink and eat every day. Now, just a little bit of stevia in my coffee and protein shakes is all I need.
Plus, there’s some research that shows sugar and other artificial sweeteners may cause sugar cravings and even be harmful. Aspartame and Splenda cause many people to feel hungry and crave sugar rich foods. Erythritol, a very popular sweetener used in low carb and keto foods, was associated with causing blood clots that can lead to healthy problems like heart attacks and stroke.
Stevia on the other hand is shown to be safe and as you’ll read in the next section good for your health.
Stevia Contains Nutrients That Benefit Your Health
Unlike table sugar and artificial sweeteners, adding a little bit of stevia to your shakes may also come with health benefits. Studies find that it may have antioxidant, antifungal, and antimicrobial properties. In other words, it can help kill bad stuff in our body.
Stevia may lower high blood pressure too. Sugar and aspartame are definitely not giving you any of these benefits.
Wait, there’s more. Research shows that stevia also contains B vitamins, vitamin C, and several amino acids our body needs to function properly.
Stevia Has 0 Calories
Unlike sugar, which has 4 calories per gram, stevia has 0. Even if you eat a metric ton of it, it still has no calories. This makes it great for us all. Even if you aren’t worried about losing or gaining weight, there’s no need for the empty calories you get from sugar in a protein shake.
The calories you get from added sugar in a protein shake can add up. From just 1-2 shakes a day.
Here are 2 examples. First let’s talk about if you’re eating low carb or keto. You probably want to keep your daily carb below 75 grams. Maybe even 20-30 grams, or less if you’re really strict. In this case having 1 shake a day with 15 grams of carbs from sugar will take up more than ½ of your daily carbs.
Consider this. If your protein powder has 15 grams of sugar that’s an extra 60 calories a shake. This amount doesn’t seem like much but it sure adds up when you’re trying to eat under 75 grams or less every day. The calories add up too. It’s over 400 calories a week and 1600 a month. That’s enough to gain ½ pound of fat.
Take in empty calories like this month after month and you’ll pack on pounds of extra fat you don’t want. Even if you do want to gain weight, this isn’t the way to go.
Stevia Sweetens Without A Nasty Aftertast
The main reason I avoid anything sweetened with erythritol, Splenda, aspartame, and similar sweeteners is the nasty aftertaste they bring to the party. It doesn’t just taste bad after each drink or bite of food. This funky taste is still in my mouth hours after I’ve finished eating.
While its other benefits are awesome, that’s the main reason we sweeten Better Whey with stevia. You get a delicious tasting shake with every sip without any funky flavors coming along for the ride. Just like your favorite chocolate milkshake.
Plant based, all natural
For those of you who hate foods made in a lab, stevia is here for you. Stevia comes from a small shrub-like plant called Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni that’s native to South America. It’s actually a member of the chrysanthemum family. Just like the red and white flowers you see everywhere during the Christmas season. Don’t use them as a sweetener, it’ll make you super sick.
Sucralose (Splenda), aspartame, and erythritol all come from a beaker and centrifuge in a smog spewing industrial plant. So, if you’re looking to take the best care of your health and our environment, choose stevia.
It’s Okay For Any Diet
When you’re eating low carb, or just want to be healthier in general, sugar is not okay to eat. Stevia is. On pretty much any diet. Whether you’re keto, low carb, lactose intolerant, have a nut allergy, omnivore, vegetarian, vegan, or freegan it’s okay to have in your protein shake.
Stevia’s Benefits Make It Great For Your Protein Shakes
If you want a whey protein shake that tastes great, doesn’t throw you off your diet, and may actually be good for your health stevia is the way to go. I’ve tried them all and it’s the only one that I can tolerate. In terms of its taste and the way I feel after drinking it compared to shakes with aspartame, Splenda, erythritol, or real sugar.
I developed Better Whey so that I could have a delicious protein shake that I’d actually look forward to drinking every day. In addition to being sweetened with stevia every scoop has 24 grams of whey protein. Give it a try and let me know if I’ve succeeded.
References
Lemus-Mondaca R, Vega-Gálvez A, Zura-Bravo L, Ah-Hen K. Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni, source of a high-potency natural sweetener: A comprehensive review on the biochemical, nutritional and functional aspects. Food Chem. 2012 Jun 1;132(3):1121-1132.
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