We’ve kicked off the New Year! Now is the time when the highest number of people from coast to coast are focusing on decreasing their waistline and improving their health. The start of the year is when the most gym memberships are sold, new diets are started, and healthy foods, like protein shakes, are sold.
Protein shakes have been known to help lower body fat, retain lean muscle, and to help you feel full and lose weight. They are ideal for the repair and growth of your muscles. Protein shakes can supplement your diet and help you achieve your wellness goals. While there is a lot of debate on the timing of when you should drink a protein shake, pre or post workout, most recommend after your workout to help you recover and refuel.
This all seems ideal! However, the big downfall is that protein drinks usually taste as bad as they smell. They have cardboard or chalky notes, especially from plant-based proteins. Or, they can have a metallic or chemical aftertaste from artificial sweeteners. The mouthfeel is also not what you would expect. It can be too thin like water, too thick (because it is disguised as a sugary milkshake), or gritty because it doesn’t mix well and you have protein floating on the top.
How do you make them taste better? Some say to add ice and flavor enhancers such as fruit, nut butters, or even a shot of espresso. Natural sweeteners like honey or maple syrup can greatly improve the taste. Spices such as cinnamon, even cocoa powder or vanilla extract can add extra flavor.
How do you improve the texture? You can use a creamier base like milk, almond milk or coconut milk, among others. You could also add ice to the blender to chill it and give it some bulk. Others add a banana or avocado to smooth it out.
All of the items above will help improve the taste and mouthfeel of your protein shake. However, if you are a manufacturer of protein shakes, please reach out to us for a free sample of one of our flavor modifiers to improve the issues mentioned above. At LifeWise Ingredients, we have proven products that give you the ability to reduce the sugar in protein shakes without adding real or artificial sweeteners while keeping the sweetness you desire. Doing this helps keep the calories down. In addition, we have a few products that are GMO-free and add mouthfeel back to no/low fat products. They can also eliminate acidity, bitterness, mask off-notes and aftertastes from vitamins and soy, and optimize the overall flavor.