Fitness lovers often wonder whether or not a flavoured protein powder mixed with only plain water can actually taste good! In today’s world of smoothies, milk alternatives and fancy shakes, the standard plain water only (protein) powder mix is often overlooked as a way of getting your required daily protein intake from a protein powder.
The plain water only method of consuming your protein powder may not seem appealing; however, it provides one of the easiest ways to include protein in your daily diet.
To begin with, it's important to note that protein powder is primarily designed as a nutrition product; its main purpose is to provide a quick and efficient source of complete proteins or put another way, an efficient source of amino acids (the building blocks of muscle) for persons looking to recover from exercise, maintain or lose weight or supplement their diet with additional nutrients.
However, taste can play an important role in whether or not you will drink it regularly, because if you don't enjoy the taste, the likelihood of consuming it regularly will decline rapidly.
So, how do flavoured protein powders taste when mixed with just water?
The Flavour and Texture Chemistry
The flavours in protein powders are created to dissolve into water and convey their flavours through liquid. When cocoa powder is added to water or natural sweeteners or flavouring extracts are combined with water, there is still a chemical reaction producing flavour.
However, some of the physical properties (or mouth feel) of the liquid have changed based on the added water compared to using something like fruit or milk to mix a drink or smoothie.
In addition, as a result of the dilution, those who mix protein powder into water have stated that their drinks tasted ‘lighter’ and those that mixed it into milk had drinks that tasted ‘thinner’. However, the degree of flavour that comes through, like chocolate, vanilla and strawberry has not changed in flavour intensity (how strong they taste).
Many consumers find the differences created by adding more water makes the drink they are consuming to quickly cool down their body after exercise refreshing and easy to drink without feeling heavy or adding the additional calories involved.
Flavour equals experience
Finding the best protein powder for mixing only with water requires you to look for a product designed with versatility in mind. Products that have been specially formulated to dissolve easily and have an appropriate level of sweetness compared to their level of flavour should have a much better chance of tasting ‘flat’ than their heavier counterparts.
An example of a protein powder that has been formulated for easy mixing and has numerous positive reviews from users for tasting nice only with water is the MYOwellness Whey Blend Protein Shake. It had numerous excellent reviews from users that said they enjoyed the taste, which is a rarity among protein powders.
Water Blending Tips to Make It Better
The following suggestions will help you get maximum enjoyment from mixing with water:
- Use cold rather than warm water so that your drink has the strongest flavor and the greatest drinkability.
- Shake your drink thoroughly. The more air that is incorporated into the drink, the less clumpy and smoother it will feel in your mouth.
- Try different flavour combinations until you find what works best for you. Chocolate and fruit flavours mix well in water, while soft flavours like vanilla do not.
Flavoured protein powder can taste great on its own when blended with just water, provided that you use a well-designed water-soluble protein powder and a well-developed flavoured solvent.
Most people will be able to consume protein directly from the container or bottle using this method while being mindful of calorie consumption, making it convenient and healthy.