Proteins are essential for muscle development, resulting in a general weightlifting need to consume around a certain amount of protein daily to aid muscle development. To ensure they meet their daily protein requirement, many weightlifters opt for protein shakes; however, many protein shake brands do not taste good – apparently including Muscle Milk.
What is Muscle Milk?
Muscle Milk is a non-dairy protein shake containing a mixture of high-quality proteins. Like other protein shakes, Muscle Milk’s specific design offers sustained energy to weightlifters or general athletes.
The protein shake is a lactose-free beverage with zero trans fats and limited fructose corn syrup. Its label claims that one can consume Muscle Milk as a complete supplement rather than as a meal. However, dieticians have noted that it may not be quite as simple.
The brand also claims that Muscle Milk includes special ingredients like body-building nutrients that can help users develop lean muscle mass. Nevertheless, the protein shake includes calcium sodium caseinate as its primary ingredient, milk protein isolate, whey protein concentrate, and Lactoferrin.
Other ingredients in the protein shake include canola oil, sunflower oil, and medium-chain triglycerides, as well as artificial colors and flavors.
Why does Muscle Milk taste bad
There have been varying remarks as to the taste or after taste of Muscle Milk, including it tasting phenomenal, better than other protein shakes, or downright bad. While there could be some truth to the various assertions, here are some reasons why Muscle Milk may taste bad:
Artificial sweeteners
A primary reason why a protein shake will taste bad is typically the presence of artificial sweeteners. Protein shake manufacturers commonly fill their shakes with 0-calorie sweeteners like sucralose, aspartame, ace k, and saccharin, aiming to show that they are low in sugar.
Furthermore, other than a terrible taste, these artificial sweeteners can also result in headaches, gastric distress, migraines, and even weight gain. Asides from these effects, artificial sweeteners can also leave a chemical after-taste on the tongue, in addition to increasing the chances of a sugar crash.
Mesh count
Another factor that may be the cause of Muscle Milk’s poor taste is the mesh count. The higher a powder’s mesh count, the finer it is in consistency and, as a result, less “chalky.” Milk protein powders have been a part of the human diet considerably longer than many plant-based protein powders. As a result, they are more evolved with regard to having higher mesh counts. Because of this, a scoop of hemp, pea, or flax may taste like a scoop of sand.
Side effects of Muscle Milk
Here are some of the possible side effects of using the protein shake:
Nutrient deficiencies
Getting a considerable amount of your necessary protein from protein shakes and other supplements instead of whole foods may result in you consuming fewer vitamins, minerals, and other vital nutrients.
While many shakes and protein powders include various nutrients, supplements are typically unable to replicate the protective ingredients that whole foods naturally come in, including immune-boosting antioxidants. Protein shakes also usually has very little dietary fiber, which is vital for good digestive health.
Side effects
Whey and soy proteins are two common protein sources in weightlifting supplements, and they both come with possible side effects, despite being generally safe to use. For whey protein, those effects commonly include fatigue, reduced appetite, digestive discomfort, and headaches at high doses.
On the other hand, while studies on soy are currently inconclusive, the Harvard School of Public Health published a research review in 2014 noting that concentrated soy supplements could raise breast cancer risks.
Toxin traces
Protein supplements are generally not properly monitored and regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Furthermore, many supplements include contaminants that are harmful when one consumes them continually or in large doses, according to testing performed by Consumer Reports in 2010.
The testing assessed substances in 15 commercially distributed protein shake and powders and found that they contained traces of possibly toxic substances like cadmium, arsenic, lead, and mercury. Chronic heavy-metal poisoning can lead to severe health concerns in the long run, with symptoms like fatigue, headache, weakness, and pain in the joints and muscles.
Protein overload
Weightlifters generally require more protein than regular and often sedentary people. Depending on their fitness goals and body weights, this is usually up to twice as much daily. However, drinking protein shakes daily combined with your regular diet may result in you regularly exceeding protein recommendations.
Likewise, according to the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, many Americans ingest more than twice their respective necessary amount of protein. However, excess extra protein can lead to a higher risk of health challenges like kidney stones, cancer, kidney disease, and osteoporosis.
Best time to use protein shakes
Here are two of the most efficient periods to use your protein shake:
As a meal replacement
Protein shakes are perfectly prepared to occasionally serve as a meal substitute, especially when there is not enough time to have a proper meal. Experts have recommended including a source of vegetables, healthy fat, and a serving or two of fruit, with a scoop or two of protein powder.
Because of the variety of nutrients, you can use this combination in place of a meal or together with a regular meal if you are seeking to gain weight. Nevertheless, because of the reasons already stated, you should not view supplements as an alternative to a regular meal. Instead, they are meant to complement regular meals.
After your workout sessions
The post-workout window is a brief period of time when you can consume nutrients after your workout for optimal nutritional benefits. As a result, a protein shake may be the most suitable consumable during that period, especially if you don’t have enough time to get a proper meal.
Alternatively, you may not require the protein shake and simply eat a protein-rich meal if you have a home gym. Contrary to popular opinion, setting up a home gym is not too costly or difficult. You can set up a home gym with a barbell, a few dumbbells, a squat rack, a pull-up bar, and perhaps a cable machine if you can afford it.
