What is the best protein shake for weight loss? Building muscle? Overall health?
In this article I will be comparing a few of the most popular protein shakes in terms of ingredients, cost, and taste. I will focus on a few of the most well known brands, most of which also have an income opportunity attached, but I will focus solely on the product itself, not the business.
First of all let’s explore Isagenix.
Isagenix is a multi level marketing company whose main products are it’s protein shakes. Having tried them myself, I can verify that the shake are very tasty. Even my kids like them and that is saying a lot because they don’t like too many of the shakes I have tried. Isagenix shakes come in creamy french vanilla, dutch chocolate, black sesame, natural berry harvest, and strawberry cream. Isagenix claims to use a very high quality whey protein isolate that is natural and free from pesticides. They claim to be a very healthy shake, despite the fact that each serving contains 16 grams of sugar. Perhaps that is why my kids like them so much.
The cost of a 14 serving canister is approximately $52 plus taxes and shipping so most people would need 2 canisters per month. If you sign up as a distributor you get each canister for around $40 plus tax and shipping. Isagenix promotes a ’30 day cleanse’ and you will find a ton of success stories from people using Isagenix all over the internet.
The main pros for Isagenix are its high quality whey and the taste.
The cons are the high sugar content and the lack of other ‘superfood’ ingredients.
Next let’s look at Shakeology by BeachBody.
BeachBody changed their marketing to into a network marketing structure in 2007 after many years of success through infomercials. Their name is well known mostly for it’s fitness programs like P90X and Insanity. The ingredients in Shakeology are very high quality and many of them are considered superfoods. To source all these ingredients separately would be extremely expensive. Overall, the protein content and the nutritional content are exceptional, and one look at the ingredients list will impress anyone in the health industry.
The cost of a 30 day supply is $119, making it the most expensive of the brands. But as a ‘coach’, you would receive 25% off plus free shipping. It cost’s $15/month extra to be a coach with BeachBody in order to maintain the discount. When you look at it that way, the monthly cost for Shakeology including taxes and all fees would be around $120 which is almost the same as just buying it retail.
However, despite the high cost, many people who are conscious of ingredients choose Shakeology. In terms of taste it’s one of my favourites. And my kids love it.
BeachBody also offers some well known fitness programs like P90X, Brazilian Butt Lift, Insanity, and TurboFire, that go along with their weight loss incentives. They promote nutrition, good eating, plus exercise to lose weight, and like Isagenix and most other shakes, you will find tons of success stories with Shakeology.
The pros of Shakelogy are the superior, wholefoods based ingredients that are nutritionally dense.
The only con would be the cost.
Another great shake, that is slightly off the radar because the company’s main focus is skin care, is the Arbonne Essentials shakes.
The Arbonne shake uses a mix of pea protein as it’s main protein source. Most people don’t realize that pea protein provides a good pre-workout energy boost as well as post workout muscle recovery. It also contains a similar amino acid profile to whey protein but is particularly high in lysine, phenylalaline, and arginine. Pea protein digests much easier than whey and does not contain any lactose or gluten, and that means no bloating. It also means it’s good for anyone with allergies or sensitivities.
Beyond the pea protein, the Arbonne shake contains rice protein, flax seed, panax ginseng, cranberry, kelp powder to name a few, as well as all the essential minerals.
The Arbonne shakes costs $85 retail for a 30 days supply but you have the option of getting it at 20% off by becoming a preferred client. It cost’s $24 to become a preferred client.
The bottom line when choosing the best protein shake for you is to look at the ingredients first to ensure you are getting everything you need, make sure you like the taste, and that it fits into your budget. Combine your shake of choice with a healthy diet and good exercise routine, and you will be on your way to a healthier, happier, lifestyle. You may have to try a few to find one you like the best but hopefully this review should help you narrow that down.
