Making Homemade Protein Powder: Is It Worth It?
The protein supplement industry is growing rapidly. With millions of people purchasing protein supplements regularly, market research experts project that the industry will grow by 6.3% every year. This growth rate will increase the industry's worth by more than $9 billion in ten years.
Protein powder purchases make up a huge chunk of these figures, and while there are many brands out there, it is still difficult to find the best protein powder without breaking the bank. It's only right that you want to learn how to make protein powder at home.
To make the process easier for you, we've not only outlined how to make homemade protein powder but also answered other questions you may have, including whether there are alternatives to it. Continue reading to learn all the tips and tricks for supplementing your protein intake with homemade protein.
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What Are the Ingredients of Protein Powder?
Protein powder ingredients can vary widely depending on their type and brand, but they generally consist of one or more protein sources along with additives for flavor, texture, and nutritional enhancement.
Whey, casein, soy, and peas are common protein ingredients in protein powder. Some brands also obtain their protein from seeds like sunflower, pumpkin, chia, and hemp.
For additives, natural flavors like vanilla and chocolate are common. Sweeteners like sugar and stevia are also common. Additionally, many brands add various vitamins and minerals for an enhanced nutritional profile.
How Can I Make My Own Protein Powder?
Making your own protein powder can be a walk in the park, depending on how you approach it. It is easy to make plant-based protein powder at home because you don't have to process the ingredients as much.
Animal-based protein powder, on the other hand, especially whey protein, may not be so easy to make. With whey, you must extract the whey from milk during the cheese or yogurt-making process, and navigating this extraction at home may not be so effortless. Hence, this recipe will focus on plant-based protein sources.
Homemade Protein Powder Recipe
For this simple homemade protein powder recipe, here are the base ingredients you need:
Chia seeds.
Flax seeds.
Pumpkin seeds.
Hemp seeds.
As for supplies, here's all you need:
Blender or food processor.
Large mixing bowl.
Airtight container for storage.
Instructions
Prepare the seeds: This step typically involves roasting. You can roast your seeds or buy already roasted seeds, but note that the latter option will be more expensive. Moreover, it's not necessary to roast the seeds — the main reason for this is flavor enhancement. If that's not important to you, you can skip this step altogether.
Grind the seeds: Now, it's time to grind the seeds to a fine powder using your blender or food processor. It is expedient to grind the seeds separately because they have different textures and sizes, but you can still achieve a fine powder without separation.
Sift the ground powder: You can also sift the already ground powder for an even finer texture.
Mix the seeds: If you previously ground the seeds separately, you should mix them in a large bowl. At this stage, you can add ingredients like cocoa powder, cinnamon, and vanilla bean for extra flavor.
Store the powder: Transfer the mixed powder to an airtight container and keep it in a cool, dry place. You could also refrigerate it to extend its shelf life.
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Benefits of Homemade Protein Powder
Control Over Ingredients
Making your own protein powder means that you, and only you, decide what goes into your powder. This is especially helpful if you have allergies, specific nutritional goals, or dietary restrictions.
Allergens like gluten, soy, dairy, and nuts are present in many commercial protein powders. If you're allergic to any substance, making your own protein powder may be the best way to avoid any issues.
In the same way, many protein powder brands contain preservatives and artificial additives, including sweeteners, flavors, and colors. Choosing the personalized route will help make your powder more natural.
Cost Effectiveness
Protein powder can be rather expensive, especially for brands with organic or specialized ingredients. Making protein powder at home can be a cheaper option, particularly when you can buy base ingredients like rice and peas in bulk at a more affordable rate.
Customization for Taste and Preference
By making your protein powder at home, you can modify the taste by experimenting with different ingredients and flavors. Cocoa powder, vanilla, and cinnamon are just some of the natural flavorings you can add to your protein powder to improve or finetune its taste.
If you make your protein at home, you can also create any type of nutritional environment you want. You can adjust the protein content, add vitamins and minerals, and even supplement with amino acids.
A Fresh Taste and Feel
Traditional protein powders may sit on store shelves for weeks to months before being bought and used. Homemade protein powder, on the other hand, is used not long after preparation, so you can be sure it's fresh and natural.
Promoting a Healthier Lifestyle and Fostering Nutrition Learning
Learning about nutrition without getting your hands dirty can only take you so far. Taking control of your nutrition and health often requires a hands-on approach involving activities like preparing meals at home.
Making your protein powder at home will not only help improve your health but will also teach you what goes into making protein powder through experience. This experience can inform your choice when you next try to buy protein from a store or online.
You learn how ingredients combine and react with each other and which substances and combinations to avoid.
Lower Environmental Impact
Commercial production often involves processing, packaging, and transportation, all of which contribute to carbon emissions. Making your protein powder at home reduces some of this impact, especially if you use locally sourced and less processed ingredients.
Some may argue that this is simply a drop in the ocean. Well, efforts like this add up, and with time, it could make a big difference.
Is It Cheaper to Make Your Own Protein Powder?
The problem with buying protein powder from stores is that the less expensive ones may be low-quality. They may also contain a variety of artificial additives that you may not feel comfortable ingesting.
On the other hand, the price of quality organic protein powder may have you breaking the bank. This is where crafting your own homemade protein powder comes in. You can buy the ingredients at a relatively low rate, so much so that when you check the total expenses, homemade protein powder is much cheaper than store-bought.
For example, a 453-gram bag of flax seeds at Kroger costs about nine dollars. Again, a bag of organic shelled hemp seeds at Whole Foods costs about seven dollars.
When you portion out your ingredients and throw them into the blender or any tool you choose to use, you'll have multiple servings at only a fraction of the price of store-bought protein. Moreover, your protein powder is not just cheaper but also healthier because you know everything that went into making it.
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What is a Good Substitute For Protein Powder At Home?
Ultimately, most people take protein powder to supplement their protein intake. Eating protein can be difficult, depending on how much protein you need. Protein powder makes it easier by being a medium through which you can just drink a lot of protein without shoveling hundreds of grams of chicken into your mouth. Powders also tend to be lower in calories than many other protein sources.
However, you don't need protein powder to make ingesting protein easier. If you're looking for other ways to pack in more protein, including plant and animal sources, here are some, depending on your dietary preferences.
Nut and Seed Mixtures
Blending various nuts and seeds, like hemp seeds, almonds, and flax seeds, can create a high-protein mix that you can add to an already high-protein food like yogurt. For example, with homemade protein powder, simply grind it into a fine powder using a high-speed blender or food processor.
Oats
Containing only 10 to 11 grams of protein per cup, oats are not as high in protein as many other alternatives. However, preference is important, and if you like oats, why not? You can grind some oats into a fine powder and give it a protein boost by throwing in some nuts and seeds. Oats are also a fine source of carbohydrates and fiber.
Dried Lentils or Chickpeas
You can roast dried lentils or chickpeas for enhanced flavor and grind them into a fine powder. These grains provide protein, fiber, and a host of other nutrients.
Quinoa Flour
Quinoa has all the nine essential amino acids. This means that it contains all the proteins that you need to ingest through food because your body cannot produce them on its own. You can simply grind dry quinoa or buy quinoa flour.
Peanut Flour or Powder
Peanut flour is lower in fat than regular peanuts, so you don't have to worry about the high-fat content. You can obtain this protein powder alternative by grinding defatted peanut chunks. To increase the protein content, you can also throw in some dry milk powder.
Egg White Powder
If you don't have a problem using eggs, you can dehydrate egg whites and grind them into a powder. This process involves breaking your eggs into a bowl, putting them into a non-stick tray, and baking them for hours. It's a little complex, so you have to be thorough and careful.
Final Thoughts
Making protein powder at home is a feasible and potentially rewarding endeavor, especially if you seek control over your dietary supplements. Additionally, this process is cost-effective.
Nonetheless, there are important factors to consider as you embark on the journey of making your own protein powder. One challenge is that the process requires initial investments in terms of ingredients and equipment. For example, if you don't have a blender or food processor, you'd have to buy one.
Also, the nutritional content may vary, and achieving a balanced amino acid profile may be challenging, especially if you're using plant protein. In contrast, some commercial protein powders have formulas that are scientifically engineered to contain all the essential amino acids, along with vitamins and minerals.
Ultimately, whether making homemade protein powder is worth it depends on your priorities. If you value customization, natural ingredients, and control, this route is definitely for you. For those willing to experiment and invest the initial effort, homemade protein powder is a valuable resource.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is homemade protein powder effective?
Homemade protein powder can be effective, depending on the ingredients used. It is expedient to use high-protein ingredients like hemp and flax seeds. Also, if you're using plant-based products, it's best to use a variety to increase the chances of having a complete amino acid profile.
Can you DIY protein powder?
With few ingredients, you can definitely DIY protein powder. Just bring together a mixture of flax, hemp, pumpkin, and chia seeds. Blend with a blender or food processor and add natural flavoring like cocoa powder or vanilla. Voila! Your homemade protein powder is ready.
What are the 3 types of protein powder?
When choosing a protein powder brand, you can choose animal-based, plant-based, or blended powders. Animal-based protein powders are obtained from animal sources like whey, while plant-based powders are obtained from plant sources like soy. Lastly, blended powders combine various base ingredients to offer a comprehensive amino acid profile. Many plant-based protein powders are blended.
This article has been reviewed by our editorial board and has been approved for publication in accordance with our editorial policy.
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