WHEY PROTEIN

“Whey protein is a staple in most athletes’ diets,” says Matt Lovell. “And for good reason: it’s digested quickly, absorbed efficiently and generally tastes good. However, when it comes to price, nutritional profile and ingredient lists, there is a lot of variability. Whether you’re looking for a whey concentrate, isolate or hydrolysate, ideally you want a high protein content (20g or more), with low carbs and fat, and without unnecessary fillers and additives.”

Healthspan Elite All Blacks Ultimate Whey Protein Blend £35.99 (21 servings), healthspanelite.co.uk

Great flavours, naturally sourced sweetener and a good, simple ingredients list made Healthspan’s Ultimate Whey Protein Blend our winner. Pure whey protein isolate is high quality and a very pure source of whey protein, meaning it’s absorbed quickly.

WHY WE LIKE IT

• Natural ingredients

• Readily-absorbed whey isolate rather than concentrate

• Simple ingredients – nothing nasty

WHAT YOU GET

• 24g protein per serving

• 5.7g naturally occurring BCAAs per serving

• Actazin® digestive enzymes from New Zealand kiwi fruit

• Fully recyclable pouch

Gainful Protein Powder $45 (14 servings), gainful.com

Gainful personalises each powder according to your own performance goals (based on a questionnaire). There are additional flavouring packs to adjust the shakes flavour each time you make it, too, which is a nice touch. Added MCT oil makes it useful for semi-fasted or time-restricted eating patterns.

WHY WE LIKE IT

• Personalised mix

• Nothing nasty

• Addition of keto-assisting nutrients

WHAT YOU GET

• Protein powder tailored to you

• 19-26g per serving

• Whey, keto and plant-based formulas to suit your needs

• Free from artificial ingredients