Q I’d like to add protein powder to my morning smoothies to speed weight loss. But there are so many options! Which one is best?

A

Great question! We advise whey isolate protein for weight loss. International Journal of Obesity research found that women who supplemented with whey lost 200% more visceral belly fat (the kind of fat that wraps around vital organs) than women who didn’t consume whey. Credit goes to its complete amino acid profile, which provides the body with all the compounds it needs to maintain muscle tone while triggering fat burn. Plus, it contains such minute amounts of lactose, it won’t trigger symptoms if you’re sensitive.

University of Washington researchers found that women who made no changes to their diet other than boosting protein to 30% of their daily intake unconsciously ate 441 fewer daily calories and lost 11 pounds in 12 weeks. One to try: Opportuniteas Grass-Fed Whey Protein Isolate (Amazon.com).