Best protein powders for muscle gain?

Jonathan Miller7 said:What part isn't clear? I’m honestly getting sick of vegan cheese after eating way too much of it—same goes for canned tuna, and even those smoked sausages aren't what they used to be. 😁

I haven't tried mixing vegan cheese with anything yet, but combining it with something sweet sounds absolutely revolting to me. Stick to savory stuff—like maybe mixing it with tuna or whatever.

edit: Currently crushing some Gouda. It's loaded with fat, but man, it's delicious, and it's got 25g of protein per 100 grams :P Not that I'm worried about gaining weight or anything—I'm actually trying to bulk up, still need another 20 pounds on me.

It's a whole different story if you've gone overboard. I'm just posting this for people who are planning to start eating healthier but are totally spooked by all these baseless horror stories.

When I first tried oatmeal, I thought it was going to be a disaster because of everything people told me. Turns out, it ended up being my absolute favorite thing to eat.

I know this guy at my gym—some little bodybuilder type who brags about how he can chug flaxseed oil straight. Everyone just rolls their eyes and stares. I gave it a shot though, and honestly? It's totally fine. Now I take it all the time by itself.

As for vegan cheese, people were telling me it would be sour, bitter, blah blah blah... but honestly, cheese couldn't taste any better.

I know I'm kind of drifting off-topic here, but maybe this helps someone decide to actually add these great foods to their meal plan. They've really gotten an unfair reputation.

Ashley Perez50 said:I haven't really done my homework yet—I just showed up here without doing much Googling first. 🙂
The vegan options are getting old, which is why I'm hunting for a substitute.

Grain cheese👍
is basically identical to the vegan stuff in terms of ingredients—check the label to be sure—but it actually tastes good.

placidranger said:cottage cheese👍
is basically the same thing as the fat-free stuff (or at least super close—check the label!), just way more flavorful.

The fat-free version is usually under 1% fat, while the cottage cheese hits up to 10%.

Personally, I think the fat-free stuff tastes better if I'm just snacking on it plain or tossing in some banana, but if I've got some good bread? Then the cottage cheese wins every time. When I eat it by itself without any bread, it’s... alright, I guess. It gets the job done.

lean cuts have about 10% fat

Kimberly Stewart47 said:The fat content ranges from about 1% for the non-fatty stuff up to 10% for the whole grain variety.

There's even a version with 20% fat.🙂 😁
Even at a 200g serving, it’s not much different from the low-fat one—just a few grams of fat swinging either way. Not that I care too much about the specifics, though; I’m currently bulking, so fats aren't my main concern.

I find the low-fat version tastes better if I eat it plain or with a banana, but the whole grain one is much better paired with some bread. If I eat it without the bread, it’s just okay. It gets by.

I can't do it without bread.🤷

Alex Long8 said:At least you actually bothered to look into what casein and all that other junk is.
Microsoft is one of those brands that hits the sweet spot between price and quality. If you want it cheaper, you can grab a smaller tub, or just wait a month or two until I place an order with a group from another forum—we usually manage to snag a 20% discount.
It comes with a 30g scoop inside, so you don't have to waste time doing math every time you eat.
If you really want to stretch your dollar, try taking just half a scoop on days when you've already hit your protein goals through solid food.
Sometimes you can just swap the casein for low-fat cottage cheese. About 200g of cottage cheese is roughly one scoop. The taste is pretty gross, but swapping it out once or twice a week isn't a bad idea. You can mix stuff into the cottage cheese to make it tolerable; there are plenty of recipes out there.

"One of the cheaper ones" is definitely an overstatement.

One of the better ones, though? Absolutely.

And what about the local, fresh cheese when it comes to fat and protein content?

Nicholas Kern90 said:one of the cheaper ones probably isn't

one of the better ones, for sure.

What I meant was: the cheapest of the good stuff.

As for vegan options, they're alright. Nothing special, but not exactly revolting either. I can't really eat them on their own, but they work if you have some toast. Since I'm bulking, I don't have to be super strict, so having some vegan protein with toast before bed is fine.

But you guys seriously need to try this brand my friend uses. You wouldn't believe it—19g of protein per 100g. It was on sale at Kroger, $3.75 500g tubs. I grabbed seven of them on Saturday and now I'm out. Need to hit the store again; maybe they still have some in stock.

placidranger said:Oh, wait! I totally forgot to mention—there’s also a version with a 20% cut! 🙂 😁
Honestly, even at 200g, there’s barely any difference compared to the fat-free version. The fat content is basically a wash—up or down a tiny bit, whatever. Plus, I’m currently on a bulk, so I’m really not sweating the fat macros too much right now!

Honestly, I don't know how anyone survives without bread. Like, seriously, I am totally lost without it! It’s basically a lifestyle at this point. 🤷

You should totally give it a shot with some deli meat! I’m talking turkey, chicken, or even some smoky deli salami—it'll make such a huge difference.

granitegardener14 said:So, what's the deal with that fresh, homemade cheese when it comes to the fat and protein content? Is it actually worth the effort?

From what I can gather, that guy's diet is basically just a massive pile of fats!

placidranger said:there’s actually a version with 20% fat too 🙂 😁
On a 7oz serving, it’s not even that different from the vegan stuff—the fat content is basically the same either way (though, honestly, I’m currently bulking, so I don't really give a damn about the extra fat)

but man, I just can't do it without some bread. 🤷

Jonathan Miller7, the vegan one I’ve been eating says 1% fat total
but if I remember right, the whole grain version was closer to 10%.

placidranger... the first time it was weird, but the second time it actually tasted better without any bread. At least for me.🤷
and that whole grain stuff? ugh, forget about it...

If anyone happens to have some whey protein for sale, shoot me a DM 😉
Hey there

Since this thread is getting pretty active, I figured I’d just go ahead and ask you something.

Is there actually any real difference between different brands of glutamine? I’m looking at one from a brand like Thorne $53 that goes for about $30 for a half-kilo, and then there are others priced around $400 for the same amount.

Look, price gaps usually come down to branding—you’re paying for the label on the tub—but there's also the actual processing involved. It could be something like micronization or whatever technical jargon they use to justify the markup.
Micronized glutamine hits your system faster, meaning it reaches the muscles more efficiently than the standard stuff. But honestly? At the end of the day, you’re getting the exact same physiological result from both.

Maybe there’s some other niche reason, I don't know...

So, I'm thirteen, standing about 5'7", and I'm hovering right around 112-115 lbs depending on how the scale decides to act up that day.
I've been trying to put some actual muscle on my legs, but it feels like I'm hitting a brick wall every single time. Does anyone have any actual advice? Thanks. (:

Lisa Carter21 said:Hey, I'm 13, about 5'7", and I only weigh around 112-115 lbs according to the scale.
I really want to build up my legs, but nothing is working. Does anyone have any advice? Thanks! (:

And why on earth did you decide to post that under a thread specifically about "proteins"? 🙂

What’s the actual difference between slow-digesting proteins like casein and standard whey?

For instance, does it really matter if I swap out casein for whey mixed with milk in the morning when it comes to absorption rates? Let’s say my college schedule keeps me busy from 8 AM until 3 PM. If I grab some eggs and milk with a scoop of whey at around 7 AM, and then just settle for one or two sandwiches later in the day, would switching to casein for breakfast make a noticeable difference in my overall results—specifically regarding muscle growth and general body composition?

I'm a complete beginner, so I wanted to ask you all a quick question. I saw that whey protein from Dell—it seems pretty affordable, so I was wondering if it would be okay to take it right after my workout?

ironangler4 said:I'm a total beginner here, so I wanted to ask you guys something. I saw that whey protein powder over at Dell—it isn't exactly expensive, so I'm wondering if it would be okay to take it right after a workout?

Forget that whey from Dell. It’s nowhere near what you’d call high quality. Honestly, the price tag tells you everything you need to know.

Harold Booth68 said:What’s the actual difference between slow-digesting proteins (casein) and Whey?

Like, does it really matter if I grab some Whey mixed with milk in the morning instead of casein with milk when it comes to absorption? For instance, if I’m stuck at college from 8 AM to 3 PM, and I have breakfast around 7 AM—say a sandwich or eggs plus milk and Whey—and then just grab another sandwich or two later on, will the results for my body and muscle growth be better if I switch to casein?

Look, you have to consider that Whey hits your muscles incredibly fast (I'd say under 30 minutes), whereas those other proteins are designed for a slow release that can last over 10 hours.

If you mix your Whey with other foods, the absorption rate is going to slow down. For example, it’s definitely going to absorb slower if you drink it with milk compared to just mixing it with water.

I'm 17 and been grinding at water polo for 4 years now. Training 2-3 hours a day, 6 days a week. Sitting at 80kg, but I'm looking to pack on some serious mass. Since I've got zero experience with this stuff, what are you guys recommending? 😉