If you’ve ever wondered how to make a protein shake, you might think the back of your tub has the answer for you: Simply scoop out some protein powder, add water, give the mixture a good shake, and there you have it.
This isn’t not true, but it’s also not the whole story, either. If you find an option you love—say, a whey protein if you’re okay with milk products, or dairy-free options like hemp seed or pea protein if you prefer plant-based protein sources—you absolutely can make a shake out of just a scoop or two and some liquid. But if you’re willing to expend a little extra time and energy, you can use whole foods to craft a high-protein drink that’s perfectly suited to your palate and your nutritional goals.
Regardless of which kind you pick, all these shakes have one thing in common: They deliver a hefty dose of protein. And that’s important, since after you work out, your body is primed to absorb nutrients, Amy Stephens, MS, RDN, a registered dietitian and certified specialist in sports nutrition, tells SELF. In the case of protein (especially in conjunction with carbs), this helps with both muscle recovery and muscle hypertrophy (or growth). A protein shake, Stephens adds, is “an easy, convenient way to obtain those nutrients without having to make food.”
So just how much of its namesake ingredient should a protein shake contain? It depends on a couple factors, including whether you’re downing one as a post-workout snack or a meal substitute, Jason Machowsky, MS, RD, a sports dietitian and registered clinical exercise physiologist, tells SELF. If it’s the former, shoot for anywhere from 25 to 35 grams of protein, he says. In the case of the latter, 10 to 20 grams should do it, Stephens says.
If you’re making your own shake, protein content isn’t the only thing you need to worry about, either—you have to consider taste and texture as well. To learn more about how the pros pull it off, we asked Machowsky and Stephens to walk us through the process of crafting a shake from start to finish.
1. Choose your base.
Depending on the consistency you’d like, you could go with a full-on liquid or something a little heftier, like yogurt or cottage cheese. Either way, you’ve got tons of options, from actual dairy to plant-based alternatives.