An easy, healthy way to boost your protein intake, protein powder can be mixed into your favourite foods and drinks. It’s a great choice for people with an active lifestyle, on a keto diet, athletes, growing teens, or during pregnancy and breastfeeding. People who are busy or following vegetarian and vegan diets may also use protein supplements as a convenient way to up their protein intake.Protein is a ‘high satiety food’, which means it keeps you feeling fuller for longer. We have whey and plant-based protein powders available in various flavours to suit any preference.
Protein shakes
Protein shakes are super quick and easy when you’re out and about. Mix protein powder with your choice of water, milk or plant mylk in a glass or stainless-steel shaker. The secret to successful mixing is pouring the liquid first, adding the powder to it, then shaking. Flavour and mixability are key when choosing a protein powder for a shake. Flavour is important because you’re not adding other flavouring ingredients. Pea and whey protein powders are consistent winners for mix-ability.
Try: NuZest Clean Lean Protein - Chocolate . Plant-based for sustainability, this pea protein has great reviews for taste and mix-ability.
Try: Natava Superfoods Whey Protein - Vanilla. New Zealand whey protein, whey is naturally easy to mix and has a mild flavour.
Protein smoothies
Protein smoothies are healthy and nutritious as the protein powder is blended with liquid, fruit and veges. Nuts, seeds and superfood powders can be added too. Protein smoothies provide fibre, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, healthy fats and protein. Plus, they offer more variety of taste than a simple shake. Protein smoothies are an easy way to have a healthy, high protein breakfast without cooking eggs.
What’s the key to good smoothie making?
Using a machine with great pulverizing power. Think Vitamix, Nutribullet, NutriNinja, or a good quality blender. When adding liquid, water is the best option as milk can curdle when mixed with some fruit and veges.
What can I put in a smoothie?
- Frozen berries
Berries add flavour and are also a low carb fruit. Being frozen makes for year-round availability and a nice cold smoothie. Plus antioxidant pigments add a pop of vibrant colour. Try blueberries, blackcurrants, blackberries and raspberries.
- Green leafy veggies
For extra fibre, vitamins, minerals plus green chlorophyll to support alkaline conditions in the body. Try spinach, kale and silver beet and make sure you blend them thoroughly.
- Bananas
They give a creamy texture and are great at disguising bitter greens like kale. Slightly green bananas contain prebiotic fibre to feed beneficial bowel probiotics.
- Frozen zucchini/courgette
Popular because it adds creaminess and a pleasant texture, keep the skin on for extra nutrients.
- Soaked nuts or nut butter
For extra fibre, protein and healthy fats, use one dessert spoon. Soaking nuts overnight in the fridge softens and makes them more blend-able. It also removes phytic acid which can affect mineral absorption. Try almonds, pistachios, walnuts, pecans and brazil nuts.
- Flaxseed
Great for added fibre, prebiotics and omega-3. Whole flaxseed is better than ground flaxseed as the intact seed casing retains the freshness of the omega-3s until you pulverize them. Consume the smoothie right away, after 30 mins the natural mucilage may create a ‘gluggy’ texture.
- Fresh ginger
For an extra antioxidant zing - this warming herb is especially great to use in winter.
- Cinnamon powder
Spicy flavour and jam packed with antioxidants like quercetin. Research has shown cinnamon to support healthy blood sugars.
- Superfood powders
For a nutritional boost, consider adding a superfood to your protein smoothie. Check out our selection of Smoothie Blends with spirulina, barley grass, beetroot, moringa, maca and blackcurrant powders.
When choosing a protein powder flavour for smoothie making, a fruit flavour is the wisest choice - chocolate and vegetables are not a flavour match.
Try: GoGood Whey Protein + Organic Banana. New Zealand whey, organic flavour and plastic-free packaging.
Try: NuZest Clean Lean Protein Wild Strawberry. Plant based, easily-mixed, with a nice mild strawberry flavour.
How to use protein powder in baking and cooking
The best thing about adding protein powder to foods: you can get creative and make your everyday foods healthier. Great for families.
Using protein powder in raw, un-baked recipes, like protein slice, bliss protein balls or chia pudding, is an easy way to add extra protein into your everyday foods. Raw recipes are easier to adapt than recipes that require rising or proofing.
Tips for baking with protein powder:
- Using a recipe that lists protein powder as an ingredient is easier than adapting a recipe
- If you decide to have a crack at adapting your favourite baking recipe, you’ll need to experiment a bit
- You can substitute up to half of the dry ingredients
- Different types of protein powders have unique textures – they each behave differently when cooked
- Plant based protein powders are more absorbent than whey, so to balance this you’ll need to add more liquid or moist ingredients
- A rubbery texture might result from too much whey protein
- A dense, brick-like texture might result from too much plant-based protein
Unflavoured protein powder is ideal for adding to foods because it doesn’t alter the flavour.
Try: GoGood Whey Protein Unflavoured. New Zealand whey, unflavoured, plastic free packaging and well-priced.
Try: Vital Protein Unflavoured. Plant-based, unflavoured, and very low in carbs.
Watch out for hidden sugars
Our Better Choices Promise means you can be confident our protein powders contain no surprise sugars. Read more about Our Sugar Policy here. Our protein powders contain less than 7% sugar unless they are flavoured and sweetened with wholefruit fruit powders, like GoGood.
Can you have too much?
Yes, you can have too much protein. The maximum daily total protein intake for an adult is 2 grams of protein per kg of body weight. Your needs depend on your age, weight and exercise levels. Too much can make it hard to pass stool, overload the kidneys and lead to digestive issues.
How much protein powder should I use?
Fortunately, our protein powders list the recommended serving size on the label. Aim for approx 20g of actual protein which is usually around 30g or 3 tablespoons of protein powder.
Types of protein
We have all-natural whey, pea and hemp protein powders. All the ingredients in our protein powders meet our strict criteria and are Good Ingredients Approved. With no harmful ingredients and no hidden sugars, so you can be confident you are making a better choice for you and your family.
- Whey protein
Whey Protein is popular because it’s easily mixed and has a naturally mild flavour. It’s a complete protein, which means when you consume a quality whey protein powder, you’ll be getting all nine essential amino acids that your body requires. It comes from the process of cheese making. It’s the whey from Miss Muffet’s famous ‘curds and whey’. Whey protein powder has a naturally creamy flavour, so it tastes great added to foods.
Try: GoGood Whey Protein Organic Chocolate. NZ whey, with plastic free packaging and organic chocolate flavour.
- Pea protein
Pea protein supplements are suitable for everyone, particularly vegetarians, vegans and anyone intolerant to animal-based protein. Being a plant-based protein, it’s a more sustainable, planet friendly choice.It’s made from the protein isolated from split yellow peas, which are legumes. Pea protein is naturally free from lactose so an excellent choice for people who avoid dairy. Peas are also a rich source of branched chain amino acids (BCAAs - leucine, isoleucine and valine), which make it popular with athletes.
Try: GoGood Pea Protein Organic Vanilla. This pea protein has great reviews for its taste and the fact it’s easy to mix and plastic free packaging.
- Hemp protein
Hemp protein is an excellent option if you’re looking for a super-food nutrient boost. It’s made from protein isolated from ground hemp seed and is a balanced source of protein, but also contains fibre and healthy fats. People describe hemp protein as having an earthy or nutty taste, which makes it an excellent choice for smoothies and nut loaves. Hemp seed comes from a type of cannabis plant, but it doesn’t contain the same compounds, so it is not psychoactive. Because hemp is a plant-based protein, it is a more environmentally responsible choice than whey protein.
Try: Vitality Organics Hemp Protein. Natural hemp, high in fibre and healthy omega oils.
Whether you’re looking for a protein powder to make an easy protein shake, a nutritious protein smoothie or to add to cooking, we’ve got you covered with our range of Good Ingredients Approved natural protein powders.