should you add protein powder to your coffee? 

Adding protein to coffee is one of the latest wellness trends, but while it may sound like an odd combination, its benefits are said to help improved weight loss and workout performance as well as meet daily protein needs.

May improve your workout performance

Combining protein powder with coffee may enhance your workouts. 

Rich in caffeine, coffee is a natural stimulant that can improve your muscle’s contractions and resistance to fatigue when you consume it within 60 minutes before exercising.

Likewise, protein powder provides your muscles with the building blocks they need to recover from exercise, grow, and become stronger.

Research suggests that people who regularly perform resistance exercise benefit most from ingesting 0.7–1 gram of protein per pound (1.6–2.2 grams per kg) of body weight.

May help you meet your daily protein needs

One commonly cited benefit to adding protein to coffee is that it helps people who regularly skip breakfast meet their daily protein requirements. 

Protein is likely best eaten over several periods throughout the day, especially if you’re physically active and hoping to build muscle or increase strength.

That’s because your body may only be able to use around 0.2 grams of protein per pound (0.5 grams per kg) of body weight at a time for muscle-building purposes 

For someone who weighs 154 pounds (70 kg), this amounts to around 35 grams of protein per meal. Anything above this amount is either used to make energy or excreted through your urine, so adding protein to coffee may help you spread out your protein intake more effectively. 

May help you lose weight

Adding protein powder to your coffee may aid weight loss.

Given that protein reduces hunger and promotes feelings of fullness, adding it to your coffee may help keep you fuller for longer — and possibly slash the number of calories you eat later in the day.

Protein may also provide a slight metabolism boost because it requires your body to burn more calories to break it down – more so than carbs or fats.

How to add protein powder to your coffee

Caffeine alone has potential weight loss benefits of its own, with research suggesting that it boosts your metabolism, lowers levels of hunger hormones, and raises levels of fullness hormones.

Adding protein to your coffee is a simple process as long as you keep a few pointers in mind. 

Protein powders can clump, especially when added to hot beverages like coffee. To prevent this, try adding only a little protein powder at a time while stirring continuously. 

You can also use a blender, but to prevent it from cracking, make sure to remove the plastic insert on the lid to allow steam to escape. An immersion blender also works, but it’s best to avoid blenders that don’t allow steam to escape. 

Alternatively, cool down your coffee with creamer, milk, or ice beforehand, or simply add protein powder to chilled coffee.

Protein powder is most easily added to cold coffee. If you wish to add it to hot coffee, use a blender or stir continuously to prevent clumps from forming. 

Via Healthline