Not only can you put protein powder in coffee, but you might find it’s one of the easiest, most delicious little “diet hacks” around!
Protein is the best way to start your day, but what you really want is a steaming cup of coffee to turn the lights on in your head and get you moving. But why choose?
Adding a little whey protein to your coffee is one of the easiest ways to improve your morning cup of joe. It allows you to get more protein in for muscular growth/recovery, supports metabolism, and boosts brain-power more than caffeine alone!
We haven’t even mentioned the nutritional benefits and it’s already great! Read on if you want to harness the potential of your morning bean juice for maximal strength and physique gains…
Contents
Why Protein and Coffee Are Perfect Together
What Are the Perks of More Protein?
Mixing protein powder with coffee means more protein. Protein is key because a high-protein diet is one of the best things you can do for your body.
Protein is the building block of muscles and connective tissues, which means you need lots if you’re going to be exercising heavily. This is even more true if you’re trying to gain weight and build muscle, where protein intake is a huge factor.
It’s also key to proper recovery between training sessions and producing the best results for strength, power, and endurance. It can be difficult to get in the 100s of grams of protein you need for maximal performance, so adding it to your coffee can be a great choice.
It’s also one of the slowest-metabolizing macronutrients. This is great because it extends the effects of coffee through the digestive system, as well as reducing hunger and regulating metabolism. These are great for health and wellbeing (as well as exercise performance).
It’s not just about what protein can do for you, however, it’s also about the combination of the nutrients in coffee and whey…
What Are the Benefits of Coffee and Whey?
Caffeine is one of the best compounds out there and it’s tied to better mental and physical performance all by itself.
However, if you’re adding protein powder to coffee, some even cooler stuff happens. Proteins are made up of amino acids, which all have their own effects and benefits. The ones in whey combine with caffeine in some awesome ways to produce better results.
For example, key amino acids for the brain – tyrosine and theanine – are found in whey. These are amazing for supporting mood and some research suggests that getting them first thing in the morning is a great way to set yourself up for the day.
The combination of these compounds with caffeine contributes to a more sustainable and long-lasting “buzz”. Theanine, for example, extends the wakefulness of caffeine use, while combating the possibility of side-effects like headaches.
This is an amazing combination and you may even find that the digestive qualities of things like Glutamine from whey help you fend off illness during high-stress times.
Why Does a Better Morning Coffee Help Your Diet?
The point of the morning coffee is to help you wake up and get to your best as soon as possible. Not only is coffee delicious and sophisticated, but the caffeine is a perfect way to get going in the morning when you’re struggling to shake off the tiredness.
Caffeine perks you up right out of the gate and lets you get moving early on. It’s a great combination with a variety of other morning foods like eggs, but often you just don’t have time. Life gets in the way and you might need to get the most out of a quick coffee.
That’s why we recommend coffee with protein powder if you want to get the best recovery, the best performance, and maximize your morning focus-boost.
What Will Whey and Coffee Taste Like?
We get it – you might think this is a weird recommendation. However, whey is already effectively protein-rich milk powder. It’s almost no different to dropping some cream in your morning coffee.
If you’re not drinking black coffee, this is going to taste and feel pretty familiar. It provides a rich texture that feels distinctly normal and if you’re using a good protein powder, it shouldn’t produce any lumps or problems. Stir thoroughly!
You’ll probably want to use a vanilla or chocolate based whey protein, though obviously if you want to be weird and use strawberry-banana that’s your choice. We love a good chocolate-caramel protein powder in a black coffee because, obviously, it’s delicious.
How Should I Combine Whey and Coffee?
There’s really not much surprise to this – you just add protein powder to coffee. However, there are a few simple tips to do it perfectly:
- Less than you think: you can always add more, but you can’t un-whey your coffee. Add a little at a time, stir, and repeat.
- Add powder to coffee: if you put the powder in first, you’re going to get clumps and potentially a layer of unmixed whey at the bottom. Fill your cup 2/3 with coffee, stir in your whey, then top up with coffee.
- Blend it: if you’re having a cold coffee or you want a smooth, creamy texture you can blend up a regular americano-style black coffee with a scoop of whey and some water/milk/ice cubes. These are all good choices for a different texture
- Don’t be afraid to play with it: recipes evolve over time in response to your tastes. Be ready to experiment and find what works best for you. Different liquids, different flavors of protein powder, and different coffee grounds will all produce different results!
Is Mixing Coffee with Whey a Good Idea?
Coffee and whey are a great combination. If you’re already putting dairy into your coffee then you may as well upgrade to whey. It’s an easy switch that can improve your physical and mental performance while making your morning coffee a bit more of an event!
We’ve highlighted why coffee and whey is a great combination, and we think you should try it for yourself. There’s a lot to be said for the experience and you’ll only find that out for yourself by trying it.
There are big benefits to these small dietary tweaks, but they might be the perfect choice for your lifestyle. It’s a great way to get those extra grams of protein in while maximizing their effect on your brain!
Give this combo a try and let us know what you think – just remember to give it a thorough stir before drinking!
