Get a FREE
ENU Intro Pack*

*Just Pay $2.00 Shipping

Why Most Nutrition Shakes Do Not Have the Appropriate Carb-to-Protein Ratio

Maintaining the proper diet can be a difficult task under the best of circumstances, and life seldom offers the best of circumstances. To help with this effort, many people turn to nutritional shakes and supplements, which can make it a lot easier to track how many calories you’re consuming and what nutrients you have in your diet, but these products are not necessarily equal in value or effectiveness. In fact, there are plenty of sub-par products on the market that claim to be able to fix all your dietary woes, but how can you tell which ones are worth the expense and which ones are not? One helpful metric is the carb-to-protein ratio, which can indicate how useful a particular shake might be for your specific goals. Below, the nutrition shake experts at ENU will discuss what numbers to look for and why most nutrition shakes do not have the appropriate carb-to-protein ratio; keep reading to learn more.

Finding the Appropriate Carb-to-Protein Ratio for Your Nutrition Shakes

There’s a lot that can be said about striking the proper balance of macronutrients in any food product, including nutrition shakes, and very little will apply to everyone, with a single exception: finding the appropriate carb-to-protein for your nutrition shakes will depend on your personal goals. In other words, it all comes down to why you’re choosing to employ nutrition shakes in the first place. We’ll cover some of the most popular reasons – and their corresponding ratios – here:

Weight Loss

Perhaps the most common goal among those using nutrition shakes is weight loss, a process that can be tough or relatively easy depending on how a person goes about it. Generally speaking, losing weight requires a consistent calorie deficit – traditionally about 500 calories a day, though the number can vary – but it also requires keeping an eye on what nutrients you eat.

As the two most calorie-dense macronutrients, fats and carbs should take a back seat to protein in any weight loss nutrition shake. Not only will protein make you feel fuller than carbs and fats, but it will also promote muscle growth brought on by exercise and help preserve existing muscle as your body loses mass. For this reason, try to get no more than 50% of your calories from carbs and about 30% from protein, which would be a carb-to-protein ratio of about 5:3 in a nutrition shake.

Improved Fitness

Although there are many different kinds of nutrition shakes, the most popular are almost certainly protein shake for athletes. The unique needs of an athlete’s body demand special dietary considerations – namely an abundance of protein – but carbs are also important, especially when it comes to post-workout recovery. When we exercise, our muscles burn through a finite supply of glycogen, a type of glucose that fuels intense physical activity, and the best way to restore that supply and regain energy is to include a dose of carbohydrates after a tough workout.

For runners, bikers, and others who predominantly engage in cardio, nutrition shakes should skew more toward carbs, with a carb-to-protein ratio of about 11:5 (or about 55% of calories from carbs and 20-25% from protein). On the other hand, weightlifters and athletes looking to bulk up should prioritize protein, with a carb-to-protein ratio of about 9:7 (about 45% of calories from carbs and 35% from protein).

Weight Gain

The last reason for nutrition shake use that we’ll discuss here is healthy weight gain. While some people assume that all you need to do to gain weight is binge on fatty or sugary snacks, the resulting increase in mass will largely be unhealthy visceral fat, so it’s crucial to balance your macronutrient intake instead.

Still, weight gain means that you’ll want to allow for plenty of calorie-dense carbs and fats, even as you make sure to include enough protein to fuel muscle growth as well. Choose weight gain protein shakes with a carb-to-protein ratio somewhere in the neighborhood of 9:5, with about 45-50% of calories coming from carbs and about 20-25% from protein.

The Reason Many Nutrition Shakes Lack the Proper Carb-to-Protein Ratio

If you’re wondering why most nutrition shakes do not have the appropriate carb-to-protein ratio, the reason is often simple: these companies focus on results. If you buy a weight gain shake, for instance, the producer of that shake likely only cares whether it adds to the number on the scale, since that’s how many users will gauge the product’s effectiveness; regardless of whether that increase is healthy and balanced or fat-centric and harmful, what matters is that the nutrition shake makes you bigger in some way.

Of course, that’s not to say that there aren’t shakes aiming to provide a safe and measured way to gain weight – or lose weight, or improve your fitness level. Companies like ENU strive to provide a comprehensive nutritional profile in all their shakes, complete with the proper number of calories and ingredients that come from real foods. By turning to a nutrition shake with these features, rather than one filled with corn syrup or synthetic additives, you can take care of your body as a whole while furthering your health, weight, and fitness goals at the same time.

Try a Nutrition Shake with a Healthy Carb-to-Protein Ration from ENU

There may be many brands of nutrition shake out there that lack the proper carb-to-protein ratio, but that does not mean you have to search high and low for a healthy alternative. At ENU, we prioritize your overall health with our meal replacement shakes, rather than just pushing results that may hurt you in the long run. Learn more about all the benefits of ENU products by visiting us online or calling (855) 266-6733 today.

Get ENU Nutrition Products Delivered Right to Your Door

Select an Auto-Ship Option at Checkout to Save 10%.

Shop Now and Save

×
 
Why Choose to Autoship?
  • Automatically re-order your favorite products on your schedule.
  • Easily change the products or shipping date for your upcoming Scheduled Orders.
  • Pause or cancel any time.