Drinking a shake made with casein protein powder has a lot of benefits for your fitness goals. The downside is, drinking the same shake every day can get boring. Fortunately, there are more ways to use casein than just mixed with plain water.
Some protein powders like our casein protein powder are easy to use in other recipes too. You can try it in anything from baked goods to pizza crust. Currently, our favorite is casein protein ice cream.
How Protein Promotes Bodybuilding
Although carbohydrates, protein, and fat are all essential to change your body composition, protein is the most influential for bodybuilding. Protein is made up of amino acids that your muscle uses for fuel during your workouts and to build new muscle after your workouts.
When you lift weights, the fibers in the muscles you’re working break down. Those muscles use amino acids to repair those fibers, so they’re even more robust and larger than before, which is how your body gains muscle. However, if you don’t consume enough protein to support your activity level, this process will slow down, and you probably won’t see the results you’re looking for.
The amount of protein you consume may also depend on whether you’re focused on putting on mass, or burning fat to become leaner. Either way, if you have high protein needs, a protein supplement in the form of a bar, powder, can help you meet your goals when you’re not getting enough from food alone.
Specific Benefits of Casein Protein for Muscle Gain
The two most common types of protein powder are whey and casein. Although both types come from dairy, they are very different in structure and have distinct qualities.
Casein is a high-quality, complete protein. That just means that it contains all of the essential amino acids needed to build protein for your body to use. It’s a byproduct of cheesemaking that’s used in things like cottage cheese if it’s not extracted to use as a protein powder.
Like whey protein, casein helps your body build new muscle tissue. Some of the amino acids in casein like leucine stimulate the process to make muscle as well. Casein is particularly rich in glutamine, which may help reduce fatigue during workouts and muscle soreness between workouts.
The main difference between casein and whey is how they’re digested in the body. Many people who choose casein instead of whey (or choose to take both) do so because it’s digested more slowly. While whey will give your body an instant boost of protein that’s great for workout recovery, the protein in casein is absorbed slowly and more steadily over a longer period. This makes casein a great option to take before bed, so your body gets steady nutrition as you sleep.
Casein Protein Ice Cream Recipe
Blended frozen bananas make an excellent base for healthy, low-calorie ice cream. So next time you find yourself with some overripe bananas, don’t throw them away! Slice them and store them in the freezer to make creamy, delicious ice cream later.
This casein protein ice cream recipe is great for bodybuilding. It’s full of essential amino acids needed to repair and build muscle, without the excessive calories and sugar of regular ice cream. This recipe is the perfect healthy summer treat or bedtime snack if you’re someone who loves a bowl of ice cream in the evening.
Ingredients:
- 4-5 ripe bananas, sliced and frozen
- 2 Scoops Chocolate or Vanilla Naked Casein
- 2-3 tbsp milk of choice
- 1 tbsp powdered peanut butter (optional)
- Granulated sweetener of choice to taste (optional)
Directions:
- Put a small loaf pan in the freezer to chill.
- Add all ingredients to a blender and pulse until smooth. Add more milk as needed for desired creaminess.
- Eat immediately for a soft-serve texture. For scoopable ice cream, pour the mixture into a chilled loaf pan and freeze. Stir every 20-30 minutes for the first hour of freezing to prevent the ice cream from getting too icy. Thaw for a few minutes before enjoying!
Nutrition:
- Servings: 4
- Calories:170 / serving
- Fat: 1g / serving
- Carbohydrates: 35g / serving
- Protein: 9g / serving
Recipe Tips:
- You can use regular peanut butter in place of powdered peanut butter. Just be aware that the calorie and fat content will be higher.
- The more ripe your bananas are, the sweeter this recipe will be.
- It’s okay if you only have unflavored casein on hand. Just add a teaspoon of vanilla extract or unsweetened cocoa powder.
Final Thoughts
Casein and whey protein powders are both great options for building lean body mass. Casein is specifically beneficial if you’re looking for a protein that digests slowly and steadily over time. For that reason, casein is an excellent protein to supplement at night. Making this easy casein protein ice cream recipe as your evening snack will give your body a slow and steady release of protein overnight as you sleep.
