Protein is an essential part of the human diet. It is a nutrient that we must consume each day, as our body is not capable of storing reserves (like we do with fat). Most people get the correct amount of protein that they require, without doing anything special to their diet. If you are looking to supplement your protein intake or want a higher quality of it then follow some of these tips that will get you the results you want.

There are many protein powders to choose from. Generally, people use protein powder as meal replacement supplements, but there are many people out there that use protein powders to also cook with. When cooking with protein powder try to add it at the last minute when ever you're cooking because heat can break it down. Below are the different types of protein powders and their benefits.

My preference for soy milk is a brand called SILK, and instead of plain old Soy Milk we use their Vanilla flavored Soy Milk for our smoothies. At our house we have many berries growing wild all over the place, and we collect these blackberries well into August and freeze them. These make a great base for a Soy Milk based smoothie. We also use frozen mixed fruit with berries that we find at the grocery store. Even though it is not hand picked and frozen on site, these bags of fruits are still a good source of fruit to use for the base of your Soy Milk Smoothies.

Protein powder is a great supplement to any diet. Protein mixes makes it possible, without any cooking, at virtually any time or in any place, to get a sizeable serving of protein with a lower intake of calories and fat. Concocting a drink out of protein powder is simple, relatively inexpensive compared to purchasing healthy, good quality animal protein, and it is nutritious. That being said, choosing a protein powder is not so easy.

DIETICIAN Sushila Sharangdhar says, "Protein is the key building block that helps in muscle development and repair. Protein makes up nearly 75% of the solids in our body making it an essential ingredient for us to stay healthy."

The essential shake

You workout everyday, you eat a healthy, wholesome meal and believe that your body is getting all it's nutrients from your diet. So gulping down that protein shake might not be a necessary plan of action for you. Right?

Think again.