This is kind of like asking 'how long is a piece of string'. Protein shakes can have anywhere from 100-1000 calories depending on the size of the shake and the ingredients used.
The good news is that it’s easy to control the number of calories you consume by choosing low-calorie shakes or, better yet, making your own shakes where you get to control what goes into them.
So let's look at the various factors that affect the calorie content of a protein shake.
How many calories should a protein shake contain?
The first thing we should look at is the number of calories in protein. The maximum amount of protein your body can absorb into its muscles in any one sitting is 25 grams. And 25 grams of protein has around 100 calories.
So that means if you used a protein powder that contains 100% protein and mixed 25 grams of it with nothing but water, your shake would contain 100 calories.
But there's no protein powder on the market that can claim 100% protein content. Most protein powders, provided they don't have any additional ingredients, will usually contain between 65%-90% protein, with the rest coming from fats and carbs. For example, whey protein from dairy will have small amounts of the naturally occurring milk sugar called lactose (a carb), and protein from plant sources will contain fibre, which is also a carb.
So, in addition to the 100 calories you get from the 25 grams of protein in your standard shake, you'll get an additional 20-40 from carbs and fats.
That means a typical protein shake with no added ingredients has between 120-140 calories per serving.
What about when you add milk?
OK, so now we know a protein shake made from nothing but a pure protein powder plus water will contain between 120-140 calories.
VORA Good Shape Protein will taste great this way, due to the addition of tasty superfoods and the all-natural low-calorie sweetener monk fruit extract.
But we don’t blame you if you want to add milk for some extra oomph.
200ml of milk will add between 30-150 calories depending on the type of milk. We recommend 200ml of oat milk, which is right in the middle at around 90 calories.
So now your shake should come out to anywhere from 210-230 calories.
What about protein shakes with added ingredients?
Your protein shake should not contain a plethora of added sugar, artificial sweeteners, preservatives, artificial colourings or flavourings. Extra sugar in particular will cause the calorie count to skyrocket.
However, there are additional superfood ingredients you'll find in some powders that seriously boost the nutritional value of your powder. And while these will increase the calorie count somewhat, the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks.
That's because superfoods are considered foods that have a highly favourable nutrient-to-calorie ratio.
Superfoods include cacao, green tea, turmeric, acai berry and lots more. These will typically add 10-20 calories to your shake.
So when you account for these, the ideal protein shake will be nutrient-dense and contain about 220-250 calories or less.
How many calories does VORA Good Shape Protein contain?
VORA Good Shape protein contains 133 calories per serving, or about 223 calories if you add 200ml of oat milk - coming in well under the 250-calorie limit!
The best part of it is that it contains a blend of three plant-based protein sources (brown rice, pumpkin seed and pea), all 9 essential amino acids, and a host of nutrient-dense superfoods including:
- Green tea
- Siberian ginseng
- Lucuma
- Cacao (Genuine Chocolate flavour only)
- Maca (Humble Vanilla flavour only)
VORA is sweetened with all-natural, low-calorie monk fruit extract and is fortified with vitamins, minerals, amino acids and digestive enzymes - making it the perfect low-calorie protein shake to help you reach your fitness goals!
Bottom line
Protein shakes are a convenient way of getting the necessary protein your body needs, but you want to be sure that the powder or shake you take is worth its weight.
Some protein shakes and powders are loaded with sugar and calories, so make sure you read the nutrition labels carefully and watch what you add in yourself.
If you follow these tips, you can be sure that your protein shake is as healthy as it can be.