We know that navigating the world of nutrition can be bewildering, with every company marketing their products as being invaluable to health and fitness. Which is why we run these awards: to point you in the right direction and showcase the brands that really are worth your attention.
Every product in the pages that follow – across the categories of Muscle & Strength, Endurance, and General Health – have been tried and tested by an expert team of independent nutritionists (more on those below), with each of the winners selected on the basis of nutritional merit, quality of ingredients and performance benefits.
MEET THE TESTERS
These three performance nutritionists have spent the past few months eating, sipping, drinking and chewing their way through hundreds of nutrition products
Muscle & Strength Matt has worked at the top of elite sports for over 25 years. As the lead nutritional clinician across multiple World Cup, World Title and Olympic medal-winning teams, Matt’s passion is helping athletes and regular fitness fanatics alike reach their peak performance potential. mattlovellstrengthforlife.com
Endurance James is a registered sports nutritionist (SENr) and founder of Nutrition for Energy. He coaches fitness enthusiasts to eat to overcome inconsistent energy, so they can get more out of their training, recover faster and perform better. nutritionforenergy.co.uk
General Health An award-winning, registered nutritionist and sports nutritionist with over 17 years’ experience, Rob runs Londonbased consultancy RHNutrition, seeing private clients and working with leading brands within the wellness industry. robhobson.co.uk
WHEY PROTEIN
“Whey protein is a staple in most athletes’ diets,” says Matt Lovell. “And for good reason: it’s digested quickly, absorbed efficiently and generally tastes good. However, when it comes to price, nutritional profile and ingredient lists, there is a lot of variability. Whether you’re looking for a whey concentrate, isolate or hydrolysate, ideally you want a high protein content (20g or more), with low carbs and fat, and without unnecessary fillers and additives.”
Healthspan Elite All Blacks Ultimate Whey Protein Blend
£35.99 (21 servings), healthspanelite.co.uk Great flavours, naturally sourced sweetener and a good, simple ingredients list made Healthspan’s Ultimate Whey Protein Blend our winner. Pure whey protein isolate is high quality and a very pure source of whey protein, meaning it’s absorbed quickly.
WHY WE LIKE IT
• Natural ingredients
• Readily-absorbed whey isolate rather than concentrate
• Simple ingredients – nothing nasty
WHAT YOU GET
• 24g protein per serving
• 5.7g naturally occurring BCAAs per serving
• Actazin® digestive enzymes from New Zealand kiwi fruit
• Fully recyclable pouch
Gainful Protein Powder
$45 (14 servings), gainful.com Gainful personalises each powder according to your own performance goals (based on a questionnaire). There are additional flavouring packs to adjust the shakes flavour each time you make it, too, which is a nice touch. Added MCT oil makes it useful for semi-fasted or time-restricted eating patterns.
WHY WE LIKE IT
• Personalised mix
• Nothing nasty
• Addition of keto-assisting nutrients
WHAT YOU GET
• Protein powder tailored to you
• 19-26g per serving
• Whey, keto and plant-based formulas to suit your needs
• Free from artificial ingredients
Special mention to foodspring Whey Protein (£29.99, foodspring.co.uk), which boasts a highquality, simple ingredients list and an impressive 24g protein per serving.
WHAT YOU GET
• 24g protein
• No added sugar
• Rich in BCAAs and essential amino acids
VEGAN PROTEIN
“There’s been a big
