There’s a lot of jargon and tricky-to-understand acronyms to decipher when deciding on protein powder. However, there are three words to look for: concentrate, isolate and hydrolyzate.

These terms all describe a way of processing whey, and will affect the price, nutrition and digestibility. 

During cheese production whey is the liquid portion that splits off from the milk. A selection of amino acids can be siphoned off from this and processed to create protein powder. This is whey concentrate. 

“Concentrate is filtered and isolate is even more filtered,” says Onnit supplements product development scientist Steven Kahn. “It’s considered more pure. Per gram you’re getting more protein, as well as fewer carbs and fewer fats.”

It’s also a solid option if you’re lactose intolerant or struggle to digest whey concentrate. 

“In the carbs section, [the amount of] lactose is much lower, so there are many times where people are able to tolerate whey isolate better than whey concentrate if they have issues with lactose.”

However, Kahn warns this extra filtration comes at a cost and whey isolate will almost always be a pricier option than whey concentrate.

“There can be a difference in texture too,” he says. “While you’re siphoning out those other ingredients, you do change the texture.”

Many people feel the extra fats and carbs in a whey concentrate shake help give it a sweeter flavor and a creamier texture, which is why Kahn says some prefer it for cooking and baking. 

There’s also a third option to consider: whey hydrolysate. 

“That one’s interesting because not only is it taken from the isolate but manufacturers are also using enzymes to break down the amino acids and make it even easier to digest,” says Kahn. “There is another layer of cost there, but a lot of the time people who have issues digesting whey tend to tolerate that a bit better.”

Which one should you spend your hard-earned money on? It really comes down to your microbiome and how your gut responds to different things.

“If you can tolerate whey concentrate and the slightly larger amounts of carbs and fat aren’t an issue, you can go for that. But the best one for you is whatever your body responds best to. I know some people get bloated when they take certain wheys. If you’re able to find a product that’s in-budget and doesn’t have any negative impacts on you, go with that,” says Kahn.

Most of us have no problem devoting time to thinking about what we’re going to eat after a run: it’s pretty much the only thing we do think about during those latter stages. However, considering what to eat before a run is arguably more important because getting fueling right is key to a successful run.

You can use sports supplements, such as the best running gels, energy bars and sports drinks to fuel before and during a run and these can be convenient options for long runs and hard workouts, but for most runs you can get what you need from your regular diet if you do some planning.

For expert advice on what to eat before a run, I spoke to Dr Samuel Impey, chief scientific officer and co-founder of Hexis, an app that creates personalized nutrition plans for sportspeople.

Most of us need a snack or two during the day and not only is it completely normal, it’s an opportunity. A well-chosen snack can stave off brain fog and give you the energy boost you need to keep going until the next mealtime, and it can also contribute to the nutritional variety of your diet. However, snacking has a naughty, indulgent aura around it (thanks, marketing) and when we’re trying to eat well it can be easy to assume it’s healthier to skip snacks altogether.

According to Emily Wood, clinical nutritionist and weight loss coach at Voy, a medicated weight-loss program in the UK, not snacking when we need to can lead to problems.

“The biggest mistake people make is trying to avoid eating when they are hungry,” says Wood. “People can feel that they shouldn’t be honoring their hunger cues.”

Why is that an issue? Because you may find yourself overeating or making bad choices later. “You’ll probably be more prone to choosing calorie-dense foods just because your brain’s seeking out higher-energy foods to compensate,” says Wood.

So how can we avoid falling into the trap of failing to realize we need a snack? “Listening to the body’s natural cues is the key to effective snacking,” says Wood. “A lot of people are a bit out of kilter with their hunger cues, especially when they’re busy.” To dial in to your hunger cues, it can be worth developing your own hunger scale, as explained in this guide to mindful eating. 

As well as listening to your hunger cues—such as feeling hungry, thinking about food and getting distracted by the idea of food—it’s worth assuming you will need a snack at some point during the day. “I recommend planning for some nutritious snacks and making sure they are accessible,” says Wood. “Focus on whole, plant-based foods rather than conventional snack foods, and try to incorporate a variety of macronutrients, including protein, carbohydrates, fiber and fats into your snacks.”

It would be a mistake to choose something purely on its nutritional value though. “Choose snacks that you enjoy, too—not something that you find absolutely awful. So, for example, have some apple and peanut butter and maybe some dark chocolate on hand.”

Wood has provided some more examples of well-balanced snacks that she recommends to her clients.

• Chopped vegetables such as carrots, red pepper and cucumber with hummus and wholegrain pita bread
• Full-fat Greek yogurt with frozen raspberries, banana and honey, topped with mixed nuts or seeds
• Glass of milk with a bagel, nut butter and raspberries

When Is The Best Time To Have A Snack?

It may sound obvious but when you’re feeling hungry is probably a good time for a snack, and it’s best not to leave it too long, according to Wood. “It is beneficial to have something before you start to feel absolutely starving,” she says.  

Everyone is different, so see what works for you. “There is a bit of trial and error involved,” says Wood. “If you’re always starving by 4pm then having a snack around 3pm might be a good way of making sure that you’ve always got a bit of energy and that your brain’s working at its best.”

That doesn’t mean it’s a good idea to be snacking at all hours of the day or night. “There is some evidence to suggest that snacking later on in the day—past 9pm—can be associated with less good health outcomes,” says Wood. “So try to avoid late-night snacking.”

But it will also depend on your activity levels throughout the day. “Snacking is really helpful with refueling after exercise,” says Wood. “Somebody who goes to the gym often might find that they need to have more meals across the day than the traditional three meals. Or they might have a bulkier snack or a second breakfast after a morning workout, perhaps including more carbohydrates and protein.”

Voy is a weight loss program that includes clinically-proven medication, personalized programs and access to clinicians and lifestyle coaches.

Anyone preparing to run a full marathon will probably have some idea that they will need to fuel specifically for the race, usually by using the best running gels and sports drinks, simply because they will be running for so long. 

Even though the race is half that length, getting your fueling right for a half marathon is also vital to your chances of success on the day, whether that success involves running a PR or completing the course with a smile on your face rather than hitting the wall because you’ve run out of energy.

For all the advice you need on how to fuel a half marathon we spoke to Andy Blow, sports scientist and founder of Precision Fuel & Hydration.

Most diets work, at least in the short term. Whatever rules you have to follow with a diet, at its core is probably an approach that puts you in a calorie deficit if you’re aiming to lose weight, and encourages you to eat more healthy things and fewer unhealthy things.

But the restrictions diets place upon you can become increasingly hard to stick to. They can also be confusing, and sometimes more influenced by social media trends than scientific evidence.

Instead of opting for a complex all-or-nothing diet plan that you find hard to maintain, dietitian Joyce Patterson, author of new book Think Like A Dietitian: A Nutrition Counseling Starter Kit, suggests that the 80/20 rule is a better approach.

This more flexible approach is useful for highlighting the message that it’s your overall diet that’s important, whereas all-or-nothing diets are often ditched completely the first time you stray from their instructions. 

“The 80/20 approach in nutrition is not a hard-and-fast rule,” says Patterson. “It's a mindset. A rule of thumb. It recognizes that our health is impacted by what we consume most of the time, and the occasional indulgence will not cause long-term harm. 

“This approach promotes a healthier relationship with food. Instead of looking at foods as good or bad, or trying to avoid certain foods completely, this approach encourages us to consider which foods we should choose more often, and which we should consume more mindfully. But nothing is off the table—a sharp departure from many popular diets. 

“All too often, overly restrictive eating leads to feelings of deprivation and resentment, ultimately making those approaches unsustainable.”

Given that you can indulge 20% of the time, I was interested to know how wild you can go, so asked Patterson. Unsurprisingly, there is still some moderation to consider here.

“With the help of a dietitian, people not only learn balanced meal planning, but they learn how food is metabolized and ultimately, how it affects our health,” says Patterson. 

“With this information, people can better understand what the body can handle. The 20% part of the approach is not a free pass to binge eat. It's a free pass to enjoy a variety of flavors, but we can indulge in flavors without overindulging in volume, which is a different way to think about it.”

We all know that a banana is a healthier snack than a chocolate bar. But often when hunger strikes it’s easier to reach for less nutritious convenience snack foods such as crisps, cakes, and biscuits, rather than trying to find a healthier option.

Of course, with some careful planning, it is possible to arm yourself with satisfying snacks based around whole, plant-based foods. But should crisps and chocolate be banned from your diet completely? Or is there a reason to include them?

I spoke to Emily Wood, a clinical nutritionist and weight loss coach at Voy, a medicated weight-loss program in the UK, who has a surprising attitude to the snack foods that are usually framed as “bad”.

“The ultra-processed, refined carb and low-fiber snacks that tend to be higher in saturated fat are definitely associated with worse health outcomes long term if eaten in large quantities,” says Wood. “But food isn't just fuel. It's not just about the things that we need. It's also about the experience that we have around food. Restricting any food can be unhealthy in a different way, in terms of the psychology around food and our relationship to it.”

“All types of food, including chocolate, sweets and crisps, should be incorporated into daily meals and snacks,” says Wood. “Avoiding these can give us a sense of deprivation that may lead to overindulgence later on.”

“Including some of those foods like crisps and chocolate in small amounts is a great idea, alongside meals or snacks that are focused around whole foods. For example, some carrot or red pepper sticks with hummus, alongside some crisps. A well-balanced snack helps us get a variety of macronutrients, but also actually fills us up—sometimes those less nutritious foods like crisps and chocolate don't fill us up that easily.”

“Often people tend to grab a snack that only provides one food group, for example, something that’s rich in carbohydrates and is not paired with protein, fats or much fiber. This can mean these snacks won't keep you satisfied for as long.”

While adding a little of what you crave to a more nutritious snack every now and then is a good idea if it makes you happy, it’s best to plan varied, nutritionally-balanced snacks for when hunger strikes. “Pairing foods much like you would in a meal but in smaller portions can make a great snack, such as yogurt with mixed berries and granola, or hummus with mixed vegetable sticks and wholemeal crackers.” Including a range of food groups will help give you slow-release energy as well as being more nutritious.

Wood has provided some examples of well-balanced snacks that she recommends to her clients.

• Chopped vegetables such as carrots, red pepper and cucumber with hummus and whole-grain pita bread
• Full-fat Greek yogurt with frozen raspberries, banana and honey, topped with mixed nuts or seeds
• Mixed unsalted nuts with apple slices and a touch of dark chocolate
• Glass of milk with a bagel, nut butter and raspberries

Voy is a weight-loss solution that includes clinically proven medication, personalized programs and access to top clinicians and lifestyle coaches.

Ever been on a diet and found it tough to stick to? Perhaps you’ve tried cutting out food groups or restricting calories but found it a struggle to sustain and reach your goals. Mindful eating could be the answer.

Dr Romi Ran is a clinical psychologist specializing in food, eating and body image, who champions a compassionate approach to food in Bite-Sized Peace: Change How You Eat, Accept Your Body, Transform Your Life. Mindfulness is proven to help with mental health, and, according to Ran, mindful eating can help fix your dieting problems—in fact, it can change your relationship with food entirely.

What’s the secret to eating mindfully?

“The most important thing of all is to learn to make this connection with your body's innate wisdom,” says Ran. “Your body knows what, how much and when to eat. Rather than relying on external diet rules, societal norms, or even your thoughts, learn how to listen and trust your body’s signals. If you do that, you’ll find it will tell you what it needs.”

Ran shares an example. If it’s 11 o’clock and you’re hungry but lunchtime for you is usually at 1 o’clock, it’s OK to eat now. The idea is to eat when you’re hungry, choose foods that nourish you and make you feel good, and then stop when you’re full, even if that means leaving food on your plate.

Ran’s book, Bite-Sized Peace contains exercises to help you listen to your body’s signals. She suggests developing a hunger scale, where for example:

• Five is neutral, not hungry or distracted by food;
• Four is starting to get hungry or feeling like a snack;
• Three is craving specific food, losing focus on other activities;
• Two is getting irritable, stomach growling, craving exact dishes;
• One is when you would eat anything, you’re starting to panic about getting food;
• Zero is feeling dizzy, sick or faint with hunger and almost going off food. 

Ran suggests spending a couple of weeks tuning into your hunger at different levels and working out what hunger cues feel like for you. This enables you to recognize the perfect level of hunger when eating feels most satisfying and enjoyable, and when you’re less likely to overeat.

“Mindful eating can help you become aware of how different foods will affect your mood, how they will affect your energy levels, and how they can make you feel physically, mentally and emotionally,” says Ran.

“Your whole relationship with food, your body and eating will change if you really nurture that connection with your body’s innate wisdom and let that guide you rather than following external cues,” says Ran.

Will I lose weight?

“The best approach is to set value-based aims rather than goal-based ones,” says Ran. A goal-based aim might be losing 15 pounds, for example. “That is driven by fear and thinking that you’re not good enough, that you need to change yourself.” A value-based approach on the other hand would be something like, ‘I want to start nourishing my body better’.

“Now that’s compassionate, that’s coming from a place of love, from feeling worthy,” says Ran. “It says ‘I deserve to eat good, nourishing food that makes my body feel well and satisfies me’. The emphasis is completely different. One is about changing and the other is about being.”

You may well find that you lose weight with this approach. But in shifting your focus from slimming to improving your health and wellbeing, coupled with kindness and self-acceptance, you may also find that you no longer care about the number on the scale because your whole outlook has changed for the better.

I’ve run 12 marathons in the past seven years including doing the London Marathon six times, and right now I’m working harder in marathon training than ever before. The aim is a PR of 2hrs 27min (or faster, faster would be fine), and 10 weeks out from the race my weekly mileage is at its highest ever.

I’ve logged 70-80 miles in the past two weeks and there’s no letting up from my coach, with a couple of long and hard workouts each week, plus a long run and plenty of easy miles. In the past, I’ve run about 50 to 65 miles on average in marathon training, hitting 70 for the odd peak week, so it’s been an enjoyable challenge to increase my distance.

To get through the miles and hit targets during workouts, I’ve also had to be a bit smarter with my nutrition, and I’ve started using more sports supplements to make sure I’m not losing weight and getting the carbs, protein and other stuff the body needs when working hard. To this end, there are three main products I’ve been using regularly during marathon training.

1. Multivitamin Tabs

The main one of these I’ve been using is OTE’s Berry Multivitamin Tabs but they are currently  out of stock, and I’ve also been using more easily available tabs from Tesco, so I think you can substitute in any multivitamin drink for the same effect. A pint of water with multivitamins in it is a great way to start the day and a fixture in my routine when marathon training in the winter when I’m worried about getting ill, especially with two kids at school/nursery acquiring as many germs as they can.

2. Maurten Drink Mix 

This is expensive, but one of the best sports drinks you can get and I’ve really noticed the difference in how much better I feel in long workouts and races when using it compared with other drinks. With two or three runs of at least 12-13 miles each week, I’ve taken to using the Maurten Drink Mix regularly to ensure I have enough fuel in the tank during the runs so I’m not completely burned out by the end of them, which then compromises runs on the following days.

3. SiS REGO Rapid Recovery

One of the best recovery protein powders, SIS’s REGO contains 20g of protein, 23g of carbs as well as electrolytes, vitamins and minerals to help you bounce back after a hard run. In the past I haven’t felt the need for a dedicated recovery powder during marathon training, but with tough, long runs coming along every couple of days it’s been very helpful in speeding up recovery. It’s also a lot easier to get it down quickly after a run than making a meal, which can easily be delayed by pressing work or domestic matters. 

When I got the chance to speak to top European athletes after the 2023 Berlin CrossFit semi-final event, courtesy of their sponsor Reign Total Body Fuel, I had to ask them how often do CrossFit athletes train? It’s upwards of five hours a day, so what does their diet look like to support these superhuman efforts?

The simple answer is that they eat a lot. 

Here, Wodapalooza 2022 winner Emma McQuaid, Games athletes Emma Tall and Moritz Fiebig, and Spain’s third fittest man Aniol Ekai discuss their daily calorie goals, nutritional focus and the foods that help them perform at their best.

What do CrossFit athletes eat?

To hit those lofty calorie goals, CrossFit athletes have to be clever with what they eat. After all, if you wanted to chew your way through 6,000 calories of chicken and brown rice you’d barely have any time left in the day to train. So what’s Fiebig’s secret?

“Firstly, I love eating. Secondly, eating a lot of fats can help with eating a lot of calories, so I like nuts, eggs and avocado, for example, for breakfast. Then easy things like oats and rice help.”

Aniol Ekai aims for a similar 6,000-calorie daily goal and, while he says he enjoys his food, he admits he can get “tired of eating”.

“It’s just about finding the balance, like with everything,” says Emma McQuaid. “Even for an athlete. 

“Obviously we don’t want to have high-sugar foods in-season for inflammatory reasons, but sometimes on a Saturday night you want a bag of crisps, so it’s like, ‘well, I’ll have a bag of crisps’.”

Do you sometimes find yourself standing in front of the fridge or cupboard, munching something mindlessly? Perhaps then feeling guilty, or thinking that it doesn’t count because it happened so quickly?

There’s a technique that might help you make more deliberate snack choices. It’s not about rules and restrictions, just about making a conscious choice. Once you’re thinking more mindfully about food you may even find you’re not visiting the snack cupboard as much. 

Dr Romi Ran is a clinical psychologist specializing in food, eating and body image. She has published a book, Bite Sized Peace: Change How You Eat, Accept Your Body, Transform Your Life, in which she champions a compassionate approach to food.

I interviewed Ran about mindful eating and she explained why we should learn to listen to our body, rather than restrict calories and deny ourselves certain foods. She revealed how shifting your focus from weight loss goals to value-based goals that aim to improve your health can have some surprising benefits.

In Bite Sized Peace there are many techniques such as mindful plating, and exercises to help you tune into your body and change your mindset about food. There are no more “good” and “bad” foods, you just have to trust your body wants the foods that it needs.

Bite Sized Peace: Change How You Eat, Accept Your Body, Transform Your Life by Dr Romi Ran was published in January 2024

It’s easy to get stressed out when you feel like you’re not getting enough sleep. I’ve certainly experienced that in the past, especially on a night when I want to be well-rested for the day ahead. I would go to bed early then find I’m still awake hours later, stressing that I’m not sleeping.

I spoke to clinical psychologist Dr Romi Ran, whose areas of interest include sleep, as well as food and eating.

Ran has been helping clients improve their sleep for over 15 years, and I was curious to know what sleep mistakes people make most often, and what advice she would give to avoid these pitfalls.

The Most Common Sleep Mistakes People Make

You’ve probably heard that you should be aiming to get seven to eight hours of sleep a night. According to Ran, that might work for some, but it may not apply to everyone. 

“The biggest mistake I see is people listening to external advice about how much sleep they need and when, rather than listening to what their own body is saying it needs,” says Ran. “Each body is different and needs different things at different times. My advice is really about empowering people to trust themselves more.”

“For some people, five hours of sleep is what works for them, for their particular constitution,” says Ran. “That's evident by the fact that there are plenty of thriving, healthy, successful, happy people who have no problem functioning on less [than eight hours of] sleep.”

“The other common mistake I see is over-emphasizing the practical sides of sleep and not really looking at the mental or psychological relationship we have with sleep,” says Ran. 

While practical aspects are important—such as reducing caffeine intake, not doing high-intensity exercise in the evening and avoiding screens before bed—Ran tends to focus more on the psychological aspects of sleep, including cognitive distortions. “That’s a fancy way of saying unhelpful, and usually, untrue thinking patterns. For example, people often catastrophize the consequences of poor sleep. As a result, they feel more stressed, cortisol pumps through their body and they're not able to relax to fall asleep. The whole cycle perpetuates itself.” 

That sounds familiar. So, what can we do to avoid these unhelpful thought patterns?

Dr Romi Ran’s Top Tip For Getting Better Sleep

“Essentially, sleep is all about relaxing,” says Ran. “So, it’s about cultivating a life that enables you to relax.” Ran’s idea is to take a look at your daily life and work out what you need to change to enable you to relax when you want to. “It’s not just about sleep, your overall wellbeing will improve too,” says Ran. “It might be that you need to learn how to set better boundaries in your life, perhaps if you have a stressful job, try incorporating stress management techniques so that you can start to relax.”

I now know that going to bed early when I’m not particularly tired doesn’t work for me. If I do find myself lying awake, I’ll read as it’s something that relaxes me, and keep in mind that I may not need as much sleep as I thought I did.

About Our Expert

Chop, bake and wrap. That’s all it takes to make this delicious high-protein halloumi wrap recipe. Only 20 minutes of prep time is needed—even less if you’re a dab hand with a kitchen knife—and then 20 minutes in the oven.

The recipe is taken from Myprotein’s first recipe book Protein Plates, which contains 60 recipes from Myprotein’s extensive online library, all of which are high in protein. It also has a substantial serving of carbohydrates which is the other essential macronutrient to consume post workout (you can find out why from registered associate nutritionist Georgina Camfield’s guide to what to eat after a workout). This recipe is also packed with veg, making the wraps an ideal healthy option to have in your gym bag to wolf down after a lunch-break workout.

For an even quicker halloumi recipe, try one of our favorite Joe Wicks recipes, 10-minute halloumi tacos with peri-peri mayo.

High-Protein Halloumi Wrap Recipe

Ingredients (Makes Four Wraps)

• 3 bell peppers, sliced 
• 1 courgette, thinly sliced 
• 1 red onion, sliced 
• 1tbsp extra virgin olive oil 
• 1tsp salt 
• 1tsp oregano 
• 200g halloumi 
• 200g hummus 
• Splash of water 
• 4 wholemeal tortilla wraps 
• Baby spinach or salad leaves

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
2. Place the pepper, courgette and red onion on a baking tray and sprinkle with oil, salt and oregano. Mix with your fingers or a spatula to make sure everything is evenly coated, then cook in the oven for 10 minutes. 
3. Meanwhile, slice the halloumi about a centimeter thick and set aside. 
4. Place the hummus into a small bowl and loosen slightly with a splash of water—this makes it easier to spread evenly. 
5. When the vegetables have been in the oven for 10 minutes, add the halloumi to the tray. Return to the oven to roast for a further 10 minutes. 
6. Warm the tortillas in the microwave for about 20 seconds. 
7. Spread around 1-2 tablespoons of hummus onto a wrap, then add a quarter of the roasted veg, halloumi and a handful of spinach or salad leaves. Make a tight wrap by folding over two opposite sides of the tortilla first, and then rolling up from the bottom. Repeat to make 4 wraps in total. 
8. Slice diagonally into halves and either wrap in foil or place into a container.

Nutritional Information

Calories 467

Protein 21g

Fat 25g

Carbohydrates 35g

Any hardy soul who runs regularly through winter will at some point get a cold, and have to decide whether to run with a cold, or rest. It might seem obvious to just cancel any plans to exercise when you’re ill, but when you’ve been closely following a running training plan it can be frustrating to skip a session, especially when preparing for a marathon.

It’s also not clear cut that you should rest when you have a cold, because if your symptoms are mild it might be beneficial to get out for an easy run, as pharmacist Nick Thayer from Well Pharmacy told us in 2018 when we asked him about running with a cold.

“There is evidence that shows moderate exercise stresses the body and can help stimulate your immune system, in turn creating anti-inflammatory responses,” says Thayer. “This means that moderate exercise can actually help you get better more quickly, so if you feel well enough to get out there and run, go for it.”

As you might expect, Thayer heavily caveated this advice, and it’s important to only exercise if your symptoms are mild and “above-the-neck”. This means things like a runny nose, sore throat and a blocked nose.

If you feel symptoms below your neck, and you have a hacking cough, chest congestion or an upset stomach, then you should not run with a cold. It’s better to rest up. That’s also true if you have a fever, though most people will not feel like running if that is the case, and people with asthma have to be particularly careful, especially when it’s cold outside.

I have run with a mild cold many times myself and stick to 30 minutes max, at a very easy pace, and it usually helps me to feel a little better. Regular moderate exercise in general will also make you healthier and more resistant to common colds, though this only goes so far in protecting you if you have kids in nursery and school, I find.

As a gym nut and Coach’s protein powder reviewer-in-chief, I’ve lost count of how many whey supplements I’ve tried. MyProtein Clear Whey Isolate is one of the best protein powders and if you’re organized you can buy a 500g tub for just 1p, rather than the usual £34.99. That’s a mindblowing 99.99% discount!

Myprotein’s Clear Whey stands in contrast to the dense, creamy shakes most protein powders offer. I for one struggle to stomach anything that heavy after a serious gym session. 

Clear Whey mixes easily with water to produce a squash-like taste and consistency, while still delivering a decent 20g towards your daily protein quota.

You will need to be quick on the draw to take advantage. The sale goes live at 8pm GMT on Thursday, November 16th and you need to apply a discount code to get the deal.

The code will be made available by email and in the Myprotein app at 7.50pm GMT. Myprotein advises downloading the app and allowing notifications so the code will pop up on your phone 10 minutes before the sale goes live. You can also sign up with your email on this Myprotein 1p Clear Whey webpage.

The sale is limited to 5,000 tubs, one tub per person and, if the currency hadn’t tipped you off already, the deal is only available to UK residents.

It’s well worth doing a dry run of the checkout process so you know where to enter the code and deciding on the flavor you want in advance. I’m sorry to say jelly belly, Vimto and cola flavors are excluded, but that still leaves 18 flavors from bitter lemon to Chupa Chups Strawberry and peach tea—a personal favorite.

This is the third year Myprotein has offered massive savings. The supplement giant offered an identical deal last year, and discounted its whey isolate powder in 2021. 

I don’t have any dietary restrictions and there’s not a lot of food I don’t like. Aubergines unnerve me, and in general squashes don’t thrill me, but I’ll happily eat a bit of everything when testing out the best healthy meal prep services.

That’s a long-winded way of saying I’m not vegan or vegetarian, and yet my favorite meal prep service of the many I’ve tested is Allplants, which—as you can probably guess from the name—only makes plant-based meals.

I’ve tested and reviewed Allplants three times and have tried a wide range of its meals, Buddha bowls and sides. Not only have I liked every single one I’ve tried, I’ve also admired them for the interesting use of a wide variety of vegetables and other ingredients.

Allplants send out frozen meals which take around 10 minutes to heat up in the microwave. It’s not an appetizing process and actually the meals don’t look that appealing when they come out, but the flavors and textures are always enjoyable and have quickly won me over every time.

The meals are also effortlessly healthy. You don’t feel like you’re denying yourself in any way, even though the meals are all low-calorie, low in sugar and high in veg, fiber and protein. They are the epitome of balanced meals, and pretty satisfying too, though as an active person who usually runs over 50 miles a week I will add on another side to get some more calories in.

For me, part of Allplants’ appeal is that it introduced me to new ingredients and combinations, even as someone who eats a lot of vegetables and legumes in my normal diet alongside meat. I’d say if you are normally a big meat eater, you’ll enjoy the meals even more because of all the tasty ingredients in them that might well be new to you.

Some long-standing highlights of the menu include the Mac and Greens in Creamy Sauce, which is outrageously creamy and cheesy given it contains no cream or cheese, and the Three Mushroom Medley Risotto.

I’ve also tested the new range from chef Rachel Ama, which is the first in a new series where chefs create meals for Allplants. Ama’s range contains four great meals, of which the highlight for me was the spicy West African Peanut Stew.

You don’t have to subscribe to Allplants to try the meals: You can order a one-off box, with a minimum spend of £30. You can also buy meal bundles to save a little on the price of the meals, which are not that cheap. Mains start from £4.95, but most cost £6 or £7 for a single serving size (you can get a two-person portion for a few pounds more).

If you are looking for a UK-based meal prep service to try, Allplants should be top of your list, regardless of whether you eat meat or not. The meals are more inventive and flavorsome than most I’ve tested and I’ve yet to dislike one—even the meals that contain aubergine.

I have had a complicated relationship with bathroom scales since I was a teenager. The number that flashes up as I step on has the power to make me feel like I am winning at life or completely and utterly losing. When I heard that Withings was bringing out an eyes-closed mode on its smart scales it was music to my ears.

I have struggled with weight fluctuation for most of my adult life and usually my weight gain is accompanied by an extended period of stressful life circumstances. When I am already feeling fed up, the last thing I want to see in the morning is a disappointing number informing me that I have put on a kilo since yesterday or only lost a pound despite exercising and eating no carbs all week. The feeling is discouraging, to put it mildly. It feels like a kick in the stomach when I am already down, which usually makes me want to eat more.

You might say, well just don’t weigh yourself then, but the truth is that would be irresponsible. My health is everything to me. Keeping track of your weight is important for so many reasons that have nothing to do with body image or beauty standards. Obesity is linked to many diseases, a fact that can’t be ignored and there are times it can directly alert you to a serious medical condition. 

I was steadily losing weight over a period of four years following an ultra-low carb lifestyle that I was sticking to 80% of the time. The weighing scales became a joyous part of my day. I would step on them every morning and see that I had lost another pound, which made me feel happy. That was until the week where I indulged in lots of carbs and didn’t do any exercise and I still lost a lot of weight. I knew something wasn’t right, I was also feeling extremely tired.

While everyone was congratulating me on my weight-loss achievement, something more sinister was going on and it was silently killing me. I was living with undiagnosed adult-onset type 1 diabetes, my pancreas had stopped producing insulin and I was wasting away. My body was shutting down. 

Since I started injecting life-saving insulin I have gained an unsightly amount of weight. While insulin is a wonder drug it is also our primary fat storage hormone, which makes weight loss harder than usual. 

When I go for my quarterly diabetic checkups at the hospital, the first thing I have to do at each appointment is get on the scales. I step onto them backward, with my head facing the opposite direction so that I don’t see the number. 

Type 1 diabetes requires 24/7 management and is mentally exhausting. On top of type 1, I have been through what I would describe as the worst year of my life. With so much additional stress to deal with I have not had the mental strength to deal with the dreaded number on the scales.

This doesn’t mean that I am in denial, it simply means that there are days I just don’t have the mental capacity to deal with that information and risk it triggering me to eat more, potentially writing off the day or even a whole week of healthy eating.

There are times I feel strong enough to look at the number, and with this new feature on the Withings’ scale I can pick and choose when that is, by logging into the app. I can check in when I feel like it and analyze my weight trends, fat distribution, muscle mass, water retention, heart health and even nerve health—and do it with a sense of calm and control.

In place of a number, the scale flashes up a smiling face followed by a series of motivational messages as it takes your measurements behind the scenes and sends them to the app. Stepping on the scales in eyes-closed mode feels like receiving a friendly pat on the back rather than a kick in the teeth. It is a “well done” for stepping on the scales today, it is an acknowledgment that you are doing your best, you aren’t burying your head in the sand, you do care about your health, and you are on the right path. It’s like having a little electronic friend on the bathroom floor that understands stepping onto a scales might be triggering and they are here to help you look after yourself and keep you on track.

I believe that the social, physical and emotional discomfort that obesity creates drives you to eat more, usually in secret. That is a pattern that I have observed in myself over the past three decades, I can see it so clearly now as an almost 46-year-old woman, curious to find solutions and look after myself as best I can. 

We all know what to eat and what not to eat to manage our weight, but the missing link in the global obesity epidemic is the emotional and psychological side of weight gain. With the eyes-closed mode Withings has considered thought patterns, behaviors and self-esteem.

Find out more about the scale in our Withings Body Smart review, and see all our recommendations of the best smart scales.

Berry smoothies are a great way to start your day. Strawberries, blueberries and other members of the berry family are packed to the brim with healthy nutrients such as flavanols. But new research suggests that if you use some common smoothie ingredients alongside them, you may have been unknowingly depriving yourself of all the benefits on offer. 

A new study published in the Royal Society of Chemistry’s journal Food And Function by researchers at the University of California suggests that using ingredients which contain polyphenol oxidase—an enzyme commonly found in fresh produce that is responsible for turning some fruits and vegetables brown when you slice them—can significantly limit the absorption of flavanols in the body. 

That’s not good news because flavanols are highly beneficial for your health. These powerful antioxidants have been found to help improve brain function and lower blood pressure. In fact, the US industry body, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics issued a guideline in 2022 which recommended that everyone should try to consume 400 to 600 milligrams of flavanols a day (190g of blueberries contain 10 milligrams).

In the study, healthy male participants were instructed to drink one of two smoothies: one made with just a banana and the other made with berries, alongside a capsule containing flavanols only. Researchers analyzed their blood and urine samples, and found that participants who drank the banana smoothie had almost 84% lower levels of flavanols in their body than the berry group. Such a significant drop cannot be entirely ascribed to chance or measurement error.   

It’s a small and preliminary study, and more research is needed to understand the complex interactions of different nutrients in the human body. However, the researchers noted that it’s a clear indication that we may need to rethink how we make our smoothies. 

To reap all the health benefits from flavanol-rich fruits and vegetables, you may wish to consider mixing them with ingredients that are low in polyphenol oxidase, which includes yogurts, oranges, mangoes and pineapples. 

At the same time, you shouldn’t be ditching smoothies with fruit and vegetables high in the enzyme. Bananas and apples remain great smoothie ingredients with their own unique health benefits to offer. They contain many essential vitamins and antioxidants, and are particularly rich in fiber that feeds healthy gut bacteria.

If you follow a vegetarian diet and frequent the weights room in your gym, there’s one question you probably get asked time and time again: “How do you get your protein?”

While lean meats and fish are great sources of protein, it’s a myth that all vegetarians are deficient in this essential macronutrient, according to Ian Marber, nutrition therapist and resident nutritionist at BOL Foods. “Despite the ever-increasing interest in plant-based diets, there’s still a lingering misunderstanding about how much protein a good vegetarian diet might supply, and if it’s high enough in quality and amount to achieve muscle hypertrophy,” says Marber.

With a bit of meal planning, there are plenty of ways to hit all your nutrition goals on a vegan or vegetarian diet, says Marber. “It can be achieved quite easily, in a way that doesn’t mean you are tied to the kitchen prepping every meal, but instead enjoying easily available ready meals and snacks that deliver protein, flavor and convenience as well as food made at home.”

Plus, most plant-based sources of protein will also help you get more fiber, phytonutrients and complex carbs into your diet. That said, eating for muscle gain is important and you want the effort you put in at the gym to pay off. So, how much protein do you actually need to eat in order to build muscle?

“Protein requirements vary but the general rule of thumb is that to achieve growth when training, protein intake needs to be 1.4-2.2g protein per kilo of bodyweight, depending also on existing muscle mass, gender and type of training,” says Marber. “For someone weighing 80kg, muscle growth would be optimized by aiming for around 112-176g protein a day.” 

According to Marber, you should also aim to incorporate different sources of protein into your diet. “Variety is key here, to ensure that the full range of amino acids are eaten, allowing the body to combine the eight essential amino acids into the remaining 14,” he says. 

To help you get started, Marber has put together a five-day plan featuring protein-rich vegetarian meals that are easy to make at home and provide around 175g of protein a day. The plan features some products from BOL—Marber is speaking to us on behalf of BOL, after all—but keen readers will note we’ve already featured BOL in our favorite healthy ready meals.

Monday

Breakfast: BOL Hazelnut Latte Power Shake, or a homemade protein shake made with vegan protein powder

Snack: Two plums with a palmful of almonds

Lunch: Chickpea and vegetable curry with quinoa

Snack: Two oatcakes with hummus

Dinner: Grilled tempeh with roasted sweet potatoes and broccoli and topped with pumpkin seeds

Tuesday

Breakfast: Coconut yogurt, blueberries and toasted, flaked almonds

Snack: Edamame beans

Lunch: Mixed bean salad with quinoa, avocado and a tahini lemon dressing

Snack: Carrot sticks with hummus

Dinner: Black bean and vegetable enchiladas with a side of brown rice

Wednesday

Breakfast: Porridge oats with raisins and a tablespoon of crunchy almond butter stirred in

Snack: Rice cake with smashed avocado and chili flakes

Lunch: BOL Red Pepper, Tomato and Lentil Power Soup

Snack: Oatcakes with hummus

Dinner: Stir-fried tofu with vegetables and wholewheat noodles

Thursday

Breakfast: Vanilla Oat and Almond BOL Power Shake

Snack: Rye cracker with butter bean mash spread

Lunch: Lentil soup with wholegrain bread

Snack: Banana and cupped palmful of walnuts

Dinner: Grilled seitan skewers with quinoa and roasted vegetables

Friday

Breakfast: Soy yogurt, almond butter and mixed berries

Snack: Chia seed pudding

Lunch: BOL Indian Black Daal

Snack: Protein energy balls

Dinner: Baked tofu with stir-fried vegetables and brown rice

There are lots of quick and easy ways to improve your health, but you can’t do them all, so it pays to be smart about which ones you choose to incorporate into your lifestyle.

One no-brainer is adding the new Yakult Plus to your morning routine. Like every Yakult, it increases the bacteria in the gut with its 20 billion friendly bacteria, scientifically proven to reach the gut alive. “The bacteria in our guts are hugely important and can impact our health and wellbeing, both physically and mentally” says Jennifer Low, a dietitian with a post-graduate diploma in dietetics, an MSc in nutrition and a degree in psychology.

That’s not the only benefit you get from drinking Yakult Plus. It’s rich in vitamin C - which supports the immune system and helps lower fatigue. It also contains fibre, which feed the bacteria in the gut. 

That’s an impressive number of benefits from the small 65ml serving. It’s down in a couple of glugs, is fat-free, and has a refreshing fruity citrus flavour.

To help you transform your wellbeing with small but powerful changes, Jennifer Low has provided more lifestyle tips that you can easily achieve in your everyday routine, simply by taking a 22-minute morning walk around a park. This one easy act a day will help you increase the amount of exercise you do, your connection with nature and even improve your ability to get to sleep. Here’s how.

The Three Benefits Of Taking A Morning Walk In A Park

1. Getting more exercise

If you come to Coach for its gym workouts, you probably tick off the recommended two strength workouts a week without thinking twice, but perhaps you can’t bear the thought of cardio. “Exercise doesn’t have to mean training for a marathon,” says Low, and in fact the NHS suggests spreading its target of 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity across the week. That’s just 22 minutes of walking a day.

2. Connect with nature to feel happier

While you’re in the park, keep your phone in your pocket and take in your surroundings. “We can walk through the park and not notice a thing,” says Low, “or we can walk through the park and connect with how the birds sound, how the trees are outlined against the sky, or how the ground feels under our feet. This is true nature connection.”

“This is a relatively new area of research. It describes the way we experience nature, as opposed to just being in nature.”

“Studies indicate that if we have high levels of nature-connectedness we are happier in life and have lower levels of depression and anxiety, feel more vitality, positive feelings and increased satisfaction with life.”

“Two hours a week has been found to be a dosage that significantly boosts health and wellbeing.” And if you’re walking to hit the NHS’s 150-minute activity target, you’ll have clocked up two hours midway through Saturday morning’s stroll.

3. Falling asleep

Improving your physical fitness isn’t always easy, but at least when you arrive at the gym your body doesn’t refuse to exercise. Yet many of us will be familiar with going to bed and finding sleep won’t come. “Instead of listening to our internal natural cues to sleep, we use electric lighting, screens, caffeine and alcohol to keep us awake outside of the times we would naturally be asleep,” explains Low.

That’s why this final tip from Low caught our eye and convinced us to put our walking shoes by the door so we can head to the park first thing. “Expose yourself to five minutes of natural sunlight within 60 minutes of waking up,” says Low. “This has been shown to help you feel more awake throughout the day and improved ability to fall and stay asleep at night time.”  

Energy gels are a great way to top up your reserves of carbohydrates if your run or cycle is going to last longer than 90 minutes, giving you an easily-digested boost of energy as you tick off the miles. We’ve tested loads to put together this selection of the best running gels and our pick of the best all-rounder is Science in Sport’s (SiS) GO Isotonic Energy.

Each gel has 22g of carbs and the isotonic formula means it’s easy to take without water. Multiple testers have used them without any—ahem—digestive trouble.

They’re a reliable option and with a Prime Day discount of 20% now’s a great time to stock up. You can nab a 30-pack of lemon and mint flavor for just £23.19, or a 15-pack for £17.19.

If you want to taste test a range of SiS flavors, a variety mixed pack of five will set you back just £5.40.

SiS is one of the main gels I use for long runs. I appreciate the variety of flavors (the cherry flavour is a 10 out of 10) and the sweetness of the gels isn’t overpowering.

The consistency isn’t too thick, so I don’t always take water after having one. They are, however, a bit bulkier to carry than other gels so plan on wearing a running belt when you’re out for more than a couple of hours. 

If you’re training for a marathon or half marathon and plan on using gels, you’ll need a lot to fuel your training (and get your gut used to digesting them on the run) and plenty on the day—up to three an hour—so I recommend stocking up on these gels now. You’ll save money in the long run.

We all know that nutrition plays an important role in sports performance. Fueling properly allows us to perform at our absolute best as well helping us to recover effectively.

But sports nutrition isn’t a “one size fits all” discipline, and that’s especially true when comparing the nutritional needs of men and women. The nutritional requirements of women can differ significantly from those of men owing to differences in body composition, hormonal fluctuations and metabolism.

I spoke to Laura Kealy, sport and exercise nutritionist and author of Eat To Win: Nutrition For Peak Performance In Female Team Sport Athletes to find out how sports nutrition differs for women and how to optimize it.

Do you have any other nutritional tips for female athletes?

“Carbohydrates are your best friend,” says Kealy. “I think we have a bit of a carbohydrate fear. I have young athletes coming to me, dealing with exposure to social media where they’re looking at people creating very low-carb, low-calorie meals. Sure, they’re nutrient-dense, but when you’re an athlete and you’re fueling, you need a high calorie intake to meet your energy needs.” It’s a message we’ve heard before from speaking to author Ali Nolan about marathon training for women.

Kealy says it’s also important to make sure you’re consuming enough protein and recommends trying to get your protein from natural, whole food sources as much as possible. She is an advocate of drinking milk, noting its benefits in speeding up an athlete’s recovery process. 

“We [society] went through an anti-dairy movement,” she says. “Obviously if you’re lactose intolerant or you’ve got a milk allergy, absolutely you should steer towards a milk alternative. However, if you can get 500ml of milk in after a really heavy training session, you’re going to cover a lot of your recovery with that.”

Studies have shown that the protein in milk can help repair and build muscle tissue by increasing the process of muscle protein synthesis, and it includes electrolytes such as potassium and sodium.

After many months of marathon training, the weekend of the London Marathon is a very exciting time. Not only do you get to enjoy the race itself, which is always a special occasion even if it doesn’t go to plan, but you also get to carb-load.

This is what all that running has been building up to. The chance to gorge on carbs to ensure your body has the fuel it needs to run 26.2 miles. The actual running is great, but the carb-loading is truly tremendous. 

To help your body stock up with vital carbs, Deliveroo has issued the code RUNPASTA10 for £10 off at Pasta Evangelists. It’s available to use until Saturday 22nd April, although only 4,000 are available. Don’t worry about beginning to carb-load early—it’s better to increase your carb intake over the two days before the race.

You can use the voucher to get any pasta dish from Pasta Evangelists’ 27 London stores, with options available including the Carbonara of Dreams and a vegan sun-dried tomato and almond pesto. While a few dishes do cost less than £10, there’s a minimum spend of £15 so you’ll need to hand over at least £5.

If we were to offer any advice on your choice, it would be to aim for a fairly simple dish that’s not packed with fiber if possible—it’s always wise to make things as easy for your stomach as possible before you try to run 26.2 miles while guzzling high-sugar products like running gels or sports drinks for fuel. That’s one of the nuggets of advice you’ll find in our guide to carb-loading.

Demand is likely to be high for these vouchers, so make sure you grab yours before the 4,000 run out. There doesn’t seem to be any demand for proof you’re actually running the marathon either, so your competition for the free pasta might be from everyone, not just the 40,000-plus other people running the race. If you aren’t running and just fancy some free pasta, please do remember how far 26.2 miles is and leave the vouchers for those with a marathon to do.

It’s almost impossible to achieve any health and fitness goal without a good diet, and meal prep services are an easy way to help you do that. Getting nutritionally sound meals delivered to your door takes away all the faff of planning, shopping and cooking.

The drawback is usually the cost because, as you might expect, getting all your meals prepared and delivered is not cheap. However, it’s perhaps cheaper than you think, especially if you take advantage of Prepped Pots’ welcome offer that gives you up to £30 off your first order plus free delivery.

Go for a 20-meal order and the cost is reduced from £79.80 plus £5.99 delivery to £49.80 all in, which works out at £2.49 a meal. That’s a quid less than most supermarket meal deals, and as much as I love a meal deal, Prepped Pots is the smarter buy. 

You can also save £10 on the 10-meal box, which is reduced from £39.90 to £29.90 (£2.99 a meal), or get 14 meals for £35.86 down from £55.86 (£2.57 a meal).

I’ve just finished testing Prepped Pots out for our best meal prep services round-up and I enjoyed every dish I tried. They are hearty, protein-packed dishes with a good range of options to suit different preferences, though meat eaters are catered to better than vegans, pescatarians and vegetarians.

The advantage of using a service like Prepped Pots rather than grabbing a load of supermarket ready meals is that it’s much easier to find healthy options that suit your fitness goals. Many ready meals are also laden with sugar and salt, and when you do find healthy options in shops they’re generally not as tasty as Prepped Pots meals, in my experience at least.

Once you select your plan you can pick all of the meals you want in your box, with 25 options available in the current range. You do have to sign up for a subscription to the service when you order, which involves getting boxes delivered weekly, fortnightly or monthly, but it’s easy to cancel or postpone if your first order doesn’t convince you to stick with the service at full price.

Getting such a good discount on your first order makes it something you can use to help you kick-start a fitness regime, or just make your life a lot easier during a particularly busy period. If you’ve consistently found that eating a balanced diet is the trickiest part of a healthy lifestyle, then it’s worth trying Prepped Pots while this deal is available.

Buy Prepped Pots

Buy individual Prepped Pots from Muscle Food

Even if you have had training, most people would appreciate on-the-spot guidance if faced with performing a resuscitation procedure (known as CPR) on someone who has gone into cardiac arrest. Especially since getting the rhythm and depth of compression right when trying to resuscitate someone is central to the chances of success.

The new Beurer LifePad will guide you through the whole process, helping to ensure you’re performing CPR correctly in an emergency. 

Once positioned on the chest, the LifePad shows you where to push and uses colour-coded lights and acoustic signals to help you get the rhythm and depth of compression right. A series of images on the pad shows you the steps to take when trying to resuscitate someone. 

You follow the beat to time your compressions – 100 a minute – while lights at the top of the pad show if your compressions are deep enough. It’s an upgrade on the often-taught approach of timing your compressions to the beat of the Bee Gees’ “Stayin’ Alive”, but it’s the depth measurement that might be particularly important, since it’s hard work maintaining the correct pressure during CPR.

Even if you don’t have any training in CPR beyond what you might have seen in TV shows and films, the LifePad can help you deliver effective and possibly life-saving assistance to someone in cardiac arrest.

“Over 30,000 cardiac arrests a year happen outside of hospitals,” says Robert Slade, managing director at Beurer. “We’re hopeful that consumers will see the benefit in having a LifePad close by, so we can ultimately help in saving lives.”

The battery-powered pad is flexible so it can fit different body shapes of people aged 12 and over, and it’s about the size of a tablet so easily portable. The pad can be wiped clean and reused, and is powered by a replaceable CR2032 battery. It’s certified as a medical device under EU regulation and has launched in the UK and Germany, and the intention is to launch it in the US. 

The LifePad costs £60 and is exclusively available at Argos in the UK.

Cold and flu season is upon us, and unfortunately there’s no way to ensure an entirely sniffle-free winter, but that doesn’t mean we can’t take steps to give our immune system the best chance of fighting off bugs. We’ve previously sought advice from a dietitian about how to strengthen your immune system through your diet, but that’s not all you can do.

We spoke to immunologist Dr Jenna Macciochi about why regular moderate exercise can help reduce the risk of catching the common cold, improve mood and reduce stress. Macchiochi is working with Actimel on a campaign to encourage daily movement.

Everyone knows exercise is good for your physical health, and there’s now a lot of research showing how sports like running can improve your mental health. However, it’s more surprising to see evidence that exercise can also make you smarter.

That’s what the results of Asics’ Mind Games experiment suggest. The study, developed and led by clinical physiotherapist Professor Brendon Stubbs, invited competitive gamers from a range of disciplines to take part in an exercise programme, and after four months the gamers showed dramatic improvements in several areas.

Their cognitive function was boosted by 10% on average, with their problem-solving abilities improving by 9% and their processing speed and alertness improving by 10%, translating into improved results in their sports. The group also enjoyed increased confidence and concentration levels, with their anxiety dropping.

Keen to find out more about what the gamers did in their exercise programme, we spoke to the coach who created it, Andrew Kastor.

How did you structure the exercise programme?

I created three different levels of 16-week training programmes for the Mind Gamers to follow.  Each of the plans had a very gentle approach in adaptation to exercise stimulus. The easiest of the aerobic training programs started off with just 10 minutes of walking on day one and gradually worked up to 150 minutes of aerobic activity by week 14 of the programme.

The hardest programme started off with 20-30 minutes of walking three to four days per week and progressed to approximately 200-plus minutes of aerobic exercise per week.  

At the onset of the training programme, each participant performed two physical tests, the 12-minute Cooper Run/Walk and a max push-up test, then they repeated the tests at eight and 16 weeks to mark their progress.

What areas did you focus on in particular?

Many of the strength and stretching exercises that I prescribed focused on improving posture. My guess was that most of the Mind Gamers were weak in these areas, especially if they were self-proclaimed “sedentary”. My goal was to emphasise stretching the hip flexors and quadriceps muscles, along with the pectoralis or chest muscles and strengthen the rhomboids or upper-back muscles to help with postural strength, which in turn leads to better oxygenation of every system of the body as respiration is unhindered.

Any exercise or movement that improves posture, I believe, will improve cognitive function.  Also, constancy with a sound, well-rounded training programme, I feel will improve cognitive function in everyone.

How intense was the exercise involved?

My goal for each of the three plans I created was to be very conservative and focus on staying in the aerobic heart rate zone (50-65% of your maximum heart rate) as I believed this was best practice for more than 75% of the participants to follow.  

My primary concern was to keep all 77 participants healthy so that they could complete the study and make physical activity a part of their lifestyle long after the study was over. Many of the Asics Frontrunners [a community of running enthusiasts] and coaches involved found that their participants were progressing faster than the plan and consulted with me on how to progress them out of the aerobic-only training. Quite a few of the participants started interval training and during their workouts entered into the upper threshold zone (75-85% of their maximum heart rate) of training.

A documentary about Mind Games is streaming on Amazon Prime now.  

Sports supplement company Myprotein has launched its first range of ready meals, which will be available exclusively at Iceland, both in stores and online. There are 15 meals available costing from £3.50 to £6 and they are designed to fit in easily with a healthy lifestyle.

As you’d expect, the meals are high in protein, and the calorie counts are generally between 400 and 600 calories for a main meal, although the huge Meat Feast Pasta meal bucks that trend with 633 calories (and a whopping 61g of protein). 

Myprotein says the meals are also generally low in fat and high in fibre, and the range contains options for breakfast, lunch and dinner. So far the range only really caters to omnivores, since the veggie options are restricted to a couple of breakfast meals.

Myprotein has tried to produce easier, healthier versions of comfort-food classics, with a menu that includes Pulled Pork Mac & Cheese, Chicken Tikka, Bolognese Pasta and Piri Piri Chicken meals, all of which should hit the spot on active days.

I tried out the Meat Feast Pasta after a 10-mile run and it certainly hit the spot as a filling and tasty lunch, although it didn’t strike me as a particularly healthy option if you weren’t also exercising hard that day. That’s mostly because of the high salt content, which is 3.5g – a big chunk of your 6g recommended daily allowance. 

It took 10 minutes in the microwave to make the meal, which comes in a plastic bowl with a sleeve. Myprotein called this “reusable packaging” when the meals launched, but a flimsy plastic bowl without a lid doesn’t strike me as all that reusable.

Along with being able to get the meals in-store and online with Iceland, you can also get them from Iceland’s sub-brand The Food Warehouse.

Although a couple are £6, the majority of the meals cost £4 or £4.75, which is cheaper than almost all the picks in our best healthy meal prep services round-up. Granted those picks are delivered to your door, but it’s not tricky for most of us to find a branch of Iceland nearby, and Iceland also delivers for free if you spend over £40 on a food order online.

While cooking your own food is always a good way to help ensure you’re eating healthily, meal prep services like this can be highly convenient for keeping your diet on track during busy periods – they’re certainly better than opting for a takeaway or a standard ready meal. 

If you’re planning on beginning a fitness kick in January, eating balanced meals with plenty of protein is a great way to support your training. And if Myprotein’s meals can match the standards of our existing favourite meal prep services at a lower cost, we’re all for it.

As 2023 approaches, you may be preparing to attempt a January challenge such as Veganuary, which encourages people to go vegan for the first month of the year. 

But cutting out all animal-derived foods is not an easy thing to do. Dietitian Azmina Govindji tried the vegan diet for eight weeks to research her book Vegan Savvy, and even she – a highly qualified nutrition expert – found it difficult to eat enough of the right nutrients. However, the good news is that with proper planning you can make it work: Govindji gave us plenty of advice on what to do if Veganuary has left you hungry all the time. Another great option is a vegan meal delivery service, like Allplants.

Allplants delivers chef-prepared frozen ready meals to heat up in the microwave. It’s a great way to keep your meals interesting and ensure you don’t miss out on essential nutrients. All dishes have been approved by a nutritionist, contain at least two of your five-a-day and count as a source of protein and a source of iron. Our glowing Allplants review gave the service 4½ stars and found it was hassle-free and, above all, tasty. 

Allplants has also launched a range of brilliant budget-friendly bundles to help you get started. It's not just for committed vegans, either. “Change will happen when we have millions of people making a few plant-based swaps every week, rather than a few people doing it perfectly all the time,” says founder Jonathan Petrides. “That’s why we’re on hand to help the nation with whatever their goals are this January. We welcome everyone to our table to help reshape the future of food together.”

So no matter whether you’re a fully-fledged vegan, dipping your toe into the plant-based world or just want to eat less meat, meal delivery services like Allplants makes meat-free living nutritious and effortless. It’s not your only option, though. Browse all our tried-and-tested vegan recipe boxes and meal delivery services.

It’s sometimes easy to forget that, for most people, eating healthily simply involves balanced meals where you don’t skimp on the vegetables. You don’t have to cut out all flavour and only eat meagre amounts, just get your veg in and eat in line with how active you are.

With this in mind, Prep Kitchen’s meals are perfect. The range is tasty across the board, packed with flavour and well balanced so it’s easy to get the macronutrients and calories suited to your lifestyle. It’s undoubtedly one of the best healthy meal prep services.

Prep Kitchen: Price And Availability

The price of Prep Kitchen varies depending on your portion size and plan. If you opt for a Fat Loss plan it’s £6.25 per balanced meal and £7 per meal for low-carb meals. On the Muscle Gain plan it’s £7.50 per balanced meal and £8.25 for low-carb. 

Prep Kitchen delivers across mainland UK excluding the Highlands, with deliveries arriving weekly on Sundays via DPD.

Setting Up Your Plan

Your Prep Kitchen journey begins by choosing between the fat loss and muscle gain plans, which determines the overall calories in the meals available to you. You then select whether you want balanced meals or low-carb meals, with the latter containing more protein and veg to replace the carbs.

The actual meals are the same whatever choices you make – they are simply adjusted in line with your aims. You can see the nutritional breakdown for each meal adjusted for each plan choice by clicking on the main menu before you begin your order, with fat loss meals generally having 400-500 calories and muscle gain ones 500-700. The price per meal varies according to your plan, but once you’ve confirmed this the meals are always the same price, which keeps things simple.

After choosing your plan you select how many meals you want per week (from four to 100) and then take a look at the menus to choose your meals. There are week A and week B menus, which rotate but are both dominated by meaty meals – adding more veggie and fish options should be top of Prep Kitchen’s to-do list.

The final step of the process is choosing whether you want any breakfasts and snacks, such as chocolate pancakes, overnight oats or brownies. As a rule I found these to be less enjoyable than the main meals – I preferred toast or cereal, neither of which are exactly time-consuming to make yourself. I’d skip this option.

How I Tested This Meal Delivery Service

I tested two weeks of the Prep Kitchen service, trying a variety of meals across the different plans, including some of the breakfasts and snacks.

The Meals

All your meals arrive on Sunday each week in recyclable packaging. It takes three minutes to heat up a meal from fresh (with a 900W microwave) and you can also freeze them, in which case it takes around 4min 30sec to heat them up. It’s worth freezing a few meals because you’ll struggle to get through a big order before the “use by” dates, and I found they tasted no less delicious if heated from frozen rather than fresh.

The standout attraction of the Prep Kitchen meals is the flavour. There’s nothing bland about these meals – if anything some people might find them a bit too rich. Do take note of meals marked as spicy, because that label is not dished out lightly. There are generous amounts of sauces in most meals to ensure nothing gets too dry in the microwave, and while the meals don’t always look particularly delicious with meat, veg and carbs piled into the tray, I didn’t come across one I didn’t like.

Particular highlights were the Tex Mex burrito bowl with jalapeno rice, kung pao chicken, and the Christmas turkey dinner (with all the trimmings). But there were probably only one or two meals I wouldn’t order again, and even there I enjoyed them, just less than the others.

As someone who runs every day I preferred the higher-calorie portions of the muscle gain plan, but on my rest days the fat loss meals were satisfying. Across the plans the meals are built for people who are active, so the calorie count might be too high for those who are looking to lose weight while being largely sedentary, but it’s easy to fit the meals into a balanced, healthy lifestyle.

Is Prep Kitchen Worth It?

Even within the expensive world of meal delivery services, Prep Kitchen is a pricy option, though it doesn’t come in vastly dearer than some of my other favourite options like Tastily and Allplants. If the price doesn’t put you off it’s an excellent service with delicious meals, and active people will find it particularly good for providing the nutrition needed to support their training.

It doesn’t come across as a traditional “healthy” meal service because the meals seem so normal, which for me is a plus since they are still balanced healthy meals – just tastier and heartier than many others. However, those looking for very low-carb and calorie meals won’t really find them here, and as noted, the range is also lacking in veggie and fish options.

You can find meal services that will tailor plans even more closely to your fitness goals, like Fresh Fitness Food, which delivers daily. However, on overall convenience and flavour, it’s hard to top what Prep Kitchen offers, and it will suit the majority of people very well if the price isn’t off-putting.

How much do you spend on your lunch each day? If the answer is more than £1, and it probably is, then you could make a saving by switching to Huel’s new Essential powder.

Huel Essential joins the original Huel Powder 3.0 and high-protein Huel Black Edition in the company’s line-up, and if you’re happy to drink your meals Huel Essential is a cheap and nutritious option.

It contains the same 26 vitamins and minerals found in Huel’s other powders, along with 20g of plant-based protein per 100g serving. Huel Essential is also low in sugar and comes in two flavours – chocolate and vanilla.

Compared with Huel’s other powders, you have fewer choices of flavour and are getting less protein per serving – Huel Powder 3.0 contains 30g and Huel Black Edition has 40g – but the Essential powder has more carbs at 57g per serving.

At £1 a serving the Essential powder is a fair bit cheaper than Huel’s other options, but note that you only get that price if you subscribe to receive the minimum order of two bags at regular intervals, which brings the cost down to £45. If you make a one-off purchase it’s £50 for two sacks, which is £1.11 a meal.

Huel Powder 3.0 costs from £51.50 for two sacks if you subscribe and £62 for a one-off purchase, but each bag contains just 17 meals compared with 22 in a sack of Huel Essential. Huel Black Edition costs from £57 for two sacks, with 17 servings in a sack.

Huel Essential is the first powder from the company to use a recyclable pouch, which can be recycled alongside soft plastics at large supermarkets. You get a free shaker with your first order to make the meals. 

In our experience of testing Huel’s meal replacement shakes they are pretty tasty and filling, and undeniably convenient, but not something you’d want to have for every meal. Swapping out the odd lunch for a fast and cheap Huel Essential shake is not a bad option at all, though.

Everything costs more nowadays, so we’re always on the look-out for cheap, healthy recipes to bring the cost of eating down. That’s why we were excited to come across four new plant-based recipes from Discover Great Veg, a campaign promoting British-grown kale, cavolo nero, leeks and spinach (you’ve heard of Big Oil; this lot are Big Brassica*). 

Of the four, the kale and chickpea dhansak recipe caught our eye because, according to the experts, it costs just £1 per portion. With no other information given, we got in touch with Discover Great Veg and were told the calculation is based on prices at Tesco in November 2022. 

The dhansak contains potatoes, aubergines, chickpeas, red lentils and kale, and delivers a substantial 24g of protein and 13g of fibre. It also counts as two – two! – of your five a day and packs in vitamins K and C as well. Along with the rest of the recipes, the dhansak takes less than 30 minutes to prepare and cook. 

Another appealing weekday dinner is the super greens pie, which combines borlotti beans with leeks and cavolo nero, along with vegan alternatives to cream and a puff-pastry lid. While the fat content is relatively high, it represents three (*swoons*) of your five a day and it’s a source of vitamin C. It also only costs £1.60 per portion. 

The remaining two recipes are a harissa kale and houmous flatbread, which looks like a great, quick-to-make lunch if you work from home; and satay noodles with tofu and spinach. Both have chunky amounts of protein and vitamin K, and cost £1.20 and £2.40 per portion, respectively.

For more plant-based meals to make at home, browse these vegan recipes and vegetarian recipes, as well as this fantastic recipe generator that can suggest what to do with healthy cupboard staples. We also really like this tuna and beans pitta pocket recipe, which shows sports nutrition can be affordable. Bon appétit! 

*brassica, plus an allium

With the group stage almost over and the business end of the World Cup coming into view, you may be dreading nerve-racking 90 minutes after nerve-racking 90 minutes, or planning to hide behind the sofa to avoid the stress of watching penalties. 

Why do we put ourselves through it? One reason is that there’s a level of stress that can be exciting. There’s even a term for this, eustress, and it’s a concept that can help you change how you face stress outside of watching sport.

What is eustress?

“Eu is just ‘good’ in Ancient Greek, so it’s basically good stress,” says Brendan Street, a cognitive behavioural therapist and head of charity at Nuffield Health.

“When you talk about stress, you think about negative stress, but some stress can be good for us. There’s something called the Yerkes-Dodson law. You’ve got performance and arousal, and there’s a bell-shaped curve that says that if you’ve got too much stress, then your performance depletes and you move into distress. If you’ve got too little stress, then you don’t perform at all because you’re bored. There’s a Goldilocks zone in the middle, which is eustress.” 

Experts who have looked at how stress affects the body have shown how it can be a beneficial influence, but also how too much of it leads to health problems in the long term.

“A stress response is also referred to as ‘fight or flight’,” says Street. “When you perceive a threat, it’s that physiological response that gets you out of the way [of danger]. A short, sharp release of adrenaline, and a release of cortisol, which is the main stress hormone, increases your heart rate, increases your breathing rate and directs blood away from your extremities to your internal organs, so you’re ready to react. 

“Another thing that cortisol does is it makes your blood stickier, so it coagulates quickly. That’s why your blood pressure goes up – sticky blood is more difficult to pump – but in the short term, if you get injured you don’t bleed to death.

“That reaction isn’t bad for us, but if you’re constantly stressed, and you’re constantly releasing adrenaline and cortisol, that’s like revving the car all the time. Long-term stress can cause strokes, heart disease, increased diabetes, increased obesity, anxiety, depression.”

How people seek out eustress

There are some sources of stress that will generally lead to eustress for most of us, and one of them is following your favourite sports team.

“Think about the World Cup, or a football match in general,” says Street. “The psychological impact of a football match is short-lived, and generally eustress is what people experience. Though that can depend on whether you win or lose, and the caveat is that it’s not good for everybody, because instances of domestic abuse go up in major football tournaments.”

If football isn’t for you, there are other common sources of eustress that many of us seek out, but the same stressors don’t work for everyone. It’s all about perception and what you’re looking for from the experience.

“That’s what people who go into extreme sports are seeking,” says Street. “Horror films too. You’re looking for that peak, that adrenaline release. But if you’re forced on to a roller coaster or to watch a horror film and you hate them, it would tip over into distress.”

The same is true of exercise, which can be one of the regular sources of eustress for lots of people, but when you first start exercising the challenge of it can make it unpleasantly stressful.

“Exercise is a good source of eustress,” says Street. “But if you’re not used to it or ready for that, then exercise can tip into distress. You perceive the pain as a stressor and that kicks off the more intensive stress, but generally the reason most people keep going back to exercise is because you get that adrenaline kick.”

Changing how you respond to stress

How you think about stress is central to how it affects your body, so it can be beneficial to get away from the idea that stress is just a bad thing.

“There are stressors and a stress reaction, but a stressor doesn’t necessarily need to cause a stress reaction,” says Street. “And then if it does, it doesn’t necessarily need to be a negative stress reaction. It’s about perception. Something is only a threat when you perceive it as a threat.” 

Catching yourself when you respond to challenging situations with negative thoughts about yourself and turning them into helpful thoughts will help from eustress tipping into distress as well. For instance, Street suggests thinking: “I can find ways around this, I’ve got other resources and other people that can support me”.

As well as your frame of mind, there are other ways to put yourself in the best possible position to face stress.

“A lot of it comes down to the basic things that we all know we need to do,” says Street. “Like eating well, avoiding too much booze and caffeine, and taking time sometimes to just sit and relax. 

“Think about your values as well. I really value being a dad, so I make sure I get some time with my daughter because that’s the thing I value, and that’s when I’m going to revitalise and recharge myself. Often we get stuck in a stressful job and that’s what we do all the time. We never recharge.

“Exercise is key. There’s a massive connection with physical activity. So 150 minutes of moderate activity per week, or 75 minutes of more intensive exercise. If you’re not getting enough exercise and you do experience something challenging, then you’re more likely to skip eustress and go straight to distress.”

Domestic abuse helplines can be found through the UK Government’s domestic abuse: how to get help webpage.

More Stories To Help You Manage Stress

• Look After Your Mental Health With This Five-Day Plan For Minimising Stress
• How To Use Positive Thinking To Manage Stress
• Are You Stress Eating During The COVID-19 Pandemic?
• How To Recognise Stress Drinking And What To Do About It

Myprotein is one of the more active brands during the Black Friday period, not only offering great long-term deals throughout the week but also popping up with extra discounts for those who keep a sharp eye on its website.

At the moment you can get up to 80% off everything on the UK site using the code BLACK, and up to 40% off on the US site with the code DEAL. There have also been flash sales on the site where an extra 10% was knocked off protein products on top of the discounted price, and Myprotein even offered tubs of its Clear Whey powder for just 1p at one point.

We say this not to make you rue missed opportunities, but to alert you to the fact that more great deals are likely to land on the Myprotein site, so it’s worth checking here regularly as we’ll flag up when they do.

For now here’s some of the best deals we’ve picked out in the Myprotein sales on both sides of the pond. To see how Myprotein compares to other supplement brands, check the latest deals with our round-up of the best Black Friday protein deals.

Black Friday Myprotein Deals In The US

Black Friday Myprotein Deals In The UK

Flapjacks may have a reputation as a sweet treat, but dive into the nutritional stats and you can easily start to justify them as a smart source of energy for high-intensity and endurance activities. Add in some protein, as in this quick-and-easy protein flapjack recipe, and you get an all-rounder that’s convenient to eat after a workout, and the perfect alternative to protein bars if you’d rather have a home-made high-protein snack.

The recipe uses whey protein powder and if you don’t already have a tub of the stuff handy, check our round-up of the best protein powders. You can use any flavour of whey protein you fancy for the flapjack, but remember you’ll also be adding honey to the mix so this may be an occasion when the otherwise unpalatable unflavoured option works.

It only takes 25 minutes to whip up a batch of these protein flapjacks. For other foods that can help you build muscle, read our guide to high-protein foods.

Protein Flapjacks Recipe

Ingredients

• 120g rolled oats
• 100g Meridian peanut butter
• 60g whey protein powder
• 125-150g skimmed milk (almond milk and other % fat milks can be used instead but weights may vary)
• 15g acacia honey

Directions

• Place whey and oats into large bowl; mix together
• Add milk and peanut butter and mix together until evenly mixed
• Add honey and stir evenly through mixture
• Line a baking tray with grease proof paper and drizzle a touch of coconut oil 
• Spread mixture onto paper (1-3cm thickness)
• Place in fridge for 30 minutes
• Pre-heat oven to 190 degrees C (gas mark 5)
• 10-12 minutes in oven
• Remove, slice and leave to cool

Nutritional Values

• Protein: 85g
• Carbohydrate: 110g
• Fat: 55g

To create a more calorific protein flapjack, simply use a mass-gainer style protein powder instead of whey, opt for full fat milk, top with a nut butter and add a handful of blueberries to the mixture.

Thanks to ldnmuscle.com for the recipe.

More High-Protein Snack Recipes

• The World’s Easiest Peanut Butter Bar Recipe
• Make This Macadamia, Pumpkin Seed And Fudge Protein Bar Recipe
• Step Up Your Snacking Game With This Salted Chocolate Protein Balls Recipe

Erectile dysfunction is a common problem, and yet it’s something that men are hesitant to discuss with medical professionals. That’s why our ears pricked up when we heard about the Regimen men’s health app, which has partnered with Viagra Connect. The app is a CE-certified medical device (meaning: it’s legit) and creates personalised plans to help men with a holistic approach that includes lifestyle changes and cognitive behavioural therapy, which may improve their symptoms of erectile dysfunction. While we’d always recommend speaking to professionals, there’s certainly a place for advice you can trust right there on your smartphone.

When we asked to speak to an expert from Regimen about the type of lifestyle changes the app might recommend, we expected to talk with a urologist, so were surprised and intrigued when we were offered the chance to speak to Dr Husain Shabeeh, a consultant cardiologist and advisor to Regimen. It turns out erectile dysfunction is linked with your overall cardiovascular health, and as such you can reduce your risk of suffering either through lifestyle changes.

How is erectile dysfunction linked to cardiovascular health?

I’m a cardiologist and there are not many cardiologists who know much about erectile function. I did a PhD in vascular function, and it’s the vascular cells which affect your heart arteries, but also affects your penile arteries. If you get erectile dysfunction, the cause is partly vascular. And that’s very important from a cardiologist point of view, because there’s some data that suggests erectile dysfunction precedes heart attack by a few years. 

A urologist friend of mine said “let’s do a clinic together” – a cardiology and erectile dysfunction clinic – because of the overlap of the causes. The cause is not just vascular, it’s psychological and there are other things as well, of course, but from my point of view, it’s clearly related to cardiovascular risk. So much so that in the UK guidelines, the question “do you have erectile dysfunction?” adds to your cardiovascular risk when assessing risk. 

Hence, you have a cardiologist talking about erectile health, which is far away from the heart. But a urologist once told me the penis is the window to the heart!

How can lifestyle factors affect the risk of erectile dysfunction?

To improve your cardiovascular risk, it’s not all about medication, it’s also about lifestyle – regular exercise, weight loss, a healthy diet. And if you’re improving your vascular risk, that also goes for erectile dysfunction, so all of those things can help your erectile health as well as your cardiovascular health.

What kind of lifestyle changes can you make?

If we all remain as healthy as possible, we’ll have much less cardiovascular disease, and it’s very likely we won’t have as many men with erectile dysfunction. I tend to use the government guidelines so people can look them up on the NHS website. 

Let’s start with some basics: weight loss and maintaining a healthy weight – I can’t stress the importance of this enough. And if we go to weight loss, then we talk about your diet. Fried foods and fatty foods are not good for you. But refined sugars like biscuits, cakes, ice cream may also be near the top of that list. And then ultra-processed food, which is most of the UK diet, unfortunately. All of that is not good for your cardiovascular risk. It’s not good for your weight, for your blood pressure, and subsequently for erectile health. 

So keep your weight down and eat healthy fresh foods: vegetables, fruits, and ideally wholemeal carbs rather than white bread, white pasta or white rice. If we all cooked our food and it was all fresh, it’d be much healthier for us.

Then regular activity is vital for your whole cardiovascular health. The current UK guidelines suggest 2½ hours a week, so five sessions of 30 minutes, but you have to feel like you’ve pushed yourself a little bit. If you do more intense exercise, you can do roughly half as much. But it is important to have that regular activity.

Why is it important to talk to someone if you are suffering with erectile dysfunction?

I’m not a urologist, but we know that psychological help, or cognitive behavioural therapy, definitely helps as well. So the message really should be if you’re having any trouble with your erections, you should let someone know – this shouldn’t be a taboo subject. 

One, because it can affect your mental health and wellbeing, but two, you may be sitting on a time bomb, where it’s best to get that help and make those changes now. Everything is fairly straightforward – exercise more, eat less –  but most people have to be told. You could also be sitting on another risk factor like smoking, for example. 

It will help manage your whole cardiovascular risk. We also check people’s blood pressure, blood sugar and blood cholesterol – those are the big risk factors for cardiovascular disease. So managing all of those risk factors will help your cardiovascular risk, and in turn will help erectile health as well.

Can medication help with erectile dysfunction too?

There are medications that can help. It’s very important for men’s erectile health that they’re able to have intercourse, but the idea is not just to have a problem, then take medication, and then have sexual intercourse. It’s to help yourself with the underlying issues and help your cardiovascular risk in general.

Body transformation before-and-after images are a regular occurrence on Instagram and in health and fitness publications – even, on rare occasions, in this one.

For World Mental Health Day, dancer and Strictly Come Dancing judge Motsi Mabuse has taken part in the Dramatic Transformation campaign from Asics, which tries to shift the focus of the before-and-after photo away from aesthetic change. The “after” shot is taken at the end of 15 minutes and nine seconds of exercise, the amount of time it takes to generate a mental uplift – according to research overseen by Coach favourite Professor Brendon Stubbs (we spoke to him about running and mental health and the relationship between the two is truly astounding).

“The culture of ‘body transformation’ images, driven largely through social media, has conditioned society to view exercise through the lens of physical change,” says Gary Raucher of Asics EMEA. “Committing to this cause, ASICS EMEA will not post exercise transformation pictures that focus purely on aesthetic transformation on its channels. This also has the support of our 500-plus ASICS FrontRunner community with an audience of millions. The community is committed to only sharing images that reflect the uplifting feeling movement brings: the powerful mental and emotional impact of exercise on the whole self – body and mind.”

Mabuse has been joined in the campaign by A&E doctor and TV personality Dr Alex George, as well as former model and UN Women UK ambassador Jada Sezer. 

“I have been on a real journey with exercise and the reasons why I do it,” says George. “When I was younger, I really used exercise as a weapon, to try and look thin, to look a certain way. When I went on Love Island a few years later, I was overtraining, and it wasn’t good for my mental health. Now, I’ve changed the way I view exercise and it’s really helped my mental health. I move for my mind, rather than to look a certain way.”

If that resonates with you, it may well be worth accessing resources through the charity Mind, which collaborated with Asics on the project. Earlier this year we spoke to Hayley Jarvis, head of physical activity at Mind, about how overexercising can be bad for your mental health, which you may also find useful. 

“It’s great that Asics is challenging the use of body transformation pictures,” says Sezer, “because for me it’s never been about a physical transformation, more of a mental transformation. If I feel good mentally, then I’ve achieved my goal. ‘No pain, no gain’ has never resonated with me. It’s always been about how it makes me feel, not look, and I’m proud to be part of a campaign that represents this.”

When you switch to a vegetarian or vegan diet, one of your first concerns might be how you’re going to get enough protein without eating meat. But there’s no need to worry – protein is readily available from a wide variety of plant sources and it’s not hard to get the amount you need from your diet.

However, one important difference between plant and animal proteins is the proportion which are “complete” proteins, which means sources that contain the nine essential amino acids we need to get from our diet. All animal proteins are complete, while only a handful of plant proteins are.

One of the complete plant-based sources is soy (aka soya), making it an attractive addition to a plant-based diet and a popular ingredient in vegan protein powders. For more information on soy and to find out any potential disadvantages of eating it, we put some questions to sports dietitian Linia Patel, who was speaking on behalf of the British Dietetic Association.

• The Best Vegetarian Sources Of Protein
• The Best Sources Of Protein For Vegans
• 3 High-Protein Vegan Recipes From The Vegan Athlete’s Cookbook

The life-affirming success of parkrun stems from its inclusivity. The weekly events are local and friendly to all comers, whether you plan on thrashing out a PB or walking your first 5K, as we found out when we spoke to four recent converts before parkrun’s International Women’s Day initiative. Every parkrun event has a tail walker, one of the team of volunteers that make parkrun possible, who shepherds the participants home.

The fact that the name of the event uses “run” rather than “walk”, however, may obscure the fact that every week thousands of people walk parkrun. Parkrun’s own research revealed that “some people feel that if they walk at parkrun they will hold others up, slow them down, will be on their own, or will not be welcomed”. But this isn’t the case.

As parkrun celebrates 18 years this October, it is making a push to increase the number of people walking each week by introducing the parkwalk campaign. Walking is a fantastic way to spend your time, and it’ll do everyone’s physical and mental state the world of good. “Walking can help you manage or prevent health conditions, enhance your mood, boost fitness and bring you into contact with some amazing places and people,” says parkrun’s launch blog.

If you’re someone who has never taken part in a parkrun then this October is the perfect time to give it a try. If you’re an experienced parkrunner it’s a great month to invite a friend and walk with them, or even volunteer to support any new faces at your local event.

To support parkwalk in October and beyond, a new volunteer role has been created – parkwalker. It’s in addition to the tail walker, and is designed to be another friendly face in the pack of walkers.

Then in the first two weekends of November, Walk with Joe (yes, Joe Wicks) encourages people to turn up in fancy dress, connect with their community and raise money for BBC Children in Need’s Spotacular campaign.

“I’m a massive advocate of moving the body to help the mind,” says Wicks, “and walking and talking with family and friends has always been really important to me.” What more encouragement do you need?  

Find your local parkun

More about parkrun

• What Is Parkrun And Why Does Everyone Love It?
• Study: Taking Part In Parkrun Makes You Happier

There are a lot of glamorous ways to try to enhance your athletic performance, from carbon plate running shoes that help you run more efficiently to massage guns and compression boots that help you recover faster. However, whatever sport you do, the key to long-term success comes down to training consistently, eating well and sleeping enough.

Of those elements, sleep is the one that we tend to gloss over. We’ll smash out intense workouts and eat more protein than any human could possibly need, but committing to a consistent bed and wake time? Absolutely not.

Life can get in the way of sleep, of course, but once you learn about the benefits of sleep for performance, it’s clear that it’s something you need to prioritise where possible. We spoke to sleep scientist Dr Sophie Bostock about the importance of sleep to performance. Bostock is a member of the British Heart Foundation London Marathon support squad, a team of experts supporting the charity’s runners at the 2022 marathon.

Why is sleep so important to performance?

When you look across the research, pretty much every aspect of physical, emotional and cognitive performance is influenced by sleep loss. It’s particularly sub-maximal strength and endurance that are affected in the athletic performance space, but also decision-making. There are a lot of ways that sleep disruption can impact on your performance, particularly in a long race.

Have studies quantified the effect of a lack of sleep on performance?

There was a study which looked at a 30-minute self-paced treadmill test after 30 hours without sleep, so that’s just one night without sleep. People covered typically 3% shorter distance but with a similar perceived effort. There was another study that looked at a 50-minute sprint protocol that showed a slower sprint speed and lower muscle glycogen concentration. 

There was a review this year – a systematic review that pulled together lots of different studies – which looked across different aspects of physical performance. It suggested that the negative impact on exercise performance across these different metrics was around 7-7.5%. This was for total sleep deprivation, and the effects got worse the longer the sleep was deprived. There were also more consistent effects in the afternoon versus the morning, which is interesting, because the time since sleep deprivation makes a difference. 

There are caveats to this: 7-7.5% sounds huge, but that was total sleep deprivation. And it was probably mostly in a lab. I think it’s also really important not to overstate the effects, because we can really make people anxious about not getting enough sleep. For the most part, one night with dodgy sleep is probably not going to make too much difference, but multiple nights over multiple weeks – that’s the kind of thing that impacts performance.

Is it true that sleeping more before midnight is more beneficial than sleeping longer in the morning?

In some ways it’s an old old wives’ tale, but there really is a difference in the nature of sleep that you get depending on where it is in the 24-hour cycle. The nature of sleep is controlled by the circadian rhythms, this 24-hour rhythm which is drilled into us, and it’s regulated very much by light. 

When you go to sleep in the first part of the night, you tend to get more deep sleep, slow-wave sleep, which is often associated with physical energy and muscle repair, growth hormone, that sort of thing. Whereas in the second part of the night, we get more REM sleep. Rapid eye movement sleep is very important for creativity and memory, regulating our emotions also. 

So there is no such thing as unhelpful sleep, but there is some truth in the benefits of not pushing your bedtime back too late.

Do you recommend napping to extend your overall sleep time?

I am a big proponent of the power nap, particularly for those people who are having disrupted sleep at night, whether they’re parents or because of work. Sleep extension could include a few extra naps, particularly between one and 4pm, in that lull after lunch – even if you only have 20 minutes. Some studies have even found a nap of 10 minutes can be enough to improve your mood and alertness. A short nap like that is not going to interfere with your sleep at night. 

So as an alternative to just guzzling loads of caffeine and sugar, I think a short nap – particularly when you’re training hard – is good. Most of the athletes I’ve worked with will nap if they’ve got a long training session in the morning and a long training session in the afternoon. 

But don’t worry if you’re not a napper – some people just aren’t. It’s still good just to have a break, but if you feel really sleepy, I would always recommend a nap versus more caffeine.

Do you recommend using a sleep tracker?

I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with trackers. I think they are brilliant for encouraging a little bit of accountability. The time you really benefit from them is when you’re looking for consistency in your sleep. A consistent wake time is probably one of the most important elements for getting your circadian rhythms on track. And they do give you a bit of an indicator of whether you’re skimping on your time asleep or not. 

But the most important metric for the quality and quantity of your sleep is really how you feel during the day, because we’re all different, and we all need slightly different amounts of sleep. I would encourage people not to compare themselves with others, but to really think about how they’re feeling. So if they are finding that they are reliant on caffeine or lots of sugary snacks throughout the day just to keep themselves awake, that’s a pretty good clue that they’re not getting enough sleep and it doesn’t matter what that tracker says. 

An over-reliance on that tracker can lead to quite an unhealthy obsession with the perfect night’s sleep. Very often I meet people who are suffering from insomnia who will give me some kind of data from the tracker and I usually tell them to take it off as a first intervention. Until you worry a little bit less about what the tracker says, take it off.

The best healthy meal delivery services can be huge time-savers. Your meals arrive pre-made and all you have to do is throw them in the microwave or oven. The most common approach is for companies to send out a selection of meals that can be stored in your freezer or fridge, while others offer a daily delivery service—some will even supply every meal and snack you eat each day. Daily deliveries mean the food is fresher, but these services tend to be more expensive.

I’ve tested a wide variety of meal delivery services based in the UK, and all those that are still available are ranked below. Before getting into the details I’ve listed a quick guide to my pick of the best healthy meal delivery services to suit a variety of different requirements, such as dietary preferences or health and fitness goals.

How I Test Healthy Meal Delivery Services

A company will send me a package of meals that’s in line with one of its usual orders, whether that’s a box of two or three meals, or a week of daily deliveries covering breakfast to dinner plus snacks. Does this mean I only say nice things to keep the free food coming? No. Scroll to the bottom of this article to read about services I didn’t rate as highly.

I aim to try a range of meals that suit different dietary preferences, always including vegan and low-calorie meals in my reviews where possible. I’m looking for satisfying, tasty meals that don’t skimp on vegetables in particular, because if you can’t hit your five-a-day with a meal delivery service, then when can you?

The Quick List

The Best Healthy Meal Delivery Services

Best overall

COOK’s range of meals is absolutely huge and includes options for entertaining groups of up to eight, as well as children’s meals. It’s easy to order frozen meals on the website and there are 100 COOK stores in the UK too, which means you can take a look at the meals before buying, which is not common with meal delivery services.

I tested a range of meals for one and two, including several vegan options, and they were tasty across the board. The meals were also easy to prepare and came out of the microwave looking appetizing, which is not always the case with frozen meals. I tried a lot of the pots-for-one, which are a healthy and relatively affordable option in COOK’s range, and they are a good pick for people trying to keep their calorie intake quite low, being tasty and pretty satisfying for quite small meals. 

Because I was in the middle of marathon training I needed to add sides to the meals to get enough calories in, so if you’re looking to bulk up or training very hard in general you’ll probably need to opt for higher calorie COOK options than the pots-for-one, since the portions aren’t huge. The only other mild criticism I have is that with the meat meals there often wasn’t more than one portion of vegetables in there. There are more veg-filled options in the COOK range (have I mentioned how big the range is?), but I like to see more veg in all meals to help me hit my five-a-day.

Best value

Muscle Food’s Prepped Pots are cheaper than most meal delivery services I’ve tried, but you wouldn’t know it from the meals themselves, which are tasty, nourishing affairs. That’s especially true for meat eaters who have a bigger range of meals to pick from, though chicken is the meat that appears on the menu by far the most frequently. When I tested the service there were just five vegan meals available and only one fish option, so it would be good to see more on those fronts, particularly because you get more value if you order more meals at a time.

Picking between the meals is made easy by the labels and filtering system on the Muscle Food website, which means you can see options under a certain calorie count, or with more portions of vegetables in them (most are labeled “one of your five-a-day” although there are a handful with two—more high-veg options would be welcomed).

At 10 meals for £39.90 (with £5.99 delivery), the Prepped Pots are great value, and you also get £10 off your first order plus free delivery. You do have to subscribe to the service, opting for weekly, fortnightly or monthly deliveries, but can put your sub on hold easily at any time. There are also seven-meal, 14-meal and 20-meal boxes available, and it’s £49.80 for your first order of 20 meals—that works out at £2.49 a meal, which is outstanding value.

Best for weight loss

Prep Kitchen splits its service into two fitness goals, fat loss and muscle gain, and these determine the portion size of the meals you order. You then select how to approach your macros, choosing between balanced and low-carb, which replaces some carbs with more protein and vegetables.

You get the same meals on all plans, and in my experience all those meals are delicious. It’s nice when losing weight to pick the same meals that people bulking up get too, just with smaller portions, rather than being forced to pick from a menu of often-less-appetizing low-cal meals. The dishes were never dry even after being microwaved from frozen, and the flavors always packed a punch, especially the spicy dishes.

Being able to opt for low-carb, veg-packed meals is a great way to hit your weight loss goals, and the Prep Kitchen dishes are satisfying so you’re not always craving more food. The way that Prep Kitchen sets up the service so you can opt for bigger portions also means that athletes are well served by filling, balanced meals that support hard training days. One downside is the small number of vegetarian options, and I also wasn’t a big fan of the breakfasts and snacks from Prep Kitchen. They weren’t significantly better than toast or cereal, so I’d advise sticking to the main meals.

Read more in our Prep Kitchen review

Best for vegans and vegetarians

I’ve tried a variety of dinners, lunches and sides from this plant-based service, and was hugely impressed by all of them. Overall I’d say it’s my favorite meal prep service despite the fact I’m not vegetarian or vegan, such is the quality of the meals, which are tasty, satisfying and remarkably varied. 

The meals come frozen and take six to 10 minutes to heat up in the microwave. You can order the meals in either a single or double serving, and the minimum order is £30, with free delivery kicking in if you spend £50. There are also sides, desserts, breakfast pots and smoothies to your box, and the sides are a worthwhile addition if you’re a very active person, since you might want a bit more food than is provided by a single meal.

A new addition to the Allplants range is four meals created in partnership with chef Rachel Ama, including a terrific West African Peanut Stew that has spice and bags of flavor. Other highlights on the standard menu are the Mac and Greens in a Creamy Sauce and the range of Buddha Bowls, which make for brilliant lunches. There is always a variety of vegetables and I’ve found that the texture of the meals is always great; the stews and curries usually contain something with a bit of crunch, and nothing ever gets too soggy or limp.

There are low-calorie options on the Allplants menu, but the meals are pretty low in calories anyway—all the ones I tested came in under 600. They are also high in fiber and contain at least two portions of your recommended five-a-day, and tick the healthy box without ever making it seem like they’re aiming to, which is always the best way to do it. 

Most meal prep services now have good vegetarian and vegan options, but Allplants’ entirely plant-based menu makes it easier to pick meals that fit the bill, and I haven’t come across another service that uses plant-based ingredients in such a variety of interesting ways.

Read more in our Allplants review

Best for bodybuilding

Fresh Fitness Food’s delivery service is about as close as you can get to having a personal chef and nutritionist making your meals every day without, you know, actually having those things. It’s helpful to think of it that way too, because FFF is expensive, but the price does reflect what you’re getting.

What you’re getting is bulk deliveries every few days (or daily deliveries in London) of healthy meals tailored to your preference and goals. If you’re looking to bulk up in particular, there’s a plan for that, as well as plans for lean gains, fat loss and a balanced plan for general health. Within those plans you can choose the types of food you do and don’t want to get, including plant-based and low-carb options, or even set the exact macros you want to hit.

The meals take two to three minutes to warm up and are uniformly tasty and filling. If you’re a bodybuilder and opt for one of the more intense bulking plans you can expect a lot of protein, mostly from chicken and white fish in my experience, which is ideal for adding muscle. On the balanced plan I found you get more variety and acceptable amounts of veg (you can never have too much veg).

It’s a supremely convenient service that makes it easy to eat healthily and puts you in the best possible place to achieve your fitness goals. The price starts at £24.50 a day for three meals, but that’s if you order 100 days up front. Drop that to 10 days and it’s £27 a day.

Read more in our Fresh Fitness Food review

Best for gut health

I’ve become fascinated with gut health during my time here at Coach, and this frozen meals service won me over by including a stat for each meal that shows how many different plant types it contains, because eating 30 types a week helps to create a more diverse gut microbiome. Field Doctor also offers low-FODMAP meals, which are ideal for those with IBS who are following the low-FODMAP diet or endurance athletes who might be trying it to reduce exercise-related gastrointestinal problems.

There’s a pleasing focus on evidence-based nutrition underpinning the meals here, with a diversity of plant foods and wholegrains, plus a load of beans and legumes included wherever possible.

None of the above would matter if the meals didn’t taste good, so the great news is that they do, with a variety of enjoyable options on the menu. Vegans are well catered for as well, and you can use a filter to show options such as low-calorie, high-protein or low-FODMAP meals.

Best gluten free and dairy free

One my favorite recipe box services has branched out into selling healthy frozen meals as well. After a soft launch when the frozen meals were restricted to people ordering a recipe box, they’re now a standalone product so people who only know how to use a microwave can enjoy convenient, healthy ready meals too.

The meals are all gluten-free, dairy-free and mostly under 600 calories, and they take less than eight minutes to reheat. Currently there are 25 different meals on the menu including nine veggie options.

More Tried-And-Tested Recommendations

This frozen vegan meal delivery service has nailed it on pretty much every count. Planty uses 100% recyclable packaging and offers carbon-neutral deliveries. It also has an easy-to-navigate website that provides in-depth nutritional details for every meal, and those meals are very tasty indeed, which of course is the most important factor of all.

I ate 10 of the meals on the menu, and highlights were the butternut and mango madras and the shepherd-less pie. While some meals were less enjoyable than others—I often find that stir-fries and pasta dishes are more diminished by microwave reheating than curries and stews are—none of the meals were truly disappointing. They were all laden with plants, as you’d expect, and the variety of veg used was impressive.

You can buy a box of six, eight or 10 meals from Planty on a subscription or one-off basis, and they arrive frozen so you can pop them straight in your own freezer to save for when time is tight. They take 10 minutes or less to heat up in the microwave, and the portion sizes are enough to fill you up on a normal day, though when feeling ravenous I often added an extra side.

The Chefly meals I tested were some of the tastiest I’ve had from any delivery service, and while they’re not as overtly focused on fitness as some other services, each dish generally had a good balance of macros and was certainly loaded with enough protein to satisfy any keen exerciser. The calorie count for each sits somewhere between 400 and 600, which is easy to fit into a healthy, balanced diet, and I was impressed at the range and amount of vegetables included too.

There were no vegan or vegetarian options on the menu when I tested the service, but some have been added now. I’d have liked clearer nutritional information on the packaging—I had to go to the Chefly website to get any info.

The prices also tend to be higher than with other services. Chefly’s meals start at £6.99 per meal if you order 12 a week, rising to £7.50 per meal for six or nine meals or £9.99 if you just order four meals. The meals are delivered on Wednesdays, come in recyclable packaging and need just three minutes in the microwave.

These microwave meals provide balanced, delicious meals rather than cutting calories. Frankly it’s nothing short of ready meals at their finest.

I was impressed by the flavor of the meals, even the recipes containing large chunks of meat or fish. For my money chicken breast is normally a microwave meal no-no because it ends up being too dry, but the chipotle recipe from The Transformation Chef was on point.

Slightly larger portions and a few more vegetables in each meal would have been welcome, and I did come unstuck when I mistook lemons for potatoes in one meal, which is my fault for diving in while looking at my phone, but these meals are great to have on standby in your fridge in a pinch.

You can try The Transformation Chef’s service with a six-meal starter box, or go all-in on a complete plan which contains 12 meals and a couple of snacks. Both have vegan options too. The meals arrive on a Tuesday morning and stay fresh in the fridge for seven days.

The range of Persian frozen meals available from Shuro Shirin has a lot to recommend it. For one, I had no idea how to make Persian food so it brought something legitimately new to my table. And the range is laden with the kind of hearty, warming fare that’s perfect for the winter.

Lamb fans in particular will be pleased by the selection, since it is a staple of Persian cuisine, and there are few delicious lamb stews available elsewhere. In fact, all the stews and soups I tried were spectacularly good, rich and satisfying treats that I’d happily sub in for a takeaway, which despite the bonus of zero cooking would undoubtedly be less healthy and less delicious.

I must admit these are not truly health-focused meals. With flavor prioritized, the dishes are often quite high in saturated fat and salt, while the vegetable count is on the low side. However, they’re never so high in fat, salt or calories that it’s impossible to eat them as part of a balanced diet, while there are some dishes filled with pulses, as well as vegetarian and vegan options that naturally go heavier on the vegetables.

The rice you can order to eat with the stews suffered from oven or microwave reheating, which dried it out. You’d be better off making your own to have with the stews, which come out the other side of the reheating process as if they were freshly made.

The company behind No1 Bootcamp, which puts on European fitness and weight loss holidays, is now delivering healthy meals across the UK. The packages available come in three portion sizes—lite, balanced or max—and you can choose between meat and fish or plant-based meals.

However, what sets No1 Food Prep apart is that you’re not stuck to a limited list: You can also make your own meal combinations, picking the protein, veg side and carb from the extensive list of options. You can choose the portion size of each part of the meal, and also eschew carbs entirely in favor of a double helping of veg if you like.

The meals are delivered on Wednesdays and Sundays and come in microwaveable containers that have the basic nutritional info of the meal on the lid along with cooking instructions. I tried a variety of fish- and plant-based meals, and was consistently impressed by the flavors and also by how satisfying the portions were. I opted for the balanced portion size, rather than lite, which are 20% smaller for those looking to lose weight, or max, where the portions are ramped up for those looking to build mass or support a particularly intense training regime.

Après Food’s service looks fantastic. The packaging is appealing (and 100% recyclable), the meal descriptions are tantalizing, and the meals come in bundles that are directed toward certain situations or health goals. There’s a bundle of meals designed to help you sleep, one to help you recover from stress, and one for new parents (which is presumably a combo of the first two).

All the meals are balanced, with a varied range of ingredients and options including sides and desserts, though it would be good to have a few more plant-based options in the range. It’s a pretty well-priced service too, with a couple of meals available for £3.95 and the most expensive £6.95. The meals come frozen and take around 10 minutes to heat up in the microwave.

Unfortunately, I didn’t find all the meals that tasty. They were all fine, but there was nothing that stood out to put Après Food among the better meal prep services I’ve tried. Some were dry after cooking in the microwave, and some just weren’t that flavorsome, including the beef bourguignon which is usually a slam dunk.

Stocked takes an unusual approach to frozen meals, delivering packages of eight blocks that you can reheat and eat as a meal by themselves, or use as part of a meal alongside some carbs and other vegetables. The latter approach is the one that makes the most sense, because most of the meals are sauces that are best with rice or pasta. This means Stocked meals require more effort in the kitchen than others.

There are eight blocks in each pack, which Stocked suggests is enough for two to four meals, but I’d say you’d struggle to get more than three meals from that even when adding in your own carbs, unless you’re dishing out very small portions. The meals were a little bland in my experience, but they’re easy to spice up yourself, and the range includes several good plant-based options including a hearty ragu made with vegan sausage.

Stocked’s approach should make the meals substantially cheaper than with other prep services, but even if you order six packs at once it costs £1.10 a block, and you really need three for a meal plus other food on the plate. Stocked is cheaper than getting full meals delivered, but perhaps the saving isn’t big enough since there’s more work to do on your end.

Since the point of using a meal prep service is to make your life easier, that should start with the ordering process. The Good Prep absolutely nails this with a very easy-to-use website that guides you through selecting the breakfasts, lunches, dinners and extras (like juices and snacks) for your box, with clear nutritional information and prices.

The meal plans all contain three meals a day plus snacks and can be based on fitness goals, such as Trim & Slim for those looking to lose weight or Grow & Gain to bulk up. There’s also a vegan plan and a general balanced option.

I tested the Grow & Gain plan and while the meals weren’t outstandingly delicious or novel, they were all enjoyable and, for the most part, filling enough to sustain me during a demanding period of marathon training. The exception was after a long run of 22 miles, when I needed a lot more calories and carbs than the meal provided, but that’s fair enough. 

If you’ve been introduced to the world of protein supplements already, there’s a good chance that a whey protein shake has become a part of your post-workout routine. While these offer a convenient way of getting essential nutrients to your muscles to jump-start the recovery process, there are other times – such as when you’re asleep – when a slower, more sustained release of amino acids is more useful in aiding the repair and growth of your muscles.

Enter casein protein. The other protein to come from dairy, casein is the yin to whey’s yang. Rather than being absorbed quickly by the body, casein forms a gel-like substance in the gut and its nutrients are released into the bloodstream over hours rather than minutes.

I have personal experience of its effects because I take casein protein during intense training blocks where quick recovery is essential for consecutive days of workouts. A shake 30 minutes before bed gives me enough time to digest it without it feeling like it’s sitting on my stomach; eight hours later, I wake up feeling ready for a workout.

Compared with whey, there are a limited number of products available, but below are our picks of the best casein protein powders, followed by an expert explanation of casein: what it is, what the benefits are and any side effects.

If you are looking for whey powders, try our recommendations of the best protein powders, or for plant-based supplements, visit our best vegan protein powder round-up.

The Best Casein Protein Powders

Myprotein has two blends of casein powder: the standard slow-release micellar casein, and this “elite” version. In practice, both have identical nutritional profiles (116 calories and 25g protein per serving). However, this top-tier version is batch-tested by Informed Sport to ensure that it doesn’t contain any naturally occurring banned substances, making it safe for athletes who may face drug tests. While that may seem a bit much for the average weights room regular, it can provide added peace of mind for just 10p more per serving.

Chocolate taste test: The powder mixed well and didn’t leave a chalky feeling in the mouth. The flavour itself didn’t pack much of a punch, but wasn’t too thin and was easy to drink.

Editor’s note: Because Myprotein Casein Protein Elite is temporarily out of stock on Myprotein.com, here are the best deals on Myprotein’s slow-release casein.

I was a big fan of Bulk’s whey protein offering, so I was excited to see if the affordable supplement specialist could do it again with its casein creation. The impressive 26g of protein per serving looked promising and while the range of flavours plays it safe, they are all firm favourites.

Strawberry taste test: Unfortunately, the strawberry-flavoured offering from Bulk was the hardest to stomach of the powders tested. It was quite watery with minimal hints of strawberry and the texture was even worse. Despite vigorous mixing, it failed to mask the graininess that can hamper casein shakes, and coated my mouth with an unpleasant powdery residue.

The Protein Works positions itself as a premium-performance supplement producer, which makes its 100% Micellar Casein something of a steal at 90p per serving. It doesn’t match the alternatives tested for protein content, but is ideal for those looking to add slow-release protein to their daily training routine without a big hit on the scales.

Chocolate silk taste test: The name of the flavour might be a bit flowery, but is 50% right – the Protein Works powder was the smoothest I tried, although the chocolate flavour was somewhat lacking. Although nothing to do with the taste, the “super fresh seal” clogged up each time the packet was opened, meaning it was difficult to keep it “super fresh”. 

Casein Protein Buyer’s Guide

Right after a tough workout many turn to a fast-acting protein, such as whey, to deliver essential nutrients to your muscles quickly and initiate the recovery process. But at other times you don’t want such a sudden rush of amino acids, and instead need a slow and sustained release to keep your muscles well fed – like when you’re getting your all-important eight hours of sleep. That’s when casein protein comes into its own. For all the info on casein, we spoke to Adam Feit of PrecisionNutrition.

Running becomes a very different proposition when you’re doing it for longer than 90 minutes. Instead of stepping out of the door with the bare essentials and the freedom to run wherever you like, you need to plan your nutrition and tailor your route to include stops for refueling.

Planning your nutrition for before, during and after any long run is key to getting you through it in the speediest and most enjoyable manner possible. That’s especially true for races, where you might well be shooting for a PR. It’s vital to plan your nutrition for any road race of half-marathon distance or more, and even for shorter trail races if they’re going to last longer than 90 minutes.

In the past people endured long events just by swigging water and eating a chocolate bar at the halfway mark. Nowadays even amateur runners can enjoy the benefits of professional-level products, and running gels are the go-to option for many people keen on getting through long runs in the most efficient manner possible.

How I Test Running Gels

There’s only one way to test running gels, and that’s to consume them before and during runs. I usually run 50-70 miles a week and race regularly, and use gels to help fuel my weekly long runs and half marathon and marathon races, as well as some hard, short training sessions. 

I’ve tested a wide range of gels from different brands, and while they all get carbs into the body effectively, there are certainly differences between them. While choosing the best running gels is a little subjective, I’ve picked out a variety of options below and am confident there’s something there for every runner.

The Quick List

You’ll find detailed write-ups of many gels I’ve tested below, but here’s a quick run-down of the best options available. Click on any gel in The Quick List to jump to the more detailed review.

The Best Running Gels

Best Overall

SiS’s gels are easy to find in shops and online, come in a wide range of flavors and are pretty cheap, especially if you buy in bulk. They contain 22g of carbs and there are also variations that have added electrolytes or caffeine. The isotonic style means you can take them without water and I’ve found them among the easiest gels to stomach—I’ve successfully used them in three marathons. 

I would say it’s still best to have water to hand to wash them down, though, and one downside of the isotonic design is that the gels are bulkier than others, so carrying enough for a marathon requires a big running belt.

Taste test: SiS has a huge range of flavors, including loads of caffeinated options and some with added electrolytes. The texture is somehow both watery and lumpy, which sounds worse than it is, and they slip down the throat with minimal fuss. The flavors are less sharp than in the carb-only gels, so your teeth won’t start tingling from the sugar hit.

Best-tasting Gel

While it’s the taste of these gels that puts them in a different league, the underlying numbers are also excellent. Each 45g gel contains 30g of carbohydrates in a 2:1 maltodextrin-to-fructose ratio, which allows you to absorb more carbs per hour, and there are also five electrolytes thrown into the mix to help replace what you lose in sweat.

Taste test: Torq has absolutely smashed it on the flavor front, with a range of appealing options that means you’re not going to get sick of the gels even on a long run when you’re consuming several. Along with perennial dessert favorites like cherry bakewell, apple crumble and lemon drizzle, there are caffeinated options such as caramel latte and banoffee. I’ve yet to try one I don’t like—black cherry yogurt is another excellent option—and the gels are easy to get down while running, though I’d recommend having water with them.

Choice Of Elites

Maurten’s gels and sports drinks have become a common sight in the hands of elite runners like Eliud Kipchoge during marathons, and the gel in particular is a little different from everything else on this list. Part of that is the strange consistency—it’s firm enough to bite off chunks, rather than sipping like a syrup—but the key difference is that the hydrogel poses less risk of upsetting your stomach than a standard gel because it passes straight through and is absorbed in the small intestine instead. 

If you avoid using gels because of past gastrointestinal problems, Maurten’s gels are worth trying. I have not experienced significant stomach issues while using Maurten’s products, which have been my go-to for my past few marathons.

There are now two gels in Maurten’s range: Both are the same stuff but in different amounts. The 40g Gel 100 contains 25g of carbs, while the 65g Gel 160 contains 40g. The latter is handy for hitting high carb intake targets during long events, and I’ve found the Gel 160 easier to get down without stomach problems than other brands’ 40g carb gels I’ve tried.

Taste test: The texture will divide opinion, but I quite enjoy biting off a bit of the gel and letting it dissolve a little in my mouth before swallowing. For one thing, this removes the risk of getting unpleasantly sticky liquid on your hands during a run. The gels don’t really have much of a taste, just a vague sweetness, and they don’t need to be washed down with water to clear your mouth of any residue.

Best High-carb Gel

These gels are a convenient way to carry a lot of carbs. Each of them contains 40g of carbs per 60ml serving—almost double the standard 22g you get from most brands. The carbs are provided in a 1:0.8 ratio of maltodextrin to fructose, rather than the standard 2:1, and SiS says this makes it easy for the body to absorb the carbs in the gel. Along with the standard Beta Fuel gel there is a nootropic version, which contains 200mg caffeine, plus other ingredients to help you stay mentally sharp during your endurance events.

Taste test: The gel comes in two flavors: There’s orange, and there’s strawberry and lime, which is particularly tasty. It’s not too sweet and the fluid texture slips down easily on the move even if you don’t have water to hand. I found you have to be careful not to down the 40g of carbs in one go, which didn’t do my stomach any favors, and instead sip the gel over several minutes for the best results.

Best For London Marathon Runners

There’s nothing particularly special about the Lucozade Sport gels, which provide 30g of carbs in a serving, sourcing those carbs from a mix of fructose and glucose to maximize the amount you can absorb. However, they do have one unique feature, which is that they are the only gels handed out to runners on the London Marathon course. You can pick one (or more) up at around miles 14 and 19, which will reduce the amount of gels you have to carry yourself, a system that I’ve used at the London Marathon myself in the past. It’s not wise to suddenly switch to these gels on race day if you have not used them before, so it’s worth practicing with them in advance.

Taste test: The flavor will be familiar to anyone who has tried Lucozade’s orange drinks in the past, and the texture is fairly sticky. It’s a gel best taken with water.

Best Refillable Gel

If there’s one thing I have always envied hikers and mountaineers for, it was that they got to chow down on delicious Kendal Mint Cakes on the go. Sure, you could try scoffing the sugary treat during a run, but it wasn’t ideal. Fortunately that sweet minty stuff has now been released in gel form. As you can imagine, it’s all about the mint, and you can choose between mint, raspberry mint, citrus mint and chocolate mint flavors. The 70g gel contains 27g of carbs and sweetens the deal with electrolytes to help keep you hydrated, and there is a caffeinated version available.

One neat addition to the Kendal gel range is a large pouch of the stuff, which you can use with refillable soft flasks—a less wasteful option than single-serve gels. You can buy a suitable soft flask with the gel, but most flasks will work because the gel is fluid enough to get through sports lids with valves. Do make sure it’s a leak-free top though—you don’t want sticky gel escaping into your pockets or running belt.

Taste test: The Kendal gels are pleasingly fluid and although it’s best to take them with a drink, they’re easy to swallow on the move if you don’t have water to hand. Of the flavors chocolate mint is our favorite—the citrus mint was frankly a little much.

Best With Natural Ingredients

Most running gels are designed to provide fast-release carbohydrates in the simplest and cheapest manner possible, which tends to mean they use artificial ingredients. There’s nothing inherently wrong with that, but some people find them unpalatable and have stomach problems with standard gels, which might be resolved by switching to a more natural option like these gels from Veloforte. They’re highly portable thanks to their small size and the range of flavors is a little more adventurous, with beetroot, and lemon and ginger options. Despite the dainty 33g serving, they still pack in 22g of carbs.

Taste test: Having not checked the flavor before gulping the Primo gel down I was a little startled by the savory beetroot taste, but it’s not at all unpleasant. The Tempo gel will suit those who prefer a sweet offering, with the dates in it offset by lemon and ginger, while the Doppio gel, which also contains 75mg of caffeine, is my pick of the bunch with its maple and coffee flavor. Despite its compact size the consistency wasn’t too viscous either, though these are still best quaffed with a swig of water.

Best Gel With Caffeine

Caffeine is a proven performance-booster for endurance activities, helping to reduce your perception of fatigue, which makes it an ideal addition to running gels. Most brands have a caffeine gel in their line-up, but the SiS Beta Fuel Nootropics stands out to me because of the high caffeine content it delivers—at 200mg it has double the amount provided by many other gels.

Along with that caffeine you get 40mg of carbs, plus nootropics like taurine, theanine and citicoline, which can help to boost mental performance. It’s a potent mix that’s ideal for powering through your longest runs, but it is a gel that takes some getting used to, and I wouldn’t use too many of them in any one run because the caffeine content is so high.

Taste test: The lemon and lime flavor gel tastes good and it has a fairly fluid texture, so you can sip it easily over the course of several minutes to get the carbs and caffeine into your system gradually. There is also an apple flavor of the Nootropic gel.

The Leeds brand that helps fuel the triathlon-running Brownlee brothers has come up with a canny idea: Two different tear points on the top of the packet. One creates a small hole you can sip the gel through, while the other makes a big hole for a quick gulp, so you can consume according to your preference at the time and minimize the risk of sticky spillage. The range of seven gels available contains two caffeinated options, and each gel provides 20g of carbohydrates.

Taste test: Although there isn’t a huge range of flavors—five in total: apple and orange energy gels, pineapple caffeine gel, blackcurrant, and lemon and lime, which are both available in caffeinated and non-caffeinated forms—OTE has done well to create a mix that isn’t at all sickly and slips down easily.

These gels keep things simple. There’s only one flavor, which is so mild as to be essentially neutral, and it’s not hard to ascertain the amount of carbs they contain, with 30 in the name and “30g carb” in big letters on the front of the packaging. Those carbs come in a 2:1 ratio of glucose to fructose to make them easier to absorb. Precision Fuelling & Hydration also has a useful carb calculator on its website so you can work out how much you’ll need for your event. The gels are pleasingly small, making them one of the more efficient ways to carry 30g of carbs with you.

Taste test: The gels are slightly sweet and a little citrusy, but their predominant feature is that they don’t taste of anything much, which is fine by me. They are best taken with water, though in a pinch it’s possible to get them down without.

High5’s gel range covers all the bases: isotonic gels, straight-up energy gels and caffeinated gels, each containing 23g of carbs. The gels are even batch-tested to ensure you won’t accidentally fall foul of doping regulations, if that’s a concern for you.

Taste test: You have to hand it to High5—even its non-isotonic gels are pretty fluid and easy to consume, and none are so sugary that they make you wince. I found the isotonic gels, which go by the name Energy Gel Aqua, the tastiest: They’re more like a drink than a gel, making them very easy to get down while running.

OTE’s Super Gels double the carb count of its normal gels while keeping the pack size fairly small, making them a highly convenient way to carry a lot of fuel with you on long runs. The carbs come from a mix of maltodextrin and fructose for maximum-efficiency absorption, and the gels also contain magnesium and sodium to help you stay hydrated.

Taste test: Despite being so high in carbs, the gels aren’t too thick and I found that they slip down quite easily. It’s best to take them with water, though, and make sure you sip them slowly rather than downing the gel in one.

These tiny shots of gel that contain 22g of carbs are the best pick for those keen on minimizing the amount of weight they carry on the run. They are absolutely tiny, but also highly concentrated as a result, and this is one gel I’d definitely recommend testing extensively before any races to ensure your body can handle it.

Taste test: Gu stands out for the originality in its range of flavors, which includes the likes of Salted Watermelon and Chocolate Outrage. There are also caffeine-rich options available. However, the Gu gels are so sticky that it’s essentially impossible to get them down without water, so make sure you time them right on race day.

These all-natural gels offer something completely different from everything else on this list. They come as a dry powder that you mix with water, or coffee/juice/whatever else you have to hand. You wait 10 minutes and then suck down the gel. It’s not quite as inconvenient as it sounds and can be made mid-run, although when it comes to races it’s more suited to ultra-distance events where you have a backpack to carry it.

It’s designed to be a stable release of energy rather than the usual spike you get from a gel. The gel contains only 11g of carbs compared with the usual 20g, but I’ve found the energy benefits seem to be similar, and it’s more palatable than most options—great news if you’re not a fan of the usual super-sweet gels.

Taste test: The texture of the gel is unusual, with an almost porridge-like consistency plus crunchy chia seeds that add even more texture, and the vanilla flavor is mild but pleasant. It’s not one I’d use for an all-out marathon myself, but for longer, slightly slower events it’s a welcome alternative to very syrupy gels.

They might have “velo” in the name, but I can assure you the energy gels from this company work just as well for runners. There are three gels in Rawvelo’s range, two without caffeine—blood orange, and passionfruit and coconut—and a blueberry and hibiscus gel that contains 50mg of caffeine. All the gels are made from natural, organic ingredients, delivering 20g of carbs via rice syrup and fruit juices.

Taste test: The Rawvelo gels slip down easily. The flavors are a little less dramatic than they sound but still very tasty and different from the norm—aside from blood orange, which just tastes of orange.

When tackling long events like a marathon, many people aim to consume around 60g-90g of carbs every hour to ensure they don’t run out of fuel. That quickly adds up to a whole lot of 20g-30g gels that you have to carry if you’re running or cycling for several hours, and carrying this 90g pouch of Precision Fuel & Hydration’s gel can be a more efficient approach. You can sip on the gel aiming to finish it over a period of time in line with your fuelling targets, and reseal it with the twist lid between sips. It’s also a good option for ultramarathons and Ironman events because you can reseal it.

Taste test: The gel has a neutral, slightly citrusy flavor and a fairly fluid texture that means it is possible to take it without water, but usually it’s best to wash it down.

Running Gels Explained

Why do people use running gels?

It hardly needs saying that running for a couple of hours or more requires a lot of energy, and the main source of muscle fuel over the course of a long event is carbohydrates, which your body stores as glycogen. Your body can store about 90 minutes’ worth of glycogen if you stock up via pre-race carb-loading, but after that you face the risk of running out so you need to take on some extra fuel during the race.

There are many ways to do this. Sports drinks, energy bars and dried fruit are all options, but many people find that the best method of refuelling is using energy gels. These generally contain 20-30mg of carbs, are easy to slip into a running belt and can be consumed quickly without breaking your stride.

What kinds of gel are there?

All energy gels have the same purpose, to help fuel your run, and while they come in different shapes and sizes, there are two main types: isotonic gels and energy gels.

Isotonic gels come pre-mixed with water, which means not only that they’re more fluid and easier to take on the go, but also that you don’t have to worry about carrying water or eating the gels near a water stop during a race. The downside of this is that they’re a little bulkier.

Energy gels, on the other hand, just pack in a load of carbs. This type might be stickier – some of them are tough to get down without water – but you can pack more into a small race belt and reduce the weight of what you have to carry. The trade-off is timing them around water stations in races, or having to carry water with you on long training runs.

Both of these kinds of gels also have options that contain caffeine too, for a little extra mental boost, which can be very welcome in the latter stages of a marathon.

How many will you need for a race?

The first thing to know about gels is that if you wait until you feel your energy levels dropping before you take one, it’s already too late. You need to maintain a steady stream of energy, starting well before your reserves run dry.

How many you should take during a race will depend on your experience and the intensity you’re running at. If you’re an elite or a hardened amateur used to chugging down gels and going flat-out for a PR, you might aim for 60-90g of carbs per hour during long activities. But that’s a lot of gels.

A more common strategy is to aim for 30-60g of carbs per hour, which provides sufficient fuel for most runners and will be easier for your stomach to absorb. Remember the amount of gels you take will be governed by how practiced you are with them and how well your stomach copes with them, as much as by your carb targets.

Many gels contain 20-25g of carbohydrates, so if you’re aiming for 30-60g of carbs, taking one every 20-30 minutes starting from the 30-minute mark is a solid strategy. If you’re aiming to hit higher carb numbers then using high-carb gels that contain 40g of carbs will help limit the amount you have to carry. 

Fortunately, the gels you bring with you won’t be the only carbs available. Almost all marathons have stands where you can grab a carb-rich sports drink and some even hand out gels. For example, at the London Marathon you pass two Lucozade Sport gel pick-up points en route, so that’s two fewer you need to carry yourself.

Make sure to test your gels before race day, including the type you plan on grabbing on the course. Different people react differently to each product, so you need to make sure your stomach can handle the type you choose and the frequency with which you take them. And while swigging water to wash down a gel generally makes them easier to take, don’t use a sports drink for this purpose—you’re just asking for an unpleasant sugar overload that your stomach won’t welcome.

Q&A

More About Running Supplements

• What should you eat before a run? Find out what and when to eat before high-intensity, race pace and recovery runs – as well as races
• Why Maurten's running supplements, used by Eliud Kipchoge and Mo Farah, are a different kind of rocket fuel for your running, whatever your level
• All the info on marathon running supplements: gels, tabs, beetroot juice and anything else that can make running 42.2km easier
• When you’re training hard, water alone just won’t cut it, these are the best hydration tablets for running

When you’re in need of some fast fuel before or during a tough training session there’s no better source of energy than a sports drink. The carbs and electrolytes they contain will hit your system quickly to replenish your body’s reserves so you can keep on keeping on, and it’s generally more enjoyable to gulp down a sports drink from your water bottle than to take a gloopy energy gel during training.

You need to be a little wary of using sports drinks willy-nilly, however. They’re designed to provide a lot of energy, so the carb and sugar count is high. If you’re only going out for a 30-minute easy run you probably don’t need that kind of energy hit, especially if you’re running to lose weight.

Along with carbs, a good sports drink will also contain electrolytes to replace those lost in sweat during a workout. This is especially important during sessions that last more than 90 minutes, when just rehydrating with water won’t get the job done.

You can obviously buy sports drinks like Lucozade ready-made, but picking up a powder to mix with water yourself is often more portable, especially if it’s a single-serve sachet you can take with you to mix up just before a workout.

We’ve tried a lot of sports drinks and powders and chosen the best to include below. 

We’ve used these to fuel the last three marathons we’ve run and the most important training sessions leading up to the race, and we rate them as the best available. You don’t have to take our word for it either: Maurten was also used by Eliud Kipchoge when he ran the first sub-2hr marathon in history, and many other elites use it too.

Crucial to the success of Maurten’s mix is that it forms a hydrogel when it hits the stomach, which means it’s absorbed more slowly. This makes the high-carb drink easier for the body to take in without causing gastrointestinal distress. The 320 mix contains a substantial 80g of carbs for a 500ml drink, and it’s ideal for longer events like the marathon, while the 160 contains 40g of carbs in a 500ml drink and will help fuel shorter events and short training sessions. The Drink Mix 320 CAF 100 is the latest addition to the range, adding 100mg of caffeine to the 80g of carbs for an extra boost during your exercise.

All the powders have a neutral, faintly sweet taste, which is unlikely to either delight or disappoint – just get it down you and enjoy the results, we say. The only downside is that Maurten products are comparatively expensive, so be prepared to use them sparingly.

Like Maurten, SiS’s Beta Fuel drink provides a mammoth 80g of carbs per serving and it even comes in a similar-looking black sachet. However, the new, revamped Beta Fuel has a key difference from both Maurten and the original product, and that is the ratio of maltodextrin to fructose. The first Beta Fuel drink stuck with the standard 2:1 ratio you’ll find in many products, but this has now been tweaked to 1:0.8. According to SiS, this results in more of the carbohydrates being used or “oxidised” by your muscles, taking the percentage up from 62% to 74% compared with a 2:1 ratio drink. Even if all that sounds a little too elite and marginal gains-y to you, the Beta Fuel drink is a great way to get all the carbs you need during endurance activities, and we’ve found it’s easy on the stomach even when running.

Extremely high-carb drinks like Maurten’s mixes and SiS’s Beta Fuel can be a game-changer for endurance athletes, but they cost a pretty penny so you might not want to use them regularly during training. Bulk’s Vitargo is the first alternative we’ve come across that provides similar benefits without breaking the bank.

Each 75g serving contains 69.8g of carbs, in the form of Bulk’s patented Vitargo S2, which is formulated from barley starch. The drink created is unflavoured, and the absence of taste makes it extremely odd to consume without adding some kind of flavouring (we used squash), but if you want a whole load of fuel for a long run or ride it gets the job done, and we haven’t had any gastric distress using it. You can pick up a kilo (just over 13 servings) of Vitargo for £19.99, which is substantially less than the £40-£50 you'll pay for 14 sachets of Maurten.

We always appreciate it when a brand works in round numbers, because it helps when working out how to reach a macro target. Each 500ml serving of Torq’s powder provides 30g of carbs, 10g of which are sugars, and 120 calories, in a 2:1 ratio of maltodextrin (glucose) to fructose that allows you to absorb as many carbs per hour as possible. There are also five electrolytes thrown into the mix to help replace those you’ll lose in sweat during hard training. The range of flavours includes all the usual fruity options as well as an unflavoured powder; but our favourite is the delightfully sharp Pink Grapefruit, which makes a welcome change to the predominantly very sweet sports products.

Each 40g serving of this drink contains over 35g of carbs, from mixed sources to improve uptake, and it also contains a range of electrolytes including sodium to ensure you’re well hydrated for your workout. It’s also a great-value powder, working out to 55p per serving, and both the flavours available – mixed berry and orange – are pretty tasty. It’s one to stock up on ahead of a busy training plan, while perhaps saving more carb-rich options like Maurten’s mix or SIS’s Beta Fuel for one or two key training sessions and race day.

It’s sold everywhere, usually available in some kind of deal, and comes in a range of tasty flavours, so if you’re in need of a sports drink at short notice there’s nothing better than a trusty bottle of Lucozade Sport. There are 32g of carbs in each 500ml bottle, with 18g of sugars, plus sodium to top up your reserves after a sweaty session. You’ll be glugging down 130-140 calories depending on the flavour, of which raspberry is the best. No need to debate us on that.

These folks lose a little credit for championing the use of Himalayan pink salt in the electrolyte powders, since it has no real benefits compared with standard salt, but that credit is clawed back by an impressively unusual range of refreshing flavours for its drink mixes – Wild Strawberry and Basil being the tastiest in our book. The drinks available offer different sporting benefits: Attivo, which is the Wild Strawberry and Basil flavour, contains electrolytes, 22g of carbohydrates and 75mg of caffeine, while Vivo (Peach, Raspberry and Rosehip) and Passo (Mango and Passionfruit) pack in electrolytes and carbs, and Solo (Golden Apricot and Sage) is just electrolytes. All the sachets are small enough to slip into a running belt so you can mix your drinks on the move.

These handy packs are the same shape as a gel sachet so they fit into a pocket easily, making them ideal for runners in long-distance events to carry until a water source is reached. Each stick pack contains two servings – you can buy single-serving packs in the US – and each serving contains 25g of carbs. There is a good range of flavours including several caffeinated options.

As great as Kendal mint cakes are, they’re not always what you want to hydrate and fuel intense exercise, and they’re somewhat tricky to eat during a hard run. That’s why Kendal Mint Company made this refreshing drink, which retains the minty flavour of the cakes (with added citrus notes) and delivers 34g of carbs plus electrolytes in each serving. It tastes great, especially on hot days, and we’ve found that it doesn’t upset our stomach during runs.

As soon as you see Himalayan salt mentioned in an ingredient list you know you’re going to be paying through the nose, but it might be worth it for these all-natural powders because both the lemon and raspberry flavours taste fantastic. The carb count isn’t the highest at 21-23g per serving, depending on which flavour you opt for, but it’s a useful hit of energy to get alongside the hydrating electrolytes.

The Gnarly Fuel2O powder might have a name that makes little sense, but we’ll forgive that because of the impressive flavour of the drinks. The cherry cola caffeinated powder is the best, but there are also limeade and tropical options (caffeine-free), with all three creating a lightweight drink that quenches thirst and provides energy.

A standard serving contains 25g of carbs and 250mg of sodium to replace what you lose in sweat, but you can also add more scoops to your drink to get more carbs, though this will make the texture thicker. You can get a sack of the powder or buy single-serve sticks that are handy for making drinks during endurance events.

Following Maurten’s success, high-carb drinks are becoming more popular with endurance athletes and OTE’s Super Carb drink provides 80g of carbs per serving. It forms a gel when it comes into contact with your stomach acid to potentially reduce gastrointestinal distress. The drink also contains electrolytes to aid in hydration during your longest activities.

Unlike Maurten, however, the OTE drink is flavoured: you can choose blackcurrant or lemon and lime. Both are a little more palatable than Maurten’s inoffensive but blandly sweet drinks. They’re also nicer than SIS’s Beta Fuel, so if you’re struggling to choose between the high-carb options, OTE has the edge in the flavour stakes. 

More About Supplements

• Discover the best running gels and how to use them in your training
• All the info on supplements for marathon runners: gels, tabs, beetroot juice and anything else that can make running 42.2km easier
• Prefer your energy sources in solid form? Here are the best energy bars to fuel your exercise and help you avoid running out of gas 
• When you're training hard, water alone just won't cut it. Here are the best hydration tablets for running

When a powerful thirst strikes after you’ve undertaken an especially energetic activity, the natural response is to reach for a glass of water. And that’s not a bad idea at all – no-one’s going to criticise you for drinking water – but sometimes your body needs more than H₂O alone. Sometimes, your body needs electrolytes.

Fortunately, electrolytes are not especially hard to come by – they’re in your diet for one and you’ll find them added to the best sports drinks (along with a boatload of carbs), but there are also electrolyte drinks which forgo the carbs and are better for hydration. For all the info on what electrolytes do and when you should consider replenishing them after exercise, Coach spoke to Andy Blow, sports scientist and founder of Precision Fuel & Hydration.

While few, if any, amateur athletes need protein powder to support their exercise regime, it can be a highly convenient way to ensure you have all the fuel required to repair and build muscle after a workout.

You might assume that all of them do the same job, but that’s not the case. Coach spoke to Dr Daniel Fenton, clinical director and GP at London Doctors Clinic, and Lily Chapman, a performance coach and nutritionist at digital coaching site P3RFORM, about the differences between protein powders, how much price matters and whether they contain any ingredients you should be wary of. I then assessed the best protein powders out there using Fenton and Chapman’s criteria and tasted them too, so you have a better idea of what you’re buying.

Fenton’s in-depth advice is below, but here’s his takeaway: “I suggest you choose a low-fat, low-carbohydrate, high-protein powder. While you require all three to aid muscle development, balance is key.”

The good news is those three qualities describe the majority of the supplements in our selection of the best protein powders below. 

The Quick List

In a hurry to know which protein powders are best? I've listed the top-scoring products in various categories here. Click on the link to jump to the full review with specs and tasting notes further down the page.

How I Choose The Best Protein Powders

Protein powders have been a staple part of my training plans for the last decade, topping up my tank to help me hit my daily protein quota (usually upwards of 2g per kg of bodyweight, depending on my goals). 

In that time I’ve tried a wide variety of supplements, and that number has increased since becoming Coach’s chief protein powder tester. So if it’s a tasty shake you’re after, I’m your guy. 

My laptop is home to a spreadsheet filled with scores and notes for every protein powder I’ve tested. Each one is rated for its nutritional offering and affordability, as well as its taste, texture and mixability. 

To save you from adding an unnecessary spreadsheet into your life, I’ve summarized this info below in a far more easy-to-digest format, including reasons to buy, reasons to avoid and my final verdict on each one. 

The Best Protein Powders

I’ve tried a lot of protein powders of all different stripes, but the most common and popular type is whey protein which is mostly what we’ll cover here, with a couple of exceptions that include slower-releasing casein protein (see the section on types of protein powder).

For more about the benefits of casein, head over to our guide to the best casein protein powders. And if you prefer a plant-powered protein pick-me-up, our round up of the best vegan protein powders has a wide range of tried-and-tested options.

Best Overall

It’s bold to call your product “gold standard” but in this case it’s not unwarranted. It’s reasonably priced, with a chunky serving of protein, under 2g of carbs and 116 calories per 31g serving. With 29 servings in each standard 908g tub you won’t have to replace it as often as others, and there are plenty of flavours to choose from. 

Taste test: Double rich chocolate This shake marked a notable step up from other similarly-priced options I’ve tried, bettering its rivals’ taste and texture. The double rich chocolate flavour tastes more decadent than a supplement should, and the powder mixed well too. A couple of shakes produced a smooth, thick milkshake-like drink that masked the fact it was mixed with water. Despite this, it didn’t feel as heavy in my stomach as other protein powders I’ve tried.—Harry Bullmore 

Best Value

Bulk is used by heavyweight boxer Anthony Joshua—and if it’s good enough for AJ there’s a high chance it’s good enough for you. With the variety of flavors available (including eight different chocolates), your tastebuds are sure to be tickled. Each serving packs a punch of 22g of protein, while the inclusion of 5g of branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) per serving is a nice touch at this price.

Taste test: Chocolate It says a lot about a protein powder if it tastes good with plain old water. The chocolate Pure Whey Protein didn’t take too much shaking to get silky smooth and the result was a flavoursome blend. Although there are powders out there that taste more like a real milkshake, the final result was most drinkable.—Charlie Allenby

Best Clear Whey

Clear whey is great in principle, offering a drinkable protein top-up without the heavy creaminess of standard whey shakes. But it can be hit-and-miss. This supp is one of the winners, balancing great taste with a nutritional profile we can get behind—plenty of protein without unwanted sugars and carbs. 

Taste test: Orange and mango I was impressed with both flavors, but the orange and mango option just edged this contest. It took a few more seconds of shaking than other clear powders I’ve used, but after this the consistency was smooth and the taste was indiscernible from a refreshing fruit drink—extra impressive given the decent 21g of protein per serving.

Best For Muscle Gain

All protein powders offer at least a decent protein content—that comes with the territory. But Innermost always tries to give a little more. As well as a generous 34g of protein, each serving supplies 3g of power-boosting creatine and 5g of glutamine, which has been linked to reduced muscle soreness. 

Taste test: Creamy vanilla I tested all four protein powders in Innermost’s range and the Strong Protein was a clear winner. I liked the combination of creatine, glutamine and a higher-than-average amount of protein, and was surprised to find the creamy vanilla flavor beat my default chocolate option in the flavor stakes. It blended immediately and tasted great. The texture was a little thin, but this might be remedied by mixing it with milk. 

Best For Weight Loss

This is Protein Works’ premier clear diet whey, with just 86 calories per serving and less than a gram of carbs and sugar. It also packs 20g of hydrolyzed whey protein isolate for faster absorption and easier digestion—good news if you’re sensitive to lactose and struggle to find a protein powder that works for you.  

Taste test: Blue raspberry Unlike other clear powders I’ve tried, this shake didn’t froth up uncontrollably or leave my shaker in need of a deep clean. Instead, it mixed immaculately with minimal shaking to make a light, refreshing drink. I liked the flavor too. I expected the blue raspberry to echo the sickening sweetness of candy from my childhood, but the flavor was surprisingly understated and enjoyable. 

Best For Before Bed

Released alongside a cocoa-flavored Protein + Focus drink, this supplement sets out to provide more than just a 22g helping of protein. The bulk of its protein comes in the form of slow-absorbing casein, helping support muscle recovery and growth overnight if you drink it before bed. It’s also enriched with a litany of vitamins including B12, B6, vitamins C and D, zinc, magnesium, calcium and iron, as well as the supplement of the moment, ashwagandha, which may boost strength and muscle growth and have a calming effect on the mind. 

Taste test: Honey and spices This doesn’t taste like any other protein powder I’ve tried, especially if you heat it up (as Foodspring recommends). The honey and spices flavor is less stimulating than the artificial sweetness of rivals if you want a protein top-up before bed, and I found it far less dense than other casein drinks I’ve tried when looking to maximize overnight muscle growth. 

Best Tasting

Dymatize has paired with the likes of Dunkin’ Donuts and Pebbles Cereal for its current crop of Iso100 flavors, making it a top choice for sweet-thing fiends. It has more than just high-profile partners too. Each drink has 25g of hydrolyzed whey protein for faster absorption, and just 120 calories. 

Taste test: Dunkin’ glazed donut 

Dymatize’s new Dunkin’ Glazed Donut option surpassed Fruity Pebbles to become my favorite flavor. It has the brand’s customary sweetness, and I found it does an impressive job of recreating the taste of glazed sugar in liquid form. This flavor may be too decadent for some, but if you’re looking to top-up your protein intake and satisfy a sweet tooth then it’s an ideal solution. 

Most Indulgent-tasting

This Grenade shake’s elevated protein (30g) and calorie (147) content makes it an attractive option for those looking to bulk up. The main drawback I found was that there wasn’t enough of it—I tested a 480g pouch containing 12 servings, which left me scraping the bottom of the bag in no time. The other option is a 2kg, 50-serving bag, which may be too much if you just want a month’s worth.  

Taste test: Fudged up

Grenade does a better job than most at mimicking the thick, creamy texture of a bona fide milkshake, even when I mixed it with water. Despite the slightly larger (40g) serving size, there were no unwanted lumps after 10 seconds of shaking either. Add to this the fact that the fudge flavor not only tasted great but smelled great too, and you’ve got yourself an impressive protein powder. 

Best For Daily Use

Smart Protein is a newcomer to the supplement game, and it does a lot right. It’s made with whey concentrate, offering a clean hit of protein (an incredibly specific 22.28g per serving) with minimal calories, fat and carbs. 

Taste test: Chocolate 

This powder served up a smooth drink with minimal mixing time. The chocolate option isn’t as indulgent as rivals like Optimum Nutrition and Grenade, but that might suit some people. I found the less intense flavor was really easy to drink, making it a solid option as a daily shake. 

Best Chocolate Flavor

If you’re a fan of bougie workout classes and have a membership at a boutique gym, then there’s a good chance you’ll love Hermosa. The protein shake is aimed at the Lululemon/Barry’s Bootcamp crowd, but it’s more than a status symbol. The 21g of protein per serving is around par, but its flavor is worth the price alone. Although it’s slightly on the calorific side, you can forgive it when what you’re drinking tastes this good.

Taste test: Chocolate The powder mixed well and had a smooth, enjoyable mouthfeel. Even with water, the shake tasted of chocolate (rather than the synthetic profile that plagues some cheaper powders) and its richness would only be enhanced with milk.—CA

More Great Protein Powders

Myprotein is renowned for producing great nutrition supplements that don’t cost the earth. Its Clear Whey Isolate is slightly pricy when bought at RRP—but as with most Myprotein purchases, it will often be discounted, leaving you with a cost-effective way of getting your protein. Clear Whey Isolate has a high level of protein per serving (20g) without the calories commonly found in whey powders. It also doesn’t have a milky taste or texture—handy if you’re put off by the normal profile of a protein shake.

Taste test: Orange mango The orange mango clear whey isolate had a look and mouth feel much more like an energy drink compared with standard whey protein, making it a refreshing way of refueling that was easy to consume. The orange mango flavor mixed seamlessly and didn’t taste at all like E numbers and additives.—CA

Foodspring tubs look better than most protein powders on the shelf, and their contents taste better than the majority of competitors too. And the authentic flavors don’t come from heaps of hidden sugar. Sugar is replaced with a purified extract of stevia, helping to keep the calorie count down. As a result, the nutrient breakdown is dominated by its 24g protein offering. 

Taste test: Cookies and cream Every shake I’ve tried from the Foodspring range has been delicious, but the cookies and cream flavor is a cut above the rest. The taste isn’t that different from the Oreo doppelganger on the front of the tub, balancing the substance of the biscuit element with a creaminess that comes from the filling. The powder also tastes great in porridge or overnight oats, and didn’t leave me feeling too heavy like other protein supplements.—HB

This shake delivers a higher-than-average protein hit—25g rather than the usual 20g. This comprises a combination of fast- and slow- release proteins for a “multi-phased release”. Each serving also provides added vitamins, digestive enzymes and glutamine to support your post-workout recovery, digestion and immune system. The larger 35g serving size means you only get 17 servings per 600g bag, rather than the standard 20 per 500g pouch, but this is a small drawback. 

Taste test: Speculoos Biscuit Heaven I love Lotus Biscoff flavor stuff—who doesn’t? And while Protein Works’ branding team might not be able to say it, I’m happy to report that the brand’s Speculoos Biscuit option is almost a dead ringer. There were a few small lumps left after the recommended 10 seconds of shaking, but the drink was so delicious that I barely noticed these as I quaffed it in one.—HB

Ultimate Performance’s Whey Protein is the cheapest whey (sorry) to start your protein journey. It doesn’t scrimp on the nutritional side either, leaving you with a well-formulated shake that is relatively low in calories and high (21.8g) in protein. The limited number of flavors may disappoint more adventurous palettes, but they are three classics so they’ll be suitable for most.

Taste test: Strawberry ice cream The luminous pink color of this shake might be a mite off-putting for some, but it didn’t taste half as synthetic as it looked and the only downside was that some clumps were left even after vigorous shaking.—CA

Leave it to PhD to make a smart protein drink. Enjoy all the benefits of your average shake—20g of protein, low carbs and minimal sugar— without the milky aftertaste, making it a solid pre-exercise option for those in need of a protein boost. 

Taste test: Lime and mint This flavor was previously labeled “mojito” and while a pre- or post-workout cocktail may sound unorthodox, somehow this booze-free alternative pulls it off. I found the lime and mint flavor delivered the balance of sweetness and tartness that defines a mojito, making it a refreshing option around exercise. Some extra shaking was needed to get rid of a few stubborn lumps too, but that’s my only criticism. 

This protein powder isn’t like others on the list, bragging about offering a clean protein hit with most other macros kept to minimal amounts. Instead, it’s designed for those looking to pack on mass and/or support their sporting performance, dealing out a hefty 75g of carbs and 548 calories per serving. You’re also getting 5g of creatine and 7.8g of BCAAs.

Taste test: Vanilla I’ve had bad experiences with mass gainers and their ilk before, with cement-like textures, cardboardy flavors and post-drink bloating that leaves a bitter taste in my mouth (often literally). The 150g serving size here left me worried about more of the same, but it was fairly smooth and the flavor—while definitely on the sweeter side of my usual shakes—was enjoyably drinkable. There were some small lumps left in the mixture after 20 seconds of shaking, so make sure you mix well before guzzling.  

Some protein powders promise a lot, with added BCAAs, creatine, glutamine and whatever else to boost your performance. This Foodspring shake keeps things more simple: It’s high in protein (25g per 30g serving) without coming with extra unwanted carbs (less than a gram) or calories (112). As an aside, the attractive tub design also deserves some recognition.

Taste test: Peach iced tea and hibiscus After a hard workout, the last thing I want is a creamy protein drink to challenge my innards. Clear whey is a welcome alternative, although I’ve found many flavors too sweet to quaff post-metcon. Foodspring’s peach iced tea and hibiscus offers a Goldilocks-like balance, offering a light and refreshing texture with a pleasant, understated flavor that I’d genuinely choose over many fruit drinks. 

This protein powder ticks a lot of boxes, with 24g of protein and 5.7g of BCAAs per serving, as well as fairly standard amounts of calories (138) and carbs (5.7g).  One slight gripe is that each scoop is a hefty 37.5g, which means you’re getting fewer drinks from each pouch. But it promises rigorous testing “for a wide range of substances banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)”—important if you’re a serious athlete. 

Taste test: Chocolate Healthspan’s clear whey is one of the tastiest supps I’ve tried, unlike the brand’s mass gainer, which was among the worst. This sits right in the middle with a slightly earthy flavor that’s drinkable but nothing to write home about. It mixes well, especially considering its larger serving size, which is always a plus. 

This whey from the Organic Protein Company does what it says on the tin (bag, really). Made with five ingredients—in contrast to some of the lengthy lists of additives seen elsewhere—it’s one of the “cleanest” whey protein powders on the market. The downsides of this are a relatively small serving of protein per serving and flavors that won’t be to everyone’s tastes. Even so, its sub-100 calories will tick the boxes for those looking for the benefits of protein without calorie gains elsewhere. 

Taste test: Raw cacao and maca Cacao is an acquired taste and it’s bitter compared with the milk chocolate many of us know and love. Once you get over the initial shock, the shake is drinkable, though it remained watery, with a grittiness from unmixed powder.—CA

Gnarly’s whey concentrate powder is a little higher in carbs than most non-recovery powders, but that will help to top up your energy levels if you’re using it to recover after HIIT or cardio sessions. Along with 25g of whey, each serving also contains prebiotics and probiotics to support your gut health, as well as digestive enzymes to help the shake settle in your stomach.

Taste test: Chocolate The powder mixes very easily and the texture of the drink is silky smooth without any lumps at the bottom. The chocolate flavor was the typical bland affair you get from protein shakes, but entirely inoffensive and easy to get down in a hurry. Gnarly could use a few more flavors in its range, though, with only chocolate and vanilla available.—Nick Harris-Fry

Tri-Protein’s pitch is that it mixes six types of protein powder which will be absorbed at three different rates to avoid stomach aches and curb hunger pangs. Whey isolate and hydrolysate is digested in the first phase, followed by whey concentrate and milk protein concentrate, and finally micellar casein and calcium caseinate. It’s worth bearing in mind that our expert calls milk powders a “cheap bulking agent” below which are high in lactose.

Taste test: Vanilla I can’t validate Crazy Nutrition’s digestion claims with a simple taste test, but necking this shake after a workout did leave me feeling less heavy than most whey powders. It tasted good too, although the texture was quite thin when mixed with water. Where it really excelled, however, was in recipes; namely, protein pancakes and a protein cheesecake. It added a pleasant flavor to both without proving overpowering or leaving any unwanted lumps in the mixtures.—HB

Best Protein Powder Buyer’s Guide

Picking between the huge range of protein powders available is difficult, especially when each and every one of them makes grand promises about the effect they will have on you.

You might assume that all of them do the same job, but that’s not the case, as we discovered when we quizzed Dr Daniel Fenton, clinical director and GP at London Doctors Clinic.

Types Of Protein Powder

The most common type of protein powder product will create a shake that contains protein and virtually nothing else. These are designed to fuel lean muscle growth following a workout, and so avoid extra carbs and sugars and keep the calories to a minimum to deliver on the “lean” part.

Mass gainer shakes go in the other direction and contain huge amounts of everything. They are high in calories and carbs as well as having more protein than a standard shake. People tend to use mass gainers during a period of bulking up, usually during the winter before cutting (reducing body fat but retaining muscle) in the spring, a well-worn bodybuilding technique. A mass gainer is useful for those in serious physique training, but less so when you’re just aiming for a higher protein intake each day.

Recovery shakes are another common option, and these are aimed more at endurance athletes who need a high amount of carbs and electrolytes as well as protein to recover after their training sessions. Recovery protein powder often also contain vitamins and minerals to support the immune system, and are popular with those who play team sports like football and rugby, as well as among runners, cyclists and swimmers.

Meal replacement shakes are generally categorized as entirely different products from protein shakes, but often use whey protein and can have a similar nutritional profile as recovery shakes. Meal replacement shakes can be used as a meal substitute when you’re short on time, or they can be a low-calorie option that helps you to lose weight. They often are high in protein to increase satiety while still low in calories overall.

Glossary

Whey protein

Whey is the liquid portion of milk, which separates from the rest during cheese production. A mixture of proteins can be isolated from this whey and processed into whey protein powder which contains all nine essential amino acids, making it a complete protein source. This is then used as a supplement by people who want to increase their protein intake, build muscle and support athletic performance. 

Casein protein 

Whey makes up about 20% of the protein content of cow’s milk, while casein fills the remaining 80%. Like whey, casein is a byproduct of cheesemaking and can also be made into a powder then used as a supplement, providing the amino acids needed to build muscle. However, it’s not absorbed as quickly as other protein sources like whey, so many people take this supplement before fasted periods like a night's sleep. 

Whey protein concentrate

Whey protein can come in three forms: concentrate, isolate and hydrolysate. They are all made from whey obtained during cheese production, but each one is produced slightly differently to deliver distinct features and nutritional profiles. Whey concentrate goes through less processing, and tends to be the cheapest of the three as a result. But it has a slightly lower protein content and a few more grams of carbs, fat and lactose than more processed forms. 

Whey protein isolate

Whey protein isolate undergoes extra processing steps to deliver a higher protein content than whey protein concentrate, as well as negligible (1g or below) amounts of carbs, fat and lactose. That means it is usually more expensive than whey protein concentrate. 

Whey protein hydrolysate 

The benefit of whey protein hydrolysate is that it’s absorbed more quickly than other forms of whey protein because it has been pre-digested. This makes it a popular post-workout option. A 2019 study into its use concluded that “ingestion of the whey protein hydrolysate was associated with greater post-exercise muscle protein synthesis compared with intact whey protein”.

Clear whey isolate

Clear whey isolate is a fairly new innovation in the supplement world. The main difference from other whey shakes is the texture, which is light and watery in contrast to the usual creamy drinks. Despite this, it still delivers a high protein content with minimal carbs, fats and sugars, while also having a lower calorie content than most standard whey supplements. It is usually more expensive though. 

BCAAs

BCAAs stands for branched-chain amino acids. Amino acids are molecules that combine to form proteins, which the body can use to maintain and build muscle. The body needs 20 amino acids to function properly, and nine of these fall under the bracket of “essential amino acids” which can’t be created by the body and need to be consumed as food. Three essential amino acids—leucine, isoleucine and valine—are classed as branched-chain amino acids in reference to their chemical structure. 

BCAA supplements are sold with the listed benefits of helping maintain and contribute to the growth of muscle mass. A study published in the journal Nutrients also found that BCAA supplementation over eight days “decreased perceptions of soreness in resistance-trained individuals with several years of experience”. 

EAAs

EAAs stands for essential amino acids—the nine necessary amino acids your body cannot produce and which need to be consumed. EAA supplements aim to deliver these amino acids, including all three BCAAs, in powder form. 

Suggested benefits of EAA supplementation overlap heavily with those listed for BCAAs. These include improved exercise performance and boosted recovery.

Creatine

Creatine can be found in protein-rich foods such as red meat, seafood and animal milk, as well as supplements. It’s one of the most heavily researched supplements on the market and one of the most popular, boasting benefits such as improved exercise performance, enhanced recovery, and increased strength and muscle mass.

When creatine is delivered to your muscles, it can merge with phosphate to create phosphocreatine, which is then stored. When needed, this can then be used for rapid energy production—useful in speed and power sports like powerlifting and bodybuilding. 

Leucine

Leucine is one of the three branched-chain amino acids described above. It can be taken as a supplement. 

It is suggested that these amino acids can be used by muscles to provide energy during exercise and improve exercise performance. However, a University of Rochester article states that “studies have not consistently shown that taking supplements of these amino acids improves exercise performance, builds muscle mass or helps you recover from exercise”.

Isoleucine

Despite the similar name, isoleucine is a separate amino acid from leucine, and another in the group of nine essential amino acids. It is also a branched-chain amino acid and can be bought as a supplement, as well as featuring in BCAA powders. 

Reported benefits include helping control blood sugar, improving endurance, speeding up the healing of injured muscle and supporting muscle growth, according to the University of Rochester research. 

Valine

After leucine and isoleucine, valine is the third and final branched-chain amino acid. It is available as a supplement and will also be present in BCAA powders. As such, it is often taken to support muscle growth, enhance athletic performance and boost the immune system. 

Whether you’re planning to make a short-term switch to a vegan diet through a challenge like Veganuary, or have a lifelong swap from meat to plants planned, it’s not always easy to know what to cook when you first make the change. You might start with grand aspirations about the many interesting plant-based meals you’re going to make, but after a couple of weeks, when you’re chowing down on yet another plate of chips, you might concede that some help is needed when it comes to make a vegan diet healthy and varied.

Enter two types of subscription services: the recipe box and the meal delivery service. The former sends all the ingredients you need to make a healthy, easy and delicious plant-based meal to your door with clear instructions on how to put them together, while the latter sends prepared meals for you to reheat. Here are our favourites for you to try, and since we’ve tried everything on this page (and more) we’ve marked out the standouts with our Editor’s Choice badge.

The Best Vegan Recipe Boxes

With Gousto’s recipe boxes you pick from a large selection of meals each week and there are always several excellent vegan options. The recipes are always easy to make and meticulously planned so you’re not rushing to get them done in the predicted prep time.

The meals are also divided up into different ranges, including Lean In 15 meals from Joe Wicks. This range includes one vegan option at the moment with others on the way, including an appetising miso tofu with stir-fried ginger greens recipe. The meals don’t all take 15 minutes to make, but they are all marked as either high or low in carbs, so you can pick meals that line up with your dietary requirements or your day’s activities. As keen runners we preferred the high-carb recipes to refuel after training, while the low-carb options are better for rest days.

Gousto’s boxes are also slightly cheaper than rivals like Mindful Chef. The cheapest option for two people is £34.99 for four meals.

Read more in our Gousto review

Mindful Chef caters to everyone: all its food is gluten- and dairy-free, and pescetarian and plant-based options available – you just have to be OK with its low-carb approach to meal times. Each week the menu includes several vegan options you can select to build your box, and while we’ve found Mindful Chef recipes to be slightly trickier than most in the past, they’re all, without exception, easy on the tastebuds.

Read more in our Mindful Chef review

Unlike most recipe box services that merely offer a plant-based option, Grubby is all-in on vegan meals. It’s also all-in on sustainability, with 100% recyclable and compostable packaging, ingredients mostly sourced from local farmers and a delivery strategy that aims to use pedal power where possible – all London orders are delivered by bicycle.

The meals are easy to make in around 30 minutes, contain a pleasing variety of vegetables and taste good too. All in all, Grubby is a great option for midweek dinners if you want to expand your menu in a healthy and eco-friendly way. The only downside is that the meals are more expensive than those from many other recipe box providers.

Read more in our Grubby review

The Green Chef’s recipe box service has five diet options available, one of which is vegan. Although the range of meals available isn’t huge, there are at least five vegan options to pick from to make up your weekly box. When we tested the service we were impressed at the range and quantity of vegetables in The Green Chef’s meals, and in general they were tasty, satisfying and easy to make in around 30 minutes.

Read more in our Green Chef review

The Best Vegan Meal Delivery Services

Our favourite purely plant-based meal delivery service, Allplants, doesn’t just cover your dinners – it has lunch and breakfast options too, as well as dessert, sides and smoothies. We’ve tested several of the dinners, lunches and sides, and have yet to come across one we didn’t rate – they’re all delicious, satisfying and healthy. Each of them contains at least two portions of your five-a-day, is high in fibre, and comes in under 600 calories, with low-calorie meals available too.

The ingredients used are impressively varied, and we bet even the most adventurous eaters will come across plants and recipes that are new to them. The new lunch bowls are a knockout too, each containing a variety of veg and grains alongside an out-of-the-ordinary mash like coconut and edamame.

You buy boxes of either six or 12 frozen meals (with the 12 meals you get two lots of six meals, rather than 12 different ones), and each meal takes six to 10 minutes to heat up in the microwave. Allplants scores well on sustainability too: not only can you recycle the meal trays, but you can return all packaging used to post them to you free, which the company will then reuse. The website is also transparent about supply chains and how Allplants is working to reduce its impact on the environment. Bravo.

Read more in our Allplants review

Planty’s frozen meals are tasty, convenient and packed with a wide variety of healthy veg, and even fruit sometimes – the butternut and mango madras we tried was excellent. The company also has placed a welcome focus on sustainability, using 100% recyclable packaging and offering carbon-neutral deliveries.

You can buy the meals in a box of six, eight or 10 meals, choosing to either subscribe or receive a single delivery, with the subscription option netting you a discount (£4.95 per meal for a box of 10 as opposed to £5.45 if bought as a one-off). The meals can be heated up in a microwave straight from the freezer in under 10 minutes, and we found the portion sizes filling enough to avoid between-meal snacking, though an extra side will be welcome on more active days.

The highlights of the 10 dishes we tried were the curries and stews, along with the BBQ banana blossom burrito, which emerged from our microwave tasting fresh and delicious.

Balance Box has a plant-based menu that you can use within either of its low-calorie meal plans – the Lighter plan has 1,200-1,300 calories per day and the Market plan has 1,700-1,800. Both are designed to help you lose weight and contain three meals and two snacks, which are delivered to your door.

The plant-based meal plan was one of the healthiest we’ve come across: all the meals we tested contained a pleasing variety of vegetables and legumes to help you not only smash your five-a-day but eat 30 different plant sources of fibre each week, which is great for your gut health.

We tested the Market plan and initially feared it may not keep hunger at bay, but even on active days it’s amazing how satiating a box of vegetables can be. That said, you do feel like you’re eating healthy, low-cal meals. It hasn’t quite pulled off the trick the best meal delivery services do, which is to make healthy meals feel like a real treat.

Read more in our Balance Box review

Balance is the name of the game for these microwave meals, which don’t go all-out to be healthy at the cost of flavour – instead, they aim to impress on both counts. They certainly tick the flavour box, being right up there with the tastiest ready meals we’ve tried, and they’re pretty low in calories: everything we ate was under 600 calories and there are many meals that are under 400.

The range of vegan meals isn’t extensive, but there are five options on the website at the time of writing, and they’re nice enough that you’d happily eat each two or three times. In order to avoid the traditional dryness that plagues microwave meals (especially healthier options), The Transformation Chef is pleasingly liberal with the sauces. The only real criticism we have about the meals is they don’t pack in as much veg as we’d like, and they’re sometimes a little on the small side, especially if you live an active lifestyle. Fortunately, both problems are solved by quickly whipping up a side dish of veg.

You can buy individual meals or create a bespoke menu with a nutritionist to suit your health and fitness targets.

The extensive range of meal plans available from KBK includes a plant-based option, which offers two or three meals a day for six days a week. It’s a shame that KBK doesn’t offer vegan versions of its other plans, which include fitness-focused menus like one to help you get lean, as well as office-ready and student plans. The plant-based plan is also light on nutritional detail, aside from telling you the calorie count is 1,500 a day, which is pretty low.

We tried KBK’s meals, although not the plant-based plan, but we feel confident the vegan meals will be just as tasty as the animal-based ones. The meals come in microwaveable containers but lack nutritional info, which would have been useful to see on the label. You have to sign up for four weeks on the service if you opt for a KBK plan, but there are three-day taster plans, which we’d advise doing because the low-calorie approach won’t work for everyone.

More About Vegan Food

• Get all the protein you need from plant-based foods with the best vegan protein sources
• We’ve necked a wide range of vanilla, chocolate and more inventively flavoured shakes to bring you the best vegan protein powders
• This chef's tips for cooking great vegan food will bring bring bags of flavour to your plate
• This easy vegan meal prep method for grain bowls is genuis

Maurten’s energy drinks and gels are by now familiar to most keen runners and cyclists, who have watched elite athletes like Eliud Kipchoge, Flora Duffy and Molly Seidel use them to fuel Olympic medal-winning and world record-setting performances.

We’re not winning medals or breaking records, but we are also big fans of Maurten’s running supplements and rate them among the best running gels and best sports drinks that you can get, even given their high price. That’s down to the hydrogel technology Maurten has developed, which makes it possible to consume vast amounts of carbs to fuel your performance with less risk of upsetting your stomach.

The new Maurten Solid 225 bar is a step away from that hydrogel technology, however, taking sports nutrition back to basics. It’s a mix of oats, rice and sugar, and delivers a huge hit of carbs in a chewy form that makes it ideal for pre- or post-training, or to eat during long, lower-intensity runs and rides where you’re able to chew on the go. During races and high-intensity activities, the hydrogel drinks and gels would remain your best option as they’re easier to get down.

There are a lot of high-carb bars out there – we’re partial to chocolatey cereal bars before our runs – but Maurten says the Solid 225 stands apart as a performance-focused product, rather than a snack bar. 

One way this is achieved is by keeping the fibre content low, which should reduce the risk of gastrointestinal distress during your activities if you eat the bar beforehand. Top of the ingredients list is fructose-glucose syrup, which also marks the bars out as similar to other sports energy products, rather than being a tasty snack.

The bars cost $3 each in the US and £2.50 in the UK or you can buy a box of 12 bars for £30. They come in two flavours – the standard Solid 225 and Solid 225C, which contains cocoa. Individual bars and boxes are on sale from maurten.com now.

Each 60g bar contains 225 calories, around 44g of carbohydrates, of which 18-20g is sugars, and not a lot else with just 2-3g of protein and 3.6g of fat. 

Maurten Solid 225 Taste Test

The bars have a fairly mild flavour to start with and an enjoyable texture that’s a little chewier than a classic Rice Krispies bar. The sweetness does kick in hard after a few chews, but doesn’t linger in the mouth so you’re not left with itching teeth and an urge to immediately whip out your toothbrush.

The bars very much feel like fuel for exercise, rather than a treat, something enhanced by the stark black packaging and the fact they’re called Solid 225, which is hardly an appetising name. That’s probably a good thing – all too often I’ve chowed down on sporty energy bars just for a nice snack, but I’d save the Solid 225 for training days, especially at $3 a pop.

Given that Maurten has gone back to basics here, the price is pretty high for what seems to be a syrupy mix of oats and rice. These will be effective energy bars, and lighter on the stomach than the fibre-rich cereal bars I would usually eat when rushing to get something down just before heading out for an early run, but as with other Maurten products you pay a premium.

Many people are now accustomed to taking supplements such as protein powder after a workout, but it’s not so common to consume a pre-workout supplement. These are intended to help you excel in your training session and kick-start the recovery process before you even begin the workout.

But what’s in them, what do they do and will you actually benefit from using them? We asked dietitian Anna Groom, speaking on behalf of the British Dietetic Association, for more info on pre-workout supplements. 

You’ll find the interview below our picks of the best pre-workout supplements, but the key points are that this type of supplement generally contains a combination of carbohydrates, amino acids and caffeine, and can provide a boost to help you get through training sessions. There’s no doubt all three of these elements can be useful and they all feature in our guide to the best supplements (well, we don’t think individual amino acid supplements are worth it because you’ll find these in ample quantities in the best protein powders), but they aren’t strictly necessary for most people. 

The Best Pre-Workout Supplements You Can Buy

It’s one thing understanding what goes into pre-workout supplements. It’s quite another deciding which tub is worth buying. While we aren’t scientists and can’t authoritatively speak to how effective each product is, we can chug down a load of them and tell you which we’d buy. Coach contributor Rory Mellon took on the task, and here are his impressions along with the vital stats. The ones Mellon has kept using have been labelled as recommended.

Optimum Nutrition's Gold Standard range has long been a Coach favourite and this offering is another winner. With creatine (3g per 11g serving), beta-alanine (1.5g), amino acids such as L-citrulline (750mg) and a dose of caffeine (175mg), this has everything you’d want from a pre-workout supplement. The inclusion of a host of vitamins, which ON claims have a positive effect on your metabolism, gives this powder that extra edge.

Watermelon taste test: Between the reasonably small 11g serving size, and comparatively high recommended 350ml of water, it doesn’t come as shock that this powder mixes very well. Sweetened with sucralose and acesulfame K, it goes down extremely well. The benchmark by which other pre-workout supplements should be measured.

Buy from ON | £21.99 for 330g

Putting aside the awful name, N.O.-Xplode is a powerful pre-workout supplement that has been around for more than 15 years. In each 20g serving you’ll find 150mg of caffeine, 1.3g of beta-alanine, 3g of creatine, 3g of L-arginine and plenty of vitamins to support your metabolism doing its thing. A decade and a half on, this formula is still one of the best around.

Blue raspberry taste test: Pro tip, N.O.-Xplode really froths up, causing some spillage after a particularly vigorous shake. This is a very sweet drink, probably too cloyingly sweet for some, but if you can’t stomach the sour kick that comes with some other pre-workout powders, it’s a great choice.

With no added caffeine, THE Pump aims to give your evening workout a boost without having a detrimental effect on your sleep. Containing 300mg of VASO6, a patented ingredient containing catechin (which is said to help weight loss), as well as a dose of vitamin C and 3.2g of beta-alanine, this pre-workout powder hits quickly and had me itching to get moving.

Orange and mango taste test: The Pump is rather sweet and the mango overpowers the orange, but it’s pleasant and very drinkable. Unfortunately, the suggested mix instructions resulted in a powdery aftertaste, so I’d advise using more water than recommended. Also, the formula leaves a foamy residue in the shaker that was annoying to wash out.

Supreme Nutrition has packed this powder with good stuff to give your workouts a boost, including BCAAs (5g per serving), creatine monohydrate (5g), citrulline malate (2.7g) and beta-alanine (1.5g), plus 300mg of caffeine to keep you sharp. One oddity in the ingredients list is pine bark extract, but according to SN it reduces recovery time so we’re not complaining.

Blue raspberry taste test: The dark turquoise colour of the drink once mixed gives the impression it’s going to be sickly, but it strikes the right balance between sweet and tangy. The recommended amount of water (250-350ml) is higher than some on this list, and it creates a thin drink that went down easily, although it did leave some specks of powder in the bottom of the shaker.

Elevate combines 12 active ingredients in a unique formula. The inclusion of vitargo (10g per 33g serving), a sports performance carbohydrate, and an impressive 5g of citrulline malate to assist blood flow helps Elevate offer more than just an energy boost. There’s also 3.5g of beta-alanine and 200mg of caffeine.

Orange and mango taste test: This sucralose-sweetened drink tastes a lot like orange squash, but with a slightly sour kick. It mixes rather well and, unlike some supplements on this list, has a really pleasant aftertaste. It’s not especially filling, though, and since you’re advised to take it on an empty stomach, you’ll be working out hungry with this one.

One of the few vegan-friendly pre-workout supplements, the powder packs 6,900mg of branched-chain amino acids and 2,500mg of L-glutamine into each 11g serving – plus, it has no added sugar. There’s also an 11mg dose of vitamin B6 in each scoop, which reduces tiredness and fatigue, and helps you to power through tough sessions.

Tangerine taste test: The recommended mixture of two 11g scoops and 500ml of water creates a bright orange-coloured drink that is rather artificial in taste – the inclusion of sucralose and acesulfame-K are most probably responsible. Thankfully, the drink is thin enough to get down fast.

This tweaked version of Bulk’s pretty great pre-workout supplement has slightly less sugar (from 0.27g down to 0.22g per serving) and a lower carb count (10.5g down to 1.76g) compared with the original. There’s no vitargo here, but there’s still 2.5g of beta-alanine, 5g of citrulline malate and 200mg of caffeine.

Pineapple and grapefruit taste test: Unsurprisingly, Elevate Zero tastes a lot like regular Elevate, except that ditching some of the sugar leads to quite a bitter aftertaste. A large quantity of tiny brown flecks collected at the bottom of the shaker as well, which made the final few sips very unappealing.

Pre-Workout Supplements Explained

What ingredients do pre-workout supplements usually contain?

There are many different pre-workout drinks on the market, but the majority will contain a combination of carbohydrates, amino acids and caffeine.

What are the possible benefits of using them?

The idea is to provide additional nutrients to promote performance and subsequent recovery from exercise. By providing easily digestible energy in the form of glucose or fructose this ensures adequate provision of energy for working muscles. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein, which is important for recovery of muscles and to support growth of muscle following resistance training.

Will the average gym-goer or amateur athlete benefit from using them?

The average gym user would benefit from following a healthy diet and meeting macronutrient and micronutrient requirements before considering any supplementation. Choosing a healthy diet and snacking on items such as fruit, yogurt, nuts and dried fruit can provide sufficient energy in those doing recreational activities.

It’s worth focusing on hydration as well as energy provision, because – regardless of carbohydrate or protein intake – if a person or athlete is dehydrated they will not be able to perform and train to their potential. Dehydration can also become a serious health risk.

Those training regularly or training for a specific event may benefit from further dietary support to meet their increased needs.

Are pre-workout supplements something you should use before every workout, or only tougher sessions?

You have to take care not to overcompensate for energy expenditure through excessive nutritional intake. From experience, I have often found that individuals overestimate the energy burned during exercise and subsequently eat high-calorie snacks like protein smoothies or bars, or flapjacks. If exercising for weight management, this negates the beneficial effect of creating a calorie deficit through exercise. Therefore individuals should carefully plan their training and log their eating to ensure there is increased nutritional provision only on days of increased energy expenditure and intensity.

Are there any downsides to using them?

Care should be taken when using any supplement because of the potential inclusion of other ingredients. Some supplements will contain caffeine, which while typically harmless to most people in small quantities (with the exceptions of children, pregnant women and those sensitive to caffeine), in larger doses can potentially cause side effects.

Some supplements may also contain creatine. This has been proven to potentially improve performance in specific sports but it can also cause unwanted weight gain from fluid retention.

There is also the risk that supplements may contain undesirable contaminants that are not permitted in sport. Always check any supplements on the UKAD Supplement Hub information database.

Losing weight is never easy, but the best healthy meal delivery services make it easier by getting all your meals and snacks designed by nutritionists, cooked by chefs and then delivered to your door.

That’s what Balance Box offers. Its meal plans contain breakfast, lunch and dinner along with two snacks, with the whole lot totalling either 1,200 or 1,800 calories. The latter is recommended for those looking to maintain weight, although Balance Box suggests that if you are trying to lose weight you should base your choice on your BMI: over 29, start with the 1,800-calorie Market Plan; under 29, opt for the 1,200-calorie Lighter Plan.

There are four menu plans to choose from: classic, vegetarian, pescatarian and plant-based (the latter is also gluten-free), but you don’t get to pick and choose which dishes you receive. I tested the 1,800-calorie versions of both the plant-based and pescatarian menus.

You can buy boxes containing three or four days’ worth of food, which come with heating instructions (there’s no preparation required as with recipe boxes) and nutritional information on separate pieces of paper. Inexplicably, fibre is left off the nutritional information. You can buy a one-off box or subscribe to reduce the per-day cost.

If you live in London and have a subscription, you can leave the box and the ice packs out to be collected with your next delivery and Balance Box will recycle it. This is helpful because it is a big box and otherwise takes up a lot of space in your recycling bin.

Overall I was impressed with Balance Box’s meals. They were all packed full of vegetables and tasted really fresh, even the ones I ate on the final day of the trial that had sat in my fridge for three days.

Highlights were the Pan-Asian tofu salad – which was the tastiest meal in the pescatarian box, contrary to my usual enjoyment of tofu dishes – and the Vietnamese soy bean and egg noodles with ginger almond coleslaw. That said, there were a couple of meals I felt lacked flavour, the slightly watery chilli con beanie being the biggest offender. Spices don’t add much in the way of calories, so I say throw them in liberally.

The plant-based box goes very heavy on the vegetables, to the point where one lunch I tried was just a box of crunchy veg like broccoli and cauliflower with edamame beans and a very small amount of dressing. I enjoyed this and found it surprisingly filling, but to some it might be a little too abstentious. A meal like that makes it very clear you’re on a low-calorie plan, and I think the best weight-loss meal services manage to avoid that.

The snacks were a mix of delicious prepared bars, which were packed full of nuts and dried fruit, and pieces of fruit or portions of nuts.

With plenty of protein and fibre-rich fruit and veg, the meals do a good job of keeping you feeling full. I exercise every day and tend to eat a vast amount of food, but I never felt starving while testing Balance Box, though I did tend to add in another snack or two – I’m following a marathon training plan so it seemed justified.

A meal delivery service like this doesn’t come cheap, and Balance Box is pretty costly considering that you’re not paying for large amounts of calories. One day’s worth of meals costs £32.99 for 1,200 calories and £38.99 for 1,800 calories, and although the price is reduced if you order via a one-month subscription – to £26.99 and £32.99 a day – it doesn’t come down if you order four days’ worth of food. You then have to pay for delivery on top of this, which is £4.95 in London and £9.95 outside, which is a hefty extra cost.

That said, a lack of time can be one of the biggest constraints when trying to lose weight. Feeling like you can’t fit in preparing healthy meals, or trying to find healthy options on the high street, can lead to you making calorific choices almost by default. In that situation the simplicity of Balance Box will appeal. You pay a premium, but you can pretty much stop thinking about your diet, and that will be well worth it for many people.

Buy from Balance Box | From £26.99 per day (1,200 calories), £32.99 per day (1,800 calories)

More Healthy Meal Delivery Service Reviews

• Allplants review: An exceptionally tasty vegan meal delivery service
• Fresh Fitness Food review: The easy, expensive way to eat healthily

Protein is so much more convenient these days. Where once gym-goers had to tuck into a couple of rotisserie chickens to refuel their muscles after a hefty workout, they can now mix up a protein shake or, more convenient still, tuck into a protein bar.

These are now widely available, involve zero preparation, and the best protein bars taste good enough to seem like a treat as well as a way to help build muscle. However, there are downsides, mainly involving the diamond-hard texture and artificial flavour of some, and you can’t assume all are a healthier snack bar – some very much aren’t.

That’s what we discovered when we spoke to Kurtis Frank from nutrition and supplement encyclopaedia examine.com for expert advice on what to look for when buying protein bars. The entire conversation is further down the page, but in brief, the first thing to check is the ratio of protein to calories – 15g of protein in a 200-calorie bar or 25g in a 250-calorie bar are good yardsticks. If you can find a bar you like the taste of with a decent amount of fibre, that’s also a welcome bonus. Make sure the carbs are low too, although if you’re an endurance athlete looking for a pre-session snack to top up your glycogen stores, try one of the best energy bars instead. 

Frank recommends being sensitive to price as well, because on a cost-per-calorie basis protein bars can be surprisingly expensive. Of course, go too cheap and the taste and especially texture will suffer. “Whether or not it can be used as a brick cannot easily be conveyed through the label,” says Frank. “It will ultimately require some taste testing to find out which ones can break a window when thrown.”

Fearing for your teeth, we bravely chomped our way through as many as possible. In some cases, that really did take a lot of bravery, but that does mean we’ve weeded out the duds and we feel confident that if you stick to our list of the best protein bars your teeth will remain uncracked.

Of course, a varied diet is always preferable so make sure you don’t come to rely too heavily on protein bars. You can mix things up (literally) with the best protein powders or best vegan protein powders, but nothing can compare to the advantages of eating high-protein foods instead of protein supplements. 

The Best Protein Bars

Our favorite flavor: Chocolate sea salt crunch

For me, it’s a race between this Optimum Nutrition bar and Grenade’s Oreo option for the title of “best-tasting protein bar on the market”. It’s rich and indulgent, providing a ready-made substitute for an actual chocolate bar if you’re looking to make more nutritious switches in your diet. Even the aftertaste is enjoyable, something I’ve found to be a rarity among protein bars.

The fine details: It’s not just the flavor that earns this protein bar a glowing review. It has a decent macro profile too, with lower values for fat (10g), carbs (20g) and sugar (1.9g) than most competitors I’ve tried. With 221 calories, it sits within the “average” bracket among protein bars, and the 18g serving of protein is solid without being anything to write home about.

Our favorite flavor: Chocolate and salted caramel 

Vegan protein bars, like their plant-based powder counterparts, can often be tasteless and grainy. This Healthspan bar bucks the trend. It has a generous helping of a caramel substitute on top of its protein-rich fudge-like center, all wrapped in a thin layer of chocolate. The result is a bar that’s richer than many vegan options. The bars can be a little dry and there remains a hint of grainy aftertaste, but it’s still an enjoyable sweet treat. 

The fine details: This HiLo bar does exactly what it promises: It delivers high amounts of protein and minimal sugar. In each bar, you’ll get a solid protein serving of 21g, as well as a 14g carb hit, 11g of fat and 1.2g of sugar.

Our favorite flavor: Soft caramel

This won’t give you the same 20g protein hit as rivals like Optimum Nutrition and Grenade, but these bars do provide a flavorsome low-sugar option. Having tried all five flavor options I emerged with two clear favorites—soft caramel and double chocolate cashew. The soft caramel was the runaway winner, with a chocolate exterior and Malteser-like balls topping a caramel and nougat-esque filling. This layered approach delivered a winning texture and satisfying levels of sweetness post-workout. However, if you don’t have such a sweet tooth, the dark chocolate and cashew combo is more likely to float your boat. 

The fine details: While the protein content is nothing to write home about, just look at that barely-there sugar content—0.4g, the lowest we’ve found! Maltitols are the chief sugar substitutes, with the sweetener sucralose also appearing further down the ingredient list.

Our favorite flavor: Cookies and cream

I tried two flavors—dark chocolate and raspberry, and cookies and cream—and while the former’s quick hit of raspberry was pleasant, the latter blew it away on the taste front. It delivered the sweet hit you want from a dessert-flavored snack bar, with a milky cookie taste and a texture that made it easy to eat. It comes in two 32g portions too, which I appreciated because it allowed me to eat one and stash the second half away for later in the day. 

The fine details: At 20g per 64g serving (both snack portions in the packet), the protein provision is enough to rank the SiS bar with the best of them. The carb (24g), fat (12g) and calorie numbers are a little higher than average, but it maintains a low sugar content of 2.2g.

Our favorite flavor: Chocolate caramel

The caramel in this vegan bar means that it easily avoids the common protein bar problem of being too dry, and the overall flavor is rich without being too sweet. Taste and texture both get a big tick from us, and the other flavor we tried—chocolate hazelnut—is almost as good, just a bit drier.

The fine details: Misfits knows what’s good about the bar and broadcasts it in huge digits on the front of the packaging. There’s 16g of protein (in the chocolate caramel bar, 15g in other flavors) in each 45g bar, and under 1g of sugar. The amount of protein is a little light compared with some other options, but the calorie count is also low at 186, and the hidden bonus is the massive 8g of fiber each bar also contains.—NHF

Our favorite flavor: Chocolate chip

This beast of a bar is one to use after intense workouts when you need a generous helping of protein, carbs and calories to help your body recover. It’s not going to replace the sheer joy of biting into a real chocolate chip flapjack, but it is a satisfying snack loaded with a lot more protein than you’d get from a standard flapjack.

The fine details: Each 85g bar contains 21g of protein, 32g of carbs and 337 calories. There’s also a pleasing 7.6g of fiber, with oats helping to beef up that number, but watch out for the sugar here—at 12g per bar it’s higher than you’ll find in most other options on this list.—NHF

Our favorite flavor: Caramel Crunch

I tried this alongside PhD’s chocolate brownie Smart Plant Bar and the original Smart Bar was the clear flavor winner. The taste wasn’t overwhelming, but the addition of a thin caramel layer on top of the creamy, fudgy center did give it a light quality. This isn’t the bar to reach for when you want to satisfy a serious sweet craving, but the subtle flavors make it a good fit for a more regular post-workout protein top-up. 

The fine details: The first thing I look out for on bars like these is a protein content of 20g or more—and it's a “yes” to that. Then it’s time to look at the carbs, fats, sugars and calories (23g, 12g, 1g and 256, respectively). All, aside from the sugar, are a little higher than most of the bars I’ve tried before, but the overall balance is still solid. 

Our favorite flavor: Forza

The Forza is hands down the best-tasting protein bar I’ve come across, which means I'm prepared to overlook its downsides, like the high price and relatively low protein content at 12g per bar. This all-natural bar contains a winning blend of apricots, almonds and fennel, and if the word fennel puts you off, try the mix of hazelnuts, coffee and cocoa in Veloforte’s Mocha bar instead.

The fine details: The Forza bar contains three times more carbs than protein with 38.3g of the former (and 27.3g of sugar), making it a better pick for endurance athletes seeking to refuel after a long training session than weightlifters looking for a pure protein punch. It also contains 7.4g of fiber.

A number of protein bar versions of well-known chocolate snacks have been released in the UK. The M&M bar was a hit. The white chocolate Snickers a miss. The Bounty bar marks a return to form and even has a valuable lesson for the rest of the industry: desiccated coconut hides a multitude of sins. Not that the rest of this bar gets much wrong. The center is gooey, rather than chewy, there’s a milk chocolate casing, and in a move which will keep traditionalists happy, there are two mini bars in each pack.

The fine details Part of the reason coconut tastes so delicious is that it’s so fatty, so you’re using up a third of your daily recommended allowance of saturated fat if you polish off the pack. Artificial sweeteners aren’t used so sugars are also comparatively high at 8g. With all that going on, it’s impressive that 18g of protein was squeezed into a 207-calorie bar. Like the M&M bar, this is a treat with a protein bonus, rather than a healthy staple. But who doesn’t like a bonus with their treat?

Our favorite flavor: Chocolate mint 

If you’re going to buy the Optimum Nutrition Plant Bar, I’d recommend plumping for the chocolate mint snack over the double rich chocolate flavor (the only two options). I found the latter didn’t deliver on its decadent promises, but the chocolate mint bar delivered great taste not unlike an After Eight. It’s less showy than the caramel-laden sweetness of many competitors too, giving it a more understated taste that I enjoyed on the walk home from my daily workouts. 

The fine details: This vegan-friendly bar is a decent all-rounder, offering 18g of protein and 222 calories in each 60g bar. It’s also a great option for anyone who’s lactose intolerant, saving your stomach unnecessary stress. The fat and carb levels are higher than you might like if you’re looking for a post-gym hit of pure protein, but endurance and hybrid athletes may appreciate this balanced macro profile.—HB

Our favorite flavor: Chocolate hazelnut

Write-up: If you’re sick of the jaw ache that comes from eating chewy protein bars, this is the snack for you. It offers the same 15g protein hit as Myprotein’s more traditional protein bars like the Crispy Layered and Lean Layered protein bars, but delivers it in lighter, tastier and arguably more fun wafer form. A word to the wise, though: If you’re eating this crumbly bar at your desk, don’t expect to do it neatly. 

The fine details: The protein-to-calorie ratio is a little underpowered compared with the standard recommended by Frank, but 15g of protein is still nothing to sniff at. The sugars are a middling 5.5g, but the fat content is high at 9g and there’s zero fiber.

Our favorite flavor: Nutty Chocolate Caramel 

Once you’ve tried one protein bar, you’ve tried them all, right? Well, apparently not. This Optimum Nutrition option breaks the status quo, with real raisins and peanuts sprinkled throughout to give it a flavor and texture reminiscent of Rocky Road (or tiffin, for any fellow Brits). Not only is this a nice change from the usual formula, it’s also enjoyable in its own right. 

The fine details: Despite the extra ingredients, this bar doesn’t overstep the macro mark. Its 20g of protein makes it a great post-workout snack, and it keeps sugars to a minimum. Given the fullness of its flavor, I was also pleasantly surprised to find there were only 16g of carbs and 6.7g of fat per serving.

Our favorite flavor: Eroica

This is an excellent all-round protein bar, especially for endurance athletes or anyone not especially worried about their carb and sugar intake. It’s one of the only bars that comes close to being as delicious as Veloforte’s Forza bar, since it’s also made from natural ingredients like nuts and candied peels, and it contains more protein at 20g per double-bar pack. However, it’s expensive – those all-natural bars go easier on your stomach than they do on your wallet.

The fine details: The substantial 100g pack contains an awful lot of stuff besides that 20g of protein, and some will be alarmed at the 38g of sugar and 409 calories per pack. It’s high in carbs too, at 43g per pack, and there’s 17g of fat (of which 1.47g is saturates). This is very much a bar for fuelling high-energy pursuits, but it tastes so good you’ll gladly put the work in to justify it.

Our favorite flavor: Double Dark Choc Nut

They’re not as high in protein as others on this list, but KIND bars are a genuine treat, full of nuts and dark chocolate This particular bar is made from peanuts, almonds and dark chocolate, so obviously it is very nice. We challenge anyone to make a bar that tastes bad using those three primary ingredients.

The fine details: The protein levels are just 12g per 50g bar, although the fibre count is high at 4.9g. They’re also pretty high in fat at 17g per bar, even if most of that is the “healthy” unsaturated kind. Essentially they lean towards the treat category, with the extra protein content being a bonus.

Do you like Oreos? Do you want a snack with a healthy 21g hit of protein? If you answered yes to both, your prayers have been answered. This delicious bar has bits of real Oreo crumbled into the center alongside soft chocolate and nougat layers that give it an enjoyably soft and chewy texture much like a Mars bar. Sweet treat aficionados will be able to tell the difference, but in my opinion this is among the closest you’ll come to a protein snack that could pass as a chocolate bar. 

The fine details: As mentioned above, each 60g bar delivers 21g of protein and just 1g of sugar. The flavor is amazing, but this does come at the expense of some fairly high carb, fat and saturated fat levels (20g, 10g and 5.6g respectively).

Our favorite bar: Chocolate

As people increasingly turn to protein bars as slightly healthier snacking alternatives to chocolate bars, it’s only natural that traditional chocolate brands are aiming to get in on the action. The M&M’s protein bar is not quite as tasty as the chocolate-centred sweet itself, but it is satisfyingly chocolatey and contains large M&M chunks. The texture was hard to judge because we left these on a counter during a heatwave, so presumably they’re not usually quite so liquified, but there were no signs of any stodginess.

The fine details: There are two flavours of the bars—chocolate and peanut—and both contain 15g of protein, which is a solid enough amount for a 51g bar. The peanut bar is a little higher in calories at 207 compared with the chocolate flavour’s 192. However, the sugar levels are high at 15g per bar, half of your daily recommended maximum and significantly more than you’ll find in most protein bars, which tend to use artificial sweeteners instead. That puts these bars firmly in the occasional treat camp, but they’re still a little healthier than going full chocolate.

Our favorite flavor: salted caramel

There are two flavors: mint chocolate and salted caramel. The former is an acquired taste but the salted caramel bar will appeal to many. The pleasing chewy-flapjack texture makes it satisfying to wolf down after a hard session or just as a mid-afternoon pick-me-up.

The fine details: The OTE Anytime Bar isn’t as packed with protein as other options, with 11g in each bar, but it does contain 26g of carbohydrates. It’s the perfect snack for after long runs or rides when you need to replenish your energy.—NHF

Our favorite flavor: Brilliant Birthday Cake

Bulk has, somewhat ambitiously, decided to call these gourmet protein bars, which creates an expectation that any bar is going to struggle to meet. We like that the bar has sprinkles on top, and some kind of jam-style layer that adds to the ersatz cake experience. The texture also delivers, avoiding excessive chewiness. It’s a great protein bar – just don’t call it gourmet.

The fine details: Each 62g bar contains 233 calories and 20g of protein, with the sugar count kept low at 2.9g through the use of isomalt and sucralose sweeteners. The list of ingredients is dismayingly long, although to be fair the sprinkles are a surprisingly large part of that. There’s a nice surprise at the end of the nutritional info though—the 8.7g of fiber in each bar.

Our favorite flavor: Birthday Cake 

Grenade makes great protein bars, but recently I set out to see which of its products tastes the best. It’s a tough job, but somebody’s gotta do it. And, after weighing up every bar the brand has to offer, (excluding the Oreo collab featured above) I settled on its Birthday Cake option. The vanilla flavor had me feeling eight years old and ready to blow out some candles, while the colorful textured topping adds an enjoyable crunch. 

If that doesn’t sound like your bag, fear not. There’s a vast array of other flavors including Chocolate Chip Salted Caramel, Peanut Nutter, Fudged Up, Dark Chocolate Mint, Dark Chocolate Raspberry, Caramel Chaos, Jaffa Quake, Lemon Cheesecake and so on. The texture is pleasant, consisting of a fudgy base topped with a gooey layer and something crunchy on top.

The fine details: 

Grenade delivers on its promise of whipping up high-protein, low-sugar bars: This one has 20g of the former and 1.6g of the latter—it’s sweetened instead with maltitol. As with the Oreo option, the carb (21g) and calorie (212) totals are a bit higher than other brands, but it’s still a delicious snack to reach for rather than your go-to confectionary. 

Our favorite flavor: Hazelnut & Nougat

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but Barebells’ design is worth precisely one – “lifestyle”, with a premium 1950s Americana look that’s undeniably alluring. We initially found the flavors a bit of a let-down—that is, until Barebells released the Hazelnut & Nougat bar, which is very tasty indeed. The texture is spot-on too, with an enjoyable level of chewiness that doesn’t stray into the cardboard-style consistency of some protein bars.

The fine details: It’s another of the new breed of bars with very low sugar, just 1.9g, and with 20g of protein in just 205 calories it’s punching above its weight. There’s also a respectable 4.2g of fiber per 55g bar.

Our favorite flavor: Raspberry Dark Chocolate

No doubt aware that many people dislike the chewy consistency of many protein bars, Warrior has made its bar as crunchy as possible, and stuck “crunch” in the name to hammer the point home. The multi-layer bars satisfy in terms of both taste and texture, with the raspberry dark chocolate and key lime pie flavors being stand-outs. 

The fine details: There’s a hefty serving of both protein (20g) and carbs (24g) in each bar, but the sugar content is low at 2.3g, with malitol used as a sweetener. Each bar is fairly fatty, containing 11g with 6.1g of that saturated fat.—NHF

Our favorite flavor: Vegan Honeycomb

There are three layers in these vegan bars, and all three hit the mark. The topping is chocolate—hard to go wrong there—the middle is nut butter, and the base is crunchy granola. The texture is spot on, and the flavors are excellent too. This is a proper snack.

The fine details: All the tasty goodness above might have tipped you off that the nutritional stats are not going to be perfect. The bars are small at 40g, but even so only getting 8g of protein makes them an outlier on this list, especially as you get more carb (9.6g) and fat (12g) per bar. The fiber content is pretty good at 3.2g, though, and while 5.8g of sugar isn’t a tiny amount, it’s less than you usually find in natural bars like this.—NHF

Our favorite flavor: Wild Chocolate Peanut

Aside from the somewhat zany packaging, there’s nothing especially ridiculous about this protein bar. But that’s no bad thing—do we really need ridiculous protein bars in our lives? The various flavors contain no surprises—chocolate features heavily across the range—and all are satisfying and tasty, with layers of biscuit, nuts and caramel.

The fine details: There’s 15g of protein in each 47.5g bar, along with a substantial 7.6g of fiber. The carb content is a little higher than other bars at 10g, which is good for refueling after energetic gym sessions. The calorie count of 197 is low though, and there’s just 0.8g of sugar in each bar, with stevia used to sweeten them.—NHF

Our favorite flavor: Chocolate Peanut Crunch

All the bars in SiS’s PROTEIN20 range have opted for a “party on the top, business on the bottom” approach, in that there are fun crunchy nuggets above the layer of slightly stodgy, presumably protein-packed filling. The chocolate peanut crunch is the most flavourful of the range, though for our money it’s still a little too bland to work as a replacement for a chocolate bar.

The fine details: Each 55g bar contains 20g of protein and 216 calories. The sugar count is kept to just 2g, with polyols used to sweeten the bar. These are carbohydrates, but not sugars, so the carb total is higher than in many other bars at 22g, which is no bad thing in our view—after a tough exercise session refueling with carbs is important.

Our favorite flavor: Chocolate Caramel Peanut 

In contrast with the jaw-breaking protein bars of old, Sci-Mx’s soft and squishy brick-shaped snack has minimal structural integrity, making it incredibly easy to eat. The chocolate caramel peanut flavor is extremely sweet, without much caramel, and the peanut chunks were a welcome inclusion. For me, it’s too sweet to eat every day, but I found it useful for chucking into my bag when I was on the go and running low on fuel. 

The fine details: Unlike most health snacks, this beefy bar is designed to provide a decent dose of carbs (45g) and calories (375) alongside a generous 25g helping of protein. This is handy for people who live an active lifestyle and need to fuel themselves on the go, or those who are looking to pack on muscle mass. However, the 27g serving of sugar is notably high.—HB

Our favorite flavor: Chocolate Hazelnut

Unlike most protein bars, there’s no weak link among the four Loaded Legends flavor options. Chocolate hazelnut was my highlight, although that’s down to personal preference. Each one tastes great with various crumbled toppings, and a filling that layers crispy and smooth elements for a really enjoyable eating experience. 

The fine details: This is a well-balanced bar that works well as a quick snack. It’s lower in fats, sugars, carbs and calories than many competitors, and also offers a healthy (if not huge) 14g protein top-up to help you hit your daily quota.—HB

Our favorite flavor: Peanuts And Chocolate

Unlike supplement companies who move to protein bars from protein powders, Eat Natural have a snack bar heritage which means its protein offering should be especially tasty. And it is – it tastes like a crunchy cereal bar, with chunks of dark chocolate and coconut. The catch is that you get a lot less protein...

The fine details: Just 10g of protein per 45g bar, under what most people like to put away straight after a heavy workout session. As a way to top up your protein intake during the day, however, Eat Natural bars are a better snack than biscuits or cake, but keep an eye on the sugar—each bar contains 8.4g. Finally, the fiber—a decent 3.3g per bar.

Protein Bars Buyer’s Guide

Before you start grabbing fistfuls of bars it’s important to know what you should be looking for. The headline is obviously how much protein they contain, but as with all processed food you have to be careful to avoid hidden nutritional nasties. To help determine what you need to check, we enlisted Kurtis Frank from nutrition and supplement encyclopaedia examine.com.

What should people look for when choosing a protein bar?

“The main factors for choosing a protein bar would be taste, macronutrient composition—how many carbs, proteins and fats there are—and price,” says Frank.

Most protein bars will deliver somewhere between 15g and 25g of protein. Beyond that, you want to look at how much protein you are getting per calorie.

“For macronutrient composition, most bars are either just under 200 calories while giving 15g of protein or are around 250 calories for 25g of protein,” says Frank.

“Both these options are good for overall health and performance since, at the end of the day, they should only be making up a small percentage of your total calories.”

Also make sure you are actually buying a protein bar, not a general energy bar that’s aimed at endurance activities where loads of carbs are required.

“There are quite a few performance bars out there, such as Clif bars, that are meant for snacks during athletics such as biking or hiking,” says Frank.

“They're pretty much all carbs so they don’t work as a protein bar to eat at work or between meals.”

The price of protein bars can vary hugely, and there will be monstrously bad ones at the cheaper end of things. However, if you can find a cheap bar you like, it will obviously help you save money and there are bargains available, especially if you shop online.

“When it comes to price, a premium protein bar can easily be one of the most expensive things in your diet on a per-calorie basis,” says Frank.

“They aren’t cheap, but the cheap ones also tend to taste worse and be made with poorer ingredients so it ultimately ends up being a balancing act based on your preferences and how much you are willing to spend. It is always worth it to at least try the cheaper bars since they might taste good to you and end up saving you money.

“Aim to get a decent amount of protein per calorie and don’t spend too much money unless you need to. If you’ve found a brand you really like then consider buying in bulk online as you can save a lot that way.”

What difference does the type of protein make?

Protein brands will offer many varieties in their bars, and the terms used can be pretty confusing for the layman. Luckily, it shouldn’t matter too much which protein is in your bar.

“The different types of protein matter much less in a protein bar than they do in shakes,” says Frank, “since the rate of absorption for proteins are inherently slowed when put into a solid form and paired with dietary fats and fibers.

“The types of protein with higher biological values [the percentage of the protein that is absorbed by your body] are still technically better but ultimately they're all close enough that debating about milk protein concentrate versus whey isolate is irrelevant.”

A couple of things you should look out on the label is whether there is a high amount of gelatine or soy concentrate, says Frank.

“The only real ways that the protein type is relevant is if there is a high gelatine content, which provides amino acids and appears as protein on a nutritional label but is not a nourishing protein type, or if you're getting 30g of soy concentrate, since in high doses there could be a mild oestrogenic effect [ie it will raise your levels of oestrogen, the female sex hormone] and 30g of the protein is a pretty high dose. Keep in mind soy lecithin is not soy protein and is totally fine in a protein bar.”

Should you be wary of calories and sugar in protein bars?

It’s easy to view your protein bar as a healthy snack, especially as you’ll regularly eat it before or after a gym visit and won’t be so concerned about keeping tabs on your food. However, they can contain more calories and sugar than you might expect, as we found out in our taste test.

“You definitely should be worried about calories and sugars in protein bars,” says Frank, “just as much as you would with candy bars. Just because it can be seen as healthy doesn't make its consumption a free pass to be omitted from your dietary logs or calorie counts.”

On the other hand, you can also pick up protein bars that contain unexpected health bonuses, especially when it comes to upping your fiber intake.

“It is usually a good idea to get at least 5g of dietary fiber in a protein bar,” says Frank. “It helps it go down better, and a lot of us need help to get a decent amount of fiber in our diets.”

What else should you look out for in a protein bar?

Reading the label on protein bars won’t tell you anything about the texture. The worst of them can be rock-hard and leave you chewing for hours.

“Whether or not it can be used as a brick cannot easily be conveyed through the label,” says Frank. “It will ultimately require some taste testing to find out which ones can break a window when thrown.

“Sugar alcohols like sorbitol and xylitol are more common in the cheaper protein bars that are looking to reduce calories by swapping natural sugars out for these ones. While they can be consumed in moderation and aren't necessarily bad, they can definitely cause gastrointestinal upset in some people. If you're eating a protein bar before exercise, this is the last thing you want.”