Getting enough protein is important for overall health. Protein helps build and repair tissues, produce enzymes and hormones, and strengthen the immune system. While most people get protein from meat, fish, eggs, and dairy products, drinking high-protein juices can also help you meet your daily protein needs.
Why Drink High-Protein Juice?
Juices that are high in protein provide an easy and nutritious way to increase your protein intake, especially if you follow a vegetarian or vegan diet. Here are some of the top benefits of drinking high-protein juices:
- Convenient source of protein – Juices allow you to get protein on-the-go or when you don’t have time to prepare a protein-rich meal.
- Improve muscle growth and recovery – The amino acids in protein help stimulate muscle protein synthesis, boosting muscle growth and repair.
- Promote satiety – Protein increases levels of appetite-reducing hormones, helping you feel fuller for longer.
- Support weight management – Protein requires more calories to digest than carbs and fat, so it can boost metabolism and reduce calorie intake.
- Strengthen bones – Some protein-rich juices provide calcium and vitamin D to support bone health.
Juices with the Most Protein
When looking for a high-protein juice, vegetable and fruit juices that contain protein powders or other protein-rich ingredients are your best options. Here are some of the top juices to drink for a protein boost:
Protein Powder Juices
Adding a scoop of protein powder to your juice is one of the simplest ways to increase its protein content. Some popular protein powders to use include:
- Whey protein – Made from dairy, whey offers 20-30 grams of protein per scoop.
- Plant-based protein – Soy, pea, hemp, and rice proteins are vegan-friendly options with 10-30 grams of protein per serving.
- Collagen peptides – Collagen powders provide 10-20 grams of protein per scoop to support skin, hair, nails, bones and joints.
You can add any flavor protein powder to juices. Some combinations to try include:
- Whey protein with berries, banana, peanut butter and almond milk
- Pea protein with kale, mango, and orange juice
- Collagen peptides with cherry, carrot, ginger and apple juice
Nut and Seed Juices
Nuts and seeds give juices a nutritious protein boost. Some high-protein options include:
- Almond butter – 2 tablespoons provides 8 grams of protein
- Cashew butter – 2 tablespoons provides 5 grams of protein
- Hemp seeds – 3 tablespoons provides 10 grams of protein
- Chia seeds – 1-2 tablespoons provides 5 grams of protein
- Pumpkin seeds – 1⁄4 cup provides 8 grams of protein
- Sunflower seeds – 1⁄4 cup provides 6 grams of protein
Try blending nut and seed butters or sprinkling seeds into juices like:
- Almond butter, banana, cocoa, dates, almond milk
- Cashew butter, mango, vanilla protein powder, coconut water
- Chia seeds, pineapple, spinach, coconut water
- Hemp seeds, berries, lemon juice, maple syrup, ice
Dairy-Based Juices
Milk, yogurt, kefir and cheese can all boost the protein in juices. Some dairy products to include are:
- Greek yogurt – 1⁄2 cup provides 15-20 grams of protein
- Cottage cheese – 1⁄2 cup provides 15 grams of protein
- Milk – 1 cup provides 8 grams of protein
- Kefir – 1 cup provides 11 grams of protein
- Cheddar cheese – 1⁄4 cup shredded provides 7 grams of protein
Tasty juice recipes with dairy include:
- Greek yogurt, berries, spinach, honey, ice
- Cottage cheese, pineapple, coconut water, vanilla
- Milk, banana, peanut butter, cocoa powder, maple syrup
- Kefir, mango, kale, ginger, lemon
- Shredded cheddar, apple, celery, carrot, parsley
Vegetable and Fruit Juices
While most vegetables and fruits are not high in protein on their own, combining multiple protein-rich produce can add up. Some options include:
- Spinach – 1 cup raw provides 1 gram of protein
- Kale – 1 cup raw provides 2.5 grams of protein
- Broccoli – 1 cup raw chopped provides 2.5 grams of protein
- Peas – 1 cup raw provides 8 grams of protein
- Asparagus – 1 cup raw provides 2.5 grams of protein
- Artichokes – 1 medium boiled provides 4 grams of protein
- Avocado – 1⁄2 fruit provides 2 grams of protein
Mix and match these protein-packed veggies and fruits into juices like:
- Spinach, kale, pineapple, mango, avocado
- Broccoli, peach, banana, ginger, lemon
- Asparagus, pear, celery, parsley
- Peas, apple, cucumber, mint
Highest Protein Juices
If you really want to maximize the protein in your juices, your best options are shakes and smoothies made with protein powder or other concentrated protein sources. Here are some of the top highest protein juice recipes:
| Juice | Protein (grams) |
|---|---|
| Whey protein powder, banana, peanut butter, milk | 30-35 |
| Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, strawberries, milk | 25-30 |
| Vegan protein powder, spinach, avocado, flaxseeds, almond milk | 20-25 |
| Chia seeds, hemp seeds, berries, coconut water | 15-20 |
| Pea protein powder, broccoli, kale, apple, celery | 15-20 |
Tips for Making High-Protein Juices
Here are some helpful tips for getting more protein from your homemade juices:
- Use a blender instead of a juicer when adding protein powders or nut butters so you retain all the protein rather than straining it out.
- Add Greek yogurt or cottage cheese for a protein punch – blend well to create a smooth, creamy juice.
- Chia, hemp and flax seeds are easy to sprinkle into any juice for extra plant-based protein.
- Look for unsweetened nut or seed butters to avoid added sugars.
- Combine fruits and vegetables like spinach, kale, broccoli and asparagus which have slightly higher protein than other produce.
- Sweeten juices naturally with bananas, dates, honey or maple syrup instead of refined sugar.
- Use milk instead of water or juice to obtain a complete protein source.
- Add juicing boosts like wheatgrass and spirulina powders provide extra amino acids and protein.
- Drink your juice soon after making it to maximize nutrient retention and protein quality.
Most Protein Packed Juice Recipes
Here are some delicious juice recipes packed with 20+ grams of protein per serving to help increase your daily intake:
Chocolate Protein Power Juice
Ingredients:
- 2 scoops chocolate protein powder
- 1 banana
- 2 tablespoons peanut butter
- 1 cup milk of choice
- 1 cup ice
Protein: 30-35g
Green Protein Monster Juice
Ingredients:
- 1 cup spinach
- 1 cup kale
- 1 avocado, pitted
- 2 tablespoons hemp seeds
- 1 tablespoon spirulina powder
- 1 cup coconut water
Protein: 20-25g
Blueberry Pea Protein Smoothie
Ingredients:
- 2 scoops pea protein powder
- 1 cup blueberries
- 1 cup spinach
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
Protein: 25-30g
Tropical Protein-Packed Smoothie
Ingredients:
- 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
- 1 cup pineapple chunks
- 1 banana
- 1⁄2 cup mango chunks
- 1⁄2 cup cottage cheese
- 1⁄2 cup coconut water
Protein: 20-25g
Protein Content of Common Juice Ingredients
To help you create your own protein-packed juices, here is a look at the amount of protein found in typical juice add-ins:
| Ingredient | Serving Size | Protein (grams) |
|---|---|---|
| Whey protein powder | 1 scoop (30g) | 25 |
| Greek yogurt | 1 cup | 20 |
| Cottage cheese | 1⁄2 cup | 15 |
| Pea protein powder | 1 scoop (30g) | 20 |
| Hemp seeds | 3 Tbsp | 10 |
| Almond butter | 2 Tbsp | 8 |
| Cow’s milk | 1 cup | 8 |
| Kefir | 1 cup | 11 |
| Chia seeds | 2 Tbsp | 5 |
| Cashew butter | 2 Tbsp | 5 |
| Pumpkin seeds | 1⁄4 cup | 8 |
| Sunflower seeds | 1⁄4 cup | 6 |
| Shredded cheddar | 1⁄4 cup | 7 |
| Avocado | 1⁄2 medium | 2 |
| Spinach | 1 cup | 1 |
Conclusion
Drinking juices high in protein is an excellent way for anyone to increase their intake of this important macronutrient. By using ingredients like protein powders, Greek yogurt, nut butters, seeds, and protein-rich veggies and fruits, you can easily make juices with 20-30 grams of protein or more per serving.
Focus on blending smoothies rather than juicing to retain all the beneficial protein. Try out recipes like a chocolate protein power juice, green protein monster juice, or tropical protein-packed smoothie for a delicious protein boost any time of day.
Drinking just one high-protein juice per day along with your regular meals and snacks can help you meet your body’s protein needs and enjoy all the benefits like stronger muscles, improved fullness, and healthy weight management.
