7 Powerful and Impressive Benefits of Vanilla Powder

by James Denlinger Digital Marketing Strategist

What is Vanilla Powder?

Specifically, what are we talking about when we ask “What is vanilla protein powder?” Premium vanilla protein powder products are the smart way to stay healthy, available in a variety of variants such as vanilla whey protein, vanilla casein protein and vanilla pea protein.

Each variety of the premium types contain no artificial colors or sweeteners, and are gluten and GMO-free, allowing them to yield a delicious vanilla protein shake first thing in the morning, after a workout or just before bed to supplement a daily protein intake (while helping to aid in recovery from workouts).

Indeed, if you’ve ever spent any time in a typical commercial gym, you’ve probably overheard the guys hanging around the weight machines discussing protein shakes, and what kind they prefer. Protein powders – made into a shake or consumed at the discretion of the individual – are becoming more and more popular as a nutritional supplement, and they can be purchased in every nutrition store or over the internet.

You can even find pre-mixed, ready-to-drink protein shakes in a myriad of shops…but the question still remains: Are protein powders just for bodybuilders, or can the average everyday athletic type benefit from them as well?

Before we delve into particular aspects of vanilla protein powder this article is going to focus on, let’s go over some basics about protein powders in general. In very specific circumstances, such powders can be extremely useful – they’re an easy and convenient source of complete, high-quality protein, and there are reasons why a garden variety athlete might want more protein in his or her diet.

Benefits of protein powders come into play during the following scenarios:

During Growth – A teen demands more protein to fuel workouts because his/her body is still growing and uses more protein in general.
When Beginning a Program – If working out is a new activity on the schedule and the goal is to build muscle, more protein than normal is required.
When Amping Up Workouts – The body requires more protein if the workout regimen increased from, for example, a half-hour a few times a week to training for a marathon.
When Recovering From an Injury – Athletes suffering from sports injuries normally need more protein to assist with the healing process.
When Exploring a Vegan Lifestyle – Individuals who pursue a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle eliminate a number of typical protein sources from their diet, including meat, chicken and fish – and sometimes dairy and eggs, too.

Vanilla Whey Protein Powder

As we hinted at in the beginning of this article, vanilla protein powder is available in a number of variants, one of the more popular being vanilla whey protein powder. Whey protein powder supplies the body with high-quality protein for rapid amino acid delivery that not only aids recovery, but supports muscle growth following a workout.

From a historical perspective, whey protein is a mixture of proteins isolated from whey, the liquid material created as a by-product of cheese production. Commonly marketed as a dietary supplement, whey protein wears the distinction of having various health claims attributed to it; when it comes to muscle growth, for instance, whey protein has been shown to be slightly better compared to other types of protein, such as casein or soy. (Tang, Jason E.; Moore, Daniel R.; Kujbida, Gregory W.; Tarnopolsky, Mark A.; Phillips, Stuart M. [1 September 2009]. “Ingestion of whey hydrolysate, casein, or soy protein isolate: effects on mixed muscle protein synthesis at rest and following resistance exercise in young men”. Journal of Applied Physiology. 107 [3]: 987–992.)

The 1990s brought about a revolution with regard to protein powders in general, what with researchers beginning to study whey for its potential health benefits. As research intensified, so did the quality of whey protein, and it wasn’t long until things really started rolling with the debut of two companies – Metabolic Prescription and Experimental and Applied Sciences, better known by their monikers of Met RX and EAS.

One other small scrappy upstart from the late 1990s that would help boost the popularity of protein powder was the father-and-son team of Greg and Michael Pickett, who founded CytoSport in 1998; the company launched its Complete Whey and CytoGainer protein products in 1999, ushering in what many feel was the protein revolution.

The protein powder market is more competitive than ever, with just about every brand in the industry boasting their own offering – including the uber-popular vanilla whey variant. Further, the most recent innovations in protein powder involve the addition of “edibles” amidst the protein mix, and single-serve Keurig-style protein powder “shots.” (Primary Reference: Hoffman JR, Falvo MJ. Protein – Which is Best? Journal of Sports Science & Medicine. 2004;3[3]:118-130)

Vanilla Powder Substitute

Pure vanilla extract is the easiest substitute for vanilla powder, as it’s more commonly available – but because vanilla powder has a more concentrated flavor, it’s often recommended that one teaspoon of extract be used to every one-half teaspoon of powder. Alternatively, you can always make your own vanilla powder, but this requires an exercise in patience and some experience, being that dry vanilla beans need to be left in a location for a few weeks before being placed in an oven, eventually put in a spice or coffee grinder to be smashed to powder form.

Whole vanilla beans are the source of the genuine vanilla flavor, and as such can be used to make your own extract; using them requires you to split the beans and then scrape the seeds out with the edge of a knife. In a pinch, vanilla paste can also be used, and this consists of vanilla flavor from two sources – vanilla beans and vanilla extract.

Bulk Supplements Fun Fact: Like vanilla powder, vanilla paste contains no alcohol, so all you get from it is the taste of vanilla accompanied by a mild sweetness from the sugar.

Interestingly, vanilla chai drinks have been exploding in popularity as of late, bolstered by vanilla chai powder and culminating in treats such as chai teas and other rich, flavorful beverages. While vanilla is the taste that adds a zing of goodness, it’s chai that is at the heart of these drinks – and it’s chai that brings with it proven health benefits.

These include:

Grapefruit Seed Extract: Benefits, Side Effects and Dosage

Getting your morning started without the negative side effects associated with several cups of coffee.
Improved digestion
Nausea alleviation
Aches/pains alleviation
Immune system support
Protection of overall cell health and prevention of chronic disease
Possibility of improved heart health

Vegan Vanilla Protein Powder

Despite its undeserved reputation for being “boring,” vanilla provides the backbone for many sweet treats we all love to sample now and then. The way we see it, vanilla’s real strength comes through its versatility – you can basically make any flavor by combining fruits and spices with vanilla, and this proves that vanilla proteins don’t get the respect they deserve.

To this end, vanilla protein powder is a jack-of-all-trades when it comes to the fit vegan’s kitchen. Even though there are plenty of ways to get protein on a plant-based diet, vegan protein powder can help you meet your needs in a pinch – case in point: Dieticians such as Carolyn Brown at Foodtrainers in New York City believe it’s a misconception that vegan protein powders don’t provide enough protein or keep a body feeling full. According to Brown, today’s vegan protein powders do both, bringing with them 20 to 30 grams of protein per serving, completely on par with the most popular whey protein powders.

And while vegan proteins have had a rep for tasting somewhat off-putting for a long time, many newer proteins come in flavors like vanilla.

Vanilla Extract Powder

Vanilla extract uses alcohol as a solvent to pull the aromas out of vanilla beans, and varies widely in strength and quality. Vanilla powder is pure, unadulterated vanilla bean, and lends a myriad of flavor to anything being baked in the kitchen – indeed, since extracts use alcohol as carriers for the aroma, most of the high heat of the baking process evaporates the alcohol (and the flavor along with it). Vanilla powder can hold its own under the extreme heat of an oven, and doesn’t require any additional liquid for a recipe (which, in some cases, will throw off a carefully-balanced ratio).

Many organic vanilla protein powder supplements are made from high-quality double-fold Madagascar vanilla bean extract that is sprayed onto a silicon dioxide base. This creates a free-flowing powder that can be used in a variety of applications, exuding a wonderful flavor and vanilla aroma.

Bottom Line

Premium vanilla protein powder products are the smart way to stay healthy, available in a variety of variants such as vanilla whey protein, vanilla casein protein and vanilla pea protein. Each variety of the premium types contain no artificial colors or sweeteners, and are gluten and GMO-free, allowing them to yield a delicious vanilla protein shake first thing in the morning, after a workout or just before bed to supplement a daily protein intake (while helping to aid in recovery from workouts).