{"id":15933,"date":"2026-07-27T09:41:15","date_gmt":"2026-07-27T09:41:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/?p=15933"},"modified":"2026-07-27T09:41:15","modified_gmt":"2026-07-27T09:41:15","slug":"does-proffee-boost-performance-a-sports-nutritionist-weighs-in","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/?p=15933","title":{"rendered":"Does Proffee Boost Performance? A Sports Nutritionist Weighs In."},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"justify-start\">\n<nav class=\"align-left col-span-full mb-base\" data-pom-e2e-test-id=\"breadcrumbs\"\/>\n<p>People are adding protein to their coffee for a nutrition boost in a new trend called &#8220;proffee.&#8221; A sports nutritionist explains whether it&#8217;s worth the hype and how to make it.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"border-border-light border-t py-base-tight\">\n<div class=\"flex h-4 justify-between\">\n<div class=\"flex gap-x-base-tight\">\n<div class=\"\"><button class=\"inline-flex shrink-0 items-center justify-center rounded-full cursor-default bg-bg-surface hover:bg-bg-light focus:bg-bg-dark text-primary border border-solid border-border-light aria-pressed:bg-brand-primary aria-pressed:text-text-surface py-very-tight px-base-tight gap-tight font-semibold font-utility-2 opacity-50\" aria-label=\"Loading audio\" aria-pressed=\"false\" id=\"article-listen-button\" disabled=\"\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"18\" height=\"18\" viewbox=\"0 0 18 18\" fill=\"none\" class=\"\"><title>Listen to this article<\/title><path d=\"M12.5265 16.2C12.2326 16.2 12.0122 16.1265 11.7184 16.053C11.2775 15.9061 10.9102 15.6122 10.6898 15.2449C10.4694 14.8775 10.3959 14.4367 10.5428 13.9959L11.5714 10.3959C11.6449 10.1755 11.7184 9.95509 11.8653 9.80815C12.0122 9.66121 12.1592 9.51427 12.3796 9.36733C12.6 9.29386 12.8204 9.2204 13.0408 9.14693C13.2612 9.14693 13.4816 9.14693 13.702 9.2204H13.7755C14.2163 9.36733 14.5837 9.58774 14.951 9.95509C14.951 9.66121 14.951 9.29386 14.951 8.99999C14.951 7.38366 14.2898 5.8408 13.1877 4.73876C12.0122 3.56325 10.5428 2.9755 8.92652 2.9755C7.31019 2.9755 5.76733 3.63672 4.66529 4.73876C3.48978 5.8408 2.82856 7.38366 2.82856 8.99999C2.82856 9.29386 2.82856 9.66121 2.82856 9.95509C3.12244 9.66121 3.56325 9.36733 4.00407 9.2204H4.07754C4.29795 9.14693 4.51835 9.14693 4.73876 9.14693C4.95917 9.14693 5.17958 9.2204 5.39999 9.36733C5.6204 9.4408 5.76733 9.58774 5.91427 9.80815C6.06121 9.95509 6.13468 10.1755 6.20815 10.3959L7.23672 13.9959C7.38366 14.4367 7.31019 14.8775 7.08978 15.2449C6.86938 15.6122 6.50203 15.9061 6.13468 16.053C5.76733 16.2 5.39999 16.2 5.03264 16.2C4.66529 16.1265 4.29795 16.053 4.00407 15.9061C3.63672 15.6122 3.41631 15.3918 3.12244 15.0979C2.90203 14.8775 2.75509 14.5102 2.68162 14.1428L2.38774 13.0408L2.2408 12.6735C2.2408 12.6 2.16733 12.453 2.16733 12.3796C1.87346 11.2775 1.79999 10.1755 1.79999 8.99999C1.79999 7.08978 2.53468 5.25305 3.9306 3.9306C5.25305 2.60815 7.08978 1.79999 8.99999 1.79999C10.9102 1.79999 12.7469 2.53468 14.0694 3.9306C15.3918 5.25305 16.2 7.08978 16.2 8.99999C16.2 10.102 16.053 11.2775 15.8326 12.3796C15.8326 12.453 15.7592 12.6 15.7592 12.6735L15.6857 12.9673V13.0408L15.1714 14.1428C15.0979 14.5102 14.8775 14.8041 14.6571 15.0979C14.4367 15.3918 14.1428 15.6122 13.849 15.7592C13.5551 15.9061 13.1877 16.053 12.8204 16.053C12.7469 16.1265 12.6735 16.2 12.5265 16.2ZM3.71019 13.849C3.78366 14.0694 3.85713 14.2163 4.00407 14.4367C4.15101 14.6571 4.29795 14.7306 4.51835 14.8775C4.73876 14.951 4.8857 15.0245 5.10611 15.0979C5.32652 15.0979 5.54693 15.0979 5.76733 15.0245C5.98774 14.951 6.06121 14.8775 6.13468 14.7306C6.20815 14.5837 6.20815 14.4367 6.20815 14.2898L5.17958 10.6898C5.17958 10.6163 5.10611 10.5428 5.10611 10.4694C5.03264 10.4694 4.95917 10.3959 4.8857 10.3224C4.81223 10.3224 4.73876 10.249 4.66529 10.249C4.59182 10.249 4.51836 10.249 4.44489 10.249H4.37142C3.9306 10.3959 3.63672 10.6898 3.41631 11.0571C3.26938 11.351 3.19591 11.7184 3.26938 12.0857C3.34285 12.3061 3.34284 12.5265 3.41631 12.6735L3.71019 13.849ZM13.2612 10.3224C13.1877 10.3224 13.1877 10.3224 13.2612 10.3224C13.1143 10.3224 13.0408 10.3224 12.9673 10.3959C12.8939 10.4694 12.8204 10.4694 12.8204 10.4694C12.7469 10.5428 12.7469 10.6163 12.7469 10.6898L11.7184 14.2898C11.6449 14.4367 11.7184 14.5837 11.7918 14.7306C11.8653 14.8775 12.0122 14.951 12.0857 15.0245C12.3796 15.0979 12.5265 15.0979 12.7469 15.0979C12.9673 15.0979 13.1877 15.0245 13.3347 14.8775C13.5551 14.8041 13.702 14.6571 13.849 14.4367C13.9959 14.2898 14.0694 14.0694 14.1428 13.849L14.5102 12.6735C14.5837 12.5265 14.5837 12.3061 14.6571 12.1592C14.7306 11.7918 14.6571 11.4245 14.5102 11.1306C14.2898 10.7633 13.9959 10.4694 13.5551 10.3224H13.4816C13.3347 10.3224 13.2612 10.3224 13.2612 10.3224Z\" fill=\"currentColor\"\/><\/svg><span class=\"hidden sm:inline\">Listen<\/span><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/p>\n<p class=\"fp-leadCaption py-tight text-left font-utility text-utility3-size leading-utility3-line-height text-secondary\"> (Photo: Ayana Underwood\/Canva)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"article-body\">\n<p>Published July 27, 2026 03:00AM<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>By now, the cultural push to eat more protein is hard to miss. But getting enough\u2014especially on busy days\u2014isn\u2019t easy. As people look for quick ways to increase their intake, one <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"article-content-link text-brand-primary underline hover:text-brand-primary\/85 break-words overflow-wrap-anywhere underline-offset-[3px]\" rel=\"noopener\" data-afl-p=\"0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reels\/DTh7-Z9E4iE\/\">social media<\/a> trend has emerged: \u201cproffee,\u201d or protein coffee.<\/p>\n<p>The idea is simple: dump a scoop of protein powder or a ready-to-drink protein shake directly into your morning brew. The appeal is just as straightforward, promising a lazy shortcut that delivers protein <i>and<\/i> a pre-workout caffeine boost.<\/p>\n<p>But whether it\u2019s actually a smart nutrition strategy\u2014or just the latest example of our obsession with \u201cproteinifying\u201d everything from chips to ice cream\u2014is a more complicated question. While protein is essential for building muscle and repairing tissue, more isn\u2019t necessarily better. In fact, focusing too heavily on one macronutrient will make it \u201cvery hard to meet the other nutrition requirements that will help you with performance,\u201d <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"article-content-link text-brand-primary underline hover:text-brand-primary\/85 break-words overflow-wrap-anywhere underline-offset-[3px]\" rel=\"noopener\" data-afl-p=\"0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amystephensnutrition.com\/\">Amy Stephens<\/a>, a sports nutritionist and eating disorder specialist, told <i>Outside<\/i>. Those other important macros include carbohydrates and healthy fats.<\/p>\n<p>Where does proffee fit in? We asked Stephens to break down the benefits and drawbacks, and to assess whether this viral upgrade is worth trying.<\/p>\n<h2>Is \u2018Proffee\u2019 Worth the Hype for Athletes?<\/h2>\n<p>For the average healthy adult, the recommended dietary allowance for protein is <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"article-content-link text-brand-primary underline hover:text-brand-primary\/85 break-words overflow-wrap-anywhere underline-offset-[3px]\" rel=\"noopener\" data-afl-p=\"0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.heart.org\/en\/healthy-living\/healthy-eating\/eat-smart\/nutrition-basics\/protein-and-heart-health\">0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight<\/a>. For someone who weighs 150 pounds, that would mean consuming about 55 grams of protein each day. However, athletes and those regularly engaging in intense exercise need more, making convenient protein sources especially appealing. For instance, if you\u2019re training for a marathon, you might need 1.5 to 1.7 grams per kilogram of body weight, Stephens said. (That\u2019s roughly 102 to 115 grams of protein per day.)<\/p>\n<p>According to Stephens, a scoop of powder can deliver anywhere from <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"article-content-link text-brand-primary underline hover:text-brand-primary\/85 break-words overflow-wrap-anywhere underline-offset-[3px]\" rel=\"noopener\" data-afl-p=\"0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.health.harvard.edu\/diet-and-nutrition\/weighing-protein-powders\">10 to 30 grams of protein<\/a>. Combined with caffeine\u2014which has been shown to increase alertness and reaction time and reduce fatigue\u2014it can seem like an efficient way to support both energy and performance.<\/p>\n<p>Still, while Stephens says proffee \u201ccan be helpful as a snack or in place of a protein bar,\u201d she doesn\u2019t recommend treating it as a substitute for a balanced breakfast.<b>\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Whole-food sources of protein\u2014such as eggs, dairy, and lean meats\u2014also provide vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, and fiber that processed alternatives generally lack, Stephens said. Many powders also contain sugar alcohols and artificial sweeteners, Stephens added, which <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"article-content-link text-brand-primary underline hover:text-brand-primary\/85 break-words overflow-wrap-anywhere underline-offset-[3px]\" rel=\"noopener\" data-afl-p=\"0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S2161831322006901?via%3Dihub\">research shows<\/a> can cause digestive issues for some people and even produce a laxative effect.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s especially important if you\u2019re drinking proffee before a workout.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cCaffeine itself can cause gastrointestinal issues,\u201d Stephen said, since it stimulates the digestive tract. On top of that, protein takes longer to digest when compared to carbs. Together, these factors can increase the risk of bloating and nausea, turning a well-intentioned energy boost into a digestive nightmare, she said.<\/p>\n<h2>How to Make \u201cProffee\u201d<\/h2>\n<p>If you already enjoy proffee, there\u2019s no reason to cut it out. But a few smart tweaks can make it more effective\u2014and easier on your stomach.<\/p>\n<h3>Choose a Simpler Protein Powder<\/h3>\n<p>Stephens recommends sticking to one scoop and choosing products with short ingredient lists. If you have a sensitive stomach, try avoiding sugar alcohols such as erythritol, sorbitol, or xylitol.<\/p>\n<h3>Dissolve the Powder in Cool Water First<\/h3>\n<p>Protein powders mix much more easily in cool or room-temperature liquids. \u201cWhereas if you put it in a very warm beverage, it might become more cakey,\u201d Stephens said, resulting in clumps or a chalky aftertaste.<\/p>\n<p>If you prefer your morning coffee hot, however, whisk the powder into a splash of cold water or milk first before stirring it into your warm mug.<\/p>\n<h2>Proffee Works Better for Recovery Than for a Pre-Workout<\/h2>\n<p>Despite its reputation as a pre-workout pick-me-up, Stephens recommended sipping it <i>after<\/i> your sweat session.<\/p>\n<p>Beyond reducing the chance of digestive problems, \u201chaving it right after a workout can improve performance, especially if you\u2019re training for a marathon or in a building cycle for any type of competition or a training block,\u201d Stephens said. Ingesting protein shortly after activity helps repair the muscles you just worked, so you can feel strong and ready for tomorrow\u2019s session.<\/p>\n<p>And even though protein is in the spotlight, you still need carbs to replenish the fuel you just burned off after working out\u2014which is why Stephens suggests pairing proffee with a banana, oatmeal, or slice of toast.<\/p>\n<p>Ultimately, it\u2019s best to think of proffee as an optional upgrade rather than a daily necessity or game-changing hack. So long as you\u2019re eating a balanced diet built around whole foods, your morning coffee can go back to doing what it\u2019s done best: just being coffee.<\/p>\n<p><b>Want more\u00a0<\/b><b><i>Outside<\/i><\/b><b>\u00a0health stories?\u00a0<\/b><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"article-content-link text-brand-primary underline hover:text-brand-primary\/85 break-words overflow-wrap-anywhere underline-offset-[3px]\" rel=\"noopener\" data-afl-p=\"0\" href=\"https:\/\/hub.outsideinc.com\/bodywork_newsletter_sign_up-0\"><b>Sign up for the Bodywork newsletter<\/b><\/a><b>.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><!-- --><span hidden=\"\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.outsideonline.com\/health\/nutrition\/proffee-protein-coffee-performance\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>People are adding protein to their coffee for a nutrition boost in a new trend called &#8220;proffee.&#8221; A sports nutritionist explains whether it&#8217;s worth the hype and how to make it. Listen to this articleListen (Photo: Ayana Underwood\/Canva) Published July 27, 2026 03:00AM By now, the cultural push to eat more protein is hard to<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":15934,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15933","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-wild-living"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15933","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=15933"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15933\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/15934"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=15933"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=15933"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=15933"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}