These days, it's impossible to learn how to build muscle without stumbling onto the topic of supplements. The industry has boomed over the last ten years, with more and more people opting for meal replacement shakes to help them achieve their goals in the gym. But with so many different options out there, how can you possibly tell which whey protein is best to suit your fitness goals?

With every store in your local high street suddenly stocking a range of products and telling you that they're all essential to you reaching your goals, it can become very confusing indeed for those who aren't sure what they need to look for.

One of the biggest misunderstandings in the health and fitness industry is the importance played by dietary supplements. If you are to believe everything you read on the packaging, you'll undoubtedly begin feeling as if you need to be taking dozens of products in order to achieve any results. This is far from the truth.

Despite the fact that it may appear overly scientific at first, the basics behind the nutritional information on a protein product are quite simple. Much like the foundations of building a more muscular body in the gym, nothing much has changed over the last couple of decades when you get down to the fine details of it all.

The three items below will help you to decipher whether a product is as 'essential' as it claims to be.

* Is the first ingredient hydrolized, isolate or concentrated whey?

* How much protein is provided in each serving?

* As well as the protein content, take a look at the carbohydrate count.

Lets run through the three key points given above and show you why they are so important to finding the right product for your body type and goals. First of all, what is the first ingredient listed on the tub?

For a protein supplement you'll see one of the three blends of whey listed first. It will read either hydrolized, isolate or concentrate. The difference between these blends is the speed they are digested into the muscles after a workout. Naturally, you want to provide your body with nutrition as quickly as you possibly can when you finish up in the gym, so hydrolized would be the perfect choice. However, hydrolized is usually the most expensive because of these added benefits. If you are on a budget and can only afford to purchase a concentrate formula don't be put off, it is still excellent and it still gets the job done. The actual difference in the performance of the three different blends doesn't justify the huge difference in prices.

Secondly, recent scientific studies confirm that the human body can only handle 20-30 grams of protein after a workout. This means you should be looking for a supplement which falls into those numbers. If you're taking a product which provides fifty or even sixty grams per serving you'll notice some unnecessary fat gain.

The carbohydrate content of a product will tell you whether it's designed for somebody trying to bulk up or get leaner. If your product has a large carbohydrate content you can expect to put on size relatively quickly, whereas if it stays under the 10 gram mark it's designed with lean muscle in mind.

With the three main rules now in check, you will be able to figure out which whey protein is best for you relatively easily.