Protein powders are a hot item for gym rats and athletes. The reason for this: its a fast way to consume extra protein. Powder + water = shake. Consuming additional protein when working out will help increase muscle building. The more muscle you have, the better your metabolism becomes, and the more capable you are of burning fat.
I used to begin my day by rolling out of bed and going straight to the gym. My nutritionist asked me to consume protein within 30 minutes of waking up. I did this by drinking a quick protein shake while filling my water bottle for the gym. Easy fix. My lean body mass increased.
Different Types of Protein Powders
There are a bunch of different types of protein powders on the market. Why? What's better? What are the differences? Let's investigate this so we can all make the best choices based on our nutritional needs.
Whey Concentrate - Whey concentrate is derived from the cheese industry. The process of making cheese involves a stage where the dairy goes through a bath process. This is where the whey curds (cheese curds) are separated from liquid parts. The curds are collected and then pressed into cheese. Whey concentrate is derived from the liquid parts - dried and powdered.
Whey Isolate - This type of protein powder is similar to whey concentrate but the lactose has been removed. If you are lactose intolerant, you might want to give this a try - if you decide to stick with a dairy-based protein powder.
Casein Protein - Casein is a milk protein and gives milk it's white color. It has a lot of amino acids that help build muscle. It is also a slower-to-digest type of protein, so you may feel full longer.
Soy Protein - This type of protein is derived from soy beans. Soy has estrogen-mimicking properties which leads to me want to avoid this form of protein and soy altogether. It digests at a moderate rate and is a complete protein. It's full of amino acids. Considered a top plant-based protein. Vegan/Vegetarian friendly.
Pea Protein - Yellow peas are used to create pea protein. It's not a complete protein (lacks 2 types of amino acids), but it's highly digestible. Usually pea protein is paired with a second type of protein or has some sort of item added to make up for the missing amino acids (read the labels). It's a great option for those wanting to avoid dairy and/or soy. Vegan/Vegetarian friendly.
Egg White Protein - Egg whites make up this form of protein powder. It digests moderately and is a great option for those with dairy allergies. It's literally powdered egg whites. It is also easy on the stomach if you have digestive issues. Vegetarian friendly.
Hemp Protein - Hemp seeds are used to make this protein powder. It's not the best form of protein powder, but is often used with other types of protein powder to round out aminos and other nutrients. It is nutrient dense. The issue is that one scoop will only have roughly 15g protein, where other types of protein powders will range from 20-30g per scoop. Vegan/Vegetarian friendly.
Cricket Protein - You read that right. Crickets are cleaned, dried, and powdered to form this type of protein powder. It's a complete protein, as well as a prebiotic, probiotic, antimicrobial gut agent, has Omega-3's, has minerals, and is a natural source of some B-12. 1 scoop = 25g protein. You just have to get past the idea of it being made from crickets. Vegetarian friendly. (I honestly don't know where vegans stand on eating bugs.)
Other protein - There are other protein powders out there. When you start reading labels you'll notice it. If you aren't supposed to eat that particular food item or if you don't know what it is, then avoid that product. You'll find something else, believe me.
What Do I Use?
Before my recent allergy test, I was using whey isolate mainly. My doctor asked me to stop using dairy-based protein powder. Now I use non-soy, plant-based protein powder. I do have some clear whey isolate powder that I really don't want to get rid of. Clear whey isolate has extra processing done to it, making it clear and giving it the ability to appear/taste more like juice. There are clear plant-based protein powders too - I just haven't picked any up yet. One thing I get picky on is taste and texture. Each one of these protein powders is something I can drink all by itself. The one that isn't the best is the Ghost vegan protein, which has a slight chalkiness to it but not terribly so. If I decide to add protein to a smoothie, I prefer vanilla or strawberry protein powders.
MyVegan Pea Protein (tiramisu)
Ghost Vegan Protein (cinnabon)
Seeq Clear Protein (strawberry lemonade)
Body Fortress Whey Protein (strawberry)
Warning: I'm totally wiped out in this video. lol ^"^
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