This week is supplement week and the supplement I have chosen is something I'm sure everyone has heard of and is super important when it comes to fitness.. It's PROTEIN! It is important to make sure you are getting enough protein because it is what helps build muscle and what does muscle do people?!?! Well muscle burns fat! Not only does protein help build muscles but it helps repair them, especially after a session of weight lifting. I'm sure you all know you can get protein from foods like chicken, meat, fish, eggs, nuts, etc... but another great way is through protein powders. What I like great about these is A. there are tons of amazing flavors!!! and B. they are quick and easy, no cooking required! You might walk into a health store looking for a protein powder and be like "Woah! so many brands and flavors!! Which do I chose?" Well there are not only different brands and different flavors but there are also different types of protein powders. So I'm going to break it down for you:
Whey Protein- The most popular type of protein powder is whey protein, this protein powder is broken down into Concentrated protein, Isolate protein and Hydrolysate. So you're asking yourself which one do I pick?! Well that depends on many things; your goal, budget and allergies. Allergies? Yes and here's why, since whey concentrates has a decent amounts of lactose, if you have a lactose intolerance then you should probably avoid this type of protein. In regards to isolates they undergo more processing, which makes them more expensive and can also lose some health-promoting compounds found in concentrates; however, isolates have a higher amount of protein per serving and are a cleaner form of protein. When I say "cleaner" what I mean is there is very little fats and carbs versus a concentrate protein. This is important for those who are calorie restricting and want to consume pretty much just protein (FYI concentrate protein has about 5 grams of carbs per serving which may not seem like a lot but 2 shakes a day adds up to half of an apple). Whey isolates, and particularly hydrolysate, are also more rapidly absorbed by the body and create a more profound insulin response versus a concentrate. I personally believe that because isolates and hydrolate proteins are easier and quickly absorbed its best to have as a post-workout. I use an isolate but its basically personal preference :)
Egg Protein- If you choose this type of protein make sure it's made from pure egg whites. Egg protein powder is lactose-free which is awesome for those who have an allergy. Egg protein powder doesn't contain much carbohydrates, with only 2 grams per scoop! Another reason someone might prefer egg protein powder is that because it's made from egg whites only, there is less fat and cholesterol. Egg protein powder, especially those made from free range eggs, contain considerable amounts of vitamins A, B and D!! Say what?! Yes you get vitamins as well :) It has also been found that eggs sourced from pasture-raised chickens have higher amounts of vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant, as compared to eggs harvested from factory-farmed poultry, cool eh! I myself have never tried an egg protein powder but I'm sure there are a variety of flavors that are yummy!
Casein Protein- This is known as the “slow” protein. This is due to the fact that it is the slowest digesting protein there is, which is why casein is not recommended for the meals around your workout (you want fast and easy digestive protein when finished your workout).
However, casein is an ideal choice when you don’t care about digestion speed, or when you just purposely want protein to digest slowly. For this reason, casein is a perfectly fine choice for when you need a non-workout related protein source, like just during the day as part of any normal meal.
Soy Protein- This type of protein is preferably used by females more than males because of the estrogen. I hear this protein getting a lot of negative reviews :( ...Studies have shown that this protein isn't as effective as a whey or egg protein powder, but it is still a source of protein which in my opinion is better than no protein at all, right?...As you probably guest soy protein is made from Soy beans, shocker! lol..there are 3 types of soy protein powder; Soy Protein Concentrate, Soy Protein Isolate and Textured Soy Protein. Soy protein concentrate is what is essentially left at the end of the de-fatting process (too bad this can't be done on human fat lol). Soy concentrate contains at least 65% protein and most of the carbohydrates contained in the soybeans. As with whey protein isolate, soy protein isolate is the most pure and refined soy available. Soy isolates are made from the de-fatted beans, but with most of the other ingredients removed, leaving almost a pure protein source. Carbohydrates are removed from soy protein isolates so there is less of a soy-bean taste with this particular form. I have never tried a soy protein powder but if someone does let me know what you think :)
The picture below shows other options of protein powders. The ones I've chose to talk about above, I find are the most popular :) If you have question you can comment on the post or shoot me an email!
F.S.F Blogger xo
