The Power Of Protein Powders
You may have noticed that protein powders are becoming increasingly common and popular for people to buy and drink. Protein shakes used to be much more targeted towards weight liters and generally highly active people, but now you can also see people with other lifestyles choosing to drink them. Nowadays, you can find many types with many different flavors, depending on your preferences.
I wanted to take a look at some of the science behind these protein powders and see wether they are actually beneficial for us to consume and wether there can be some drawbacks for people who drink them.
I hope you find this information useful and if you would like to suggest any other topics, please feel free to do so on my Instagram: thriving_taya
COMMON TYPES OF PROTEIN POWDERS
WHEY
Whey is known as being the liquid part of milk which is separated during cheese production - for examples when you open a yogurt container and see some liquid on the top; that is whey.
Whey makes up about 20% of milk and is high in a variety of different proteins and essential amino acids
Usually whey protein is flavored and possibly sweetened to make it appeal more to the consumer, but generally it is well tolerated by people. people with lactose intolerance need to be more careful to see if their bodies can tolerate it.
This type of protein is high in BCAA (Branched chain amino acids) which are a series of essential amino acids our body uses for muscle energy and muscle building.
Animal source of protein are also known to be able to be absorbed and used by our bodies more easily compared to plant source of protein.
Types of whey protein:
Concentrate: About 70–80% protein; contains some lactose and fat and has the best flavor.
Isolate: 90% protein, or higher; contains less lactose and fat and lacks a lot of the beneficial nutrients found in whey protein concentrate.
Hydrolysate: Also known as hydrolyzed whey, this type has been pre-digested so that it gets absorbed faster.
CASEIN
Like whey, casein also comes from milk, about 20% by composition of milk.
Casein protein is digested much more slowly by our bodies and is also a complete source of protein, meaning that it carries all of the essential amino acids.
A approximate 30g serving of casein delivers 23 grams of protein, 3 gams of carbohydrates and 1 gram of fat
Types of casein:
Micellar casein: This is the most popular form and is digested slowly.
Casein Hydrolysate: This form is predigested and rapidly absorbed.
SOY
Soy protein isolate powder is made from defatted soybean flakes that have been washed in either alcohol or water to remove the sugars and fiber. They’re then dehydrated and powdered.
Soy is a good source of protein and fibre, as well as calcium, iron and magnesium.
Unlike other plant foods, soy protein is complete meaning it contains all of the essential amino acids needed for muscle growth and building, making it similar to animal sources of protein.
PEA
Pea protein powder is made by extracting protein from yellow peas and is suitable for vegans and vegetarians.
It is almost a complete source of protein, where it is slighly lacking in the amino acid metionine which can be obtained from other foods like eggs, poultry, fish or beef.
A 20 gram serving of pea protein contains about 15g of protein and is quite high in iron - just make sure to include some vitamin C source with the iron to help with its absorption.
HEMP
Hemp protein is another type of protein that is derived from a plant source - grinding up hemp seeds. hemp protein also contains all of the 9 essential amino acids and apart from delivering an adequate serving of protein, it also contains fibre, health fats and minerals.
A 30g serving of hemp protein contains about 15 grams of protein and about 120 calories.
Research has also shown that our body can quite easily digested and use hemp protein, while also containing beneficial unsaturated fats.
Hemp seeds are known to contain the ideal ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 fatty acids (3:1), which is beneficial for our hear health as well as our mental cognition.
BENEFITS OF USING PROTEIN POWDERS
Enhanced Muscle Growth and Recovery
Protein is known to be essential for muscle growth and repair, which is why it is greatly recommended to people who do strength training and in order to repair their muscle fibres after training.
In this way, protein shakes may be a great method for muscle recovery, where it is usually recommended to consume about 1.4g of protein per kilogram of body weight.
Better Weight Management
Since protein is known to be a very satiating macronutrient, it can help us make feel fuller sooner, preventing us from eating too much.
In general, eating a diet higher in protein may promote fat loss due to firstly surpressing/ lowering your appetite, secondly boosting your metabolism which helps you burn more calories and thirdly by helping to maintain your muscle mass if trying to loose weight.
May lower blood pressure
Whey proteins may lower blood pressure in people with elevated blood pressure, which is due to bioactive peptides called lactokinins found in whey protein that help reduce blood pressure.
Blood pressure was shown to also decrease when eating dairy products, once again due to containing a biocactive peptide
*Some studies have also shown that consumption of animal based protein powders may reduce levels of cholesterol in the blood, however the data is variable and mostly inconclusive.
POTENTIAL DRAWBACKS
You can get adequate protein from food
There is a limited amount of data on long term effects of protein consumption
Can be full of (artificial) sweeteners and other additives
Excessive calories
Don't deliver a whole range of needed nutrients
Digestive issues with people with lactose intolerance
Some protein have been found to contain small traces of heavy metals (lead, arsenic and mercury) as well as pesticides and Bispehnol-A (BPA, which is used to make plastic)
CONCLUSION
I hope you found some of the information here interesting and primarily useful for your own understanding of protein powders and the type of health effects they may have on you - either positive or negative.
Of course all of the negative effects come as a result of consuming protein powders very frequently and in high amounts, so make sure to keep things in a healthy moderation, while still being able to enjoy the benefits of this method of protein supplementation.
Thanks for reading :)
