Whey Protein May Help Reduce Inflammation
Inflammation is part of the bodys response to damage. Short-term inflammation is beneficial, but under certain circumstances it may become chronic.
Chronic inflammation can be harmful, and is a risk factor for many diseases. It may reflect underlying health problems or bad lifestyle habits.
A large review study found that high doses of whey protein supplements significantly reduced C-reactive protein , a key marker of inflammation in the body .
Bottom Line:
High doses of whey protein have been shown to reduce blood levels of C-reactive protein, indicating that it can help reduce inflammation.
How To Know Which Protein Powders To Buy
Even though the Clean Label Project has listed a few of the best and worst protein powders to buy, not all protein powders on the current market have gone through the screening process. So is one supposed to know if their protein powder is safe?
The best thing to do is to take a look at the product’s website and look for any transparent information they have about what is actually in their product. For example, IQ Bars has an extensive page about their products and dives into every ingredient so you can be aware of what’s in your bars.
“In the end, it’s very difficult to find products that are completely free of these substances,” says Mazur. “When comparing products, you should just look to see which ones stack up against each other and have the lowest level of contaminants based on third party research like Clean Label Project. Interestingly, organic did not have lower levels of contaminants than non-organic, according to their research.”
Mazur says the quality of the protein powder really matters, and if you are looking for one that you can trust, to step aside from comparing prices for the moment. “Oftentimes you pay for what you get, the more expensive the product is, the high quality it usually is as well.”
For more healthy eating tips, be sure to .
Whey Protein Powder Benefits
Whey protein powder has many benefits since its a complete protein and its the most recommended when using for recovery from strength training.
A complete protein means that it contains all nine essential amino acids necessary in the human diet. All nine amino acids are essential for both muscle and cellular building + recovery.
In addition, whey protein is very digestible and absorbed quickly. There are 3 types of whey protein powder: concentrate, isolate, and hydrolysate.
Whey concentrate is the most common and also the cheapest. This is where ingredients matter and why pricing can be very confusing.
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Which Is Better: Soy Or Whey Protein
They are both beneficial for different reasons. Whey protein is broken down in the body better than soy. Because of this the body uses and absorbs whey protein more efficiently.
Whey protein has also been shown to increase muscle mass and strength in those who use it for athletic purposes. Many studies have shown that those who use whey protein are able to build muscle faster, but also do not have as many muscle strains or other related injuries while training.
This is because whey protein also aids in the recovery of muscles. It also improves immunity, which is important for athletes who push their bodies to the limit.
Soy protein is beneficial for those who have high cholesterol. This is because soy protein does not contain cholesterol or lactose. Soy protein is also a popular alternative to meat for those who are vegetarian.
Soy protein has many health benefits, but it also has other functional uses. Soy protein is used for texturizing and emulsification. Some of its other uses are for cosmetics, paints, plastics, textile fibers, cleaning materials, adhesives, resins, and asphalts.
While soy protein has no cholesterol there are those whey proteins without cholesterol as well. Whey protein isolate does not have any cholesterol or fat, which makes it a great choice for those looking to increase their protein intake, but not their cholesterol intake.
No Growth Hormones And Antibiotics
Whey protein we get comes from livestock that has been treated with Antibiotics and hormones, this trickle-down effect is realized in the whey protein powder having up to 3 times more antibiotics and hormones, that can be harmful. Vegan Protein powder has no hormones and antibiotics, most are derived from GMO-free plant stocks.
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Helps Build Muscle But May Not Be The Most Effective Protein Choice
Unlike most other plant-based proteins, soy protein is a complete protein.
This means it contains all of the essential amino acids your body cannot make and needs to obtain from food.
While each amino acid plays a role in muscle protein synthesis, branched-chain amino acids are the most important when it comes to muscle building .
One study showed that people who drank 5.6 grams of BCAAs after a resistance workout had a 22% greater increase in muscle protein synthesis than those given a placebo .
Specifically, the BCAA leucine activates a particular pathway that prompts muscle protein synthesis and helps build muscle .
Compared to whey and casein proteins, soy protein sits somewhere in the middle as far as muscle protein synthesis goes.
One study showed that soy was inferior to whey protein in regards to synthesizing protein for muscle but performed better than casein. Researchers concluded that this could be due to digestion rate or leucine content .
Similarly, a review study found that whey protein supports muscle protein synthesis better than soy protein in young people and older adults .
Interestingly, soy may benefit you best when combined with other proteins.
Some research suggests that combining dairy and soy proteins may result in greater muscle protein synthesis than whey, casein or soy alone .
Summary
Though soy protein contains the BCAA leucine and enhances muscle protein synthesis to some degree, it appears to be inferior to whey protein for building muscle.
They May Contain Added Sugar Calories Or Even Toxic Chemicals
Adding protein powder to a glass of milk or a smoothie may seem like a simple way to boost your health. After, all, protein is essential for building and maintaining muscle, bone strength, and numerous body functions. And many older adults don’t consume enough protein because of a reduced appetite.
But be careful: a scoop of chocolate or vanilla protein powder can harbor health risks. “I don’t recommend using protein powders except in a few instances, and only with supervision,” says registered dietitian Kathy McManus, director of the Department of Nutrition at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
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How Much Protein Do You Need
How much protein you need is another crucial consideration when deciding whether you might benefit from supplementing your diet. The amount thought to be adequate for most healthy people, called the Recommended Dietary Allowance , is set at 0.8 grams per kilogram. For someone who weighs 150 pounds, this translates to roughly 55 grams of protein a 200-pound person requires about 70 grams of protein. Certain athletes undergoing intense training may enhance their progress by consuming more than double the RDA, but this doesnt apply to most of us.
How Much Whey Protein Should I Take Per Day
The amount of protein you need every day depends on your body composition, activity level, and specific goals. Heres a basic guide to help you figure out how much protein you need:
- Fat loss: 1.3 – 2.0 grams of protein per kilogram bodyweight
- Muscle gain: 1.4 – 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram bodyweight
- Maintenance: 0.8 – 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram bodyweight
You can also check out this protein calculator to get an accurate recommendation for your needs.
One serving of whey protein powder typically provides 20 to 30 grams of protein, depending on the brand. Naked Whey provides 25 grams per 2-scoop serving.
If youre maintaining your weight with moderate protein needs, it will be easy to meet your needs with plenty of high-quality protein foods and maybe a serving of whey protein each day.
If youre losing fat or gaining muscle, your protein needs are much higher. For example, someone who is building muscle and weighs 200 pounds may need up to 200 grams of protein per day. In this case, taking one or two servings of whey protein could help meet your needs.
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Whey Is An Excellent Source Of High
Whey protein is the protein fraction of whey, which is a liquid that separates from milk during cheese production.
It is a complete, high-quality protein, containing all of the essential amino acids.
In addition, it is very digestible, absorbed from the gut quickly compared to other types of protein .
These qualities make it one of the best dietary sources of protein available.
There are three main types of whey protein powder, concentrate , isolate , and hydrolysate .
Concentrate is the most common type, and is also the cheapest.
As a dietary supplement, whey protein is widely popular among bodybuilders, athletes, and others who want additional protein in their diet.
Bottom Line:
Whey protein has a very high nutritional value, and is one of the best dietary sources of high-quality protein. It is highly digestible, and absorbed quickly compared to other proteins.
Is Consuming Protein Powder Past Its Expiration Date Dangerous
“While I don’t recommend eating foods past their expiration date,” says Mobin, “I’d be lying if I said I immediately throw out my protein powders the second they go past their expiration date if there’s no other sign of them being expired.”
So long as it’s not showing any of the above signs of being spoiled, it’s not necessarily dangerous to consume protein powder past its expiration date. It just may not be as potent. That’s because, according to research, overtime sugar can interact with protein, and cause can breakdown of lysine, which is one of the amino acids present in protein powder. Lose some of the lysine and you’ll lose some of the protein content of the mix.
Another downside of eating old protein powder? It’ll taste less than greatassuming you liked the way it tasted to begin with. If not, we recommend ditching your tub and trying one of these nine best tasting protein powders. Or, forgoing powder entirely for the pre-made protein shakes nutritionists swear by.
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What You Should Do
McManus says that in certain cases, chemical-free protein powders may be helpfulbut only with medical supervision. Such cases could include
- difficulty eating or an impaired appetite
- a surgical incision or a pressure wound that is not healing well
- a serious condition requiring additional calories and protein in order for you to get better .
Otherwise, get protein from whole foods: nuts, seeds, low-fat dairy products , legumes , fish, poultry, eggs, and lean meat. “You’ll find,” McManus says, “that there are many ways to get protein without turning to a powder.”
How Can I Use It
The simplest way to add pea protein to your diet, and also the easiest way to get your recommended daily servings of fruit and vegetables, is to add it to a smoothie, but its not your only option. It can be substituted in place of any other protein powder in a recipe, and even be included in baked goods to pack a protein punch.
I would suggest adding it into recipes as additional protein such as fruit smoothies, yogurt bowls, oatmeal, protein balls or getting creative and adding it to favorite baked foods to improve the nutrient value by increasing lean protein and fiber content, Jacks adds.
Looking for some inspiration? Try the recipe below for a tasty cookie that Protein Pow dubs the Flu Fighter with ingredients that have anti-inflammatory properties.
Protein Pows Flu Fighter Protein Cookies
Makes 10 cookies
3/4 cup roughly chopped walnuts, toasted
2 tbsp sprinkles
Directions
1. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl and press the batter around with a fork/spoon until you get a batter that mimics the texture of natural peanut butter.
2. Divide the batter into 10 large cookies. Press them down with a fork or spatula so they flatten a bit.
3. Bake on a cookie tray sprayed with cooking spray for ten minutes at 375F .
4. Leave on a cooling rack until cool.
6. Enjoy!
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A Note On Particle Size
When discussing cholesterol, many people focus on the different types, like LDL, HDL and VLDL, but emerging research shows these may not be the right things to look at. According to a 2014 report in Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology, high LDL, or “bad” cholesterol, is considered one of the most important risk factors in the development of heart disease, yet many people who have normal LDL levels still wind up with the condition.
That’s because it’s not the number of LDL particles in the blood that matter as much as the size of those particles. LDL comes in two sub-types: small, dense particles and large, fluffy particles. As a report in the June 2014 issue of Current Opinion in Lipidology notes, having a high concentration of small, dense LDL particles, which is also associated with low HDL and high triglycerides, increases your heart disease risk.
Can Too Much Protein Cause High Cholesterol
Protein is frequently investigated for its role in weight reduction and muscle growth, but research on its impact on cholesterol, particularly in protein powders, is scarce. Nonetheless, a few modest studies have looked at the effects of whey protein on cholesterol, as well as the impacts and advantages of protein shakes in general.
In December 2016, small research published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition looked at the effects of an eight-week whey protein powder supplementation on several risk factors for heart disease. One of the benefits of whey protein, according to the researchers, is that it may preserve heart health by lowering total cholesterol levels and improving blood pressure in study participants.
While there was no evidence of a link between whey protein and decreased cholesterol levels, supplementation with the protein powder did lower triglyceride levels, according to a literature analysis published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition in August 2016.
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Get The Most From Your Protein Powder
Here are a few things to consider:
- To recover after exercise, an athlete or avid exerciser should consume protein within 60 minutes of a workout. Thats when your muscles are most responsive to the use of protein for the repair and growth process.
- To control your weight, its best to consume a steady supply of protein at each meal and snack to help keep you full.
Although theres no magic number for how much protein toconsume at one time, its best to aim for at least 3 ounces or 20 grams ofprotein per meal.
Whey Protein Promotes Muscle Growth
Muscle mass naturally declines with age.
This usually leads to fat gain and raises the risk of many chronic diseases.
However, this adverse change in body composition can be partly slowed, prevented, or reversed with a combination of strength training and adequate diet.
Strength training coupled with the consumption of high-protein foods or protein supplements has been shown to be an effective preventive strategy .
Particularly effective are high-quality protein sources, such as whey, which is rich in a branched-chain amino acid called leucine.
Leucine is the most growth-promoting of the amino acids .
For this reason, whey protein is effective for the prevention of age-related muscle loss, as well as for improved strength and a better-looking body .
For muscle growth, whey protein has been shown to be slightly better compared to other types of protein, such as casein or soy (
16 ).
A limited number of human studies have investigated the effect of whey proteins on blood pressure, and many experts consider the evidence to be inconclusive.
One study in overweight individuals showed that whey protein supplementation, 54 g/day for 12 weeks, lowered systolic blood pressure by 4%. Other milk proteins had similar effects .
This is supported by another study that found significant effects when participants were given whey protein concentrate for 6 weeks.
However, blood pressure decreased only in those that had high or slightly elevated blood pressure to begin with .
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Protein Shakes And Cholesterol
Me: The ECTOMORPHLift Heavy! Lift Smart! Lift!Down with GNC!
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Might want to try Nectar Protein it has only 5g of Cholesterol in it. Check it out here.
Last edited by MuscleHead36 05-09-2007 at 07:00 PM.Reason: made a booboo!
Protein isolates have less then 5mgs/serving. As a benchmark, Optimum Nutrition has 30mg/serving.Giant Nutrition brand protien isolates sell for $15.00/2 lbs.peace,
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It’s my understanding that dietary cholesterol has little impact on serum cholesterol . Personally, I drink at least 1 20oz protein shake daily and despite having naturally high cholesterol also, mine has gone down 25 points in past year.
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