Whey protein is one of the most popular sports nutrition supplements. It is an after-product of cheese making that once was discarded as worthless excrement because it used to be thought of as worthless. Later on, it was found to be of great nutritional value because of its high protein level. Today it has been identified to improve muscle and strength development in the body, help maintain lean muscle mass and burn fat. Thus, whey protein is seen as a very important addition to an athlete’s or physically active individual’s nutrition program.
- Whey protein comes from cow’s milk or from goat’s milk if you are looking for a cheaper source. The fat content in whey protein food is more than the milk fat, so some people do not like to consume it. Whey protein is digested easily by the human body and absorbed within a short time. It may be partially digested because of its fast absorption rate; it may also be partially digested because of the presence of some other acids that help break it down into simple molecules of amino acids.
- There are two types of whey protein food isolate available in the market today. One is the concentrated protein that is already broken down in the body and is just a simple sugar-water complex that gives a faster release of the protein. The other type is the simple whey protein isolate that is made from the concentrate of the protein and no extra solids. Both of these types are popular but the concentrated protein is the more popular of the two.
- A lot of health experts advise against the consumption of protein powders because they contain a high level of fats, lactose, and cholesterol. However, the good thing is that there are some alternatives that are considered much healthier than regular sources of protein like meat and chicken. For instance, soy protein powder is usually considered healthier because of the fact that it is devoid of fat, lactose, and cholesterol. Soy protein powder is also regarded as being rich in amino acids and the right sources of amino acids are protein isolates like whey protein concentrate.
- These supplements are actually protein sources that have been purified and treated with various agents that help make them less digestible. The processing also helps to inhibit the growth of bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms that can cause illnesses in the human body. Just like regular sources of protein, these proteins are also readily absorbed in the intestines when coupled with carbohydrates. This process also makes them less likely to accumulate in fatty tissues throughout the body. However, these are only recommended for individuals who suffer from food allergies. People with lactose intolerance should never consume this type of isolate.
- The most common among these is the casein protein isolate. The casein protein is found in cow’s milk. The casein protein is the one used in the manufacturing of whey protein shakes. The other forms of proteins that are commonly included in a whey protein shake are casein and egg white. While casein protein isolate has been proven to promote lean body mass, egg white is said to provide more building blocks for lean muscle mass and leucine is known to speed up the production of muscles and preserve them.
There are no clear-cut conclusions when it comes to protein sources but whey protein definitely stands out as one of the best sources of protein. Even if you want to opt for whey protein powder consider the best brands like ON, HealthKart, MyProtein, MuscleBlaze, etc. In fact, international products like MyProtein whey protein and ON whey protein price is very reasonable.
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