Scottsdale's Personal Trainer

HOW TO CHOOSE PROTEIN POWDER:

There are innumerable protein products on the market, varying in terms of brand and price. But did you know that protein itself comes in a number of different forms? Depending on what you wish to achieve in terms of fitness and bodybuilding, some types of protein, and thus, protein powder, may be better for your purposes than others. Here are some of the common types of proteins and how they benefit your body:

Whey protein makes up 20% of total milk protein. Whey is recognized for its excellent amino acid profile, high cysteine content, rapid absorption, and variety of peptides. Since it is very quickly digested, the best time to consume it is within 6 hours following a workout, prior to a workout or at breakfast.

Casein protein makes up 80% of total milk protein. It’s recognized for its excellent amino acid profile, slow digestion and variety of peptides. Since casein is slowly digested, don’t use it during or after workouts – you need a faster absorbing protein during these times. The best time to consume casein protein is anytime of the day except breakfast and within 6 hours following a workout when your body needs a more immediate source.

Soy protein is a complete protein that is generally very low in or free of fat, cholesterol and lactose. It is ideal for high protein/low carb diets. Its valuable constituents include saponins, phytosterols, and isoflavones. The anabolic isoflavones in soy (genistein and daidzein) have exhibited effects as powerful antioxidants and have shown a number of health benefits for both men and women. For weightlifting/bodybuilding purposes, many choose to mix soy protein powder with some type of whey supplement, so they see the benefits of both rapidly digestible proteins and their amino acid make-up.

Whey hydrolysates – also called peptides, are powerful proteins that are the quickest to absorb since your body prefers peptides to whole proteins. Hydrolysates are potentially the most anabolic for short-term protein synthesis and can be used 15 minutes prior, during, and immediately after a workout.

Protein blends are a combination of several types of protein such as whey protein concentrate, whey protein isolate, egg protein, casein protein, and soy protein. With a blend, you receive the full spectrum of proteins with varying rates of absorption. Using a blend will create an anabolic environment from the whey and an anti-catabolic environment from the casein. Consume protein blends outside of the 6 hour post-workout window.

One Response to “Soy, Whey, and Rice, OH MY! How to Choose”