Whey protein is one of the most popular & widely consumed supplements. It is generally taken before & after workout. Some people also take it as an evening snack. Before, we discuss more specifics about Whey protein, let’s talk about the role of protein in our diet.
Protein is an essential macronutrient & plays an important role in various body processes: building, growing & repairing muscles, digesting the food & various other body functions.
So what is Whey protein?
Whey protein is extracted from milk. Milk is composed of 2 proteins: Whey & Casein. During the production process both proteins are separated & fat is removed to make cheese. At the end of production, both versions of protein are used to make the product that your buy from supplement store. Whey protein also contains Branched Chain Amino Acids(BCAA) that are used by muscles during workout & stimulate protein synthesis.
There are three different types of Whey proteins:
- Whey concentrate: This is a basic form of protein. It contains some lactose for carbohydrates. This is low in fat. Concentration of protein varies from 40% to 75% depending upon the brand.
- Whey Isolate: This form of protein does not contain fat & lactose. Protein concentration is close to 90%.
- Whey hydrolyzed: This is pre-digested so it digests rapidly, quickly & easily as compared to other form of proteins. However this protein is costlier than other 2 version of protein.
Please remember that protein does not lead to increase in weight. You body rarely uses protein as an energy source & it takes a lot of excess protein for it to increase your weight. Protein will only increase your muscle mass which you need to work for.
A scoop of protein has the same amount of protein as 300 grams of chicken breast. The only supplement that can increase your weight is weight gainers which is a blend of low glycemic carbohydrates, Whey protein & leaner dietary fats. Weight gainer is beneficial for those whose intense workout ( mass bulking) requires extra calories which cannot be met by nutrition alone.
Is Whey protein really needed?
Passion for Fitness never recommend its client to consume any supplements. It is always better to get macro nutrients( protein) from your diet rather than relying on these supplements. People in fitness generally consume this supplement post workout since it is fast digesting & helps in muscle building & repair. Some folks also take protein shake during evening hours since it is considered to be the easiest way to feed your body with 25 to 30 gram of protein.
For post workout, you can always have 5 to 6 boiled egg white & do away with Whey protein. which shall give you the same amount of protein as one scoop of Whey does.
Your daily protein requirements with active lifestyle is around 8 to 10 grams per kg of body weight. So if your body weight is 80 kgs, 80 grams of protein is sufficient. If your diet consists of egg whites, 400 grams of chicken, paneer, lentils, milk, broccoli among others, you can easily fulfill your daily protein requirement without consuming this supplement.
Instead, invest in good diet & gain knowledge about the health benefits of various foods before even thinking of resorting to supplements.
If you are looking for nutritional advice, join our fitness community or sign up for our online fitness coaching.
