Which Protein is Best
Wednesday, September 3, 2009
I wanted to share one of my older older posts for people that may not have seen it way back when. One post that I think is pretty important is about protein in the form of food and powders. We all need some amount of protein in our "diet" although how much one eats differs based on their goals & needs. I probably eat more protein than many women because of my intense weight training. So, I thought I would take time to talk about protein & protein powders again. For those that have already seen this way back when, a refresher never hurts.
Food protein first: Food protein is assigned a biological value (BV) that determines how efficiently protein is used in your body. Whole eggs are given a BV of 100, egg whites a BV 88, chicken a BV of 84 and beef a BV of 78. As explained in one article, when you think about that fact that all but egg whites have some calories from fat, egg whites have just a small trace of fat and 1 cup of egg whites has 26 grams of protein with only 117 calories. Egg whites are also a fast digesting form of protein... one of the fastest. After a workout, this is very important to provide your body both recovery and growth. In addition, you can buy eggs now with added omega-3s, lutein & vitamin E.
Protein Powders: First you have to consider whether you are a vegetarian or not. If yes, than you will have to search out the soy and vegetarian products out there & decide which one is best for you. Suggestions from friends or reliable online sites can help you with that.
Whey Protein Isolates: Non vegetarians will have their pick of many whey and casein protein powders. Whey is your best choice here but there are two types. Whey protein Isolates are the best source of protein powders because they provide greater than 95% whey protein. They are a faster digesting protein providing fast recovery & growth to muscles after a workout. Try to use these close to your workouts.
Whey protein concentrates are about 70-80% whey protein and along with casein protein are slower digesting proteins & are better used at other times of the day that are not as close to your workout times. They release the amino acids in to your body over several hours making them better choices for before bed or in between meals.
You will have to experiment with taste & thickness. Every brand has their own flavors & taste. I like vanilla because it allows me to mix it in oatmeal, smoothies with other flavors and fruits, pudding and many other recipes. I also have times when I mix and match .. meaning I may use a scoop of whey protein isolate & also a scoop of whey protein concentrate or casein protein for taste sake.
You may want to ask friends what they use & get their views on taste & mixing ability. Like exercise, one does not fit all. You have to like it to use it! Enjoy!
Now I left out things like yogurt & peanut butter & tuna that are all sources of protein & that I use in my food program. My goal was to talk more to the meat & protein powders. The key, again, is to find things that work for you & hopefully it all balances out in the end!
I wanted to share one of my older older posts for people that may not have seen it way back when. One post that I think is pretty important is about protein in the form of food and powders. We all need some amount of protein in our "diet" although how much one eats differs based on their goals & needs. I probably eat more protein than many women because of my intense weight training. So, I thought I would take time to talk about protein & protein powders again. For those that have already seen this way back when, a refresher never hurts.Food protein first: Food protein is assigned a biological value (BV) that determines how efficiently protein is used in your body. Whole eggs are given a BV of 100, egg whites a BV 88, chicken a BV of 84 and beef a BV of 78. As explained in one article, when you think about that fact that all but egg whites have some calories from fat, egg whites have just a small trace of fat and 1 cup of egg whites has 26 grams of protein with only 117 calories. Egg whites are also a fast digesting form of protein... one of the fastest. After a workout, this is very important to provide your body both recovery and growth. In addition, you can buy eggs now with added omega-3s, lutein & vitamin E.
Protein Powders: First you have to consider whether you are a vegetarian or not. If yes, than you will have to search out the soy and vegetarian products out there & decide which one is best for you. Suggestions from friends or reliable online sites can help you with that.
Whey Protein Isolates: Non vegetarians will have their pick of many whey and casein protein powders. Whey is your best choice here but there are two types. Whey protein Isolates are the best source of protein powders because they provide greater than 95% whey protein. They are a faster digesting protein providing fast recovery & growth to muscles after a workout. Try to use these close to your workouts.
Whey protein concentrates are about 70-80% whey protein and along with casein protein are slower digesting proteins & are better used at other times of the day that are not as close to your workout times. They release the amino acids in to your body over several hours making them better choices for before bed or in between meals.
You will have to experiment with taste & thickness. Every brand has their own flavors & taste. I like vanilla because it allows me to mix it in oatmeal, smoothies with other flavors and fruits, pudding and many other recipes. I also have times when I mix and match .. meaning I may use a scoop of whey protein isolate & also a scoop of whey protein concentrate or casein protein for taste sake.
You may want to ask friends what they use & get their views on taste & mixing ability. Like exercise, one does not fit all. You have to like it to use it! Enjoy!
Now I left out things like yogurt & peanut butter & tuna that are all sources of protein & that I use in my food program. My goal was to talk more to the meat & protein powders. The key, again, is to find things that work for you & hopefully it all balances out in the end!
Do you have any favorite protein powders or meals you want to share? I use a couple different protein powders for not only smoothies BUT I mix them into my oatmeal, homemade protein bars, in my Greek yogurt if I want a bit more protein (OR of you want to flavor it with the many flavors out there now), in pudding and more. Be creative!
I have never tried protein powders, so thanks for the great information. Although I'm not a vegetarian, we don't eat a lot of meat, so I have to work hard to get enough protein in my diet on a daily basis.
I didn't realize egg whites were such a great source of protein!
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I'm with Diane! I had no idea egg whites pack so much protein punch. Great information, Jody!
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I can totally see why so many folks are big fans of protein powders, but I don't use them myself.
However, I do make sure to get protein at every meal, whether it's skim milk, peanut butter, eggs, seafood, lean meat, beans, etc. When I've done spot checks I seem to be getting enough, so I haven't had to resort to powders. I try to get protein from a variety of sources, but then I'm not vegetarian or allergic to anything so it isn't too much of a challenge. Because of cancer and heart disease concerns, I try to limit myself to about 1 serving of red meat a week, and try to avoid processed meats as much as possible. (Which sucks, because I love deli meats and hot dogs and sausages, etc. but rarely eat them).
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I'm a protein powder virgin as well! Been wanting to start making protein shakes, just didn't know where to begin or what to begin with. Great info, thanks
Also just wanted to thank you again for letting me share my training story with all your readers! Can't wait to hear how your trip was - and WELCOME BACK!!
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I've never used protein powders. Of course, if I decide to, now I know what to use
I guess since I'm careful with calories, I wanted my protein to have more taste
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Diane & Josie, yes, eggs can be a protein powerhouse & many powders have them in there too.
Crabby and Dr. J, I LOVE that you eat your food! I used to do more smoothies when I was working lots of hours & bodybuilding. Now I use the powders to add to my oatmeal for more protein, to other foods where I want extra protein & to make my homemade protein bars so even though I use them, they are mostly added to real food.
Amanda, thx again for your great & inspirational post!
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Great Post, Jody! Sent the link to my bodybuilding son also.
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