First of all let’s look at why we feel pain after training. When we work out we put our body under extra pressure, By lifting weights or doing a cardio work out we actually tear our muscles, sounds scary right? It’s actually part and parcel of the whole course and is the reason why our bodies improve and our muscles and strength increase. After training we need to replenish our bodies to give them the best chance to rejuvenate and repair. A great way of doing this is with protein.
What is protein?
Protein is an essential nutrient for the human body, it’s extremely important for building muscle mass and also for recovery. It is the source of the building blocks of body tissue and when used as a fuel protein can provide as much energy density as carbohydrates. Chemically, protein is composed of amino acids which are organic compounds.
So now you know what protein is, are there better options for me as an individual? Well the short answer is yes, there are – these come down to which type of protein you require and why, this will also depend on what type of training you are undertaking and what you are hoping to achieve.
Let’s take a look at the different types of protein shakes available and why you might want to take them.
Whey protein
Whey protein is one of the most well-known proteins for bodybuilders and people who are active. It lets your body enhance and muscles grow beyond the body’s original composition. It is not only for making your muscles bigger but also for speeding up the recovery process after exercising. Whey protein is one of the richest products that contains amino acids and has the best quality.
There are different types of whey protein:
Whey protein concentrate: this type of whey protein is the best for you because it is not processed and contains a low level of fat cholesterol, a lot of bioactive compounds (lactose). Because of lactose, the taste is good and the flavour (without choosing, e.g. strawberry one) does not need changing.
Whey protein isolate: this one whey is a bit more processed. This one does not have any carbohydrates and fats. Whey protein isolate contains almost 90 percent or more protein. Fat here is reduced so there is less lactose than in the regular why protein. It does mean that the taste is a bit worse.
Whey protein hydrolysate: This type of whey protein is the best for athletes to grow lean muscle. Why? Hydrolysates are absorbed quickly so it means that the blood insulin levels increase rapidly. What does the hydrolysate mean? Large pieces of proteins are divided into smaller, more digestible ones. Hydrolysation can be done with heat, enzymes or acids.
Casein protein
Let’s start with explaining what casein is. Milk contains two types of proteins: 80 percent of casein and 20 percent of whey. There are two types of casein protein: micellar casein is the most famous and quickly digested form, and casein hydrolysate which is pre-digested and quickly absorbed. You need to remember that the bottom-line of casein protein is that it is digested slowly. For some of people it’s good but for some of us – not. What does it mean for us? Casein is kind of a “time-release” protein, it is slowly absorbed and digested in your gut. Casein protein is also called “anti-catabolic” and helps reduce muscle breakdown because casein levels stayed more consistent over time.
Soy protein
Nutrition Highlights
Soy protein isolate gives us all the most significant amino acids. Soy protein isolate is the same in the field of quality to animal ones (it means that is a good product for vegans and vegetarians). Another advantage is the fact that it is almost fat free (1 percent of fat, no saturated fats and no cholesterol), Additionally, soy protein helps us with reducing the risk of heart disease, lowers blood cholesterol and increases the flexibility of blood vessels. Moreover, soy protein helps women with menopause symptoms such as hot flashes, maintaining healthy bones, and preventing prostate, breast and colorectal cancers.
There’s also soy protein isolate. In a nutshell, soy protein isolate is made from de-fatted soybean flakes (washed in either alcohol or water just to get rid of sugars and dietary fibre).
Egg protein
First of all, eggs are not expensive. Eggs are a very good source of high quality protein. Eggs are the source of selenium, vitamin D, B6, B2, B12 and minerals such as zinc, iron and copper. Whites have more proteins than the yolk but an egg yolks contain more calories and fat than the whites. They are a source of vitamins which melt fats such as A, D, E and K and lecithin. Eggs also contain omega-3 fatty acids, but it depends on the way the chicken were fed. Eggs are known to be the best source of everything a human being needs to be healthy.
Rice protein
Brown rice is a very nutritious and healthy food. It is because of the way it is produced. Brown rice is low in calories, high in fibre (that helps you with digesting), gluten-free and has no trans-fat. You can get 24 grams of proteins in just a one cup of brown rice!! Brown rice is very tasty and you can create many different dishes with it.
