WHEY PROTEIN SIMPLIFIED!
WHEY PROTEIN!
Many of us would be having many questions about
whey protein, like “What is Whey Protein”, “Is it good for me?”, “How will it
help me?”, “Are there any side effects of whey protein?” etc.
Here, I will try to clear your doubts about the most
famous protein.
What is Whey Protein?
Whey Protein is a by-product of Milk. When milk
ferments, the watery part which comes out is the Whey Protein. The other
substance which congeals (solidifies) is the fatty part of the milk.
Milk contains two types of proteins, ‘Whey’- which
consists of 20% protein out of the total protein in milk, and the other type of
protein is ‘Casein’- which consists of the other remaining 80% of milk protein.
So if you ever open a cup of yogurt and find water floating on top of it, that’s
raw whey protein.
Whey indeed is a complex protein but in this
article, I’ve tried to make it as simple as possible.
Whey is one of the most fast-digesting proteins out
there, which takes around an hour to be digested. While the protein we get from
egg whites or peas are medium digesting proteins which take from 2-3 hours to
be digested, and on the other hand proteins like Casein are slow digesting
proteins which usually take around 4 hours to be digested.
Whey protein is
considered a complete protein and contains all 9 essential amino acids.
Types of Whey Protein
There are mainly 3 types of Whey Protein available
in the market.
1.
Whey Protein Concentrates (WPC):- This is the First
Generation of Whey Protein. The amount of protein in whey protein concentrate can vary
between 25-89%. The whey protein powder supplements that you find in
health and nutrition stores often list whey protein concentrate on the label.
This type of whey protein is usually 80% protein. The rest of the product consists of lactose (4-8%), fat, minerals, and moisture.
2.
Whey Protein
Isolates (WPI):- Isolates are the purest form of whey protein and contains
between 90-95% protein. It is a good protein source for Individuals with Lactose
Intolerance as it contains little to no lactose. They also have very low
amounts of Fat. Whey protein Isolates are generally found in Protein
Supplements, Protein Beverages, etc.
3.
Hydrolyzed Whey
Protein: - When the long protein chains are broken down into shorter chains
called peptides, it makes the protein more easily absorbable by the body. This
type of protein is generally used in Infant formulas, sports and medical
nutrition products.
Type
|
Protein
|
Lactose
|
Fat
|
Common
Application
|
Whey Protein
Concentrate 1
|
25-89%
|
4-52%
|
1-9%
|
Protein
beverages and bars, confectionery and bakery products, infant formula and
other nutritional food products
|
Whey Protein
Isolate
|
90-95%
|
0.5-1%
|
0.5-1%
|
Protein
supplementation products, protein beverages, protein bars and other
nutritional food products
|
Hydrolyzed
Whey Protein
|
80-90%
|
0.5-10%
|
0.5-8%
|
Infant formula
and sports and medical nutrition products
|
How Will Whey Protein Help Me?
Studies
have shown any type of protein helps you build muscle, preserve it, and burn
fat when working out. Whey Protein is more preferable because of some of its
characteristics such as:
·
Faster
absorption rate compared to other proteins
·
Helps
Increase muscle growth
· Contains
High levels of Amino Acid Leucine (leucine activates a major complex in the
anabolic pathway called mTOR which is the protein sensor of our
body)
·
Helps
burn Fat
·
Helps
boost your immune system
· It
has been shown to reduce blood pressure, blood sugar levels and symptoms of
depression and stress
When
you are hitting the gym trying to build muscle or burn fat, some form of
protein is recommended.
Here
are some benefits of whey Protein:
·
Lose Fat and Preserve
Muscle:-
Our body uses Fat and
the Glycogen from our muscles as ‘Fuel’. When doing Cardio, the muscles enter
into a catabolic state and start depleting themselves. When working towards
weight loss and targeting more Cardio in your workout, it is essential to
preserve the natural muscle mass. Protein helps you with that. The more protein
you take in your diet, the more it helps you preserve your Muscle Mass. So when
cutting out, take 0.7 – 1 gram of protein per kg of your body weight.
·
Increase Size and
Strength of your Muscles:-
When trying to make
muscle gains in your body, protein is the most essential thing in your diet
along with carbohydrates and fat. Fat and carbs are used for the Fuel your body
needs and Protein helps the muscle grow (simply put). When gaining muscle mass,
it is recommended to take around 2 grams of protein per kg of your body weight.
Do You Need Whey Protein?
The answer completely depends on your diet. If you are not getting enough protein
from your diet (especially when you’re a vegetarian, it is difficult to have
that much protein in your diet), then protein supplements are a good option
instead of eating tons of food for that amount of protein.
But
do note, Protein supplements are not Meal Replacements, but ‘Supplements’. So instead
of completely relying on them, try to get nutritious meals too.
Any side-effects of Whey Protein?
Anything
in excess form is bad. If you intake more protein than your daily requirements,
it will result in storage in the form of fat, also sometimes kidney stones, intestinal
irritation, dehydration, etc.
So
keep your goals in mind and take the correct amount of protein (which is
mentioned above). If this is set, then whey protein is a good option to go for!
For videos on Nutrition and Training, please visit my YouTube channel - JUST BE FIT
References:-
·
http://www.menshealth.com/health/creatine-side-effects-what-it-is-what-it-does
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