Whey Protein Facts - When it Comes to Protein, Whey is the Champ

Whey Protein Facts: Where does it come from?quality with health supplements is always a big
When you picture high quality protein, you mightconcern.
be picturing a big steak or some other type ofProtein works better if you have the proper
meat. To your amazement, the best proteinnutrients in your body to break it down. A high
source does not come from red meat, it comesquality multivitamin is the most important
from milk. I know I know, it's not that exciting.supplement to take. If you're not taking a
When milk is turned into cheese, whey protein ismultivitamin, please read some information on it.
filtered, or separated out. Milk is mostly made upOther supplements that work well with protein
of water. Somewhere around 10 - 15% of milk isare glutamine and creatine.
a solid form. When this solid gets broken down,Whey Protein Facts: Powder vs. Food
the whey protein is separated.If you have the choice over a piece of chicken or
Whey Protein Facts: What are the benefits fora protein shake, you'd probably take the chicken.
athletes?So would I. Unfortunately it's not always in the
Hopefully you're working out on a regular basis.cards, or the budget :(
Let's assume you hit the gym and do some sortFood can be expensive. Especially when you're
of weight training activity. Therefore, we'll call youtrying to eat 5 healthy meals a day. Now, this is
an athlete :)certainly not an excuse to eat unhealthy foods.
Whey protein is very important for athletesThe cost of not eating healthy is much much
because they need much more protein then theworse.
average couch potato. When you exercise, yourBut, to get into great shape it can be very pricey
muscles tear and breakdown. When you're doneif you only get your protein from fresh foods like
working out, your muscles are starving forchicken, beef and fish.
nourishment. They're looking to rebuild and grow,If you examine price versus amount of protein,
and whey protein is the best medicine.supplements rule.
Many top trainers always stress that you don't* 140 grams of chicken, approximately 1 cup has
grow in the gym. You grow and build muscleabout 40 grams of protein
when you're eating and resting. There is a 90* 150 grams of salmon, about 1/2 fillet is also just
minute window after a workout where you shouldover 40 grams of protein
refuel your body. This is the best time to feed* 180 grams of beef, one burger patty has
your muscles the proper food they need to growaround 30 grams of protein
and rebuild. Whey protein is the best choice for a1 serving of Optimum 100% Whey Protein has 24
post workout meal.grams of protein.
Whey Protein Facts: What is in Whey, whichEach serving has 1 gram of fat, and 30mg of
makes it the best protein source?cholesterol. A 5 pound container is usually $42.00
If we quickly review how protein is formed andUS. There are 14 servings per pound.
its ingredients, we can really understand whyThat's 70 servings, 1680 grams of protein (70 x
whey is the best choice.24) for 42 US dollars.
Proteins are the building blocks of our muscle andThat is .025 dollars per gram of protein!
body tissue. Amino acids are the building blocks ofAfter a little bit of research I found what was
protein.labeled as a bargain on chicken. I've never seen
Whey protein is a complete protein. This means itchicken priced this low but it was available.
contains all the essential amino acids that yourPackage of 8 chicken breasts at $9.38 = $1.17
body needs. These are called essential, becauseper chicken breast 140 calories, 5 grams of fat,
your body does not produce them naturally. You0.5 grams saturated fat, 60 mg cholesterol, 510
need to get them through your diet.mg sodium and 23 grams protein per chicken
Whey protein has the maximum or best sourcebreast.
of these essential amino acids. This is why it isThat is about .05 dollars per gram of protein
the most popular protein for athletes and($1.17/23)
bodybuilders.Again, I've never seen chicken that cheap at the
When you exercise your body requires more ofgrocery store, but if you can find a deal like that,
these amino acids because they are being usedyou are still paying double per gram of protein,
up. When you lift weights, or run on the treadmill,and you're getting double the amount of fat and
these proteins are being absorbed by yourcholesterol.
muscles. In a sense, your muscles are stealingThis is just one basic example with
these proteins and using them to rebuildapproximations. The end result is that protein
themselves. If you don't have enough of thesesupplements are definitely worth the money.
amino acids, you get tired and weak.Highest quality, cheapest price.
It's also very common for people to consumeWhey Protein Facts: Scientific Research
whey protein before their workouts. We've all hadThis is certainly not a medical article by any
those days where we just feel weak and "out ofmeans.
it." We can't lift as much, or we get tired after aBut sometimes it's nice to have a little scientific
couple laps. Well, lack of protein may beresearch that backs up health supplements. There
contributing to those bad workouts.are always the skeptics out there that say health
Whey Protein Facts: Who should be taking it?supplements are a waste of money....
You don't have to be an extreme athlete to beWell it's always tough to argue with the great
supplementing your protein. Protein supplementsminds down at the JAMA (the Journal of the
like whey should also be valued at theirAmerican Medical Association) or American Journal
convenience.of Clinical Nutrition:
Next to quality, convenience is another greatIn type 2 diabetics, whey added to high-GI meals
reason to supplement your protein with healthmay increase insulin secretion and improve blood
supplements. Whey protein can be prepared in aglucose clearance after a meal. This can be of
few minutes. If you're running short of time andsignificant benefit to those with reduced insulin
need a quick healthy meal, whey protein is asecretion and/or compromised blood glucose
great choice.regulation.
If you're interested in losing weight, adding wheyWhey improves insulin response in type 2
to your diet is a smart choice. Whey protein helpsdiabetics.
build muscle. If you increase your muscle massIn a study published in the American Journal of
you increase your metabolism and burn fat.Clinical Nutrition, researchers evaluated whether
So many different people can benefit from thissupplementation of high-glycemic meals (GI) with
product.whey proteins would increase insulin secretion and
Whey Protein Facts: What types of Whey areimprove blood glucose control in type 2 diabetics.
there?Subjects with type 2 diabetes were served a
Whey protein is usually sold in two forms. Isolatehigh-GI breakfast and lunch supplemented with
and Concentrate.whey on one day, and lean ham and lactose on
For most people, there won't be any realanother day.
advantages between isolate and concentrateWhen whey was included in the meal, insulin
protein.responses were significantly higher for both
Isolate is a purer form of protein. All other thingsbreakfast and lunch than when it was not included.
being equal, you should use whey protein isolateIn addition, blood glucose response was
because it contains higher amounts of protein persignificantly reduced after lunch with the inclusion
serving. Of course it doesn't always work thatof whey.
way. Whey protein isolate usually costs more thanIn type 2 diabetics, whey added to high-GI meals
whey protein concentrate.may increase insulin secretion and improve blood
I believe whey protein concentrate is goodglucose clearance after a meal. This can be of
enough on its own. The added purity of isolatesignificant benefit to those with reduced insulin
does not outweigh the price increase.secretion and/or compromised blood glucose
The bottom line: Unless you're lactose intolerant orregulation.
are prone to gas and upset stomachs,American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 82, No. 1,
concentrate is just as good as isolate.69-75, July 2005
Whey Protein Facts: Mixing it with other productsWhat can we conclude from whey protein facts?
In the bodybuilding world, mixing supplements isPlain and simple: Whey is an excellent tool for
usually referred to as a supplement stack. As youbuilding and maintaining muscle.
can imagine, it is a great marketing tool toLike many health supplements, quality plays such
promote additional products for back end sales.an important role with protein sources.
But in the world of nutrition, mixing nutrients andLuckily, most supplements from respected
products can be beneficial.companies provide quality products that allow
Many nutrients need to work together toyour body to absorb the protein.
perform properly. That is why the importance of