Whey protein powder

Whey protein powder is one of my most commonly recommended supplements. The supplement market is somewhat unregulated so it can be confusing to choose the right type of protein powder.

Some of the reasons I like this supplement:

• It’s a complete protein. It contains all essential amino acids.

• It offers a convenient way to meet your daily protein needs.

• It’s relatively affordable.

• It tastes good. Whey powder comes in lots of flavors.

• It’s versatile. You can get creative with how you consume it.

It’s important to read the nutrition label on all foods you buy, but especially your supplements. Whey protein should be the first ingredient on the list of a protein powder. If it’s not, then look elsewhere. Protein powders generally contain emulsifiers to help them mix with liquids well. A common example is sunflower lecithin. Whey protein powder does not taste good by itself, so there are often sweeteners and flavors added to help them taste good. Some sweeteners have zero calories, and examples of these would be sucralose, stevia, sugar alcohols (erythritol) and acesulfame potassium (ace-K). Other sweeteners might be cane sugar or fructose which have calories.

Another thing to consider is whether your powder is whey “isolate” or whey “concentrate.” These two have some key differences, but they are both capable of helping you meet protein intake goals and stimulating muscle protein synthesis. Whey isolate is more expensive. It is also more processed, which removes most of the lactose and fat. It has a higher concentration of protein. In contrast, whey concentrate tends to be more affordable. It is less processed, which means it can contain more fat and lactose. Leaving the fat in helps it be creamier, which also helps it taste better. Whey concentrate has a lower concentration of protein than isolate.

Whenever you eat protein throughout the day, it is important to keep in mind that the threshold for stimulating muscle protein synthesis in your body is 30 grams of protein. In other words, you need to eat/drink 30 grams of protein to create a signal in your body to build/maintain muscle. Many whey protein powders have their serving size listed on the label, and one scoop of protein might be less than 30 grams (25 grams for example). If this is the case, you can either take a rounded scoop of the protein, or you can eat something else with the protein powder to get you to the 30 gram threshold.

Think about whey protein powder if you are struggling to meet your daily protein goal.