Protein powders plus protein rich foods

by Bexi Wood in Nutrition

protein supplement | leicester personal trainer

Protein is an important part of our diet and key to building and maintaining all types of body tissue, including muscle.

It contains amino acids, the building blocks used for muscle growth. Protein powders such as shakes bars and capsules are one of the most popular muscle-building supplements. They’re marketed as helping to promote your body’s muscle growth, aid metabolism, help you reach peak physical performance, boost energy. Users may choose to take them before, during and after training to enhance performance and improve recovery and development of the muscles.

You can get the same benefits from introducing high-protein foods to your diet as snacks or adding them to your normal meals to enhance the protein content. Although protein shakes are convenient, not all of them are suitable to be used as a meal replacement, because they don’t have all the vitamins and nutrients that a balanced meal would contain.

The department of health advises adults to avoid consuming more than twice the recommended daily intake of protein (55.5g for men and 45g for women).

Protein rich foods include:

·         Red meat- such as beef, lamb and pork

·         Poultry- such as chicken, duck and turkey

·         Eggs

·         Dairy- such as milk, yoghurt and cheese

·         Beans

·         Tofu

Types of protein powder:

·         Whey- this water-soluble milk protein is popular among athletes. It is complete protein, meaning that it contains all of the amino acids that the human body requires from food. The body absorbs whey protein quickly and easily.

·         Casein- This type of protein is rich in glutamine, an amino acid that may speed up muscle recovery after exercise. Casein comes from dairy, making it unsuitable for vegans and people with milk allergies.

·         Soy- Soy protein is an excellent alternative to whey or casein for people who do not consume dairy. It also contains all the essential amino acids.

·         Pea- Many plant- based protein powders contain pea protein, which is a high-quality alternative o soy and dairy based proteins. Pea protein is a good source of the amino acid arginine.

·         Hemp- Hemp seeds are complete proteins that also contain essential fatty acids. This makes hemp and excellent choice for vegans or those with dairy or soy allergies.

Protein powders are not suitable for everyone so make sure you look into this carefully and think if you really need to take protein shakes. If you are considering taking protein shakes, buy from a reputable seller and check all the nutritional contents.