A relatively long period of time, protein powder is a common dietary supplement for bodybuilders and other athletes during training. Knowing that protein is the main raw material in regards to the restoration, preservation, and growth of muscle tissue, they willingly believe that the protein supplied with the powder is an economical option for obtaining a sufficient amount of the necessary substance, which, moreover, is easily absorbed.
Protein powder - what is it?
Today, numerous adherents of a healthy lifestyle and sports know firsthand about an interesting food product called protein or protein powder. What is this food component? Protein powder is a mixture of dry composition, the content of which is based on protein. It is important to note that protein supplements , as a rule, also include other supplements in the form of vitamins, which beneficially affect the functioning of all body systems.
The main goal of protein powder is to support athletes in establishing the necessary level of muscle development. However, modern medicine and dietetics direct the public consciousness that food protein is a product of not only sports, but also therapeutic and preventive nutrition. It should be noted that the composition of the protein shake includes specially selected minerals that allow the human body to easily absorb such a huge amount of proteins.
Varieties of Protein Powders
It is important that a protein drink made of powder can be endowed with various features depending on the species of the product. The corresponding classification is based on two key parameters: type of filtration and source of protein. So, in accordance with the first characteristic, it is customary to isolate the following types of protein powders:
- Concentrate obtained by protein filtration. It should be noted that in this case, the proportion of protein is about 35-85%.
- An isolate endowed with a higher degree of purification when compared with a concentrate. The proportion of protein in the case of isolate reaches 95%.
- The hydrolyzate resulting from protein processing using innovative technology. It quickly penetrates muscle tissue, after which it is immediately absorbed. The protein content in this case is about 95%.
Depending on the source of protein, the product is classified as follows:
- Protein powder obtained from milk (is the most popular product in society).
- Egg protein
- Beef protein (the rarest product of all presented).
- Proteins of plant origin: wheat, soy, rice and so on.
- Proteins containing a large number of components. This is a combination of the above products, as a result of which a great effect is achieved.
Product Usefulness
Protein powders have an individual and relatively standard application schedule, which includes the following areas:
- Losing weight when you need a slowly digestible protein. In this case, it is advisable to use a complex product in the daytime, and casein - before bedtime.
- Qualitative saturation of the body with microelements, energy (for example, whey protein must be consumed before sports training) and amino acids.
- The process of restoring muscle tissue after a power load (casein protein is suitable).
- Drying the body, during which it is advisable to use a whey protein isolate.
- Weight gain, which corresponds to a product such as whey protein concentrate.
Where to buy protein powder? Product cost
Before the leadership regarding the purchase of a protein product, it should be noted that there are many Russian proteins that are harmful to health. These include unbelievably cheap powders, such as Titanium or Entente. Companies such as SuperCet and IRONMAN provide a better product.
To date, the lowest cost of the powder is determined in the range of 1500-1800 rubles (based on 77 servings of 24 grams). You can buy protein powder in a pharmacy or specialty store. It is a natural fact that purchasing a product in Moscow is not a problem, because its outlets can afford to offer the widest range of any product, because it is the capital. The situation is more complicated with regard to the hinterland, but even here there are two good alternatives: replacing protein powder with a natural product or ordering protein via the Internet.
How to choose protein powder?
It should be noted that in the process of choosing protein powder, one should not lose sight of a number of factors, among which the main points are:
- Calorie content of the product.
- The presence of flavors (for example, modern society often chooses chocolate or vanilla protein powder).
- The presence of sweeteners of taste.
- The degree of solubility of the product in water.
- The possibility of making a cocktail in the most acceptable way for a person (for example, today often the public choice is limited to cocktails that can be prepared without using a blender).
- The rate of assimilation of the product by the body (protein powder in the pharmacy is the most effective solution to this item).
- Targeted application (for example, protein powder for weight loss is very popular today).
Product Advantages and Disadvantages
Like any other product, protein powder has its advantages and disadvantages. So, the main points of protein are the following points:
- The purity of the product, although this fact from a practical point of view, does not play any role when it comes to weight loss.
- Practicality, which is determined by the convenience of using protein powder. It can be taken with you everywhere, which is very convenient for careerists, travelers and other social categories, leading a busy lifestyle.
The listed qualities serve as defining advantages if we discard the pluses of the composition itself. What are the disadvantages of protein powder? In general, only one drawback plays a role in the analysis of product deficiencies: such nutrition is artificial. But even this is not bad - just a stereotype, that people have driven into their heads, because it is so difficult to agree with innovations, adopt the twenty-first century and enjoy its new products!
Weight Loss: Protein Shake
Despite the fact that powder nutrition is contrary to the principles of naturalness, and a person supposedly should eat “human” products, high-quality protein does not harm the body a drop, respectively, all the problems are only in our head. Such an invisible, but quite real difficulty, consisting in the rejection of an innovative product, often leads to not very funny consequences. For example, about 20 million French are overweight today. What prevents them from adapting to new conditions and making their figure better?
How do protein shakes work? The fact is that their daily intake is able to provide a long-lasting feeling of satiety, respectively, to limit the total number of calories consumed by a person. As it turned out, everything is extremely simple. So why not?
Is it realistic to lose weight in this way?
Based on the above facts, we can conclude that through the use of protein shakes it is quite possible to lose weight, especially if you combine their use with the correct regime of the day (good sleep, moderate work), nutrition and, of course, periodic physical exertion, be then fitness, gym or dancing.
However, it is worth remembering that drinking an extremely large amount of protein shakes can lead to disastrous consequences, especially when it comes to women's health. For example, despite the fact that protein mixtures contain a significant proportion of calcium (and it helps prevent osteoporosis), the use of an appropriate diet for a long time period can lead to the absolute loss of this element in the body.
Muscle mass gain with protein powder
It’s no secret that in modern society there is a clear tendency to increase the number of athletes who use protein powders to gain muscle mass. It is important to note that in this case, in order to achieve the maximum effect in relation to the increase in muscle mass, 2-3 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight should be taken. Naturally, people who practice an active lifestyle do not always succeed in consuming such a significant amount of protein from standard foods. That is why every day the popularity of protein shakes for muscle growth is rapidly gaining momentum. When taking this product, you need to know that it is advisable to use a cocktail one hour before classes or twenty minutes after training.
How safe and effective are protein powders?
A lot of information and examples are given about the effectiveness of the product in question in this article, which fully confirms the effectiveness of protein powders both in relation to weight loss and in terms of muscle mass gain. But how safe is the product? Here the question is only in quantity! The fact is that if protein powder is used in incredibly high doses, serious consequences can occur, for example, an increased risk of diverticulitis, constipation, heart disease, kidney disease, and even oncology. Among the less serious consequences should include weight gain in the paradoxical use of the product. Thus, we can conclude: it is very important to use protein powders in accordance with the dosage, making sure that contraindications are excluded.
How to cook protein powder yourself?
Make protein powder at home? Easy! To begin with, it would be advisable to present a classic recipe for making a protein shake, according to which you need to grind one hundred grams of cottage cheese with a banana and pour this mixture with a glass of milk, then beat the mass with a mixer or a blender (you can use any jam instead of banana). Another very delicious recipe is a cocktail of one raw egg, a tablespoon of honey and chopped nuts (the mixing method is similar to the previous one). In general, on the Internet today there are many different options for making protein shakes, but it’s no secret that the most winning recipe is your own, so we turn on creativity, use product knowledge and go!