Protein is an essential part of every human’s diet. Regardless of your dietary preferences, your body needs the amino acids that can only come from protein. Furthermore, the amount of this energizing and sustainable substance that you need will largely depend on the activities that you participate in.
Someone who is athletic, or who engages in bodybuilding activities, will have a higher need for protein than the average consumer. You will need a sufficient way to get the protein you need every day, which is why the health industry came up with protein powder.
Protein powder formulas feature different blends of both essential and non-essential amino acids, which means that every type of powder will have different needs that it can fulfill.
Optimally, you would have the luxury of choosing organic sources for your protein, which should also have no toxins and be processed using special methods that retain nutritional values.
Protein is responsible for a multitude of purposes in your body. Along with the ability to gain muscle mass effectively, the proteins have a specific impact on every other part of your body.
Some amino acids inside support your digestive processes, while others nourish your eyes and similar areas. You need a formula that gives support to your entire body, and the only way you can get the right absorption into your body is with a little direction.
There are many different protein powders that are available on the market today, and plenty of ways that you can get the supply that you need.
Why Choose Protein Powders?
If you need protein in your diet, you may be considering using a protein powder, rather than taking the time to eat foods that are rich in protein already. You need the right types of protein to help you build up the fibers in your muscles, especially when you have a certain level of strength you want to achieve.
When you consume your own sources of protein, like meat, fish, and even eggs, you get the nutrients you need. However, there’s a big difference – the calories. When you consume any food, you also consume the calories that are filled with it.
When you are trying to lose weight, and build muscle, you want to minimize calories while maximizing your protein intake. Protein is a vital part of any diet, offering you much more than simply helping build new muscle. In fact, nearly every organ and process requires some type of amino acid, which will vary in accordance with your protein supply.
Unfortunately, with these benefits, you put yourself at risk for succumbing to a protein deficiency, which is where protein powders come in.
These concentrated formulas come from real foods, but deliver the necessary nutrients to your body at a rapid pace. In fact, even though the protein you consume is not part of a meal, you still get a high amount of this nutrient to help you improve muscle mass and balance out your body.
This holistic approach to nutrition is the safest way to nourish your body appropriately. There are plenty of different ways that the supplement industry manufactures and blends these ingredients to help you satisfy your hunger and the needs of your routine.
Types of Protein Powders
Now that you know the benefits of protein, and how you can find the best sources, you need to take your knowledge a step further to learn about the different options available. Protein powder isn’t just one type of product; there are many reliable resources of this condensed version of one of the most important nutrients you will find in your diet.
As stated above, the best type of protein powder is one that has organic ingredients, is free of artificial ingredients, is GMO free, and has no gluten. If you live a vegan lifestyle, you may also want to check the product for casein, which comes from milk.
In fact, that’s probably the reason that organic pumpkin seed protein powder has recently begun to gain popularity.
Unfortunately, if taste is your main priority, you may be disappointed to find out that the most appetizing protein powders are usually the ones with the least nutritional value.
The flavors and sweeteners that you find inside are the result of harmful ingredients. Basically, a standard protein powder has the nutrients that you need to help you flourish. However, when you start adding flavors, the ratio of healthy to unhealthy ingredients begins to tilt, ruining the healthy content that was previously in it.
If you want to introduce healthy flavors to any of the protein powders you select, your best bet is to blend them in a smoothie with equally organic ingredients, like blueberries, bananas, or even strawberries.
However, before you pull out your juicer or blender, you may want to know what types of proteins are available in the first place.
Read on below to learn about some of the common forms of protein powders. While new types are still being developed, this information should start you off on the right path.
Whey Protein Powder
Whey protein powder is, by far, the most popular type that is presently available online. It’s probably sold directly to consumers in your gym, due to its healthy and digestible supply of protein.
This type of protein comes from cow’s milk, and it’s meant to prevent you from losing muscle as you engage in strenuous exercises. This ability to protect your muscles is probably due to the blend of both essential and non-essential amino acids.
Some brands may even contain a healthy amount of branched chain amino acids as well.
Branched chain amino acids, or BCAA’s, are about one-third of the nutrients your muscles need. The category includes valine, leucine, and isoleucine, and it has several different types of functions.
The main purpose appears to be that it helps your body synthesize the other protein and nutrients you need. However, BCAA’s are also essential to the reparative process, speeding up the time you need for recovery and eliminating the potential for fatigue.
Whey protein is also known for its ability to support your immune system, and to reduce the amount of the chemicals that stimulate cancerous growths. It functions highly as a method of eliminating toxins from your body, which can arise from the foods you eat or even the chemicals that your muscles produce as they work hard.
If you have difficulty processing milk in your digestive system, you should shy away from this type of protein, since there are plenty of other remedies that contain no animal byproducts at all. However, if you want to find the best whey protein powders, here are a few of the most popular ones right now:
- Promix Grass-Fed Whey Protein ($75.99 for 76 servings on Amazon.com)
- Naked Casein ($94.99 for 76 servings on Amazon.com)
- Mercola Pure Power Protein ($48.97 for 22 servings on Amazon.com)
There are many other whey protein powder choices, but it is up to you to determine the best one for your goals.
Hemp Protein Powder
Hemp protein powder is another effective source of protein, providing you with antioxidant properties that can help you eliminate those toxins that build up in your muscles and cause cramps.
This formula is well-known for its ability to repair your cells, which means that it can also help you eliminate the signs of aging that you face as you work out in your later years.
As with most of the protein powders, the best resource for this type of protein powder is with organic resources. Luckily, finding sources that are not chemically treated is incredibly easy, since the ingredient is not often treated with pesticides or other substances during their growth.
The only stigma that is attached to the hemp protein formula is its connection with cannabis. For that reason, many researchers have limited their work to exclude this protein.
In fact, despite the lack of active THC molecules and psychoactive reaction, this type of substance is prohibited for consumers that work in the government. The presence of this protein in your body will show up as a positive match on any drug test, which is something that you should consider if you’re applying for jobs or restricted by probation.
Hemp is not the most effective protein, but they feature a remarkable amount of amino acids that you can’t find it other plant-based powders. For that reason, this protein powder is a helpful resource for vegan consumers that avoid casein.
Some of the top options for hemp protein powder include:
- Orgain Organic Plant Based Protein Powder ($21.11 for 20 servings on Amazon.com)
- Viva Labs Organic Hemp Protein ($24.95 for 45 servings on Amazon.com)
- Nutiva Organic Hemp Protein with High Fiber ($25.64 for 45 servings on Amazon.com)
By researching more information about other options, you may be able to find blends that help to lessen the impact of hemp in your bloodstream.
Rice Protein Powder
Rice protein powder is well-renowned as one of the best sources for these nutrients, which is primarily due to the content of amino acids that most other powders may only aspire to have.
In fact, in multiple studies, the formula for this type of protein powder has been found to be 36% essential amino acids, with 18% BCAA’s. The rice protein powder source has recently challenged the properties that you find in hemp protein, but it excels due to the lack of cannabis in the formula.
This protein powder features a higher amount of fiber than other solutions have, which helps you to maintain a healthier digestive cycle. Fiber expands in your stomach as you digest it, which can make you feel full for a prolonged period.
This reaction is exactly what you want when you’re trying to diet and have to cut calories. By consuming a smoothie or shake with rice powder, the fiber content helps you to get through the meals that you may be trying to reduce your caloric intake during. Fiber is also a helpful resource to improve the health of your gut.
Even though protein powder is anything but appetizing, rice powder gives a less severe flavor, offering a sweeter flavor than what you normally find. While you should still look out for additional flavorings in your powder, you can introduce the other sweetening agents when you prepare it.
Choose from one of the top rice-based protein powders, like:
- No Whey! Plant Based Protein Powder ($29.99 for 20 servings on Amazon.com)
- Orgain Organic Plant Based Protein Powder ($25.64 for 20 servings on Amazon.com)
- PlantFusion Complete ($34.99 for 30 servings on Amazon.com)
You can also speak with your doctor or fitness trainer to find out about some of the other advancements.
Egg White Protein Powder
The protein found in egg whites have been used for years by athletes and bodybuilders, so it makes sense to offer it in the form of a protein powder. Eggs are a rich resource for essential nutrients, offering over 80 different protein structures that you can’t find or replicate in any other formula.
While there are formulas that feature the protein of the whole egg, most of the supplement industry only uses remedies with egg whites, due to the incorrect belief that egg yolks are linked to heart disease.
The main problem with this type of protein appears to be that most commercial chicken farms treat their animals with different hormones, antibiotics, and unhealthy nutrients. This is an issue that is constant in the industry for eggs, and its part of the reason that many people have begun to gravitate towards other companies for their eggs. For the best nutrients, you should be able to find a company the sources their eggs from free range chickens with non-GMO feed. You can research to find some of the companies that extract their protein from those types of resources.
While anyone that maintains a strict vegan diet will avoid this nourishment, a common theory amongst some consumers is that someone with a dairy allergy or condition cannot consume them. In fact, there’s no dairy-based protein that is found in the egg white powders.
Some of the popular remedies with egg whites include:
- Paleo Protein Egg White Powder ($29.99 for 30 servings on Amazon.com)
- NOW Foods Eggwhite Protein ($24.15 for 1.2lbs on Amazon.com)
- Jay Robb – Egg White Protein Powder ($42.74 for 21 servings on Amazon.com)
If you want to try other options, make sure to check their sources for eggs to ensure that they are healthy and safe for your goals.
Soy Protein Powder
Soy protein powder comes from the compounds that you find in soy beans, which must first be dehulled and separated from fat. The remaining nutrients is divided between three different forms, which are isolates, concentrates, and flour. While all three options are found in soy-based foods, the compound that you will find in soy protein powder are the isolates.
Most of the time, soy protein powder is advertised as the best source for women, since it features compounds that imitate the function of estrogen. While there’s many other reasons advertised as the reasons as being an excellent resource for protein, the actual reason it’s advertised exclusively to women is the estrogen-like reaction. It’s even helpful in women who are currently experiencing menopause and need support. Unfortunately, the presence of soy in children has been found to cause “unwanted feminization.”
Soy is linked to helping consumers to fight and reduce the onset of heart disease, but most men won’t take it for the reasons described above. If you decide you want to pursue this protein powder, you can try:
- Bulksupplemets Pure Soy Protein Isolate Powder ($15.96 for 16 servings on Amazon.com)
- NOW Foods Soy Protein ($20.61 for 37 servings on Amazon.com)
- Jarrow Formulas Iso-Rich Soy ($14.34 for 31 servings on Amazon.com)
If you have concerns about taking a soy-based supplement, you can speak with your doctor to try a predict the effect it may have on you.
Protein Powder Mixes
If you find that there are multiple types of protein powder that would benefit your workout, then choosing a protein mix may be the most beneficial for you. The amino acids in each of these formulas is incomplete, even if there are many amino acids found in them.
As a vegan or vegetarian, it should be assumed that you will need multiple formulas to help you get the required nutrients for your body. Plant-based proteins are notorious for being incomplete, so you will need to blend a few sources together. Depending on the mix you select, you may be able to find a blend that supports the other nutritional needs that you have as well.
Summary
If you’re working out or dieting, there’s no better way to get the nutrients you need than consuming a protein powder in your routine. You can use protein powder to help you replace meals in a drink, or you can even incorporate it into baked goods to improve their longevity in your body.
Regardless of your goals, you need to make sure your muscles and other bodily systems can get the healthiest balance offered, ensuring that you have a balanced diet to go with your physique.
Always check the ingredients included in your selected blend to avoid an allergic reaction. If you experience an adverse reaction to your chosen remedy, you may need to speak with your doctor and discontinue use. He will be able to direct you to find the best remedy for your goals and body.
