5 Protein Powders that can Help Strengthen and Build Muscle, With or Without Exercise
Exercise of some type is always recommended for good health. Even as we get older and muscle begins to deteriorate to varying degrees, it is essential to continue exercising, working your muscles with strength-based exercises, and providing your body with the protein it needs to thrive. This articles helps you determine which protein powder best suits your goals, desires, and needs.
There are many protein powders on the market, but which type and what level of quality demands attention? As with any supplement, one must research and shop around for the best value.
Whey Powder is the Most Practical and Beneficial Protein Powder
There are a few different types of protein powders available, all promising muscle-building and fat burning. Some are loaded with additives and sweeteners that are not so nutritious – and worse. Those should be avoided, of course. The closer to truly natural, the better.
But don’t overdue it. Dr. Doug Paddon-Jones, University of Texas Medical Branch assistant professor and Director of Exercise Studies says, “Given that your body won’t use much beyond 30 grams of protein at a time, it doesn’t make sense to load up with more than this.”
Here are some helpful tips for choosing the right protein powder for you:
- 1. Soy based protein powders – Sorry, no soy allowed here, personally. Too many soy products are from GMO soy. But even non-GMO soy offers digestion problems. Remember, these powders are concentrated from their sources.
- 2. Rice based protein powders – Vegans and even some athletes prefer this source for protein powder. It has higher amounts of L-arginine, an amino acid vasodilator that improves blood flow. But it doesn’t contain all the amino acids needed for protein assimilation. So why bother, unless you’re willing to fill the missing amino acid gaps with other foods and supplements.
- 3. Egg based protein powders – Eggs are a great source of complete proteins, harnessing a very high protein efficiency ratio (PER). Egg protein powders use the whites of eggs, but what types of eggs are used? It may not be easy to find an egg protein powder that’s made from eggs by truly free roaming chickens – something that some people may want.
- 4. Casein based protein powders – Casein is the part of milk that curds separates from the liquid whey. If you’re old enough, you might remember a nursery rhyme about a “little miss Muffet sat on a tuffet (footstool or clump of matter for sitting) eating her curds and whey… .” The curds were casein rich, which contains many of the allergens of milk and is harder to digest. But some body builders and weight lifters swear by it – partially due to it’s slow-digestion properties.
- 5. Whey protein powders – Bingo! Whey protein is the winner for most of us normal folks. Not only does it provide easily digestible protein levels, but it also contains precursors to help your liver produce glutathione, the vital master antioxidant that is deficient in most of us and is difficult to directly supplement.
One unused article source claimed to debunk the notion of non-denatured whey, claiming whey protein from raw milk is illegal. But that’s not true. Raw milk cheese is even legal in the USA. And whey is the liquid separated from the cheese making process. The highest quality whey protein powder is cold pressed from pasture-free, grass fed cows without injected hormones such as rBGH or antibiotics. And there are many – just make sure they go easy on the sugar without using artificial sweeteners.
I agree. Organic whey protein is the best choice, especially for people who are wanting to avoid GMOs. Protein 17 is a good organic brand that doesn’t even use emulsifiers. I’m not able to take the full amount daily (financial reasons and taste-aversion) and yet I’ve still noticed a big difference in increased strength and stamina (I have cancer cachexia, aka muscle wasting). It’s one of the better-tasting whey proteins (no flavoring), but I am very sensitive so I encapsulate the powder.
My mother who suffers from obesity sarcopenia (a form of cachexia) is also gaining strength in her muscles and is able to do much more now than before she started taking whey (she uses Andrew Lessman’s which has sunflower oil as an emulsifier). I’m actually very impressed at the progress she’s made with only this one change in her daily diet; she’s much more mobile now.
I highly recommend a good-quality organic whey protein to anyone suffering from muscle wasting.
No mention of PEA Protein?? High digestibility rate, Alkaline pH levels, high amino count…
This is nonsense! You are NOT going to get healthful nutrition from a powder or anything that isolates it’s beneficial ingredients from their natural whole source. This is exactly what has led to the creation of the Western junk-food diet. If you want extra protein, simply eat protein-rich whole foods- i.e. eggs; raw milk; lentils; beans; etc.
It’s sad- You walk into any “health food” store today, and 90% of their stock is pills and powders. This is the same mentality that led to refined sugar and white flour and all the other empty garbage foods- and years from now, they’ll be criticizing these powders as being just as detrimental, because once you isolate a particular part of a food product, it is no longer a whole food.
I have often thought the same thing about health food stores. I purchase vitamins and organic beauty products at several health food stores in my area and they stock hundreds of powders and potions. It seems like the 10% of the real food they stock is an afterthought. It certainly is not the main attraction- the dairy and meat products are hidden in the back of the store and neither one of these stores carry fresh fruits or vegetables. I am grateful for the stores that are here but fresh organic food should be the priority. I have to go to Walmart for my “real” food. Years ago I stopped buying most of the potions because the money is better spent on real food and maybe a FEW vitamins.
I’m taking a plant protein powder, a combination of organic pea protein, cranberry & hemp protein. I have tried whey protein before but i feel hemp protein is much better for me. We need protein to build our cell so a good protein helps. Of course, it also depend on our over all diet.
I am allergic to Whey and milk products in general i.e. lactose intolerant, so Whey is Not the way, I will be going! Guess, I am not normal like the writer of this article. At any rate, I use Hemp protein powder made in Canada & shipped to the US. I would rather grow it myself, and then blend it, but it is illegal to grow! This writer, should have done more research on the subject and given more real choices. Even so there are a few good points that were brought up, which include but is not limited to where does the eggs come from in some protein powders?
These are the natural proteins!