With so many choices continuing to flood the health and fitness/supplement market, it is very difficult to know what bars and powders to go for, if any, and why. Here is a little bit of info on what to look for when scouring high and low for your perfect protein SUPPLEMENT …
It is important to remember that powders and bars should only be used as supplements to an otherwise well rounded and balanced diet consistent with your body’s daily requirements.
Here are a few points I have picked up over the years through my studies and research…
Whilst supplements advertise high levels of protein it is important to remember that not all of this is utilised by our body. This can be due to our own digestive health or more likely, it is due to the denaturing of the protein during the manufacturing process. The protein is heated to extreme temperatures to remove any moisture as quickly as possible. This in turn destroys proteins and makes them more difficult for our bodies to use. Factor this in if you are weighing out your macros.
Whey Protein is by far the most commonly used source of protein. It is the go-to for most brands and offers a mediocre source of protein for the nearly non-existent levels of fats and carbs. Whey isolate is the purest and quickest releasing, it is usually found in protein powders where the protein content is upwards of 85%. Whey concentrate is marginally slower releasing and is most commonly found in powders of 50-85%. The price of concentrate tends to be a lot less than isolate. Whilst whey offers your body a spike of protein your body does not retain it for long, it will help start recovery but not sustain it – protein levels will need to be topped up regularly if this protein source is used. Whey is best used within 30 minutes from the end of exercise to kick start your recovery. Whey protein is a by-product of milk so is not suitable for Vegans.
Casein protein, in my humble opinion, is a better all round option of protein for those looking to increase protein content alongside a well structured fitness routine. It offers a gradual and more sustained influx of protein for your body to use, your digestive system is not overwhelmed and your body is able to use this to best effect (as well as being good value for money). Whilst casein is good after exercise it is best used before bed because of how your body uses casein. Using it before bed gives you the longest period for repairing capabilities during sleep. (Also a by-product of milk, sorry to the Vegans again!)
Soy protein is a great plant-based alternative to whey or casein protein. You will find that there tends to be more soy protein in female targeted protein shakes/powders as soy has been shown to promote the release of oestrogen. Other than this it has very similar properties to that of whey protein.
The best case scenario for you to repair your muscles most effectively would be to combine the quick release effects of whey directly after exercise with the slower releasing effects of casein before bed. There are many powders/bars that use a combination of proteins but these can once again overload your digestive system so unless you are maintaining an extremely healthy liver by consuming oodles of water and maybe even desiccated liver, I would suggest little and often – alternating between whey and casein for your desired timings, optimising digestion and allowing your digestive system to also rest.
As you can imagine there are many more types of protein sources that can, and probably have been processed for your convenience and they all come with their good and bad points. The above proteins are by far and away the most commonly used so this will hopefully help with the majority of options you find.
Add any of the aforementioned proteins to a tasty smoothie for an increased protein hit!
Good luck in your search – if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch
