Whey-ing in on Protein Powders

Good morning!

"What kind of protein powder do you use?"

We seem to be universally sold on the idea of protein as an intelligent supplement.  Protein powder provides us with all the materials needed for repair and rebuilding of our muscles. These powders can be added easily to water or juice or smoothies for a post-workout power-up.

Why We Need Protein; A Quick Review:
Protein repairs and rebuilds tissues.  When we exercise we are pushing our body's ability to perform.  Our bodies respond by tearing down muscle fiber and rebuilding a stronger muscle. Athletes will need more protein because they rebuilding muscle tissue constantly.  The young athlete has an even higher demand because they need protein for growth and training.

 

How much does the average Joe need? Avg Joe is a 154 pound man
First: Convert weight in pounds to kilograms by dividing by 2.2
Second: Multiply by 0.8 which is how much protein the average person needs per kg

• ex: 154pounds/ 2.2kg/pound = 70kg
• 70kg x 0.8gm/kg = 57.6gm = 58 grams of protein/day

Athletes can require upwards of 1.7gm of protein per kg.
This is double the requirement for average Joe.


So let's take a real world example.  A gymnast puts in 20+ hours per week at the gym.  She weighs 105 pounds.  Using the above formula, her daily protein requirement is 81.  We must acknowledge that this athlete will have an extremely high activity level, so protein requirements will be at least 10gm more. Her need is 91gms

Typical daily intake:
8 oz milk + CIB (carnation instant bfast)            15gm
Muffin                                                                 6
4 oz chicken wrap                                              29
Apple                                                                   0
4oz kielbasa                                                       15
4oz BBQ Chicken                                              18
Rice and veggies                                                3
Ice cream                                                            7
_________________________________________    TOTAL PROTEIN = 93gm


Consider that lunch will usually have a lower amount of protein, closer to 10gm.  There are many days were she dose not eat the pre-workout kielbasa, instead opting for  a bagel or just fruit.
So the total protein range can fluctuate by 30grams easily.

Over-All Goals for calories:
Protein 22%
Fat 18%
Carbohydrates 60%

Her protein intake is only 19%, And WOW - look at the fat consumption!  36% of her total calorie intake - when it should be closer to 18%.  Carbs are 45%.  Why is the fat content so high?  Because most proteins in their natural form contain fat.  Why?  Fat assists the body absorb and digest protein.  But at this level, we need to consider ways to reduce that fat content.  Below is a list of protein alternatives that are lower in fat than most meat and dairy options

Natural foods that are packed with protein, and also low fat:

• Lentil soup 1 cup = 7.8gm Protein + 1.5gm Fat     Ratio 5:1
• Tofu, firm 4oz = 8.4gm Protein + 2.2gm Fat     Ratio 4:1
• 2 oz cooked Salmon = 13.3gm Protein + 2.4gms Fat     Ratio 5:1
• Cottage cheese 2% = 15.5gm Protein + 2.2gm Fat      Ratio 6:1
• 4oz boiled chicken breast = 16.8gm Protein + 4.4gm Fat     Ratio 4:1
•  
• 4oz Tilapia = 29.7gm Protein + 3.0gm Fat     Ratio 10:1
• Wild Rice 1 cup = 6.5gm Protein + 0.6gm Fat     Ratio 11:1
• 
  
• Tuna 1/2 cup canned = 18.7gm Protein  + 0.6gm Fat     Ratio 31:1
• Hard boiled egg, whites only = 7.2gm Protein + 0.1gm Fat     Ratio  72:1

Protein powder is a quick source of protein without the fat (typically 20 grams  Protein per scoop) so it is easy to see why it is popular with athletes; a low fat/high protein boost to their daily regimen.

"So which protein powder to buy?  Whey or Casein or Soy???"

Casein:

• Casein releases its proteins and peptides over a longer period of time.
• Casein is a more natural form and friendlier to digestion.
• Casein is less expensive.  
• Casein is a dairy product

Whey:

• Whey allows the anabolic window (muscle building/repair) to remain open longer.
• Whey has more branched chain amino acids which is the preferred mechanism for energy delivery 
• Whey is a dairy product

Soy:

• Soy is a complete protein - one of the few meatless complete proteins
• Soy is estrogen-ic which can aide in balancing hormones for menopausal women 
• Soy is friendlier to the environment to produce; takes less land, less water and less fuel

"I'm lactose intolerant!  Neither whey or casein will work for me.  What now?"

Intolerance is just that - you can only tolerate a small amount.  Usually a small amount of lactose can be present in your diet.  If you are looking for a protein powder, find one with less than 0.1 grams of lactose per tbsp.  Whey isolate should fit this bill.  You can also turn to soy protein which has no lactose in it.

"Is too much protein a bad thing?" 

Anyone with kidney disease needs to be careful with protein supplementation.  Why? Kidneys excrete urea, which is a byproduct of protein metabolism, and excess dietary protein will stress the already impaired kidney function.

Cheaper Alternatives to protein powder:

Tuna, cottage cheese and milk powder are all much cheaper forms of protein and offer similar amino acid profiles as protein powder.


Finally I have returned to blog!!  I hope you enjoyed this post!  
And as usual...

Let me know how it goes!

~Rose