Protein supplements make it easy to meet your requirement for this important nutrient. Meats, beans and eggs often require cooking, need to be refrigerated, and don't work well as food on the go.
Protein supplements are not a requirement, but they make life easier.
Protein-rich foods also contain nutrients needed by the body (iron, zinc, calcium and B-vitamins).
Remember, supplements are not regulated the same way food is.
A study proved that many of the most popular protein supplements were contaminated with heavy metals like lead, and mercury.
Whey Protein Supplements
These use cow’s milk as the protein source.
Whey or casein are extracted during processing and used as the main ingredients.
Both whey and casein contain the amino acid people need.
Whey protein is the most common protein powder and the most researched as well.
You can get whey protein in an isolate form or a concentrate form.
Whey protein isolate (WPI) contains a higher concentration of protein: 90% protein or 24 grams per ounce.
Whey protein concentrate (WPC) will vary in its protein content (20% to 89% protein). You'll have to read the nutrition label to see how much protein is in a particular product
Casein protein
Casein is manufactured by heating milk.
Casein protein typically comes in isolate form, which, like whey protein isolate, is a high concentration of protein: about 22 grams per ounce.
Although easily utilized by the body, it does take longer to digest than whey protein does, resulting in a more sustained amino acid release.
People with milk or lactose allergies/sensitivities should avoid whey and casein protein supplements.
Egg-Based Protein Supplements
Egg protein powder is made from egg whites (albumin) and therefore contains no fat or cholesterol.
While this supplement is nutritionally the same as pasteurized powdered egg whites, the particle size might be altered and additives used for a better shake.
It contains about 21 grams of protein per ounce and is easily absorbed (eggs rank equal with soy, whey and casein as the highest quality protein sources).
It is a complete protein source that contains all essential amino acids.
Plant-Based Protein Supplements
Because they are plant-based, some do not include all of the essential amino acids and are considered lower quality and incomplete proteins.
Many brands add synthetic (non-animal derived) forms of the missing amino acids to make their protein powders complete,
Powders made from rice protein, pea and hemp protein tend to be the most expensive. The most common plant-based powders you might find include:
Rice protein, made from the protein component in brown rice. It contains 18 grams of protein per ounce.
Pea protein, which isolates the protein found in the legume and contains about 20 grams of protein per ounce.
Hemp protein, which is made from hemp flour (ground hemp seeds). It contains 12 grams per ounce and is often touted as also being a source of healthy fats and
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