With our busy lives and the look out for convenience in every area, are Protein powders the answer?
I am definitely a “pro-food” gal but I am also a Realistic Gal and understand that 5-7 meals of whole foods are not always practical. If I said that you had to have all whole foods, I am pretty much setting you up to not follow a plan, in my opinion. Not everyone has the time to prepare all those meals, day in and day out and there is such thing as emergencies so that is when Protein Shakes become your best friend! I also believe there are awesome times to utilize your protein shakes, i.e in emergency situations when you are on the go or have no other alternative or post workout when you need that quick absorption! Protein powders and meal replacements are definitely indispensable if you don’t have time to eat every three hours. The key here is, it is very easy to get in the habit of having too many shakes, because either you love your shakes or they are simply easy! I am one to have to watch myself too!! I just love my shakes, however, protein supplements are not the master key to your success, real food is!
One of the biggest issues you hear behind protein is its Biological Value, which is the best measure of a protein’s quality. BV is based on how much of the protein consumed is actually absorbed and utilized by the body. The higher the amount of protein (percentage of nitrogen) that is actually retained/absorbed, the greater the BV. If a protein has a BV of 100, it means that all of the protein absorbed has been utilized with none lost. Whole eggs score the highest of all foods with a BV of 100, while beans have a BV of only 49.
Whey protein is truly an excellent protein with a biological value at or near 100. Keep in mind, it is impossible to have a BV of over 100 so if you see an ad for a BV of over 100, that is simply a sales pitch and marketing approach!!!
Because whey protein does have a high BV, it probably offers the most benefits when you are dieting on very low calories. When your energy intake and correspondingly, your protein intake, are reduced, whey protein could help you get greater utilization of the smaller amount of protein that you are taking in. In other words, choosing proteins of the highest quality is more of an issue when you are dieting or if you are on a lower protein or vegetarian type diet. Whey protein also provides a way to get high quality protein without the fat, which is also important when dieting.
Another acknowledged benefit of whey protein is its fast absorption rate and the rate at which they are digested, hence why post workout, is an awesome time to utilize whey protein powder! Post training, when the rates of protein synthesis and glycogen re-synthesis are increased, you need that quick replenishment.
Now let’s talk about whole foods have a major advantage over protein supplements; they stimulate the metabolism more and have a thermic effect, i.e. speeding you up and reving up that metabolism!!! Protein has the highest thermic effect of any food. Including a whole protein food with every meal can speed up your metabolic rate as much as 30% because of the energy necessary to digest, process, and absorb it. This means that out of 100 calories of a protein food such as chicken breast, the net amount of calories left over after processing it is 70. If you think about a protein supplement that absorbs quickly, the thermic effect is much lower because the body doesn’t have to do as much work to break it down like it does whole foods!!
As long as you eat every three hours and you are conscious of utilizing your protein supplements during your post workout meal or when it is absolutely necessary for convenience or emergencies, and not take advantage of their convenience factor, you will seek the results you are striving for. Shoot for eating a complete protein such as egg whites or your lean meats with every meal, and utilizing your protein supplements for a few meals (2 max) couple scoops each day is not a bad idea, especially if you are on a low calorie diet for fat loss or when you’re using a post workout shake instead of a meal. Aside from that, focus on real food as your sole source of nutrients!
Remember a few things:
(1) consume a source of complete protein with every meal,
(2) eat at frequent intervals approximately three hours apart (about 5-7 times per day)
(3) consume a minimum of .8 grams to 1 gram per pound of body weight. Over 1 g/lb in some cases
(4) Utilize protein powders in times of emergencies and post workout meals
(5) Before bedtime is another great opportunity for these shakes
(6) remember if all else fails and it is a protein shake over a hamburger, all this goes out the window and opt for the shake, regardless of the amount you have had that day!!
(7) Regardless of the amount of shakes you have had, I would prefer you to have a shake vs. nothing at all!
Protein powders are great and where would we be without them but at the same time, don’t get into the habit of using powders as your sole means of protein, even though I know it is super convenient! šŸ˜‰