protein as a supplement to support daily protein requirement. Whey protein helps in gaining muscle mass, preserve lean muscle & enhance satiation. But, the benefits of whey protein are not only limited to this. Let’s understand what is whey protein and benefits of whey protein, which can assist you, meet your fitness goals.
What is Whey Protein
Milk contains 2 kinds of protein – whey and casein. The liquid part is whey which is approximately 20% of milk, the rest 80% is casein protein. Whey protein is a mixture of proteins, which are derived from milk during the cheese
production process. The liquid part extracted from milk during this process is full of protein, which is called whey.
realistic liquid milk pour on a wooden bowl and splash out, isolated on cream background.
Whey protein comes loaded with the benefits of 9 essential amino acids that assists in rapid muscle recovery post rigorous workout session. This is one of the most important benefit of whey protein when compared to other proteins available. Whey proteins are naturally loaded with antioxidants that help you build your immunity response as well.
Now that we learnt about the meaning of whey protein, let’s now understand various whey protein benefits it comes enriched with.
Benefits of Whey Protein
Following is a list of benefits that a whey protein supplement can provide you:
1. Rich Source of Quality Protein
2. Promotes Muscle Growth
3. Assist in Weight Loss
4. Help in Quick Muscle Recovery
5. Enhance Immunity Response
6. Healthy Aging
Let’s now discuss the 6 whey protein benefits in detail that might prove to be helpful for you:
1. Rich source of Quality Protein
Whey protein is a rich source of protein, which contains all essential amino acids as well. Essential amino acids are not produced in the body and it is necessary for all to consume the same every day through diet. 9 amino acids are
considered to be essential. When you consume protein, it’s broken down into amino acids, which assists in muscle building and immune function as well.
2. Promotes Muscle Growth
Muscle mass usually decreases with age. However, this can be managed easily with a perfect combination of rigorous workout and sufficient and healthy diet. Including protein in your diet along with regular training can help you promote
muscle growth. Whey protein is a rich source of protein and comes loaded with the benefits of 9 essential amino acids (EAAs). Leucine, which is one of the essential amino acids helps in muscle growth as it is the most growth promoting
or anabolic of all the other amino acids present in whey protein.
3. Assist in Weight Loss
Whey protein powder can help you lose fat and maintain a healthy weight. Protein keeps you full for longer as it takes more time to digest than fats and carbohydrates. This helps in the prevention of untimely food cravings and assist in
losing fat. In a study, which was conducted on 158 people, the individuals who were given whey “lost significantly more body fat and showed a greater preservation of lean muscle compared to subjects consuming the control beverage.”.
4. Help in Quick Muscle Recovery
Post rigorous workout sessions, the human body needs protein to repair damaged and stressed muscles and recover quickly. Consuming whey protein post workout is beneficial to fasten muscle recovery process as it contains amino acids like
Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) and glutamine.
5. Enhance Immunity Response
Whey protein comes packed with various components which are essential to form antibodies in our body. These antibodies assist in fighting against severe diseases, infections and helps in enhancing immunity. Whey protein also increases
the production of Glutathione in our body, which is a strong antioxidant that helps in recovering and fighting stress and inflammation after a rigorous workout session.
6. Healthy Aging
As you grow old, the body composition and physiologic functions tend to change. This makes whey protein an ideal source of protein for older people as it helps them provide good quality protein and essential amino acids. This will not
only help in prevention of lean muscle loss due to inactivity but also will assist in improving muscle mass and enhancing bone strength.
Apart from all the primary benefits of whey protein mentioned above, whey protein supplements provide few other health benefits as well. Whey protein also contain some anti-cancer properties, enhances immune function, assists in managing blood cholesterol and sugar levels.
Types of Whey Protein
Primarily, there are 3 types of whey protein available in the market: whey protein concentrate, whey protein isolate and whey protein hydrolysate. Let’s understand about these 3 types of whey protein in detail:
1. Whey Protein Concentrate: The protein concentration in this type of whey protein ranges between 80-85% with carbohydrates, fats and minerals. Whey protein concentrate has 80% protein approximately.
2. Whey Protein Isolate: Whey Protein Concentrate is further processed to remove fat and lactose present, which gives us whey protein isolate. Whey protein isolate is the purest form of protein available, which contains at least 90% protein. Whey protein isolate supplements are recommended for individuals who are lactose intolerant and one should use it to gain lean muscles and fulfill their daily protein requirements.
3. Whey Protein Hydrolysate: Whey protein hydrolysate is a type of whey protein which can be absorbed way faster than the other 2 types of whey proteins. It is easiest to digest because of its long protein chains called peptides, which gets further broken down into individual amino acids. Whey protein hydrolysate provides 90% rapidly-digesting pure whey protein.
How to Choose Best Whey Protein Supplement for You?
Choosing a whey protein supplement can be a task if you are unsure of the objectives of consuming it. Before buying a whey protein supplement, you should compare the benefits of whey protein supplements of different types of brands. You
can buy a whey protein supplement when you determine your daily protein requirement and fitness goal.
If you are working out for a ripped body, whey protein isolate and hydrolysate should be the ones that you should prefer. In case, you are aiming to gain weight, you can also choose and buy whey protein concentrate. But, in case you are lactose intolerant, then you should consume whey protein isolate or whey protein hydrolysate only due to its lower lactose content in comparison to whey protein concentrate.
So, to choose and buy best whey protein supplement, you should evaluate benefits of whey protein, determine your requirements, check the composition, nutritional facts, whey protein per serving, and certifications. Also, the whey protein supplement should be certified and free from banned, or prohibited substances.
Conclusion
Whey Protein powders are naturally unflavoured and doesn’t taste so mouth-watering by itself. If you are looking to buy a whey protein powder, you should make sure that you buy a whey protein supplement with a flavor of your choice. The
protein per serving will help you meet your daily protein requirement and achieve your fitness goals. It is always advisable to consult your nutritionist before buying any health and nutrition supplement and check the benefits of whey
protein before buying if it’s the right supplement for you.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q. Is whey protein safe?
A. It is always advisable not to consume whey protein in excess. Whey Protein supplements should be taken in the right amounts and right intervals as per the requirements or as advised by the nutritionist. Not only this, buy whey
protein supplements from Guardian.in (GNC India) as it sells authentic whey protein supplements which are certified and WADA approved and does not contain any banned substances.
Q. When should we take whey protein?
A. Whey protein supplements should be consumed after reading the product details and recommended way of using it. Ideally, one should consume whey protein supplements half an hour after workout session as it will help your body with
some quick muscle recovery.
Q. What are the benefits of whey protein? [H3]
A. Following are some of the most important benefits of whey protein:
1. Rich Source of Protein
2. Promotes Muscle Growth
3. Assist in Weight Loss
4. Help in Quick Muscle Recovery
5. Enhance Immunity Response
6. Healthy Aging
Q. Can I drink whey protein without working out?
A. Yes, you can drink whey protein supplement without working out. But, in case your objective is to lose weight, consuming more proteins and not working out will make you gain calories, which can make your weight loss journey
difficult.
Q. Should I drink whey protein with milk or water?
A. Yes, you can drink whey protein with milk or water. It is also recommended that you read the product label before consuming the supplement to understand the recommended usage of the supplement.
