What is Whey Protein Powder ?
January 25, 2022 2023-12-27 17:15
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What is Whey Protein Powder ?
How many times have you heard about “whey protein powder” and how many times you have come to an explanation that it is the protein that gym goers take to build muscle. Very commonly known as the gym protein, whey protein powder has a lot more to it than just building muscles.
Before we jump to a list of benefits, it is important to understand its source and types available in market so that you make an informed decision before you buy one.
Whey comes from milk and it is just a fraction of the total protein present in milk. Milk protein is of two types, casein which makes 80% of protein and whey which makes only 20% of the total protein in milk.
In the process of cheese making, the white solids which are separated are casein protein components and the water which remains behind has whey protein in it. This water is dehydrated and worked upon to give whey protein powder.
This powder is then used singularly as pure whey protein or added to other nutrition powders to make a balance nutrition supplement or protein blend powder.
Types of Whey Protein
Coming to the types of whey, there are three types of whey protein powders available in market, namely whey protein concentrate, whey protein isolate and whey protein hydrolysate.
When the water from treated milk is dehydrated, the first form of protein which we get is whey protein concentrate. This has some amount of sugar, some fat, some immune boosting components and protein.
All these components in whey protein concentrate other than protein are highly beneficial for health and have a huge role to play in recovery process and immunity.
Some products require pure isolation of whey without other components which calls for more treatment of whey protein concentrate to give whey protein isolate which is a much purer protein form.
There is only protein and no fat, sugar, immune boosting components in whey protein isolate. A more advanced form of whey is whey protein hydrolysates which are derived by further treatment of whey isolates. Hydrolysates or whey peptides are a pre-digested form of whey which does not require digestion and can be easily absorbed.
Benefit of Whey Protein in Muscle Mass and Strength
Whey protein powder is so well known for building muscles, we can call it as its primary function. Whey protein has all nine essential amino acids present and has biological value of 104 which is greater than that of an egg which has the biological value of 100.
Biological value simply determines how well as protein is digested in your body and how well a body can utilize it. Since the value surpasses the standard reference value of egg, it definitely becomes the most fast digested and fast absorbed proteins of all.
Due to this unique quality, whey protein powder can target the muscle recovery process in a more focused manner.
On consuming whey post workout, whey protein quickly initiates muscle protein synthesis and helps build stronger muscle. As and how exercise progresses and lean muscle mass builds up, whey protein powder further helps strengthen the muscles by supplying the required amino acids regularly to the exercising muscles.
It takes only 20-30mins for whey protein to get digested in comparison to 6hrs taken by casein protein to digest. Because of this particular quality, it becomes the most ideal post-workout supplement or the most ideal supplement for recovery of critically ill patients as well.
Whey protein and Weight Loss
Exercise and protein are crucial in a weight loss process. If weight loss happens without exercise and a protein rich diet, it may be termed unhealthy since there is good chance that you may lose muscle as weight.
However, when weight loss happens as a result of combination of exercise plus a protein rich diet, the body composition is altered to higher muscle mass due to higher protein and lower fat mass due to increased muscle mass and increased metabolism as an effect of exercise and protein intake both.
This kind of fat loss and weight loss which is more gradual and not fast, is the right way to lose weight and whey protein powder plays a major role in speeding this process when consumed as a post-workout supplement. Thus whey protein helps to achieve healthy weight loss in the right manner.
Who all can take Whey Protein?
Whey protein powder used at all age groups and in all medical and fitness aspects of human health right from the kid’s protein powders to adult nutrition supplements, from diabetes supplements to cancer therapies and from weight loss to weight gain.
From illness to wellness, whey has a significant role of improving and maintaining the lean muscle mass thereby keeping body in a positive state of nitrogen balance and making sure there is enough protein available for daily wear and tear of tissues and cells.
It is safe to consume whey protein powder as a value addition to your diet and no side-effects have been studied so far across the medical research journals.
Consulting a healthcare professional is important so you make a right decision about the right product to use for your given condition. In conclusion we can say that whey protein powder is the best quality protein available in market at present and there is simply no comparison to its unique composition and structure.
Stay tuned with us for more information on whey protein in more depths and detail.
