We’re living in a world where the fitness game has become the most competitive in nature. You could be an athlete, a health fitness freak who loves the gym more than home or you could be someone who is just trying to work on their health before it’s too late. Whatever it is, along with the right diet and performing the correct set of exercises every day, there’s another thing that has come into the picture these days—the protein powders.
When you say ‘protein powder’ what comes to your mind first? Whey protein, isn’t it? Protein powders and snacks pumped with proteins have become the new ordeal these days to supplement the protein intake of the body. This is because the food that you eat isn’t sufficient to meet the protein requirements of the body, especially when you are working out. For protein is one of the main elements to build muscles of your body. However, the beauty that lays within the world of protein powders is the versatility element that they come with. You don’t have to have them at the conjunction period before you begin your workout, but you can also have your protein powders after having incorporated them into the breakfast that you love eating first thing in the morning every day. You can also mix it with yogurt and eat it as a snack, you can also include it while baking your banana bread. If you’re new to this world, then it would be hard for you to choose one particular protein powder that is right for your body. So, how can we know the difference and what is right for us?
For the basics, two types of protein powders are easily available in the market right now—the vegan variety and the whey variety. And now allow us to give a whirlwind tour about the difference that both of these varieties come with.
The Vegan Protein Powder
The vegan protein is popularly known as plant-based protein by many and it has a massively growing fan base in current times. These proteins are derived from isolated proteins that come from vegetables, grains, seeds, and fruits. The most common ones being sunflower, hemp, pea, rice, pumpkin, etc. As they are derived from plants only, the vegan protein powders become an excellent choice for vegetarians and vegans. Vegan proteins are dairy-free and gluten-free in nature and they are considered to be the best protein powder options for those who have sensitive stomachs. Another good thing about vegan proteins is that they are hypoallergenic in nature meaning that there are very minimal chances that your body might respond negatively after its consumption. In fact, for those who have sensitive stomachs, consuming vegan protein will help strengthen their digestive system as vegan protein powders are packed with digestive enzymes and fibers that ease absorption and digestion. One important point to note here is that vegan protein powders don’t come with a complete profile of amino acid. However, they do contain at least 9 of the essential ones that cannot be formed in our human body and have to be taken through supplements or food. Several types of research show how consuming vegan protein powder has helped better the heart’s health and also lower the blood pressure levels of the body.
The Whey Protein Powder
Whey protein is considered to be one of the two proteins that can be derived from milk. The second one is casein. Have you observed the liquid floating whenever you open yogurt or milk? That liquid is nothing but whey. This protein comes with a complete profile of amino acids, unlike the vegan counterpart. Whey protein has been lauded by fitness enthusiasts for ages for its ability to help promote and maintain the muscle growth of the body. When this protein powder intake is clubbed with an active lifestyle, the results are amazing! Whey protein isolates hydrolyzed whey protein, and whey protein concentrate is the variations of whey proteins that are available right now. Whey isolate is known to have more protein content and lesser levels of lactose, fats, and carbs in it. Whey protein concentrate has 80% of the protein in it and whey protein isolate has 90%. Consuming whey protein powder helps in boosting the immune system of the body and also helps in detoxification.
Ultimately, what we can conclude here is that your choice of protein powder completely depends on what your body goals are and how the functioning of your body is. Therefore, it’s best advised to consult a nutritionist before zeroing on your protein powder choice.
