What exactly is whey protein?
Whey protein is a substance separated from milk, and its main component is a complete protein, which can help the body to build or repair damaged tissues. Branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) and essential amino acids of whey protein can assist the digestion and absorption rate of human body, so it has become the new favorite of nutritional supplement.
How much protein do we need?
The quality of protein required by each person will vary with weight, age and activity:
Low activity: weight multiplied by 0.8 (lifestyle dominated by sitting posture)
Moderate activity: weight multiplied by 1.3 (basic exercise, labor and work)
High activity: weight multiplied by 1.8 (high-intensity physical activity, bodybuilder)
Why drink whey protein?
The meat, beans, milk and eggs we usually eat all contain protein. If we can get enough protein by eating food, we don't have to drink whey protein, but it's hard to get the protein quality for fitness by eating food. Take a bodybuilder weighing 60kg as an example. He needs to consume 90g of protein every day. If converted into milk, he will probably drink 2500 ~ 3000c.c；; If converted into chicken breast, it is about the size of a palm. Even if you take enough protein, it may be accompanied by too much calories and fat. Whey protein with protein content of 80% can absorb nearly 30g of protein with a cup of 200c.c, and the recommended intake can be easily reached with three cups a day, and the calories can be controlled, so it is not difficult to know why whey protein is favored by bodybuilders!
Of course, whey protein is not everything, and it will not become * * * just by drinking whey protein, but it must be combined with exercise, normal work and rest, and a balanced diet to have a healthy body and a perfect posture!
In addition to fitness groups, there are two other groups that also need to consume more protein, that is, the elderly and pregnant women.
Old people often feel that when they are older, they should have stricter diet control and eat less meat and eggs to avoid getting sick. But in fact, the muscles of the elderly respond poorly to low levels of protein and amino acids, so they need more protein to help muscle formation. If you want to age healthily and avoid insufficient muscle mass, you should not only strengthen the training of resistance exercise in daily life, but also take more protein to maintain muscle health.
In addition, another group that we often ignore is pregnant women, who have to bear the nutrition of the fetus and baby. After protein enters the pregnant mother, it is helpful to the construction and repair of cell tissue, which is of great help to both the fetus and the pregnant mother. Now, both pregnant women and lactating mothers should pay more attention to the intake of high-quality protein.
How to choose whey protein?
There are hundreds of whey protein powders on the market. How to choose them? When buying, you can refer to the following four points:
1. "Pay attention to the labeling of ingredients" and "protein content"
Whey protein can be roughly divided into three categories: concentrated whey protein, separated whey protein and hydrolyzed whey protein.
If there is no lactose intolerance or special gastrointestinal problems, most people just choose concentrated whey protein, which is convenient and economical. It is suggested that protein with a content of more than 80% and BCAA, creatine, taurine and other branched-chain amino acids in the ingredient list can be purchased. The ingredients retain many trace elements and nutrients needed by human body, which can provide balanced and diverse nutritional supplements. Even if you don't exercise, you can drink a proper amount of supplements.
2. "Choose your favorite taste"
Natural whey protein actually has an indescribable special smell, which is difficult for many people to accept. In order to make consumers eat better, whey protein with various flavors has also been introduced, including: mandolin flavor, Leo, matcha and other refreshing flavors; There are also the most popular flavors for girls, such as taro, Leo and red bean milk. It is suggested that you can try to find more flavors you like, which will help to develop drinking habits.
3. "Choose a good product with good solubility"
In addition to the taste, the solubility of protein powder is also one of the important factors affecting the taste. Whey protein, which is easy to brew, is smooth to drink and not easy to agglomerate. On the contrary, whey protein with poor solubility is easy to form dough in water. When buying, it is recommended to pay attention to whether the solubility is indicated in the product introduction or refer to the brewing experience of other netizens.
4. "Choose a reputable brand"
Whey protein from European and American brands used to be common in the market, but now there is whey protein powder from Taiwan Province province, which can provide you with more choices. It is recommended to choose branded products as far as possible to ensure a sense of security and peace of mind after drinking.