What is whey protein?
- Dietitian.Lauren Hmede
- Apr 14, 2019
- 2 min read
WHAT IS WHEY PROTEIN?
Whey protein is one type of protej found mainly in dairy along with casein. It is a by product of cheese and yogurt production. Basically, you start with liquid milk and strain out the curds for cheese or yogurt, leaving whey behind.
Once it’s processed, it is usually sold as a powder its own or mixed into smoothie powders and drink mixes that also contain other nutrients. It is used for people with malnutrition and deficiencies or for improving athletic performance.
Large fractions of protein are broken down by the body’s digestive enzymes into amino acids. Amino acids are used for making new protein combination so the body will use to build muscle, enzymes, hormones and other substances needed for structure and function.
How much protein do we need daily?
Whey protein supplies all nine essential amino acids and is particularly high in leucine and cysteine. Protein sources that provide the body with leucine work for muscle growth that is why whey protein is used by gym goer.
You’ll find whey protein sold as whey protein or as whey protein isolate. Isolate protein mean it did follow a concentration more than protein. It contains slighlty higher protein but it is low in fat.
Benefits of whey:
Whey protein is known to have a relatively high biological value in another word the amino acids found in this protein are absorbed and used more efficiently than other protein.
Research has suggested that consuming whey following resistance training could result in enhanced muscle function and decreased muscle recovery time.
Another small study done on college-aged males suggested that ingestion of 48 grams of whey protein isolate three days a week for eight weeks resulted in increased lean body mass, muscle mass, strength and power, as well as a decrease in overall fat mass.
Other studies however, have shown no specific benefits. Of course, protein after a super intense workout, in general, is a good idea.
Side effects of whey:
Whey protein has been linked to stomach discomfort including bloating. What you can do is to pair whey protein with digestive enzymes in order to enhance absoprtion of nutrients while avoiding bloating feeling.
You need to remember that whey or other protein supplements may seem beneficial if you have malnutrition or you are training otherwise they are useless. You can get high quality whey from simply buying milk from good and healthy sources.
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