A QUICK LOOK AT THE DIFFERENT TYPES

A QUICK LOOK AT THE DIFFERENT TYPES

The undisputed king of proteins. Here’s why: whey proteins are quickly and easily digest­ed (hence the “fast-acting” description that they’re often given), they are loaded with Es­sential Amino Acids (EAAs)–including the three Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs), and they contain subcomponents (microfractions) that appear to provide benefits above and beyond amino acids and elemental nitrogen. Whey pro­teins are available in several forms. The most basic is whey concentrate. Whey protein iso­lates have much of the fat, lactose and other undesirable elements ‘isolated’ out. Whey pep­tides have been hydrolyzed, or broken down, for even faster digestion. So the purest and fastest digesting whey proteins you can buy are hydrolyzed whey protein isolates.

Casein Proteins

About 80% of the protein in milk is casein. Often referred to as a “slower-acting” or “time-released” protein because it is di­gested and absorbed much more slowly than other proteins, casein proteins are especial­ly useful when taken at bedtime and during other prolonged periods without eating.

Egg Proteins

Ask any dietitian, “What’s the best source of protein?” and eggs will probably top the list. Most nutrition textbooks refer to eggs as the “gold standard” for protein quality. With loads of EAAs and some of the highest scores of protein quality, we’re not going to argue. Naturally dairy-free, eggs are a great alternative to whey, casein, and whole milk proteins for those with milk allergies or se­vere lactose intolerance.

Blended Proteins

If you can only afford one type of protein, con­sider going with a blend. Combining faster-, intermediate-, and slower-protein sources, blended proteins give you more sustained protein digestion than single-source pro­teins like whey, casein,or egg.

Recovery Proteins

There are moderate calorie, fast-acting pro­tein and carbohydrate combinations specifi­cally designed to be consumed immediately after workouts when nutrient needs are great and glycogen and muscle protein re­synthesis are at their peak. Many also con­tain whey protein hydrolysates and supple­mental ingredients like creatine, BCAAs, and glutamine to further aid the recovery and rebuilding process.* This may also include complementing ingredients like, creatine, betaine and micronized amino acids to assist with your muscle building goals.*