Choosing the Right Protein Powder
Tayyab provides advice on choosing the suitable protein powder for your diet and determining quality.
As the health and fitness market grows, so do the number of products that claim to have the best solutions, especially when it comes to powdered supplements. With so many products in the market, ranging from fat-burning pills to whey protein isolates and concentrates (and everything else in between), choosing the right product for your muscle-building needs can be tricky. How do you determine which among the bottles or packs on the shelves are suited for you? Here are five tips.
Go raw, where possible
Sure, there are many high-quality protein supplements in stores, but nothing beats sticking to the raw basics. The protein manufacturing process involves a lot of heat to get them to that consumable, powdered state. Many foods are already rich in protein and do not need to be processed. Many health experts recommend taking food as they are, just as nature intended, and adopting a whole-food approach to nutrition.
Of course, raw proteins are not always readily available everywhere. That said, we can rely on the powdered version where applicable.
Look for a product that promotes optimal digestion
To ensure that you get the maximum benefits and nutrients from your supplement, go with vegetable-based options with bio-fermented ingredients. Sprouted and bio-fermented proteins have relatively high nutritional content delivered in an easily digestible way. You can find this out by checking the healthy guide on the packaging or asking a health consultant to interpret information.
Latest developments in nutrition also reveal that pre-biotics found in supplements help promote the growth of good bacteria in the stomach. This means that your body can better digest and absorb the powdered supplement's protein better than the traditional whey products.
Say "no" to additives
Additives can mimic hormones in the body and disrupt endocrinal function. In addition to having zero health benefits, they can also lead to digestive upsets. This is pretty straightforward and goes for all types of food, not just protein supplements.
Check for digestive enzymes
The body naturally secretes digestive enzymes to help maximize the absorption of vitamins and minerals in the food and drinks that we consume. When our food does not have enough digestive enzymes, our bodies are forced to use its stock enzymes to break it down. Protein powders that have their supply of enzymes, such as sprouted and bio-fermented foods, raw foods, and alkaline foods, reduce the amount of stress your body is subjected to by having to tap into its coffers.
Go natural, always
If consuming powdered protein supplements is your only available option, you must make sure to choose those with only natural ingredients and flavourings. Artificial sweeteners can cause more harm than good to the body, leading to changes in heart rate, headaches, mood disorders, and more.
Overall, your body is your temple, so you must treat it carefully and with respect it deserves. While going raw is the best option for your diet, if consumer powdered supplements cannot be helped, be sure to know what you are looking for. Find products that do not contain any artificial ingredients and are high in probiotics that can help it extract and deliver all the nutritional benefits possible.
Page Reference
If you quote information from this page in your work, then the reference for this page is:
- TAYYAB (2017) Choosing the Right Protein Powder [WWW] Available from: https://www.brianmac.co.uk/articles/article281.htm [Accessed
About the Author
Mr Tayyab is a Freelance Journalist who writes about Nutrition and Minerals to help athletes.