Differences between eating protein and drinking protein
Protein is an important part of a healthy diet. Made up of chemical building blocks called amino acids, these build and repair muscles and bones to make hormones and enzymes. Having it in your body speeds recovery after exercise and/or injury. Aside from that, it also reduces muscle loss and builds lean muscle.
It also helps maintain a healthy weight and curbs hunger. There are people who think protein is protein, no matter how you get it. Well, it’s both true and false. There are a few important distinctions between the sources to consider as you plan your diet.
So, what are the differences between eating and drinking protein?
Eating protein
According to experts, meat and dairy are the best-known sources of protein. This, of course, means providing every amino acid the body needs to synthesize muscle and stimulate tissue growth and repair.
Meat and dairy also come with vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, and disease-preventing antioxidants. In addition to health benefits like reducing the risk for cancer and heart problems, these substances promote digestive health and satiety.
Whole foods, on the other hand, lack the list of potential negative side effects that can come from protein shakes. This, of course, includes gastrointestinal distress, nausea, bloating, headaches, nutrient deficiencies, or negative interactions with certain medications.
Drinking protein
Packaged shakes are actually also made from complete proteins. This, of course, includes whey or casein. These are fortified with most of the vitamins and minerals you would find in regular food.
Sometimes, a typical shake provides an entire meal’s worth of protein — around twenty to thirty grams — in a single serving. However, a con does raise with drinking it. It can’t provide the fiber or antioxidants that many protein-rich whole foods can. These whole foods would also include lentils and quinoa, among others.
For the purposes of developing muscle, the only guidelines for a protein that you must follow should include these:
- Consume a source of complete protein with every meal.
- Eat at frequent intervals approximately three hours apart.
- Consume a minimum of 0.8-grams to 1 gram per pound of body weight.
The bottom like is the biggest advantage of supplements isn’t that they can build more muscle than chicken or egg whites or any other whole food. Basically, the biggest advantage is convenience. It becomes easier to drink a protein shake than it is to buy, prepare, and cook whole foods. Consuming small frequent meals is the optimal way to eat, regardless if your goal revolves around muscle gain or fat loss.
