The Best Protein Powders
Wednesday, September 17th, 2008The Power of Protein Powder: If you don’t have a protein powder habit, chances are you’re probably not a real bodybuilder. No offense. The shaker cup in your gym bag is the sign that you belong to the crew of serious muscle-molders, but what’s in that shaker could be the difference between major muscle mass and tiny itty bitty biceps. Here’s how to tell the difference between the best protein powder types:
Whey Protein:
-(1 scoop)
-85 calories
-20g protein
-1g carbs
-0g fat
-0g fiber
Whey is the king of all protein powders. Whey digests quickly, which means it’s ideal for times when your muscles need protein in a snap–namely, in the morning, and pre- and post-workout.
Casein Protein:
-(1 scoop)
-120 calories
-23g protein
-4g carbs
-1 g fat
-0g fiber
This slow-digesting protein is ideal during the bedtime hours. Through research, it was found that subjects who drank a whey-casein shake after workouts gained more muscle mass than those who drank only whey.
Soy Protein:
-(1 scoop)
-120 calories
-25g protein
-1g carbs
-1.5g fat
-0.5 fiber
Don’t fear soy’s mythical “feminizing” effect. Instead, focus on the heart protecting and cancer-fighting benefits of its isoflavones. Soy protein also contains more arginine than whey. And with more arginine that’s available, the more fresh blood flow you get to your muscles. And the more blood flow, the more nutrients your muscles receive.
Egg Protein:
-(1 scoop)
-100 calories
-22g protein
-3g carbs
-0.5g fat
-1g fiber
Egg protein is easily absorbed and quickly digested (though not like whey), egg protein is your basic no-frills, high-quality protein-no fancy antioxidants, no greater amount of amino acids over another. Nonetheless, a good protein type.
Brown Rice:
-(1 scoop)
-110 calories
-21 g protein
-4g carbs
-1g fat
-1g fiber
Brown rice is a carb, but it also contains protein. Remove most of those carbs and concentrate it into a powder, and you have a complex protein with five times the arginine of whey.
