Why choose whey protein products?

Why protein has a number of health benefits, so it’s worth looking at the wide variety of products available

Over the last ten years, whey protein has become increasingly popular with athletes and body builders for its ability to increase strength and build muscle tissue. However, it is not just used as a sports nutrition supplement anymore. It is now widely regarded as being beneficial to a variety of different people and for that reason it can be found in pharmacies and health food shops.

Protein is important for repairing cells and building and repairing muscles and bones. It also provides us with a source of energy and controls many of the vital processes related to metabolism. Without it, all cellular development, respiration, and renewal would cease. It is essential, therefore, that we get enough protein in our diet. Whey protein provides an excellent source of the essential amino acids needed to fuel the body and maintain muscle mass.

There are three types of weigh protein:

• Concentrate
• Isolate
• Hydrolysed

Whey protein isolate is the purest form of whey protein, although all three types provide significant health benefits to people of all ages due to their high amino acid content. Why protein is very easy to digest and so taking whey protein supplements is an easy and convenient way to guarantee a healthy, high-protein diet.

Whey protein products are particularly beneficial to active individuals, individuals who exercise and professional athletes because it is the richest source of the essential amino acid, leucine. The body requires higher amounts of this amino acid during and following exercise. Research has shown that individuals who exercise benefit from diets high in leucine and have more lean muscle tissue and less body fat compared to individuals whose diet contains lower levels of leucine.

Whey protein supplements are now sold widely in health food shops, some chemists and online. It comes in powder, capsule, and tablet forms, and is a key ingredient in protein shakes. Whether you are a serious athlete, have a weak immune system, or are seeking to lose weight, whey protein supplements are definitely worth a try. They are even worth considering if you are worried about the natural aging process.

As with many sports and nutrition supplements there are a number of companies who sell products of a low or questionable quality, so you should do some thorough research before you make any purchase.

What Is Whey Protein? How Is Whey Protein Made?

Whey protein is derived from sweet dairy whey, a by-product of the cheese and dairy food industry. Not so long ago, whey was considered a useless waste-product and was disposed of -- in rural Ontario, Canada, where I grew up, and where there was a cheese factory on every corner, it was spread on the roads in the summer to keep the dust down (no kidding!). Of course, this hasn't been done now for years -- but for the longest time whey was dumped -- in rivers, streams, on roads, and even in the ocean.

No surprisingly, this environmental hazard alerted governments, and dairy producers were forced to discontinue this practice. It also forced them to take a closer look at what they were throwing out. Although whey in its raw state is a pretty disgusting concoction, containing mostly lactose (milk sugar), fat, and ash (minerals), it's protein profile alerted manufacturers to a potential income source, and thus the first primitive whey protein powders were born.

Nonetheless, these first whey protein powders wouldn't have impressed you or I, as they contained a measly 10-15% protein, and tasted pretty awful. Things progressed when French researchers developed a filtering process (called "ultra filtration"), which was more effective at separating the protein from the lactose and the ash, increasing the protein content of these powders to as much as 70%. Over time, the efficiency of the ultra filtration process improved to the point that the protein content of such powders increased to around 80 percent.

The next breakthrough in whey filtration came about in the form of the "ion-exchange" process, in which protein is isolated from the raw whey by the merit of positive and negative charges. By taking the ion-extracted protein and processing it through the "ultra filtration" process, protein powders where able reach 90% purity (i.e. minimal amounts of fat, ash, and lactose remaining in the final product).

Not all proteins are ion-exchanged, of course. The best whey proteins are created by a blend of the ultra filtration process and the newer micro and nano filtration processes. This involves processing the protein garnered from the ultra filtration process through a series of ceramic filters with tiny (read "microscopic") holes. Whey protein formulated in this manner is slightly purer than ion-exchanged protein (generally averaging about 90-94% purity). Best of all, it tends to deliver a protein with all its critical fractions and sub-fractions intact (more on the importance of this in the following articles), and a greater percentage of branch-chain amino acids.

Get Lean With Whey Protein

Everyone wants to look their best, regardless of who they are. People want to be slimmer, healthier, and stronger than they have ever been in their lives. In order to look your best you need to do more than just diet, exercise is essential in order to build lean muscle and lose weight. Adding vitamins and supplements will also help in this process, and to taking back your health overall.

One supplement which is arguably the most useful to help build lean muscle mass is whey protein. Whey protein is a milk by-product, and is separated from the milk during the process of making cheese. Whey protein has the highest value for providing branched chain amino acids, which help you to build and retain muscle tissue.

From a dieting aspect, whey protein balances blood sugar levels, which will rid you of symptoms like excessive over eating. You will have more energy and your body will be able to shed more unnecessary fat tissue. Whey protein often comes in a powdered form, and can be mixed into your drink or turned into a shake for consumption. Whey proteins do best when mixed with milk to slow down digestion and give them plenty of time to absorb into your body for maximum effect.

In addition to increasing your intake of vitamins, minerals and supplements (like whey protein), your regular diet could use some modification. Eating more small meals throughout the day keeps your blood sugar steady, keeps your digestive tract from overloading (which can lead to less absorption of nutrients as your body rushes to keep up), and less chance of over-eating due to hunger pangs or lack of food. Some experts recommend as many as five to seven very small meals throughout the day. Three or more of these meals can be supplemented with a whey protein drink or shake, and the whey will help curb your hunger even more, and increase your energy as the proteins go to work on your body.

Whey proteins, coupled with a good diet and exercise, will allow your body to show the results that you want even faster. Whey protein is good for you in general as well, even if you are happy with your weight and shape. You may find yourself becoming even more toned than before, and having a lot more energy to get done what needs to be done. A busy mom on the go can always use an energy boost, and the healthy benefits of whey protein offer just that to anyone.

Taking whey proteins does to not have to be the equivalent to taking your medicine as a child, either. Bodybuilders all over the world use whey protein to help them gain lean muscle mass, and the high demand for great tasting and easy to take supplements have caused nutrition companies to come up with wonderful flavors and powders that blend better than ever with your water, juice, or milk. Drinking your protein shake everyday can be a joy and a pleasure if you find the brand and the flavor that is best for you.

There is plenty of information online from nutrition companies wishing to sell their products. The best way to find information on the whey protein that is best for you is to ask other people at the gym or someone at a nutrition store which brands of whey protein taste great and work the best for them. Getting lean has never been easier than eating well, eating right, and supplementing your diet with exercise and nutrition.

Whey proteins are a favorite of bodybuilders for their ability to build lean muscle in a short amount of time, so imagine the results that you could get with a little whey protein, some boosted energy, and a gym membership. You'll be on your way to your dream body, supplemented with a milkshake a day

Benefits of Whey Protein?

Whey protein has grown in popularity with body builders, dieters, and those looking to maintain their health and well being for numerous reasons...

First of all, as a pure protein source, nothing can beat whey protein. It has the highest BV value of all proteins (Biological Value -- a term used to measure the amount if "usable" amino acids a protein source delivers) - around 100. (Many advertisers claim whey has a "BV" value in excress of 150, but that's impossible as well as misleading, since the maximum BV score is around 100).

The quality of whey as a protein source is only a small part of the story, of course.

Whey protein provides the building blocks of glutathione (GSH), a critical component of a properly functioning immune system, and probably the most important anti-oxidant in the body. Additionally, whey protein has been reported to increase immunity, supress hunger and encourage fat burning, lower cortisol levels (a stress hormone), fight cancer cells, and have anti-bacterial and anti-microbial activity.

Pretty impressive stuff indeed. But there is a hitch...

Whey protein is made up of a blend of smaller protein "subfractions" or peptides (you may have even seen some of these subfractions labelled on your whey protein product -- lactoferrin, alpha lactalbumin, immunoglobins, and beta lactoglobin are but a few you may already be familiar with).

Each subfraction has it's own unique and beneficial characteristics. And in large part, it is these peptides (singularly, or in concert with others within the whey protein profile), to which the health benefits mentioned earlier are attributed.

So what's the hitch?

The most beneficial subfractions comprise only a tiny percentage of the overall makeup of the whey protein. Lactoferrin, for instance, a subfraction that has been demonstrated to display "antimicrobial" activity, accounts for less than 1% of the total whey protein profile.

Worse still, it is these critical and most important subfractions that are most often compromised (denatured) in the filtering process (by high heat or acidic conditions), and/or are filtered out of the final product almost all together. Denaturing a protein or protein subfraction robs it of its "biological activity", meaning it provides little in the way of additional health benefits.

As consumers, it is important that you and I receive all the benefits of whey protein as flaunted at us by its manufacturers... and that means getting a complete, biologically active protein profile.

Ion-exchange protein, for instance, is one the worst forms of whey protein isolates when it comes to filtering out these critical subfractions. The best whey proteins (as far as keeping these critical subfractions and biologically active) are formed by the cold-temperature microfiltering process.

What is whey Protein?

When we talk about whey we are actually referring to a complex ingredient made up of protein, lactose, fat and minerals. Protein is the best known component of whey and is made up of many smaller protein sub fractions such as: Beta-lactoglobulin, alpha-lactalbumin, immunoglobulins (IgGs), glycomacropeptides, bovine serum albumin (BSA) and minor peptides such as lactoperoxidases, lysozyme and lactoferrin. Each of the subfractions found in whey has its own unique biological properties.

Up until quite recently, separating these subfractions on a large scale was either impossible or prohibitively expensive for anything but research purposes. Modern filtering technology has improved dramatically in the past decade, allowing companies to separate some of the highly bioactive peptides -such as lactoferrin and lactoperoxidase-from whey.

Some of these subfractions are only found in very minute amounts in cow's milk, normally at less than one percent. For example, although it is one of the most promising subfractions for preventing various diseases, improving immunity and overall health, lactoferrin makes up approximately 0.5% or less of whey protein derived from cow's milk (whereas human milk protein will contain up to 15% lactoferrin). Over the past few decades, whey protein powders have evolved several generations from low protein concentrates to very high protein isolates.

What's so great about whey Protein?

Whey protein has become a staple supplement for most bodybuilders and other athletes, and for good reason: it's a great protein with a wide variety of benefits. Whey has more recently caught on with the anti-aging/longevity-minded groups also.

A growing number of studies has found whey may potentially reduce cancer rates, combat HIV, improve immunity, reduce stress and lower cortisol, increase brain serotonin levels, improve liver function in those suffering from certain forms of hepatitis, reduce blood pressure, and improve performance, to name a few of its potential medical- and sports-related applications. Whey also has an exceptionally high biological value rating and an exceptionally high Branch Chain Amino Acid (BCAA) content.

Three ways that whey protein can improve your health

Whey protein is a supplement that can make a dramatic difference to your health

Originally favoured by athletes and body builders for its ability to help maintain muscle mass, whey protein is fast becoming popular with non-sports people, too. Protein has a number of different roles in the body including the following:

• Provides a source of energy
• Controls many of the important processes in the body related to metabolism
• Repairs body cells
• Builds and repairs muscles and bones

Whey protein is the king of all proteins because it is very easy to digest and it is a naturally complete protein, meaning it contains all of the essential amino acids required in the daily diet.

Weight loss
Whey protein is a key ingredient in many weight loss and meal replacement products and whey protein isolate (with no fat or carbohydrates) is often the type that dieters choose. Whey protein promotes weight loss by stimulating the release of two hormones that act as natural appetite suppressants in the body. Studies have found that if you combine diets with leucine-rich protein foods, like whey protein, and exercise you have more lean muscle tissue and you lose more body fat. As you lose fat, your metabolic rate increases and you naturally burn more calories each day.

Immune system
Whey protein protects against free radical damage and strengthens the immune system by increasing levels of glutathione, the body’s most abundant antioxidant. Preliminary research indicates that whey protein inhibits the growth of many types of cancerous tumors, and may also help lower blood pressure in individuals diagnosed with borderline hypertension.

Promotes healing of skin and muscle tissue
Just as athletes use whey protein to help them heal any tissue or muscle damage as a result of training, people who have suffered a physical injury or illness can find whey protein very beneficial. This is down to the essential amino acids in whey protein. An adequate supply of amino acids is vital for the growth and maintenance of all bodily tissues, including bone, muscle, skin, and nails. Because whey protein is easily digestible and it is a complete protein, it can help promote healing very quickly.

If you’re seeking to lose weight, have a compromised immune system, or have suffered an illness, then a whey protein supplement is definitely worth a try.

The Benefits of Whey Protein

Whey protein confers eight distinct benefits that will help you re-capture the appearance and vitality of your youth.

1. The high level of cysteine, an essential amino acid, stimulates glutathione production by as much as 60 percent. This is one of the most potent endogenous (i.e. made naturally by your body) antioxidants. The increased glutathione levels help to bolster your immune system, and also neutralize the free radicals that promote aging, heart disease and cancer. Whey protein may lower the risk of prostate cancer, in particular.

2. Whey helps to build muscle. With each year that passes after age 30, you lose one-half to one pound of muscle. This is replaced by 1 to 2.5 pounds of fat per year. Whey protein builds muscle better than any other protein source because it is uniquely rich in all the essential amino acids. These amino acids, such as valine, leucine, and iso-leucine are needed to repair muscle tissue broken down by exercise or stress and replace old, dead or damaged cells with new ones. For each one pound of muscle you add to your body, you burn an additional 50 calories per day, even at rest.

3. Whey protein burns fat, especially inside your abdomen, where it is the most unattractive and the most dangerous for your health. It does this by increasing your metabolism so you will burn more calories. Studies show that simply adding whey to a standard diet will help you lose body fat while maintaining muscle during weight loss.

4. Whey increases satiety, thereby lowering your daily intake of calories. Probably the single most important step in preventing aging and disease is to simply reduce calorie intake. You will find it difficult to not eat if you are hungry all the time; conversely it is easier to avoid the lure of junk food and excess calories if you aren’t hungry. Whey will fill you up and keep you feeling full longer with fewer calories than any other food.

5. When substituted for other protein sources, whey reduces the load of toxic pro-aging and potentially carcinogenic substances. Whey is a pure and clean protein source that contains no toxic contaminants such as pesticides commonly found in meat and dairy, or nitrosamines found in processed luncheon-type meats.

6. Whey protein may reduce depression and emotional stress because it is high in tryptophan—an amino acid that improves mood and sleep quality in some individuals.

7. Whey improves blood pressure levels. Clinical studies show that whey protein isolate contains bioactive peptides that appear to lower blood pressure in people with mild hypertension.

8. The amino acids in whey protein are the exact building blocks your body needs to restore the youthful luster and fullness to your hair and give you smooth, shiny and strong nails. You may notice an improvement in the appearance and strength of your hair and nails when you use whey protein on a daily basis. Because whey also improves immunity and insulin resistance, it can be effective in preventing or improving toenail and fingernail fungal infections.

Why Whey Protein is Way Better for You!

Whey is one of the best sources for high quality protein. It is also among the most powerful anti-aging, fat-burning, disease-fighting foods you can eat. You need to make whey a staple in your diet if you want to lose your excess weight and rejuvenate your life. Without a doubt, protein is the best nutrient for producing the sensation of being full.

Protein also helps to build muscle and keep your metabolic furnace cranked up – giving you more energy and burning off more calories. This is why high-protein plans like the Atkins Diet and the South Beach Diet are usually successful in producing weight loss.

You are designed to thrive best on a diet rich in high-quality protein. But the protein our ancestors ate was lean, higher in Omega-3 fats, low in saturated fat, and devoid of dangerous chemicals like nitrites, industrial pollutants, synthetic hormones, herbicides, pesticides, and added salt. Furthermore, most of their protein was eaten raw. And while cooking meat and fish is great for killing microbes and parasites, (not to mention improving the flavor), the high temperatures can denature the proteins and produce dangerous carcinogens like heterocyclic amines.

Whey protein is a clean source of high-quality protein in a convenient form that is completely free of any of these contaminants or carcinogens. So while ample protein in your diet is as crucial to your long-term health and vigor today as it was 10,000 years ago, many of your protein sources today are not ideal. For example, too much fatty red meat can increase cardiac risk factors, and if the meat is charred and overdone, over the years it may increase the risk of cancer, as well.

Whey protein is a natural, safe, and good-tasting protein source that will give you the best of both worlds. If you use a “clean and pure” whey protein product you will get the benefits of a high-quality protein rich in branched chain amino acids that will help you to achieve your ideal body weight, improve your immunity, boost your antioxidant anti-aging defenses, and keep you filled up. And you will also have a quick, easy, and tasty protein source that is free of toxic contaminants. Although whey is derived from milk, it is free of lactose and saturated fats, meaning you get the high-quality protein, without having to worry about the risks associated with dairy products.

Whey Protein Concentrates:

First generation whey protein powders contain as low as 30-40% protein and high amounts of lactose, fat, and undenatured proteins. They are categorized as a whey concentrate and are used mostly by the food industry for baking and other uses. Modern concentrates now contain as high as 70-80% protein with reduced amounts of lactose. This is achieved through ultra-filtration processing, which removes lactose, thus elevating the concentration of protein and fat in the final product. Although much maligned by companies who have invested heavily in marketing isolates, a well made concentrate is still a high quality source of whey protein, though it will contain higher levels of lactose, ash, and fat then an isolate.

How whey protein can build strength and help recovery

If you’re on the look out for a supplement that can help you in your strength training or to recover from an injury, then whey protein may be just the thing for you Whey protein is set apart from all the other sources of protein because it is a naturally complete protein. This means that it contains all the essential amino acids required in the daily diet. The body needs both essential and non-essential amino acids for it to function properly. We can make non-essential amino acids from other amino acids in our body, but we can only get essential amino acids by eating high quality protein foods.

Protein is essential for a variety of roles in the body, including the control of many of the important processes in the body related to metabolism and the building and repairing of muscles and bones. It is also necessary for the repair of body cells. You can obviously get protein from sources such as fish, eggs and meat, but since whey protein is such an excellent source of amino acids and it is easily digestible, it is widely used by athletes and body builders. The body requires higher amounts of amino acids during and following exercise, as they are taken up directly by the skeletal muscles. Many athletes also find it beneficial to have a whey protein drink immediately after exercise to help repair and rebuild lean muscle tissue.

Whey protein alone will not build strength and help recovery, however. You should also try to get lots of rest. Sleep and rest are even more necessary than usual when you are putting your body under a lot of strain or your body needs to recover from an injury. The body needs time to rest and repair itself by drawing on the nutrients that you feed it. Most cell and tissue regrowth happens during the night when you are asleep.

It may be that you are not getting enough protein in your daily diet, especially if you consume a lot of processed meals. Processed meals contain fewer vitamins and minerals than freshly prepared, home-made food. Vegetarians should particularly make sure that they are getting the right amount of protein, by eating a range of foods such as eggs, cheese, tofu, soya and pulses. By taking a whey protein supplement at times when you need it most, you can ensure that you get a healthy, high protein diet.

How Much We Need Whey Protein In Diet?

How much protein we need in our diet, partly depends on who we are and how active we are Getting a balanced diet is very important, especially in the fast moving world we live in now. What we eat affects not just the way we look, but the way we feel, too, and it can have profound implications on the quality and length of our life. Protein plays a big part in a balanced diet, along with carbohydrate, fibre and fat.

You can get protein from meat, fish, pulses, eggs and dairy products, but whey protein contains the most and the highest quality protein of them all. Derived from cow’s milk, whey is a naturally complete protein, meaning it contains all the essential amino acids required in the daily diet. For the body to function properly, it needs both essential and non-essential amino acids. These fuel the body and maintain muscle mass. The body is able to make non-essential amino acids from other amino acids in the body. However, it is not able to make essential amino acids and the only way to get them is by eating high quality protein foods.

Protein is needed to:

• Provide a source of energy
• Repair body cells
• Control many of the important processes in the body related to metabolism
• Build and repair muscles and bones

Even if you think you are eating a balanced diet containing lots of protein, you’ve got to make sure that you are eating high quality, low fat sources of protein, like whey protein. Compared to other proteins, whey protein isolate delivers more essential amino acids to the body, but without the fat or cholesterol. Nutrition experts therefore recommend a diet with a variety of protein foods, but for optimal results you should make sure that one of them is whey protein.

Whey protein is particularly beneficial to a number of different groups of people:

Athletes – People who do regular physical activity and weight training need more amino acids than the average person to increase strength, build muscle tissue, and enhance their athletic performance.

Elderly – Research has shown that whey protein can slow down muscle loss in elderly people, particularly in those who have a decreased appetite and who’ll be eating less protein as a result.

People recovering from illness or injury – Whey is a complete protein and is easy to digest. It is, therefore, quick working and can help to rebuild tissue and bones.