So basically nowadays what’s the first thing you hear when you ask someone about building a good physique? Most Probably Hit the Gym and Consume a lot of protein, But is it that simple? What’s the exact role of Whey protein in building a good physique you’ve been dreaming of?.Let’s dive a bit deeper to know exactly how all the protein thing works.
What is Whey Protein?
Whey Protein as you know is one of the basic building blocks of the human body. Whey Protein is a By-Product obtained after processing Milk by adding a Coagulant to it. For Eg: Cottage Cheese (a.k.a Paneer) which is made by adding acidic substance such as ‘Lemon’ or ‘Vinegar‘ in Hot milk. This process then separates the Curds(Casein form) and the whey.
So after this task of separating the Whey is done, it is further processed and converted into powder form.
This powder form is commonly sold as a supplement for muscle building. Most of the lean protein sources are non-vegetarians but there also are vegetarian options.
Types of Whey Protein
There are basically three forms of Whey Proteins that are available in the market.
- Concentrate: This form of Protein Packs about 72-80% of Protein, Carbs, Fat, Lactose combine to form the remaining part.
- Isolate: This form packs around 90% of Protein, Less Fat & Carbs, and also digests Faster compared to Concentrate Form.
- Hydrolysate: This is Pre-digested Protein, so absorbs much faster than the isolate form and has even fewer carbs.
So why does the absorption rate Matter? When you workout and Break down the muscles there is a specific time window in which the muscles are ready to absorb proteins for Recovery.
So the faster the Absorption rate the faster the muscle recovers. This also helps in avoiding soreness and Fatigue in Muscles.
Can We Gain Muscle Mass without Whey Protein?
There is a common misconception that if you don’t eat this Processed Protein you can’t build a ripped Physique or simply put on some serious muscle mass.
It’s Partially true but that doesn’t mean you can’t achieve those goals without Whey.
The thing is our body requires a specific amount of protein intake on a daily basis, which increases with the intensity of the workout you perform. The more muscles you break the higher amount of protein is required to get those muscle gains.
This is not easily possible through our regular Food Intake, so this is where whey Protein Comes into play. Protein Packs the Protein Content in the most compact form possible. So instead of eating Six whole Eggs, you can Consume just one scoop of Protein. Both will give you around 25gms of Protein.
Best Time To Consume Whey Protein?
To keep it simple, you can consume whey protein anytime during the day as long as you just need to fulfill the daily protein intake required for your body.
But if you are Working out/Lifting Weights the most beneficial time would be consumed within one hour of your workout. Because this is the window, where the muscle is at the peak for absorbing the protein. This in turn recovers your muscles faster.
Casein is another form of whey protein. Casein is recommended to be consumed around one hour before bed as it is a slow-releasing type of Protein.
Benefits of Whey Protein
- Helps Muscle Recovery
- Provides Essential Amino Acids
- Protein Helps Build Muscle Mass
- It Helps with Blood Pressure and Cardiovascular Diseases
- Helps With Weight Loss
These are the Most Common and Primary Benefits of Whey Protein. There are a lot of other benefits some of which are helping with Asthma, Lowering Cholesterol, etc.
Are there any Side Effects of Whey Protein?
The Primary Source for Whey Protein is Milk so it does not have any Specific Side-effects unless you have Allergy from Milk or Dairy Products.
You can Also feel Nausea, Stomach Cramps, etc, but only if you highly overdose on Protein. So If you don’t have any allergy or don’t overdose there is nothing to worry about.
As mentioned above Whey Protein has many health benefits and is a quality & compact source of protein. If added to your daily diet in moderate amounts can provide benefits in the long run. It is safe to consume even for Women, Kids(Intake may Vary).