First off, apologies for the late posting: I have been traveling and did not have internet.
I lived a large portion of my schooling years consuming extreme amounts of protein through chicken, eggs, and most notably, whey in a powder form. Me and my roommates in college would put it in everything from oatmeal, yogurt, smoothies, and sprinkled over fruit from time to time. Whey is one of the two proteins that comes from cows milk as a highly processed result in the making of cheese. Whey contains little fat, lactose (the sugar that comes from dairy), or cholesterol. Whey is a complete protein which means it contains all of the essential amino acids as well as branch chain amino acids (BCAA’s), which are the first ones used during exercise and are absorbed directly into the muscle tissue. Whey has also been shown to aid in weight loss, blood sugar stabilization, and cholesterol levels. Clearly whey protein has many great affects, and since it is a more absorbable protein than soy it gives you much more bang for your buck.
However, whey can be limiting for those wanting to eat vegetarian, vegan, or raw foods since it comes from cows and is highly, highly processed. In addition protein supplementation can cause added strain on the kidneys and liver when we get much more than our bodies need. Another issue that can come up with protein supplementation is chemical exposure A recent consumer reports study of 15 popular protein drinks found that 3 products (EAS and Muscle Milk) contained levels of lead, cadmium, arsenic, and mercury above the USP (United States Pharmacopeia) recommendations.
I assure you that any person that eats meat gets enough protein for the day. Whey is a great option for a post work out smoothie, breakfast, or snack, but just be sure to account for the protein in your diet. Do not eat a big protein shake after a workout and then go to Capital Grille for a 20oz strip. If you do need to supplement whey protein in your diet, here a few recommendations to keep in mind when choosing a product.
• Get whey from grass fed and pesticide free cows which will give you higher quality nutrition.
• Many cows are treated with the maligned and dangerous rBGH hormone to increase milk production.
• Most whey is heated which decreases the nutritional content and the immune supporting micronutrients.
• Get whey protein concentrate, since isolates are stripped of nutritional cofactors, exposed to acid processing, cannot be assimilated by the body.
• Many whey products contain artificial sweeteners, so be sure and get unsweetened.
Next post will discuss another popular protein source: rice. Have a great week!
Tip of the week- When storing beets, cut the leaves and store separate so they do not take all the moisture from the root.
Sources
http://rawnatureboy.ning.com/profiles/blogs/arsenic-in-your-protein-shake
mercola.com
