As the saying goes, "Get more protein and take more protein powder." But what exactly is protein powder? And what are the differences between the different types of it? Next, Wuhan Healthdream will take you through these essential nutrients.
1.Definition of Protein Powder
Protein powder is a protein-rich powder refined from food sources such as milk, soybeans and eggs, or produced by the composite processing of a combination of the above-mentioned proteins. It is used to supplement protein for the human body and can also be used as a functional additive in food industrial production.
2.Categories of Protein Powder
Based on different protein sources, it can be divided into animal protein powder and plant protein powder.
- Animal protein powder refers to protein sourced from fish, poultry, as well as meat, eggs, and dairy products of livestock.
- Plant protein powder refers to protein sourced from plants, such as nuts, legumes, and cereal foods.
3.Six Common Types of Protein Powder
- Whey Protein Powder: Extracted from milk. It has high bioavailability, fast absorption, and a high proportion of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), which can help build muscle, lose weight, and control blood sugar.
- Egg Protein Powder: Sourced from eggs. It contains no lactose, making it suitable for those with dairy allergies. It has high bioavailability, and its essential amino acid composition closely matches human needs, helping to promote muscle growth.
- Soy Protein Powder: Derived from soybeans. It has a low proportion of BCAAs and high phytic acid content (which affects mineral absorption). It is low-cost and contains soy isoflavones (friendly to women).
- Pea Protein Powder: Peas have the highest BCAAs content among plant proteins. It is free of gluten and lactose. However, it digests more slowly than animal proteins and has lower bioavailability.
- Casein Protein Powder: Accounts for about 40% of goat's milk and 80% of cow's milk. It forms a gel in the stomach, releasing amino acids slowly over 4-6 hours. It mainly slows down muscle breakdown, making it suitable for pre-sleep supplementation.
- Collagen Protein Powder: Mainly sourced from fish and poultry. It is rich in glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline, which can stimulate the production of collagen, hyaluronic acid, and polysaccharides in joint cartilage, inhibit osteocyte damage, and maintain skin toughness and elasticity.