The Best Way To Take Protein To Improve Your Health

There is always an ingredient of the moment, a nutrition newcomer set to transform our health and our bodies for the better.

And there’s no doubt that this year, protein reigns supreme. 

A Mintel report said that nearly one third of all food and drink launches in the last two years carry ‘high protein” claims on their labels, and one in five gym users told another survey that they take a protein supplement or snack of some sort in the belief it enhances their exercise. 

It’s hardly surprising it is cropping up in everything, from bread to ice cream and chocolate biscuits to cereals and crisps.

There’s good reason for the surge in demand. Studies - and plenty of them - have revealed that it is protein and not carbohydrate foods, that fill us up, leaving us less likely to nibble and binge. 

“Protein foods slow down the release of sugars into the bloodstream,” says independent nutritionist Ian Marber. 

“Adding it to foods like bread and cereals can lower the glycaemic index of a food so that it is more statiating and will give you a longer-lasting energy boost.”

TYPES OF PROTEIN: ANIMAL VS PLANT

But if we all know why we should be eating a higher ratio of it to anything else, we aren’t always sure of the best form to get it.

Animal-derived proteins like cassein, and whey in particular, have long been considered the gold standard for health benefits.

A review by WHO earlier this year bolstered their reputation by suggesting they have the edge, in nutritional terms, over their plant-based alternatives.

“In general, animal proteins are much more similar to our body proteins, and because of this are more readily and rapidly absorbed than plant proteins,” says Miguel Toribio-Mateas, chairman of the British Association for Applied Nutrition and Nutrition Therapy (BANT).

However, there are downsides to whey and cassein. As dairy derivatives - they are made from the watery, left-over liquid from milk - they can result in sensitivities and intolerances in some people. 

“There’s also the fact that animal proteins have a higher concentration of sulphur-containing amino acids,” says Toribio-Mateas. “When they are metabolised they become acidic which can cause intestinal problems for some people.” 

Industry analysts are predicting that, while whey is still protein king, it is set to face increasing competition as the popularity of unusual plant proteins looks set to explode.

Pea protein isolates are already a firm favourite among American health-foodies and is being added to energy bars and other products. 

Their selling point is that they are non-allergenic and among the richest sources of arginine, an amino acid that helps to build a lean and toned body. 

Around 6-12 grams a day of arginine has been shown to provide a boost to fitness and sports performance, so it’s no suprise that gym types are clamoring to get their hands on pea-protein products.

Then there’s rice protein isolate, which was shown in a study carried out at the University of Tampa last year to match the benefits of whey protein isolate when it comes to speeding up fat loss and accelerating the development of muscle tissue after a workout. 

Previously, researchers had found that animal-derived proteins including meat, eggs casein and whey, were superior to plant passed alternatives like soy in stimulating muscle growth and repair after weight training. 

But in the study, which is to appear in the Nutrition and Metabolism journal, rice protein couldn’t be beaten.

Toribio-Mateas says plant proteins are also seen as “more natural, pure and ethical”, an image that has been bolstered by the popularity of the paleo diet in which they feature heavily. 

And although “levels of some amino acids are impaired in plant protein, meaning that that those feeding mainly on a plant protein diet can become deficient in these amino acids”, the emergence of blended plant protein products like the Sunwarrior range seems to offset that risk. 

With a mix of pea protein, organic hempseed and cranberry protein, made from extract of the American cranberry seeds, the new powders are billed as being more nutritionally complete than some of the single plant varieties.

So should we make the switch? 

If Toribio-Mateas had to choose, he would stick with whey. “Good quality whey made from cold pressed whey protein concentrate that’s derived from grass fed cows, and free of hormones, chemicals and sugar, provides all the key amino acids for producing glutathione, the body’s most powerful antioxidant, in the liver,” he says. 

“It also contains immunoglobulins, lactoferrin and alpha Lactalbumin that boost antioxidant production.” Read More