What's The Best Protein

I think it is safe to say, most people understand the importance of protein. Whether you are trying to lose fat or gain muscle you MUST consume adequate protein. The body uses protein to repair muscle, for energy, build hormones and enzymes, and build bone and skin. What some people may not realize is that there are different kinds of protein. There is whey, egg, casein, hemp, soy...We can get protein from a variety of sources depending on our diet patterns.

The questions is though, are all proteins the same? Does it matter if I have whey protein or should I have soy? A new study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition tried to answer this question. One thing that protein in general is good at is thermogensis. When we eat food we have to break it down to convert it to energy and to extract the nutrients our bodies need to function. The cool thing is, we burn energy doing this. While it isn't a ton of calories you will burn from eating and digesting food, it is important to consider. Protein requires much more energy to break down than fats or carbs.

So we know there is more thermogensis and a higher feeling of satiety after consuming protein, then in fats and carbs. What isn't as clear is the different affects from different sources of protein. This study compared whey, casein, and soy which are 3 of the more popular protein choices. Here is what they found when each protein source was taken with carbs and fat in a meal.

The whey protein had a higher thermogenic effect than both casein and soy, meaning there is higher calorie burn from eating whey protein. Over a 5 hour period after consuming whey there was a higher fat oxidation effect, so more calories were burned and more were burned from fat. All three protein sources slowed the spike in blood sugar when consumed with carbs. And finally participants claimed to feel more full after consuming soy and casein, but reported they liked whey better.

This is another new study that is showing whey protein has many benefits over some other sources of protein. Whey is found in most dairy products which may be a problem for some people, however.

The bottom line is there are difference between different protein sources, but in general make sure you are consuming enough protein in your diet from any source. For muscle gain and fat burning, it seems like whey protein would be your best option, but if you cannot consume whey you will still have many benefits from other types of proteins.

You Stay Healthy San Diego!

Mike Deibler MS, CSCS
San Diego Premier Training
My Workout Creator