The Ultimate Protein Powder Guide

Find out all you ever wanted to know about Protein powders in this guide: Who needs Protein Powder? How many types of Protein Powders are there? What are the best Protein Powders in 2021? Does Protein increase hunger? Is Protein Powder good for weight loss? and more. 

What is Protein Powder? 

Protein Powders are good supplements for people who need extra protein in their diet either for bodybuilding or to supplement their vegan diet. 

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Who needs Protein Powder? 

Protein powders can be taken by anyone to boost their Protein content or for other purposes. Bodybuilders, vegetarians and people who are working to lose their weight are but a few categories of people that need Protein powders in larger quantities. 

1. Bodybuilders 

It has become very normal to see bodybuilders being religious about their Protein Powders. A huge part of their morning routine includes drinking healthy shakes that are prepared with Protein Powders. The Protein Powders aid them in body building. 

2. Vegetarians 

Vegetarians have a unique diet that does not include any animal product and this means that getting adequate Protein for their body is a bit difficult since the major source of our Protein is meat. That said, vegetarians are one of the major users of Protein Powders to supplement their diet and keep them healthy. 

3. People who are losing weight 

Protein Powders are used by people who are actively losing their weight for several reasons. They need the additional Protein intake to boost their strength for the exercises they have to do. The Protein Powder would also help them to develop their muscles, lose their belly fat and develop a faster metabolism. 

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How many types of Protein Powders are there?

There are 3 kinds of Protein Powders based on the pureness of their concentration. 

1. Isolates 

Isolate Protein powders as their name implies are Protein Powders whose contents have been thoroughly isolated to make it a hundred percent concentrated. Isolate Protein powders are the purest form of Protein Powders. 

2. Concentrates

This kind of Protein Powder is called a concentrate because the amount of Protein Powder contained in each bottle is concentrated compared to the amount of non-Protein Powder component of the same bottle. 

3. Hydrolysate 

Hydrolysate Protein powders are not the purest form of Protein Powder, they are however, the easiest to absorb in the body. The hydrolysate Protein Powder is a kind of Protein that has been hydrolyzed. What this means is that the Protein Powder has been exposed to heat which has broken down its bonds, making it easy for the Protein to easily be broken down and absorbed although this makes the Protein to have a more bitter taste than before. 

Common types of Protein Powders

There are many types of Protein Powders to choose from and they include casein, whey, soy, egg and many others.

Whey Protein Powder 

Whey Protein Powder is one of the most popular Protein Powders around. It is the most widely used Protein Powder by bodybuilders because of its spectacular results. It considerably increases the size and musculature of bodybuilders who use it. The Whey Protein Powder is made from the waste product of cheese production. 

Effect of Whey Protein on the appetite: 

Recent research studies show that whey Protein Powder has a considerable impact on the appetite. It was discovered that taking a supplement of whey Powder right before eating reduces the amount of food consumed. Long term usage of the whey Powder reduces the appetite and so whey Powder can be used as an appetite suppressant. 

There are many advantages and disadvantages of making use of the whey Protein Powder even if it is one of the best Protein Powders to use. 

Pros of Whey Protein:

The pros of using the whey Protein Powder include:

1. Whey Protein Powder is a good appetite suppressant that can help people who want to lose weight eat less. 

2.  The whey Protein Powder is  very good at building up the muscles and strength of a person and that is why bodybuilders prefer to use it. 

3. Whey Protein Powder is well rounded in the sense that it contains all of the Essential amino acids that are needed by the body to function. 

4. Whey Protein Powder increases the rate of recovery and boosts the immune system of a person. 

Cons of Whey Protein

1. The whey Protein Powder is a processed supplement and for people who need to eat natural whole foods, the whey Powder might not work for them. 

2. The whey Protein Powder contains several additives that are added to make it tastier for easy consumption. 

3. Too much consumption of the whey Protein Powder can cause problems for the liver. 

4. Because whey is made from a by-product of milk, it contains lactose and cannot be taken by lactose intolerant people. 

Whey Protein Powder is a good Protein supplement to include in your diet. 

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My top 3 choices of whey Protein are :

1. Optimum Nutrition – Gold Standard 100% Whey

2. Dymatize ISO 100 Whey Protein Powder 

3. Isopure Zero  Carb

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2. Casein Protein 

Casein is a Protein contained in milk. It is about 80% of the entire Protein value in milk. It contains all of the Essential amino acids just like the whey Protein Powder. The casein Protein is a slow digesting Protein that aids in weight loss. 

Effect of Casein Protein on the appetite: 

Casein Protein makes a noticeable impact on the appetite of a person because of its slow digestion. The casein Protein does not immediately get digested like the whey Protein Powder. It gets to the stomach and forms  a gel-like globular substance that coats the stomach lining thus relaying a false sense of satiety to your brain. Because of this quality, casein Protein Powder is a good appetite suppressant. 

Pros of Casein Protein Powder:

The good parts of using the Casein Protein Powder include:

1. The Casein Protein Powder is very slow to digest. 

2. It is a very good appetite suppressant because of how long it takes to digest and so is very good for people who want to lose weight. 

3. It is good for recovery and building up of muscles. 

Cons of Casein Protein Powder:

1. The casein Protein Powder cannot be taken by people who are lactose intolerant because it is gotten from milk. 

2. It could block the respiratory system. 

3. The casein Protein Powder should not be taken in large quantities to avoid damaging  the liver and the kidney. 

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There are many types of Casein Protein Powders used but my favorite include:

1.     Dymatize Elite Casein

2.     Optimum Nutrition-Gold Standard Casein

3.     Now Foods Sports Nutrition Micellar Casein

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3. Egg Protein 

The egg white Protein Powder is one of the most overlooked Protein Powders out there. Most people look at Protein Powders made from whey, hemp and casein as better and more efficient than others. However, the egg Protein Powder is a very good Protein Powder. 

Effects of Egg Protein Powder on the appetite: 

Egg Protein has a major impact on the appetite of a person. It contains a substance that suppresses the hunger hormone, ghrelin. This makes the egg white Protein Powder a good addition to the diet of anyone who wants to lose some weight. 

Pros of Egg Protein Powder:

1. It is a complete Protein which means that it contains all of the Essential Proteins needed in the body. 

2. Since the egg Protein has no connection to milk, it does not contain lactose and so lactose intolerant people can make use of it. 

3. Egg Protein Powder is moderate in it’s digestion time and that elongates the time for muscle growth and development. 

Cons of Egg Protein Powder:

1. People who are allergic to egg Protein cannot take it. 

2. Antibiotics used on the poultry can be transferred to the eggs and might be a part of the egg white Protein Powder. 

4. Pea Protein

Pea Protein is fast becoming popular in the health and gym circles for its content and health benefits. The pea Protein is made from the green pea plant and it is from a plant which makes it a perfect choice for vegetarians.

 Effect of the Pea Protein Powder on appetite:

The pea Protein Powder has a lot of benefits and one of those is in weight loss and that is for several reasons. The pea Protein Powder does a good job of increasing the metabolism of a person, and suppressing their appetite. It is suppressing the hunger hormone ghrelin which means that people feel full after taking the pea Powder. Another advantage of the pea Powder is that it reduces sugar craving cravings. 

Pros of Pea Protein Powder:

The pea Protein Powder has a lot of advantages and they include:

1. It is totally gluten and lactose free as it is made from a pea plant and so a wider range of people can use it. 

2. It is very good at aiding weight loss. The pea Protein Powder increases metabolism and suppresses hunger making it an important part of a weight loss regimen. 

3. It is good for the organs. The pea Protein Powder is very good for organs like the heart and the kidney. It helps to keep them healthy. 

3. It is very good for diabetic patients as it regulates blood sugar. 

4. It also increases the development of muscles. 

Cons of Pea Protein Powder:

1. Pea Protein Powder is low in methionine. 

5. Hemp Protein

The hemp Protein is a very big source of plant Protein. It has a high fibre content that can be used to improve the intake of Protein. 

Effect of Hemp Protein on the appetite: 

Hemp is very good at suppressing the appetite. Hemp Protein contains a lot of healthy fats and healthy fats are natural appetite suppressant. In addition to that, the high fibre content sends a message of fullness to the brain. 

Pros of Hemp Protein Powder: 

1. The hemp Protein contains a large amount of amino acids, 20 to be precise and in those twenty, are included the essential amino acids. 

2. The Hemp Protein contains a large amount of fibre which increases the intake of Protein. 

3. The  hemp Protein is also a very good aid for weight loss and it is a natural appetite suppressant. 

4. It is a plant based Protein powder which means that people who are lactose intolerant can use it. 

Cons of Hemp Protein Powder:

1. The Hemp Protein Powder has a low quality of minerals 

2. The Hemp Protein Powder contains a high amount of carbohydrate

3. The Hemp Protein Powder has a high fat content. 

6. Mixed Plant Protein

Mixed Plant Proteins are Protein Powders made from a mixture of plants such as hemp, pea, alfalfa,Chia seeds, quinoa. 

Effect of Mixed Plant Protein on appetite: 

The mixed Plant Protein is a good appetite suppressant as it suppresses the hunger hormone, ghrelin. 

Pros of Mixed Plant Protein:

1. It helps in muscle growth 

2. They can be used by lactose intolerant people 

3. They are good appetite suppressants. 

Cons of Mixed Plant Protein:

1. It can contain a high level of carbohydrates 

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Final Thoughts

I prefer using whey and casein Protein Powders because they give me the best results. I also include Protein bars to my diet such as:

Quest Bar: It is a nutrition bar that is gluten free, and low carb.

Grenade Carb Killa: This is a healthy nutrition bar that contains 220 calories. 

MusclePharm Combat Crunch Protein Bar: This is a high in protein energy bar that contains a large amount of fibre. 

Quest Nutrition Chocolate Chip Protein Cookie: This is a healthy snack that contains a high level of protein up to 15g.

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