A Brief Guide to Using Protein in Your Diet

 

Protein is one of the most essential nutrients that ensure proper functioning of your body. It helps in faster recovery of muscles, boosts metabolism, and regulates your blood pressure. Without sufficient protein in your diet, muscles won’t rapidly repair and this may result in overtraining – a condition where the body experiences fatigue due to late muscle recovery. One of the most common ways to get protein is through rich solid foods like meat, dairy, and seafood. But as many fitness enthusiasts will agree, it is not always convenient to get all of your recommended protein via solid foods. For people, who cannot find enough time to cook their own meals, protein shakes are the perfect fix for their muscle recovery needs. You should know what supplements can work for you, check out these protein powders.

What is a Protein Shake?

A Protein Shake is a mix of water or milk with a couple of servings of protein powder. The first hour after the workout is the prime time to consume nutrients to assist recovery. Solid foods take up some time to digest and divert the nutrients toward your muscles – this is where protein shakes prove to be a better substitute. They digest rapidly and take around half an hour to start muscle repair. Most of the recovery and repair happen while you’re asleep. That’s when growth hormones are raised, so gulping down a protein shake an hour before bed can assist muscle growth profoundly.

Which Protein is the Best Choice?

Whey Protein is one of the most favored supplements for those who seek an enhanced physique and improved health. Proteins that usually carry the highest Biological Value (BV) are considered best for recovery and growth. Additionally, the higher the BV content of protein, the faster it digests and retains inside the body. Bottom line is Whey is the whole protein with a rich BV profile and comprises all the ordinary and extraordinary amino acids. It boasts the largest branched-chain amino acid (BCCA) content found naturally. The BV of Whey is estimated to be around 100 for whole eggs, 91 for whole milk, 80 for beef, 77 for casein, 74 for soy, 54 for wheat and 49 for beans.

How much Protein should you take?

The minimum recommended amount for building muscle is 1 gram of protein for every pound of body weight. If you unintentionally exceed the recommended limit, don’t worry, the protein will aid in the healing of muscles. On the other hand, an excessive amount of protein intake has proved to diminish calcium and magnesium in your body, so it’s a good idea to supplement for the depletion through solid foods.

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When are the Best times to Take Protein?

The most suitable time to take protein is after a workout when your body needs nutrients the most to aid faster recovery. Following your protein shake, it’s a decent idea to eat high-protein meals with a gap of three to four hours. This helps in constantly supplying protein for healing and growth of muscles. It is also recommended to take a slow- digesting protein like cottage cheese before going to bed to keep up the supply.

Conclusion

Irrespective of what you are striving to achieve through fitness, protein should be a foundational ingredient of your diet. It surely drives optimum performance and can make you look exceptionally toned. There is a wide range of protein powders on the market and even affordable products can really provide you with exceptional value for money!

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