Yin or Yang: Whey Protein or Plant Protein?
The moment you enter the fitness arena, you are surrounded by lot of suggestions from everyone around you. Suggestions could range from what type of exercise would be beneficial to you or the diet regime you must follow or type of supplements you should take such as protein powders, protein bars, protein shakes, fish oil or multivitamins to help you achieve your goal faster.
All health industry experts tell us what goes in your stomach reflects on the outside of your body. They talk about the 80-20 rule i.e. you are made up of about 20% exercise and 80% nutrition. The main food groups like carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins and minerals when consumed in the right amounts in tandem with consistent exercise routine will help you achieve your targeted body type. While we may keep a tab on the quantities of sugar, salt and calories that we eat, we should also keep an eye on the quantity of protein we ingest. Protein is a macronutrient which means you need to eat large quantities of it to stay healthy. Protein rich foods include meat, lentils, eggs and dairy. However, protein in all these foods take time to get digested; therefore, to absorb protein quickly a high-quality protein powder like XOOG is the way to go. Protein powders can be either in the form of whey protein or plant protein.
Now comes the million-dollar question as to which protein powder best suits you? Let us understand how each of them differs from the other and their similarities.
What is Whey Protein??
Milk contains two main types of protein: Casein (80%) and Whey (20%).
Whey is the watery portion of milk. It is high in branch chain amino acids, also known as BCAAs, which help muscle maintenance and growth and is immune boosting as well. There are two basic type of whey proteins:
- Whey protein isolate
- Whey protein concentrate
What is Plant Protein??
As the name suggests, plant protein powder is the protein we get from plant sources. It is generally derived from peas, soya, hemp, brown rice, chia, pumpkin and other plants. Many times, you will also find that these powders contain a blend of different plant proteins such as a pea and brown rice protein mix.
Nutrition facts about Whey Protein Powders- High in protein
- Has low fat and carbohydrate content
- High in calcium
- Helps increase Vitamin B-12 and folate in elderly people
- High in protein
- Contains essential fatty acids
- Higher in carbohydrates than whey
- High amount of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants
So if we compare the two protein powders these are the similarities and differences
| WHEY PROTEIN | PLANT PROTEIN |
|---|---|
| Calorie content: Generally, 25 grams of Whey protein contain around 88 calories | Calorie Content: In case of plant protein, 25 grams contains 96 calories |
| BCAA: It contains all the 3 groups of Branched Chained Amino Acids | BCAA: In plant protein to get all 3 groups you need to have a blend of all plants and not individual plant protein powders |
| Taste Factor: Whey Protein is tastier for most people | Taste Factor: Plant Protein Powders are generally bland as they lack sweetness and artificial flavors |
| Calcium Content: Whey has higher Calcium content around 100mg per 25 grams | Calcium Content: It has lower Calcium content around 12mg per 25gms |
| Allergens: As it is made out of milk and has lactose it is not advised for lactose intolerant individuals | Allergen: It is completely allergen free unless you are allergic to a specific plant |
| Price: It is cheaper than plant protein | Price: It is expensive than whey |
Whey protein powders and plant protein powders both can make for a nutritious and effective addition to any diet or exercise regime. It boils down to the lifestyle choice you make and which one suits you better. Furthermore, if you’re following a vegan or lactose free diet choose plant protein powder and if you want a fast-absorbing complete protein to help you build and repair muscle quickly choose XOOG Whey Protein.