What is protein powder?

WHAT IS PROTEIN?

There are 6 essential nutrients, all which you should be very familiar with. These are nutrients that the body cannot synthesize on its own but are essential to healthy body function:

• Carbohydrates
• Water
• Fat
• Vitamins
• Minerals
• and PROTEIN

The body can manufacture or synthesize 11 of the 20 amino acids it needs to function. The other 9, however; called “essential amino acids” the body cannot create and therefore need to acquire by ingesting protein.

Protein is a macronutrient found in food that can be broken down into amino acids. When we ingest any food the body breaks down the protein strains in the food to create the amino acids that it needs.

WHY DOES THE BODY NEED PROTEIN?

Protein is the body’s building block; all of our organs including hair skin and nails are built using protein, not only just skeletal muscle tissue. Many hormones including the digestive and immune system and blood all rely on protein to work correctly. Protein is therefore essential in our diet.

Protein is the nutrient specifically responsible for muscle maintenance and growth.

HOW MUCH PROTEIN DOES THE BODY NEED?

To maintain healthy muscle function, about 15 to 30% of your daily caloric intake should come from protein-rich sources.

Being the fuel for your muscles, your body needs a daily dose of  0.8-1g of protein per kilogram of body weight each day. If you’re physically active in any way, it is recommend to increase your protein intake to 1.4-2g per kilogram of body weight.

After exercise, protein is particularly important since muscles need it to recover and grow. A 15-25g portion of protein is recommended within 30 minutes of exercise, when your muscles are particularly receptive to protein synthesis.

Whether it’s getting up for work, sweat sessions at the gym, or late nights out to play it’s always important to get enough protein each day.

WHAT FOODS ARE THE BEST SOURCES OF PROTEIN?

You can get protein from both plant and animal sources. Some of the richest and best sources of proteins are eggs, milk, yogurt, fish and seafood, chicken and turkey, soya, nuts and seeds, pork and beans.

Our Western diet has become generally low in protein and stacked with carbohydrates. So even though protein are present in a lot of foods, it can be hard to hit daily recommended intake of protein, especially for active and sporty people who need increase amount.

WHY USE WHEY PROTEIN POWDER?

Protein powders is a highly refined source of the protein nutrient in powder form.

Whey protein is the dominant form of protein supplement because it offers a complete BCCA profile; it is a fast absorbing and easily digested protein,  great for muscle growth and recovery. Whey protein is the richest natural source of the essential building blocks for muscles, branched-chain amino acids.

Protein powder boasts the highest concentration of protein available with more than double the protein than its closest wholefood counterparts. 1 scoop of Go Good everyday protein powder delivers as much protein as:

• 1 Small chicken breast
• 4 Large Eggs
• 4 large broccoli heads
• 300g Tofu

At around ZAR22 for 22g of protein, Go Good protein powder is also very cost effective when compared to these sources.

Undoubtedly, one of the biggest attractions upper-hand of protein powder over other protein sources is its versatility and convenience of use. Protein powder disperse easily in liquids and can be blended with almost any ingredient.

So whether it’s scooped into a shaker, blended in a smoothie or incorporated into your favorite recipe, Go Good WPC and WPI provide a quick protein punch normally reserved for cooked and prepared wholefood meals in under 30 seconds. Just too good!

Want to learn more about the different type of whey protein powders? Check our article on WPC vs. WPI.