Soy Protein VS Whey Protein

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SuzieA1991
SuzieA1991 Posts: 46 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hey everyone! Not sure if anyone is familiar with Soy Protein Powder and Whey Protein Powder but I definetly need some info/help. Which is better for weight loss/toning? I have heard a few different things about and I am currently taking Soy Protein. I am making shakes and substituting it for a lunch. Any help would be appreciated!

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  • MikeBenWilliams
    MikeBenWilliams Posts: 53
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    I personally do not like soy products at all. I have been using Whey protein on and off for over 4 years and never had a problem with it. However, if you have dairy or lactose issues, whey may not be the best. You may want to look at pea or rice protein. If you are feeling good and getting results with the soy protein, you may be doing o.k. then, Just experiment.
  • saelre
    saelre Posts: 5
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    Whey Protein powder is better in my opinion. I'm not an expert, but I do have a degree in exercise science and have studied nutrition some. Soy protein can act as a phyto-estrogen. Phyto-estrogens can be good for women, especially after menopause. I do not find them to be as conducive to weight loss, especially if ingested often. I would suggest switching to Whey Protein or to use a blend of Soy and Whey Protein.
  • SuzieA1991
    SuzieA1991 Posts: 46 Member
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    Hmmmmm. Interesting. I will buy some whey protein next time I go grocery shopping then and do half soy half whey (that way I don't waste the soy protein that I bought already) I was just worried about the whey protein making me gain weight and get bulky
  • misskerouac
    misskerouac Posts: 2,242 Member
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    You won't get bulky. No one food will make you bulky.
    And I would only use soy if you can't have dairy
  • anothermop
    anothermop Posts: 187 Member
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    I'm not sure which one is better for weight loss; but the taste and texture is very, very, different. I love the EAS Vanilla Soy; but I cannot stand any Whey products. I keep hearing that Whey is better for dudes so I keep trying different ones. I just can't do it. So I always go back to what I like--Vanilla Soy.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,344 Member
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    Hey everyone! Not sure if anyone is familiar with Soy Protein Powder and Whey Protein Powder but I definetly need some info/help. Which is better for weight loss/toning?...
    Neither of them. Weight loss is created by caloric deficit and "toning" is created by strength training.

    Protein powders are a way to supplement your protein intake from whole foods if you aren't getting enough. Nothing more. It will have no effect upon weight loss (help or hurt), assuming that you remain in a deficit. Adequate protein intake (along with strength training) will help you maintain lean body mass while losing the fat. No protein powder will make you "bulky", unless by "bulky" you mean gaining weight because you're drinking so much of that it's putting you into a caloric surplus.
  • Topher1978
    Topher1978 Posts: 975 Member
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    Whey isolate is the highest quality protein you can get for your body. After that is casein isolate and then eggs…
  • Firefox7275
    Firefox7275 Posts: 2,040 Member
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    Protein powders are supplements or convenience foods not meal replacements. They are fine in smoothies, but on their own you are likely missing out of a raft of nutrients from a wholefood meal. Most people find it tough to hit nine servings of fruit and veg and three of dairy if they don't spread it out through the day and, no, whey isolate is not as dairy product.
  • bdamaster60
    bdamaster60 Posts: 595 Member
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    Protein powders are supplements or convenience foods not meal replacements. They are fine in smoothies, but on their own you are likely missing out of a raft of nutrients from a wholefood meal. Most people find it tough to hit nine servings of fruit and veg and three of dairy if they don't spread it out through the day and, no, whey isolate is not as dairy product.

    By them selves, if all you are getting in the entire day is protein from shakes, I agree. But you can supplement other nutrients.
  • seventieslord
    seventieslord Posts: 59 Member
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    I am a vegetarian. Growing up, as an omnivore, I read a lot about “complete” proteins, which seemed to be the buzzword at the time. What I was led to believe was that plant proteins are missing some of the “essential” amino acids, the ones that are needed for muscle development and growth. And Animal proteins (meat, whey, egg) are “complete”. Even vegetarian books and sites seem to agree, basically conceding that that is true, but adding “just mix two proteins together, and you’ll make sure not to miss any amino acids, beans and rice are an example of things that complement eachother.”

    Recently, I did a lot of research online about different proteins and their amino acid profiles. I wanted to see what kinds of amino acids certain foods were missing – like wheat, soy, and nuts, so that I could plan my diet and my daughter’s diet accordingly.

    But what I found was that things I read as a youth were apparently not true. No protein is just “missing” any number of amino acids. They’re all there. The only thing I noticed is that a slightly lower percentage of the protein is composed of the “essential” amino acids in most plant-based protein compared to animal ones. So if you wanted to eat, say, 20 grams of essential amino acids, you might need to eat 50g of beef protein to get it, but it would take 57g of wheat protein to get it.

    Same goes for the BCAAs, which, as I understand, are the “essential essential” amino acids as far as muscle building is concerned – Leucine, Isoleucine, and Valine. Plant proteins all contain these three amino acids as well, in basically the same proportion as they are found in animal proteins.

    Here’s what I put together after getting a couple amino acid profiles off the net:

    Source --- % of protein in essential AA --- % of protein in BCAA

    Spirulina --- 47 --- 21
    Whey --- 46 --- 22
    Egg White --- 45 --- 22
    Tuna --- 44 --- 18
    Bean --- 48 --- 17
    Chicken --- 42 --- 18
    Yeast --- 41 --- 18
    Casein --- 41 --- 21
    Beef --- 40 --- 18
    Soy --- 38 --- 18
    Wheat --- 35 --- 19
    Quinoa --- 33 --- 14
    Nut/Seed --- 32 --- 15

    So, long story short, you’re not going to miss any amino acids by eating a plant-based diet, but you might want to increase your protein intake by 10-15% to make sure you’re getting the same amount of essential amino acids.

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