protein supplements
aagaag
Posts: 89 Member
This one goes to my friends who love protein supplements. I shall be pleased to stand corrected - but intuitively I fail to see the point of such supplements.
Protein may not create insulin spikes, but it is almost as caloric as sugar (just 10% less). If the overall goal of the diet is to reduce caloric intake, why on earth would it make sense to add extra protein???
Obviously we all need to eat something, and protein is preferable to complex carbs - hence a steak is vastly preferable to a plate of pasta! But the concept of taking purified whey protein and adding it to whatever meals? I simply do not get it - it just increases the caloric load, doesn't it? But it is entirely possible that I am biased, or that I am missing something - so, please educate me!
Protein may not create insulin spikes, but it is almost as caloric as sugar (just 10% less). If the overall goal of the diet is to reduce caloric intake, why on earth would it make sense to add extra protein???
Obviously we all need to eat something, and protein is preferable to complex carbs - hence a steak is vastly preferable to a plate of pasta! But the concept of taking purified whey protein and adding it to whatever meals? I simply do not get it - it just increases the caloric load, doesn't it? But it is entirely possible that I am biased, or that I am missing something - so, please educate me!
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I am so interested to learn more about it!!! I was just advised by many of my MFPs that I should take whey protein as I have started strength training and I have trouble to get enough protein from food!
I am not for any supplements when I can get it from balanced food! But my question is how much protein is recommended per day?0 -
Honau, I totally agree that the central tenet of a successful long-term diet is carbohydrate reduction. That automatically means more non-carbs, including proteins - RELATIVELY to carbohydrates (i.e. in terms of percentage of total intake). Hence, if eating whey protein prevents you from eating a slice of bread, that's reasonable.
What I do not get, is the point of eating purified hydrolyzed protein IN ADDITION to whatever else you are eating. I would argue that you would be adding extra calories with no added benefit. Of course there are a few "essential" amino acids that you need to take in, but that's minimal and you do not need supplements for that.
As for strength training, the concept that protein, after being eaten, is directly built into your muscles is most certainly a fallacy. It sounds logical and attractive, but it just has nothing to do with reality. The human body has the capacity to effortlessly make proteins (except for the essential amino acids mentioned above) from carbohydrates, carbs from protein, carbs from fat, and fat from carbs. As far as I can see, there is no specific advantage to augmenting protein intake when building strength.
I am no nutrition scientist (I am a scientist - but I specialize in something else), hence take the above with a grain of salt. I may be wrong! I am a skepticist though, and I radically question everything that I read on the Internet and anywhere else!0 -
Thanks for the explanation! Since I have started strengh training last week, I have noticed I get so hungry that I have started eating pasta. I was able to avoid wheat for about two weeks without any problem. I will check if the Whey protein will help and I will let you know!
I am skeptical as well about any marketed product!0 -
If the whey protein helps keeping you away from the pasta, then it's definitely worth it. What I object to, is adding protein just for the sake of it - since there is absolutely zero reason to believe that it will magically grow your muscle. It may (or may not) grow your belly, but for growing muscle there is only one path and that's exercise...0
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In the Coursera online-course "Nutrition, Health and Lifestyle" from Jamie Pope, Vanderbilt University, they propose the following values (I think based on US FDA recommendations): carbs 45 - 65 % (i. e. 225 - 325 grams for 2000 calore diet), protein 10 - 35 % (i.e. 50 - 175 grams), fat 20 - 35 % (i.e. 44 - 78 grams). If you're interested in more information, you can still register for the free course: https://www.coursera.org/course/lifenutr.
I think proteins will help to build muscles when you are exercising. I assume that it is better to have an adequate amount of proteins in your diet than to rely on the conversion of carbs into proteins (if you are on the way to loose weight, you may not have any spare carbs to be converted).
My preferred source of protein is smoked fish or cottage cheese, both quite low in calories. I've never tried whey based supplements, but I think in general supplements may be especially useful for people who don't eat meat, fish and/or dairy products.0 -
Addendum: Protein can be converted to carbs or fat, but not the other way (see e.g. http://www.peak.ag/blog/eiweis-protein).0
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Addendum: Protein can be converted to carbs or fat, but not the other way (see e.g. http://www.peak.ag/blog/eiweis-protein).
Yes and no! Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. Essential amino acids (phenylalanine, valine, threonine, tryptophan, isoleucine, methionine, leucine, lysine, and histidine) have to come from the diet, since the body cannot make (enough of) them - similarly to vitamins. All other amino acids can be synthesized from carbs (directly) or even from fat (via gluconeogenesis).
Thanks for the Coursera hint. High-quality online courses are radically changing higher education for the better. And I say this after having given a two-hour frontal lecture yesterday to a class of medical students....
I totally agree that any diet has to be balanced. If not, it will lead to (1) deviating from the diet plan or (2) malnourishment. As for the supplements, I continue to be extremely skeptic (but I shall gladly convert my opinions if presented with plausible arguments).0 -
If one want to reduce carb intake and at the same time increase protein intake (in order to get sufficient kcal) the protein have to come from somewhere...agree?
I don't know by you, but personally I don't find any pleasure in eating a can of tuna, a chicken filet or any other high protein food as a snack at work, so a protein shake/bar comes in handy.
How much protein one needs per day have been discussed forever and there does not seem to be consensus on that topic anytime soon. Personally I strive to hit 40:30:30 when it comes to the energy ratio between Carb:Protein:Fat. And very conveniently this very ration can be seen in MFP (Android).
My own experience (and I an not an expert into nutrition) is that protein will "fill you up" much easier than an apple (which is carb...yeah I know :-))0 -
Thank you guys. These are all very good points. You may end up making me a convert! :-)
It is such a nuisance that nutrients fall into just these three categories (protein/carbs/fat) and there are no additional options. Even plants have it better than us poor mammals (nitrogen fixation through photosynthesis, etc.).0 -
If you sometimes go to France I can recommend to pay Carrefour a visit. They have some very tasty cookies which are high on protein and low on carb and AT THE SAME time actually don't cost a lot.
Not that cookies should be a regular everyday treat but every now and than it is nice to enjoy a few to a coffee :-) and if you can keep your blood sugar at par at the same time so much the better.
I cannot remember their name but I can have a look later and post details if anyone want's to know.0 -
Very interesting discussions!!
Well I just bought my whey protein today!! I was just waiting to go to a bigger migros convinced that the local one do not have... but it had!!!0
