Whether you want to lose fat, build muscle, or get healthy, hitting your protein needs is crucial. But what if you’re not getting enough of it? That’s where protein powder comes in, a supplement that’s easy to incorporate into any nutrition plan.
But let me ask you this: do you know which protein powder is best for your situation and goals? Is it whey? Casein? Egg? Soy? Something else?
If you don’t know, then you’ll want to read this article. In it, we’ll compare the seven most popular protein powders, so that you can pick the one that best fits your needs.
Site Links Whey protein is a by-product of the manufacturing of cheese. It’s the liquid that remains after milk has been curdled and strained. This high-protein liquid is spray-dried into a powder, which then undergoes microfiltration. Once these processes are finished, the end product is whey protein isolate. PDCAA Score: 1.0 Pros: Cons: Recommended product: Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey Protein Powder Like whey, casein is derived from milk. Casein, however, is digested more slowly, which is the main difference between the two [7–8]. The slower digestion of casein is caused by its gel-forming capabilities. This phenomenon slows down intestinal motility, which reduces the speed of absorption. PDCAA Score: 1.0 Pros: Cons: Egg white protein powder is made by first separating the white from the yolk. After that, the egg whites are dehydrated and pulverized into a high-quality protein powder with a high bioavailability. Egg white protein digests at a moderate speed, so it stimulates protein synthesis (muscle growth) over a longer period of time than fast-acting options such as whey, but not as long as slow-digesting alternatives like casein. PDCAA Score: 1.0 Pros: Cons: Beef protein powder comes from the flesh of cattle, right? Well, that’s what you would expect. In reality, it’s made from cattle leftovers including skin, ligaments, connective tissue, bones, hooves, and ears. Personally, the thought of drinking chocolate flavored powdered cow hooves doesn’t sound exciting to me. And since those leftovers usually contain low-quality, “incomplete” protein, I don’t recommend beef protein powder. There are many better options. Soy protein powder is derived from the leguminous soybean plant. To create this product, soybeans are ground into a powder that contains no fat or hulls. This powder then undergoes microfiltration to become “soy protein isolate,” a powder that consists of 90%–95% protein. PDCAA Score: 1.0 Pros: Cons: Although relatively new, pea protein powder has gained much popularity, especially among vegans and those with sensitivities or allergies to egg and dairy protein. Unfortunately, there is a lack of high-quality research on pea protein. A few studies show promising results, but they’re either sponsored by pea protein powder manufacturers, performed on animals, or the setup of the study is flawed. PDCAA score: 0.69 Pros: Cons: Hemp protein powder is derived from the same plant from which marijuana originates. Hemp protein, however, does not contain the intoxicating compounds. Hemp protein powder is gaining popularity in particular among vegans and vegetarians. Unfortunately, there’s a lack of high-quality research on hemp protein. PDCAA score: 0.61 Pros: Cons: Rice protein powder is derived from white or brown rice, makes it an option for vegetarians and vegans. Unfortunately, there’s a lack of high-quality research on rice protein powder. PDCAA score: 0.47 Pros: Cons: I have no connection with the recommended brands below and base my recommendations purely on in-depth research and personal experience. When it comes to muscle growth, the two best options are whey and casein. (Egg white protein is a close third.) Whey protein powder is a fast-acting protein, making it an ideal choice accompanying your workouts. The following whey protein products are great: Casein digests slower, making it a perfect choice before going to bed. The following casein protein products are great: When it comes to fat loss, the protein must be highly satiating and curb hunger for an extended period. Based on these criteria, casein is the best option. The following casein protein products are great: If you can’t digest lactose or want a plant-based protein powder, go for pea protein. The following pea protein products are great:Whey Protein
Casein Protein
Egg White Protein
Beef Protein Powder
Soy Protein
Soy protein, however, is one of the few vegan complete protein sources. That’s why soy stimulates muscle growth better than incomplete vegan alternatives.
The reason soy is inferior compared with casein (and whey and egg white protein) is that a vast portion of soy protein gets degraded to urea. In addition, soy protein is relatively low in the muscle-building BCAA leucine.Pea Protein
One study, found that pea protein is as capable of stimulating muscle growth as dairy protein [23]. The study was provided by a pea protein powder manufacturing company, however, which draws questions.Hemp Protein
Rice Protein Powder
Recommendations
Muscle growth:
Fat loss: