You already know that getting in shape and staying healthy requires you to eat a nutritious and balanced diet. If your goal is to gain muscle mass and strength, protein is going to play a huge role. This does not mean that simply gobbling copious amounts of protein automatically leads to muscle gain. No. You will still have to undergo a weight training program. So how does it work?
The Basics: Protein Helps You Build Lean Muscle
Protein is made up of compounds known as amino acids. These are the building blocks of the muscles and body. Their primary responsibilities in the body are to build, repair and maintain muscle tissues. During your routine workouts, your muscles are put to work. Naturally, just like any tissue (or matter) under stress, your muscles develop micro tears. Amino acids then move in to surround and fill the tears thereby making your muscles bigger and stronger.
Protein is primarily made up of four elements: carbon, oxygen, hydrogen and nitrogen. When the body receives a sufficient amount of protein, it attains a positive nitrogen balance, otherwise known as the anabolic state. This is the described as the optimum muscle building state. On the contrary, a negative nitrogen balance, otherwise known as the catabolic state, triggers the breaking down of muscle tissue for energy.
According to Dr. John Beradi, founder of Science Link Inc., “there is not enough data to draw definitive conclusions on how much protein can be absorbed at one time. What we do know is this. Protein digestion depends on a number of factors including the protein source, how the protein source was prepared, whether or not you are on any drugs that affect the GI tract”.
With more muscle tissue in the body, your resting metabolism is significantly raised. This means that your body will be burning more calories and fat at rest. As a matter of fact, it has been found that 1 pound of muscle can burn anywhere between 50 and 100 calories per day, at rest.
Natural Whey Protein
When it comes to assessing protein quality, biological value is the supreme parameter. What does this mean? Biological value is the barometer of quality that defines the percentage used by the body of either the digestible protein available or the total protein consumed. When compared against the most popular protein sources, natural whey protein reigns supreme. The following table highlights biological value for various proteins.
|
Protein Source |
Biological Value |
|
Natural Grass-Fed Whey |
105 – 160 |
|
Fish |
76 |
|
Chicken |
79 |
|
Beef |
80 |
|
Milk |
84 |
|
Eggs |
88 – 100 |
Grass fed whey protein also has the highest Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAA) when compared to the conventional sources of protein. For a 30-grams serving, Nutrology’s natural protein powder contains 25 grams of protein and over 5 grams of BCAAs.
How to Choose the Right Natural Whey Protein
When trying to decide which natural whey protein you want, it is always important to read labels. Some higher quality protein powders provide your body with all the nutrients you need to recover and grow; while others lack quality, purity and even taste. Below, we have provided 3 golden rules you should follow when choosing a protein powder.
- Grass-Fed Sources
Opt for natural whey protein that is sourced from grass-fed cows. This will ensure that your protein powder has a strong amino acid profile complete with the full range of the essential amino acids.
- Cold Processed Whey Concentrate
Prioritize cold processed whey concentrate over whey isolate. While the whey isolate may be more ideal for lactose intolerant people, it has undergone heavy processing.
- Low Heavy Metals
A great natural whey protein is one that has been low-heavy-metal-verified.
With Nutrology’s grass-fed naturally sourced whey protein powder you get quality, great taste, and more value for money. It is perfect for weightlifters and fitness buffs looking to achieve and maintain the leanest muscle tone.*