Protein : Is There A Better Whey?

Everyone has heard of protein. It is one of the major building blocks of life. But what is it?

Proteins come in all shapes and sizes. In fact they change in shape as they perform their various functions. They have a multitude of functions in the human body. They are building blocks for muscle, and the structure of every cell in your body. They are also enzymes and signalers and messengers. They are an active part of every function of every cell. They make your immune system work. Proteins even determine which parts of your genetic code get read.

Proteins can be very complex chains linking up hundreds of amino acids to make a single protein. They are made up of 20 different amino acids. 8 of those amino acids are considered essential (9 for children). That is because if you eat foods that contain those eight, your body can manufacture the rest. So foods that contain at least all 8 of the essential amino acids are called complete proteins.

Interestingly enough, even though they are such a huge part of what goes on in the body, we don't have to eat huge quantities of them to get all we need. According to nutritionists, even the biggest muscle building weight lifters only need to get about 1 gram (1.2g maximum) of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. For 160 lb person that comes out to about 73 grams per day. The RDA for adult males is 63 grams. Surveys done by the government indicate that on average, Americans eat nearly double the amount of protein that they need. To get this info from a nutritionist go HERE.

Many athletes use special protein powders or whey powder to get lots of protein to build and maintain muscle. Studies however, show that taking extra protein does not result in extra muscle or strength. In fact eating too much protein can be taxing on the kidneys.

One of the reasons whey caught on as a supplement was because farmers could get pigs very large and healthy with it fairly quickly. So body builders started using it. It is now in the realm of 'body builder facts' that lots of whey will help you to bulk up. Never mind all the people who have taken it for years and still can't bulk up. Studies do not show that whey helps to build extra muscle, though it does seem to make pigs eat more food. Only good balanced nutrition, and exercise can build muscle.

Whey powders, as well as many other protein powders, are not good balanced nutrition. Whey is a highly processed artificial food. Now many of you will balk at that statement because I used the word artificial. Whey is usually made from natural ingredients, so many people call it a natural food. However in my world, anything that is processed from a natural food, with certain things added or other things taken away, has become artificial. Whey does occur in nature, but it isn't powdered.

Now, granted, if you have just been eating junk food, and then you start taking whey powders, you will likely see a health improvement. It is much better than most junk food. It is the elimination of junk food that causes the benefit.

But whey is not the perfect protein portrayed in so many advertisements. For one thing it is usually high in tryptophan. Tryptophan, while being a necessary amino acid for the human body, is toxic to the human body in large amounts and has even been shown to be carcinogenic. Read HERE to learn more about that.

Remember that the key to health is in balance. Not 'laboratory balanced', according to some formula made by man, but balanced by God. Whole foods used with prudence and wisdom can easily give you all the proteins, as well as all the other nutrition, that your body needs.

Another great thing about proteins is that they are found in practically every whole food. Grains, fruit, veggies, animal products, nuts, and legumes, all contain protein.

Some great 'complete protein' foods everyone agrees on are eggs and milk. However I will now go astray from the main stream, by telling you that grains (particularly wheat) are also complete protein foods, if the whole grains are used.

Why do others not call them complete? Because they have been taught that you need a certain prescribed amount of each of the essential amino acids to be called complete. Wheat contains all the essential amino acids, as do some other grains. They just aren't all in the quantities that some people would like to see. So, what I'm saying is, if you make whole grains the foundation of your diet you will get all the protein you need.

Nature (God) balances things much better than mankind knows how to.

Oh, yes, potatoes also contain all the essential amino acids. The point is, if you eat a variety of good wholesome foods you will probably get all the protein you need.

PS. What weight lifters need, more than extra protein, is extra calories. (Preferably from good foods.)