If you’re looking for a protein supplement and are a vegetarian, then whey protein may be a good option for you. Whey protein isn’t something new, it’s been available for hundreds of years, but during the last 20 years or so, the value of whey protein has become more widely known especially within sports nutrition. Today, products formulated from whey protein are easily available, and are offered for use by people who are on weight loss programs, for infant nutrition, and for a number of other reasons.

Whey protein is made from cow’s milk. It is suitable for vegetarians as it does not come from animal flesh. Obviously it’s always best to check the details on the product you are looking to purchase, but whey protein is a co-product of the cheese making process, and in most cases a microbial type of rennet is used in the manufacturing process rather than animal based rennet. This means that whey protein made in this way is acceptable for any type of vegetarian diet that allows dairy products including lacto-ovo, lacto, and ovo types of vegetarian.

You may wonder why you can’t just drink lots of milk instead, but it’s not quite that simple unfortunately. When you drink milk, although it is highly nutritious, it only contains about 1% of whey protein, and is quite high in fat which you may wish to avoid if you’re trying to lose weight and get fit. In order to get all the benefits of whey protein, you need to take a concentrated whey protein powder such as a whey protein isolate.

When we’re trying to build muscle, protein is necessary to the process, and whey protein is one of the purest forms of protein that you can take, and it doesn’t generally come with additional fat as part of the supplement. This means that as well as helping to build lean muscle mass, it can also help with weight management, muscle loss from aging, wound healing and improved physical performance.

Most people need a daily allowance or around 0.8g of protein per kilo of bodyweight. If you are training regularly however, you’ll need somewhere between 1.4g and 2.4g per kilo of body weight.

If you are not eating enough protein in your diet, then you will need to supplement this somehow.

Whey Protein generally comes in powder form, and is a really cost effective way to buy
supplementary protein for your regime. Of all the protein powders that are on the market,
you will find that about 90% of them are made from whey. There are three types of whey
protein powder available, whey concentrate, whey isolate, and whey protein blend. Of these, Whey isolate contains the highest percentage of protein at 90%, and Whey concentrate will be somewhere between 34% and 80% depending on the quality of the powder. Whey protein blend is a combination of concentrate and isolate, and it will depend on the product what the ratio is.

The best way to know what the levels of protein per scoop are, is to look at the packaging. Some people say that it’s best to always go for a whey isolate as this will give you the highest concentration of protein, however if you go for a good quality whey concentrate there isn’t much difference in effect in muscle building. Also, a blend is a good idea as it increases the amino acid spectrum and gives you a more complete protein supply.

These protein powders come in many different flavours, and some can be used as meal
replacements, while others are designed either to be added to your meal, or as a post workout supplement. – During the 15minutes after a workout, your body absorbs the most protein which is why this can be very effective at helping with muscle building. If you choose the option of meal replacement, then make sure you select a powder that is designed for this purpose, as this will be made from a wider range of protein sources than just whey which means that you have a good protein supply, but also they have enough carbs in them to stop you feeling too drained and tired after a work out.

Obviously protein by itself won’t increase your muscle size, but without enough, you definitely won’t be able to build those muscles either.

Protein sports drinks are an alternative to either protein bars, or protein powders. They
contain the same protein supplements as powders and bars, but unlike powders, they’re ready mixed so you don’t need to make them yourself and can carry them anywhere like a protein bar.

They’re better than a bar of course because they don’t have any of the unnecessary sugars, corn syrup, glycerine or other additional ingredients that you find in many protein bars. They’re also sometimes just nice as a change from a powder or bar of course, and they are generally far more thirst quenching than a powder even when it’s been made up into a drink with milk or water.

Protein sports drinks normally come in either a bottle, or a series of capsules. Some whey protein
drinks contain a good amount of carbs for when you are pre-workout. And many contain carbs, electrolytes, nutrients and protein. Unlike a powder, or a protein bar, these protein drinks also contain plenty of thirst quenching fluid to help you get through a workout.

The type of whey protein drink that you choose should really depend on what type of workout you are doing, and whether you are already taking any other supplements. If all you need is the protein, then a protein capsule containing just protein with no added carbs or electrolytes is probably your best bet. However, if you’re going to be doing a gruelling exercise routine, or cardiovascular exercise then you will need plenty of fluids, electrolytes and protein together, so selecting a protein sports drink is a better idea. Be careful not to over do the protein no matter what form you take it in, and make sure you take into account any protein you are eating in your regular meals as well.

Protein bars are second only to protein powders in their popularity. They are very portable
and don’t need any preparation to take them unlike a powder. They come in a range of flavours, the commonest being chocolate, strawberry, and peanut, and they taste a little like flapjacks.

Whey Protein bars are generally more expensive than powders, but this is to be expected when they are so much more convenient, can be carried anywhere and eaten easily regardless of what you are doing.

Like with protein powders, protein bars come in different forms, some are just a supplement that you add to your diet on top of your normal regular meals to give you a supplementary boost of protein, while others are designed as meal replacements and contain slightly different ingredients to help you maintain a more balanced diet. These meal replacement bars are generally lower in calories, and are designed more for people who want to lose a little weight at the same time as building muscle, than those who are just looking to build muscle. The third type of bar is energy bars. These are packed with protein for muscle building but also contain carbs which you need to fuel your workout. These are most suited to people who have an energy intensive workout, or a high metabolism.

When you choose a protein bar, check the ingredients list. Take note of the calories in the bar if you’re trying to lose weight you don’t want a bar that exceeds 300 calories really. Watch out for ingredients that are not useful to your body such as sugar, corn syrup, sorbitol, mannitol, and glycerin. Check for fibre levels, you want your protein bar to have a decent amount of fibre – between 10 and 15g generally, and look at the carb levels as well. Try to find a bar that has less than 30g of carbs and less than 15g of sugar.