As you go about your diet plan, if you’re starting to think about using a protein powder to help you reach your nutritional goals, it’s important that you take some time to learn about the various protein powders that are available. Many people shudder at the thought of protein powders since the very thought of it – for some – conjures up images of scary looking body builders.

Don’t be afraid! Any qualified personal trainer who is knowledgeable about nutrition and science knows that many of us aren’t getting enough protein in our diets, so having protein shakes or bars to supplement our daily diet is beneficial.

Not all protein powders are created alike, so by using the right one at the right time, you can ensure that you see the results you’re going for from it.

Let’s have a quick look at the main types of protein powders that you need to know about so that you can clearly see which will be best for you.

Whey Concentrate Protein Powders

The first type of protein powder is a whey concentrate powder. These are generally the most cost effective protein powder and can be used at any point throughout the day as they don’t really have a specific purpose other than to supply you with protein.

They will digest at a moderate rate and will contain a small amount of carbs and fats in most cases.

Whey Isolate Protein Powders

The second type of protein powder is the whey isolate protein powder, which is best for immediately before or after a workout or personal training session.

This type of protein powder is created to digest very rapidly in the body, so get those amino acids to the muscle tissues at top speed.

Use this along with a fast acting carb source after you finish a hard workout for optimal repair.  This protein powder often contains very few carbs or fats, so is 100% pure protein.

Casein Protein Powders

Moving along, the third type of protein powder that you might come across is a casein protein powder.  This form of protein digests more slowly in the body, so is a great option for during the day when you need a quality protein source.

This protein also provides more calcium per serving being that it is of the casein variety, so for those who are struggling to meet their daily calcium requirements, this can be a huge benefit.

Casein protein powders will often contain slightly more fat and carbs than whey isolates, so their total calorie value per scoop for the same amount of protein will be higher.

All in all though it’s rather negligible in the grand scheme of things.

Meal Replacement Powders

Finally, the last type of protein powder that you might come across is the meal replacement protein powder.  This form of protein powder is going to be best for those who are using the protein powder to substitute for a complete snack as these will contain some carbs and fats as well.

This will help to keep you energized better and make sure that you’re meeting your nutrient needs.

So there you have a brief run-down on the various protein powders that you can look into purchasing. If you have one, you can ask your personal trainer to discuss which one is best for you. If not, your local health food professional can assist. It helps to choose a few different varieties to have on hand at all times so that you can make sure that you’re giving your body precisely what it needs at various points in the day.

This entry was posted on January 9, 2012 at 4:51 pm. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Posted in Fitness Training Lean Muscle Building Metabolism boost by Ian No Comments Yet