I think most people are aware of the need to eat quality protein to help the body build and repair muscle but one question that often comes up is whether protein shakes are better than real food. The short answer is yes protein shakes are in theory better for being a liquid form you can drink it gets to the muscles faster than eating food which needs to be broken up, digested and then distributed to the muscles. The longer answer is it is may not be the best solution for every person as there is a lot more protein than you think. In this article we look at the various things you need to consider before drinking shakes.
Firstly, there are many people who are dairy intolerant so drinking whey protein is not a viable option anyway. Sure, there are alternative protein shakes available such as pea-protein but it may not be something you like. Does this mean you won’t be able to build muscle as effectively? Of course not, you can still get great results from eating protein from whole foods, you just need to be more planned and have access to getting this done.
Most people will say protein shakes are better for it gets to the muscles faster being in the liquid form as I suggested in the intro, but for many I think it really comes down to convenience. They can take the shake with them and be able to drink it almost immediately after the workout or at least in the 30 minutes after training. Whereas, if they wanted to eat some poached eggs or a steak afterwards it takes a lot more planning and time to do this which may not be practical depending on what time of day and where you are at the time.
In this case having a shake with you that is ready to go makes perfect sense especially if you want to take advantage of the metabolic window. If I have time though I would definitely be trying to cook some eggs as these provide numerous health benefits that are hard to find in other foods.
The Metabolic Window
Sporting athletes and bodybuilders have long known that there is an “anabolic window” after a workout (24-48 hours) during which muscles are especially greedy for amino acids. This is where you regularly see people drinking protein shakes right after they train to take advantage of this metabolic window.
When you eat a protein- and carbohydrate-rich meal within 30 minutes of completing strength training it increases insulin and amino acids in the muscle. While this window is technically open for 2-3 hours it is the first 30 minutes after the workout the body that it is most actively in search of amino acids which is you why you see body-builders walking around in the gym with their shakes.
For the everyday person just looking to get in shape and lose a few kilograms this is not that important or really necessary to go to this level of planning. Most people will not be training that intensely to do as much damage as what a sporting athlete would endure or have to come back tomorrow and back it up.
For the everyday person they will benefit more from eating a wide range of protein sources than drinking the same whey protein shake a few times per week.
Why It Is Vital To Eat A Wide Range Of Protein Sources
Most people think about eating in the metabolic window or how much protein they need, but they don’t think all that much about the quality of the protein they’re eating. There are huge differences in the chemical makeup of a given protein source, and how valuable that protein is nutritionally especially when you consider amino acid content.
Protein is made up of amino acids that act as building blocks for cells and tissues in the body.
There are 20 amino acids that combine to form proteins. While some can be synthesized by the human body, others cannot. The nine amino acids that the body cannot make are called essential amino acids. These must be obtained through diet.
As long as you eat a mix of different protein sources, you’ll get all the amino acids you need.
You don’t need to weigh your foods and complete complicated calculations just try to mix up your foods and rotate through your various food groups each day.
You can have way more protein than you need, but if the protein you’re eating is low in an important amino acid (known as the limiting amino acid), you will remain deficient and not reap the rewards of your training efforts.
High-quality proteins have more limiting amino acids, making them much more effective for our bodies to use that protein source better and the best versions are real foods.
The take home message here is to eat a wide variety of protein sources.
You can read more about this in the article – How much protein do you need to eat for a healthy body?
Summary
While there are advantages to both protein shakes and real food at the end of the day you are still doing something really good for your body. You are not eating junk food, or processed garbage that will do harm to your body so whatever choice you make it is still a good one.
If you are a really keen gym enthusiast and love to push your body to the limits then perhaps having a protein shake in the metabolic window is perfect for you. However, if you are someone who just wants to improve your fitness and lose a few kilograms it is a bit of overkill that is not really going to make that much difference in the long run and you are best to stick to whole foods.
The choices is yours.
Do You Need More Help?
For more ideas about nutrition make sure you grab a copy of our special report shown below.
This book is designed to help you understand the TRUTH about NUTRITION, cut through all the confusion, and enable you to employ some SIMPLE and highly effective methods we use in our studio every day with people recovering from injury, disease or looking to reach a fitness goal.
CLICK HERE to download the PDF.
About The Author
Nick Jack is owner of No Regrets Personal Training and has over 20 years’ experience as a qualified Personal Trainer, Level 2 Rehabilitation trainer, CHEK practitioner, and Level 2 Sports conditioning Coach. Based in Melbourne Australia he specializes in providing solutions to injury and health problems for people of all ages using the latest methods of assessing movement and corrective exercise.
References
•Precision Nutrition
•Metabolic Typing – By Trish Fahey & William Wilcott
•Eat Real Food – by David Gillespie
•How To Eat, Move & Be Healthy by Paul Chek