You’ve probably heard fellow gym goers waxing lyrical about the many benefits of whey protein powder. But what exactly are the benefits of using whey protein, and is whey powder good for you? HERMOSA answers all your burning questions to give you the full skinny on whey.
What Is Whey Protein?
Little Miss Muffet was the OG poster girl for the #strongnotskinny movement. She knew the benefits of whey before most of us even knew what it was. Still not sure? It’s the liquid part of milk that gets separated from the solids that eventually become your favourite block of cheese. Then it’s processed into the protein powder you drop into your shakes, pancakes, and smoothies to repair and build your hard-working muscles.
Is Whey Protein Powder Good For You?
Is whey good for you? No, whey protein powder isn’t good for you… it’s great for you! Unless that is, you’re lactose intolerant (or vegan, for that matter). But even then, you can still up your protein game with vegan protein.
Whey protein comes in three different forms: concentrate, isolate and hydrolysate. HERMOSA whey protein only uses concentrate because it retains most of the whey’s nutrients. These include high-quality, digestible protein and all the essential amino acids. Plus, we can get way more flavour into it that way. Sweet!
So whether you’re a seasoned bodybuilder or just about to step into a gym for the first time, protein powder can give you the lift you need to stay in A1 condition.
5 Benefits of Whey Protein
Still need some persuading? No problem! Here are five more benefits of using whey protein:
Source Of Protein
Whether you’re starting to simply move for the sake of your mental health or if you love to push your body to the limit, you’re going to need a steady supply of protein to keep you primed and hitting your goals. Alongside a diet made up of natural sources of protein, such as chicken breast, turkey, beef or tofu, throwing in a protein shake or two into your day containing whey protein, post workout or as a snack, can help you hit your macros with minimal effort. It’s super convenient, super-fast to prepare and absorbed quickly too.
And with the HERMOSA Whey Protein powder, you’ll get a smashing 20g of all natural protein per serving.
Helps Towards Muscle Growth
Did we mention that whey protein contains all the essential amino acids you need for muscle building? Sure we did, but it bears repeating! Because our bodies can’t make these amino acids (that’s why they’re called ‘essential’), they need to come from our diets. So when you’re taking onboard a complete source of protein, like whey protein powder, you’re getting the vital branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) – leucine – which stimulates muscle ‘protein synthesis’ as the boffins call it, or the process you and I would call ‘making muscle’.
And just because you’re ‘making muscle’ it doesn’t mean you’ll get that bulky look of a bodybuilder (unless that’s your goal, of course). Whether it's being stronger, running faster, swimming longer, whatever your goal is, making muscle means you can improve performance in your chosen field.
Helps To Lower Blood Pressure
The scientific jury’s still out on this one, but some animal studies and a handful of human trials suggest that consuming dairy products could help to reduce blood pressure. It’s all down to some catchily-named peptides, called ‘angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitors’ (ACE-inhibitors sounds way cooler, don’t you think?!), including a type found in whey known as ‘lactokinins’, which widens blood vessels and therefore lowers blood pressure.
What does lower blood pressure mean? Well, it means you’re at less risk of cardiovascular disease, such as strokes & heart attacks in general.
Enhances The Body’s Antioxidant Defences
Oxidative stress is bad, m’kay! It’s basically cell damage caused by unstable molecules, known as ‘free radicals’. Antioxidants help to combat this process. We get antioxidants from food like fruit and vegetables, or the body makes them. Glutathione is an important antioxidant that we can’t get from food sources, which can only be made thanks to a ready supply of essential amino acids. Taking whey is one way to boost glutathione production.
Helps You To Stay Fuller
Another benefit of whey protein is that it can help you to feel fuller for longer. Of all the macronutrients, protein is one of the most filling. And guess what? Whey protein is even more filling than other types of protein, such as casein or soy. So the upshot of adding whey protein powder to your daily routine means that you’re less likely to need a snack between meals, helping you to keep on top of your nutrition.
Benefits of whey protein for females
If you thought whey protein was just for men, think again. Because it’s an amazing source of protein for women looking to tone up, build lean muscle and generally get stronger. One of the major benefits of taking whey protein is that it can help to preserve lean muscle mass, which in turn can counteract age-related muscle loss and strengthen bones. That last point is especially important in female health because women are more at risk of osteoporosis and osteoarthritis once oestrogen levels fall after menopause.
