Key Highlights-
* What should I take protein powder or natural protein?
* Is real food better than protein powder?
* Which is best eggs or whey Protein?
* Is there a food substitute for protein powder.
* Is getting protein from Foods really better than taking from protein powder or bars?
Protein has become an obsession we can't seem to get enough high protein foods protein supplements are highly marketed and now they're even adding protein to everyday products protein helps your body grow and repair so it's vital to the process of building muscle it also makes you feel fuller which helps with fat loss an average person who's not especially active needs around 60 grams of protein in a day but people who exercise with weights can need twice that amount about 30 to 40 grams in every meal.
But what are the best sources of protein for muscle growth and how do they compare today we're stripping away the marketing and bro science with a simple side-by-side comparison of popular protein sources what size portion do you need to get that 30 grams of protein in each meal do protein-rich foods also give you other things your body needs like carbs and fats. How do supplements fit into all this.
Which is better Shake or Natural Protein
This question also depends on different types of training need different amounts of protein so later we'll give you a guide on how much extra protein you need for different body types and activities but first a like for like comparison of key protein sources based on 30 grams per meal starting-
Lean Beef
Lean minced beef get 30 grams of protein from a 100 gram serving we've chosen a brand with fat content reduced to 5 this also lowers the calories beef is zero carbs zero fiber but it does have plenty of vitamins and minerals prime steak is way more expensive but lean minced beef generally comes out cheaper.
Chicken
Chicken is now more popular than beef and is a great source of protein you need one small chicken breast for 30 grams of protein about the same portion size as minced beef but calories and fat are way lower again no carbs or fiber and the cost not bad only slightly more expensive than your lean beef.
Salmon
Large salmon steak provides your 30 gram portion of protein calories and fat are higher than meat and chicken because salmon is an oily fish but that can be useful because it's naturally high in vitamins minerals and essential oils salmon is tasty but wait for weight it can cost three times as much as lean minced beef.
Eggs
Eggs are high protein but also pretty high in calories and fats again these are fats that your body needs many gym goers take out the yellows which are higher in fat but throwing away the yolks also means you're removing the amino acids which help the protein absorb into your system so try taking out some but not all of the yolks when you prepare your eggs.
Cottage Cheese
Cottage cheese not the tastiest source of protein and you'll need a whopping 300 gram serving for 30 grams of protein but cottage cheese is slow protein release so it's good to take before you go to bed for steady release of nutrients while you sleep.
All of these products are from animal sources which means they're going to be low in fiber if you use animal protein make sure you're taking in plenty of fiber from veggies and grains to help digest your food.
Quona
Meat substitutes are getting more popular a meal with 200 grams of this example will provide your 30 grams of protein it's low in fat good for fiber and you can use it in many different ways reducing your meat intake is going to be good for the planet but at present this product is twice as much as our lean minced beef example a meal that includes 200 grams of ready-to-eat.
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Soyabean
Soybeans gives you 30 grams of protein they're high fiber and they're one of the few plant sources that also give you those key amino acids to help your system absorb the protein per gram of protein prepared soybeans cost about twice the cost of lean minced beef.
Whey Protein
There are hundreds of different protein powders out there we are using the most popular whey protein for this comparison just under two scoops serves you 30 grams of protein our example also has about the same calories as a small chicken breast a small amount of fat and importantly they've added just over three grams of fiber to the mix to help digestion the cost of whey protein can vary depending on what they add to it but a typical product we looked at was nearly three times the price of lean minced beef.
Protein Bars
Finally that tempting protein bar in the shiny wrapper you always see at the checkout this is not a meal if you're looking for 30 grams of protein that'll be one and a half of these bars although there are many great products out there they often come with lots of calories check for added sugar and don't fall for something that's just a candy bar with added protein and the cost per gram of protein for a good quality bar an incredible eight times the price of lean minced beef.
So, that makes low-fat lean minced beef our most cost-effective source of protein of course it's not good to use just one source of protein in your daily diet you should always change it up day to day meal to meal if you're training you should take one of these portions of protein within 30 minutes of finishing your workout this is when a shake can come in really handy but supplements are not meal replacements you'll get better all-round nutrition from eating complete meals.
Before this I'm using protein powder but now I'm knowledgeable because of you.
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