Whey Protein
Adding protein shakes into your diet to boost your metabolism and improve your overall health can be an incredibly beneficial contribution to your diet. With this, whey protein is perhaps some of the best for promoting muscle growth and a healthy metabolism boost as shown by studies testing the effects of whey protein on the body’s fat burning capabilities. “Whey protein appears to have a blood glucose and/or insulin lowering effect partly mediated by incretins. In addition, whey protein may increase muscle protein synthesis,” notes a study by Sonja Graf, Sarah Egert, and Martina Heer.
Whey protein is derived from dairy and is in part cow’s milk protein that can naturally increase fat burn within the body as it has a higher thermic effect than other foods. This form of protein is generally easy to digest, but for those that follow a vegan diet or are lactose intolerant it may cause some discomfort or bloating. That said, “whey protein may affect glucose metabolism and muscle protein synthesis,” explains the study, stipulating that “the evidence for a clinical efficacy is not strong enough to make final recommendations with respect to a specific dose and the duration of supplementation.”
This form of protein has also been shown to improve muscle repair within the body as well, with another 2017 study revealing, “The consumption of 25 g of whey protein after an evening bout of resistance exercise tended to improve whole body net protein balance over 10 h of overnight recovery.” Muscle recovery is essential for the overall function of the body, and with whey protein to help fuel calorie burn as well as recovery, it may be a worthwhile addition into your diet to promote a healthier and more balanced eating plan.
While whey protein may be highly beneficial to your recovery and calorie burn, that’s not to say it’s the only useful form of protein to include in your diet in order to see results. If you do follow a vegan diet and are still looking to get adequate protein into your body each day, a shake with pea, hemp, or soy protein will still provide notable benefits in increasing satiety, promoting muscle growth, and continuing to improve your metabolism with ease. On the whole, women should generally be aiming for 46 grams of protein each day, with men falling around 56 grams. Protein is not the only important factor of a balanced and nutritious diet, but adding whey protein to your shakes can help to set your body up for sustainable weight loss without deprivation.