Is whey protein powder good for weight loss?

What is whey protein?

Whey protein is obtained from milk. Enzymes are added to milk during the production of cheese and this separates it into two parts – the cheese curds and liquid whey. If you have ever left milk out to ferment and let it sit for a while, you will have noticed the liquid part settle – this is whey.

The liquid contains proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. There are 3 main different kinds of whey protein; concentrate, isolate and hydrolysate.

Manufacturers process the liquid whey obtained from milk and intervene at various stages to produce each of these 3 types:

• Concentrate – impurities are removed from the whey and the remaining content is turned into powder form. This usually contains up to 80% protein by weight. Due to less purification, whey concentrate tends to contain much more lactose than what whey isolate and hydrolysate do. It is also absorbed at a slower rate by the body.
• Isolate – when the whey concentrate is taken and further purified, the isolate form of whey is obtained. This contains around 90% protein by weight and much less lactose.
• Hydrolysate – this is obtained at the final stage of production, contains the most amount of protein per weight and is also the most easily absorbed. It is obtained by exposing the concentrate or isolate to heat, enzymes or acid, which breaks down the bonds between amino acids. Since this form is so pure, it does not contain many of the subfractions that the other two form have. These subfractions are important for e.g. boosting the immune system. It also does not taste as good as the other two forms.

Protein is the building block of muscle and tissue in our body, which is why it makes sense to increase its intake when trying to do so. When it comes to muscle building proteins, whey is at the top of the list and is the reason it is usually associated with body builders.

Whey protein has a high bioavailability, meaning it is absorbed very well by the body, and so is preferred over many other sources of protein.

Additionally it is a complete protein meaning it contains all 9 essential amino acids. Essential amino acids are those that the body cannot produce itself and so need to be obtained via the diet.

Whey protein and weight loss

A sedentary lifestyle combined with an unhealthy diet is a surefire way to gain weight. This is true for any age group. Older people generally tend to gain weight as they age because:

• They lose lean muscle mass and so their bodies end up burning fewer calories. The less muscle you have, the fewer calories you burn.
• Their metabolism slows down, again resulting in fewer calories being used up.
• They are less able to process carbohydrates, without gaining weight.

The main way to lose weight is to be in a caloric deficit. This is when you consume fewer calories than your body expends. Doing so allows your body to use some of its fat stores as a source of energy.

The usual way most people go about a calorie deficit is by reducing the amount of food they eat. However, if you have an unhealthy diet to begin with which mainly consists of high GI foods, this can lead to hunger pangs, causing you to end up eating more than you should.

Protein is a macronutrient (the other two being fat and carbohydrate) and has the highest satiety. This means it makes you feel full longer than fat or carbohydrate. Therefore, consuming more protein and less fat & carbohydrate banishes hunger for a lengthier period of time and also gets rid of unhealthy cravings (e.g. due to low blood sugar).

Reference: http://tinyurl.com/zmo5fo7