Protein is a very important nutrient needed by the body for muscle building, tissue repair, and transportation of nutrients. Protein can be consumed through various sources like chicken, paneer, tofu, soy, fish, beans pulses etc and can be supplemented through protein supplements. Protein supplements are a controversial topic due to limited knowledge and lot of myths related to it. Following are a few myths attached to protein supplements that we have tried to bust:
Myth 1: You do not need protein supplements if you do not do heavy exercises.
Fact: For a healthy adult a minimum of 1 gm/ kg high-quality protein is required for its daily functions. Which means if you weigh 70 kgs u need 70 gms of protein. This protein should be high quality. By high quality we mean the protein should have all the 20 amino acids and of high bioavailability. Most of the protein we take in the diet are either incomplete proteins or have low bioavailability especially vegetarian proteins. Thus to fulfill the daily requirement it is important to supplement the regular diet with protein supplements.
Myth 2: All proteins are the same.
Fact: A lot of people believe that protein is protein and they can take any. The truth is that there are various types of protein and each is meant for a different situation like whey concentrate can be used for general use or before and after gym while whey isolate is a quick absorbing protein suitable for people on a low carbohydrate diet. Casein is a slow digesting protein suitable to be taken a night, hydrolysate protein is the most expensive and has the highest absorbability in proteins other than that there is soy protein which is the most commonly used vegetarian protein.
Myth 3: If women will take protein supplements they will become bulky.
Fact: It is one of the most common myths that if women who exercise take protein supplements will become bulky, women cannot gain bulky muscles without the use of steroids as women do not have enough quantity of testosterone hormone in the body, thus taking protein supplements will only tone their muscles and not bulk them.
Myth 4: Protein supplements can damage the kidney.
Fact: Unless you are a kidney patient or eating one canister of protein a day, your kidneys are safe. Also, it is important to know that when you are taking protein supplements, up your water intake for better digestion.
Myth 5: Cooking protein denatures it.
Fact: protein does not have a smoke point so go ahead and bake those healthy high protein desserts.
So bust these myths and up your protein intake!!!
