Protein Supplements: Are they really necessary?

Do our bodies really need protein supplements? What about if I am a vegetarian?

There are tons of protein supplements in the market, claiming how they help gaining weight. Well... are these products really necessary for those who want to gain weight? As consumers, what we need to be clear in our minds is how much protein we need to achieve our health goals? Are we able to achieve them with regular diets.

Our bodies need about 0.8 gram of protein per kilogram of body weight in order to function properly without complications. If we need to simply maintain muscle mass, we need to take 1 gram of protein per kilogram of body weight. For athletes and body builders who need to increase muscle mass, the daily protein intake should be between 1.2 and 1.7 grams per kilogram of body weight. Say an average man weighs 72 kilograms, he needs to consume 72 grams of protein daily to maintain his muscle mass, this is about one 9-ounce beef steak/one and a half chicken breast per day. That means you may need to eat 1.2-1.7 times of this regular portion if you want to gain muscle mass. You can imagine it is a lot of meat protein to take per day. It is possible but may not be very practical, considering cost and pre[aration time required. Also, this may pose a significant challenge to vegetarians who want muscle gain because much larger portion of their diets is required if they want to get same amount of daily protein. From this perspective, protein supplements become a viable option.

However, bear in mind that protein is only one part of the equation in our diets, we also want to control our sugar/carbs and fat intake to balance the mass gain in our body. Increasing general portion of our meals may also increase carbs and fat intake.

Also, some people are just not able to tolerate animal proteins due to allergic reactions (e.g. lactose/dairy intolerance). So, there are definitely things to be aware of when choosing the right protein supplements.

Watch out sugar/carbs

In order to add taste, some protein supplements have overly added sugar (as high as 20g per scoop of 30g!). They will of course help you gain weight but in a wrong direction... Keep an eye on the nutrition facts of the product when picking your protein supplements.

Watch for animal-based or plant-based proteins

Dairy-based proteins are more popular in the market because they usually contain whey protein and BCAAs (Branched chain amino acids) proteins. Whey protein is beneficial in supporting muscle adaptations due to its rapid absorption rate. BCAAs have similar benefits but also have been shown to aid in recovery from exercise aiding in replacing our muscle glycogen and delaying fatigue associated with exercise. Generally, naturally occurring animal proteins contain good portions of BCAAs. These proteins have been identified as providing optimal support of muscle adaptations with exercise training.

So, how about proteins for vegetarians? Well, although it is true that there are less amino acids in plant-based proteins, there are way more fiber in plant-based protein compared to animal proteins. This is something important for digestion, promoting a healthy gut microbiome, and lower cardiovascular disease risk. For those who eat less or not enough vegetables (be honest if you hate vegetables...) in your diets, you may actually want to switch to plant-based proteins to balance your diets.

Plant-based organic proteins

For people who are looking for plant-based oragnic proteins, there are some good options in the market, however they are either too expensive or don't have enough nutrients. Orgain provides a great balance. Their regular Organic proteins have 21g plant protein in every 2 scoops (49g). A big bonus is that they don't use artificial creamer or taste, majority of the ingredients are from non-GMO plants and organic. This is definitely good choice for vegan and gluten-free customers. They have varieties of products of plant-based protein supplements to choose from, including keto collagen proteins if you want a specific focus in diet.

For those who are active and looking for weight gain, Orgain Sport Protein would be a good choice with 30g of protein in every 2 scoops (57g) and good organic fiber. A big bonus is that they don't use artificial creamer, added sugar or taste, majority of the ingredients are from plants and organic.

No time for preparing your protein shake? No worries, Orgain plant protein shake in carton packs 20g of organic plant protein in one 11-ounce carton to go. This is great for hitting the gyms or traveling.

New customer's bundle and discount

If you want to try out Orgain products, you will not want to miss the bundle offer for new customers. You will get two original protein cans for just slighly higher than one can's price.