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Should you choose whey protein or plant protein for your fitness nutrition?
Summary
Taking protein supplements have proved to be useful to maximise your workout gains. But which type of protein should you choose, whey or plant-based?
There are two ways to look at diets that help fuel one’s fitness journey. One is the ethical side of the debate: veganism and vegetarianism versus eating meat and dairy. The other side is the nutritional side of it. This is where one asks questions based on what kind of diet gives what kind of nutrients. Break this down further, and it brings us to protein. Which in turn also gives rise to a third side of the discussion, which is how it makes one’s gut feel.
This article will focus on the nutritional and gut health part of the protein supplement discussion, which might help in making a decision on what you should be consuming over and above your regular meals. The biggest debate in all of this is whey protein vs. plant protein. The question is whether to switch from one to the other and if both are equally effective.
The best way to make a choice would be to prioritise personal experience. This happens over a period of using both plant and whey protein. The elimination method is a good starting point. The USP of plant protein is that it is better for gut health. If using whey protein for a few weeks leads to feeling bloated, along with a rise in acne, excessive flatulence, and lethargy, and eliminating it for plant protein leads to a reduction on those issues, then the body has provided an answer.
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“The kind of dairy used in whey protein may or may not be from grass fed free range cows. It could be from a source pumped with hormones. A lot of people facing indigestion and acidity might not realise it’s from their protein supplement. You may not be absorbing just the grammage of protein—because if it just passes through you then what is the point? Muscle growth may be achieved but might not be the only marker of having good protein," says Sarah Nicole Edwards, a Bengaluru-based health coach and nutritionist. Edwards also runs Copper + Cloves, a meal subscription service with a focus on whole foods.
She adds that women in particular are sensitive to dairy and that can cause hormonal imbalances and has a relationship with Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). She also believes that obsessing over types of protein supplements are entirely justified.
Rahil Shah has been working out for a decade now, using both plant and whey protein to supplement his carefully chosen vegetarian diet. He says that protein standards have gone up over the last few years, and he finds comfort with the availability of more globally recognised brands, but switching between the two has not affected his performance in the gym. “There was an immediate reduction in gut health issues when I used plant protein but I couldn’t stand the taste when it initially came into the market."
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The 30-year-old says that it is difficult to make pea-based plant proteins taste good, but companies have managed to overcome that hurdle. There is, of course, the monetary cost that needs to be considered as well. “If you choose a plant protein from a top brand, you might end up spending ₹150 upwards per day to get your grammage in." Shah decides what to take depending on not just this, but also curiosity.
A meta-analysis published in the National Library of Medicine journal, titled, No Difference Between The Effects Of Supplementing With Soy Protein Versus Animal Protein On Gains In Muscle Mass And Strength In Response To Resistance Exerciseconcludes by saying that while “acute studies indicate that whey protein, likely related to its higher leucine content, stimulates muscle protein synthesis to a greater extent than proteins such as soy and casein" but it was “less clear is the extent to which the type of protein supplemented impacts strength and LBM in long-term studies" which were done for six weeks or more.
When choosing the right protein supplement, it is also important to look for red flags in the ingredients. “The main red flags are kinds of sugar, things that end in Os. Sucrose, dextrose, hidden sugars. And ISN numbers—artificial flavours. For plant, look for isolates, pea isolates, etc. You want a blend so you have all the amino acids—pea rice, hemp, one kind of dal, pumpkin seeds. You want to avoid artificial colourings, flavourings, and hidden sugars. I can go for plant protein and then add a banana and peanut butter," Edwards says.
She also advises that no supplements can beat eating whole foods. One should always supplement their supplement with bananas, oats, peanut butter and other healthy foods to get the desired effect.
Pulasta Dhar is a football commentator, podcaster and writer.
