The scientific advances that have taken place in recent years in the sports nutrition industry have made consumers more demanding about the supplements they use. Compared to what bodybuilders knew just a few decades ago, such as Arnold Schwarzenegger’s generation, modern science has given us a better understanding of the effects supplements like creatine, beta-alanine, and arginine have on our bodies.
Recently, some brands’ launch of meat protein-based supplements has caught the attention of bodybuilding enthusiasts. This has sparked a passionate new debate: is meat protein better than whey?
To help you answer this question, we will discuss the relevant aspects of protein supplementation. Later, we will compare whey with meat protein using these aspects as differentiation criteria.
biological value
1 gram of protein always has an energy value of 4 calories, regardless of the protein source. However, the body can only sometimes use 100% protein intake to increase muscle mass.
The biological value is a measurement scale used to determine the protein percentage used by the body. The protein source with the highest biological value is the egg since the body can use up to 94% of the amino acids in this food.
The most interesting aspect of beef protein is that, provided the ideal nutritional conditions are met, the biological value of this protein source can be equivalent to that of eggs. The following statement corresponds with what a study published in the Journal of Nutrition has concluded:
“In cases where protein intake reached 15% of the diet, protein derived from beef did not show any deficiency in cysteine , and the value used for growth was the same as protein from beef. egg.”
In turn, the biological value of cow’s milk protein is, on average, 60%.
Purity
Protein from whey formulas can reach a biological value of up to 104, depending on its degree of purity. Could meat olimp whey protein supplements lose out on whey protein in this regard?
If we look at the 100% Whey Gold Standard, considered by many to be the best whey protein on the market, we see that it contains almost 5 grams of sugar per 100g. Regarding saturated fat, whey tends to have more or less 2 to 4 grams of this nutrient, while some meat protein products are completely free of saturated fat or contain only trace amounts.
Absorption
Elaborating on the previous point, sugars and fats delay the absorption of proteins by the body because digestive enzymes have to work twice as hard to break proteins into their most basic units – amino acids.
There’s also the fact that most of the sugars found in whey come from lactose, which most people can’t digest completely.
Furthermore, unlike whey protein, which is digested in the intestine, the digestion of beef protein takes place in the stomach. This prevents the bloated feeling that is commonly associated with consuming buttermilk.
Nutritional Quality
In addition to the abovementioned aspects, most beef protein formulas are fortified with vitamins and minerals, thus improving their nutritional value.