Protein deficiency can reduce the muscle repairing process and bone strength in your body. It is also the macronutrient responsible for hormones and enzyme production in the body. Fortunately, following the Australian dietary guideline will complete the need for protein for most people in Australia.
Choosing the best Australian protein powder becomes essential, though, especially if you are a pro athlete, a bodybuilder or a vegetarian.
You may wonder if any protein source will help in this situation! Unfortunately, however, low-quality protein does more harm to the body than good.
So, what makes for a good protein powder?
What Should You Look for In Your Protein Powder?
Protein powders are a supplement that is meant to complete your nutrition by supporting your daily meals.
It is in no way meant to replace whole foods.
Sure, active people need extra protein to make up for their muscle tissue loss and repair. However, protein is also a great source of energy that helps in maintaining and losing weight.
With that being said, you must choose the best quality protein powder available in Australia. This can get tricky with an abundance of products in the market.
Here are some basic pointers to look for in your protein powder:
Protein
The first and the most important ingredient of your protein powder is, you guessed it, protein.
The type, quality and percentage of protein- all these qualities in a protein powder makes it the best Australian protein powder.
There are a few major types of protein commonly found in most protein powders in Australia:
- Whey protein: This is derived from milk protein, with 20% of milk being whey protein. There are three variations of whey:
- Concentrate- contains 70-80% protein content
- Isolate – contains 90% protein content
- Hydrolysate – contains 75.6% protein content (with enzyme treatment, it decreases to 69.6%)
- Casein protein: Other than whey, the rest of the 80% of milk protein is casein protein. It is an equally effective protein supplement but gets digested slower than whey.
- Vegan protein: If you are vegan or lactose intolerant, vegan protein can be a good choice. There are two major sources for this:
- Rice protein
- Pea protein
HASTA Approval
Whenever you are searching for genuine protein supplements, make sure to check their HASTA (human and supplement testing Australia) certification.
This is extremely vital to check the authenticity of the product and the quality control of the brand manufacturer.
All products verified and approved by HASTA complies with the strict rules of the national and international sporting competitions.
Sugar Content
Protein powder manufacturers often include artificial sweeteners like saccharin and xylitol to enhance the taste. These common sweeteners are not much harmful, but they can cause migraines and stomach diseases in some people.
On the other hand, sweeteners like maltodextrin (polysaccharide) and dextrose (monosaccharide) have a high glycemic index that can be dangerous for diabetics. Moreover, they kill the good bacteria in your intestine and makes you gain a lot of unhealthy weight quickly.
So always look for protein powders without any sugar or sweetener in them. Can protein powders harm your health? The answer is yes. Even though protein has many benefits for the body, excessive consumption of even the best things can be harmful.
Physical ailments like type 2 diabetes, fatty liver, and problems in the kidney are some common issues that can occur. This is the reason you need to choose the best Australian protein powder. Also, when consumed in moderation (2.5gm/kg body weight/day), there is no reason to worry.
Comments are closed.