Hey Reader,
Ready for more protein wisdom?
Previously, we learned about protein sources (animal and plant-based protein) and how much protein you should have. In today's Protein Power Education Series, we'll discuss the timing and protein types for your overall health, especially for optimizing muscle growth.
Did you know that the digestion rate of proteins can influence your health differently? Before I elevate that, it’s important to understand how protein is digested and used by our body. I’m going to try my best to simplify this part with a visual, but if you want to nerd out, be my guest.
Understanding of Protein Digestion
Proteins are macronutrients composed of unique combinations of amino acids. These amino acids are linked in thousands of combinations like a big blob. Because of their size, they must be broken down into smaller pieces for our body to absorb them.
The protein digestion process looks like this:
- Protein enters our body.
- The stomach acids break the links connecting the amino acids.
- Individual amino acids and smaller protein units are created and absorbed in the small intestine.
- Once absorbed, these acids and protein units are distributed into our cells to perform various functions.
Affected by various factors, this process can occur at fast, intermediate, and slow speeds, which brings me to the protein types.
Types of Protein
Based on the digestion rate of proteins, which can influence your health in different ways, there are three types of protein.
- Fast-digesting proteins, also known as fast-absorbing proteins, typically complete the digestion process within 1-2 hours.
- Slow-digesting proteins, also called time-release proteins, need 4+ hours to be broken down in our digestive system.
- Intermediate-digesting proteins are self-explanatorily digested and utilized somewhere between 2 to 3 hours.
The quicker the digestion rate of proteins, the faster your body can use these amino acids and protein units.
You can get different types of proteins from supplements and whole foods. Let me break it down.
The Best Fast-Digesting Proteins and When to Take Them
Whey protein and pea protein are the most studied and common fast-digesting proteins. Whey protein is the fastest-digesting protein available.
Pea protein is vegan and lactose-free, making it a fantastic option for folks who follow a plant-based diet.
Although whey protein can be found in dairy foods like milk, cottage cheese, yogurt, and ricotta cheese, the best way to take fast-digesting protein is in the form of good-quality protein powder. It’s because protein powder has been separated from whole foods and broken down. Whole foods contain fat and fiber, which slow down the digestion process. More on this later.
You’ve probably heard that the best time to have a protein shake is right after a workout.
Picture this: You're at the gym, finishing a tough workout. Your muscles are like sponges, ready to soak up nutrients. That's when fast-digesting proteins come into play. With an absorption rate of about 10 grams an hour, whey protein can raise the level of amino acids in the blood for about 90 minutes. So, it’s excellent for repairing muscle tissues that have been damaged during intense exercise. In addition, these proteins can also aid in building muscle mass.
But what about the slow and steady?
The Best Slow-Digesting Proteins and When to Take Them
Like whey protein and pea protein, which are good friends in the fast-digesting protein category, casein protein and hemp protein, often used in protein powders, are partners in crime as slow-digesting proteins.
Like whey, casein is found in dairy. Unlike whey, it takes around five hours for your body to absorb and break down, making it one of the slowest digesting proteins. Furthermore, casein provides a high amount of leucine, one of the branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) that’s extremely beneficial for muscle growth.
To maintain muscle growth for a long period of time, try to take casein protein before bed, as it provides your body with a steady release of amino acids throughout the night. Compared to whey protein, casein protein’s slow release makes it ideal before a fasting state, such as during sleep.
As a plant-based option, hemp is a complete protein that is both vegan and lactose-free. It is the most comparable vegan protein to whey protein in building muscle.
Alright, that’s quite a lot of information. Let’s pause here and digest a little before we get into my favorite thing on earth–whole foods.
For me, health is all about balance, and balance in our diet is based on variety. In this case, I can’t help but wonder,
“What if we take fast-digesting proteins and slow-digesting proteins together? Will it be more beneficial?”
Luckily, I found this interesting study that proved the hypothesis and discovered that taking milk protein (whey and casein) together in a combination of ~20% whey and ~80% casein is effective for prolonging muscle protein synthesis response compared to taking either protein alone.
Perfecto. Let's continue.
Slow-Digesting Protein from Whole Foods and When to Eat Them
Almost all animal proteins we covered in the protein source email are considered slow digesting. While they break down slightly faster than casein, the structure and function are similar.
I’d like to draw special attention to fatty fish as they are unique due to their high omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 benefits our eyes, brain, and heart function but can also slow digestion.
This is because fats can delay the breakdown of macronutrients like protein and the release of absorbable amino acids and smaller protein units into your small intestines and cells. Here are the fattiest fish with the slowest protein digestion rates: salmon, tuna, trout, swordfish, mackerel, and anchovies.
Another healthy high-protein food is nut butter such as peanut butter, almond butter, cashew, macadamia, and pistachio butter. Nut butter not only contains a good amount of protein, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals, but it’s also rich in fiber, another nutrient that slows down digestion. Remember that nut butter is high in calories, so go easy when you spread it on your toast.
The best time to consume slow-digesting protein from whole foods is – you guessed it – in any meal.
It’s important to note that whole foods usually contain more than just protein as well as more than just one kind of protein since you likely consume more than just one food at any given meal.
Eating a full and balanced meal — not only one food — leads to slower digestion, no matter what specific foods you eat. Any fiber and fat in your food will also slow digestion in general, providing you with a continuous energy supply as it metabolizes into amino acids. The great advantage of protein from whole foods is that it helps stabilize your blood sugar levels, preventing spikes that can lead to feelings of drowsiness.
Takeaways
All right, to sum it all up…
1. Time your protein intake to match your goals and activities.
- Fast-digesting proteins: Muscle building with intense exercise
- Intermediate-digesting proteins: Improving fullness (whole egg protein, egg white protein, brown rice protein, and soy protein are all considered medium-digesting proteins.)
- Slow-digesting proteins: Maintaining long-term muscle mass
2. Combine fast- and slow-digesting proteins to help you feel full longer and provide a broader range of nutrients to your body. Similar to how combining vegan protein sources can provide extra health benefits, the same goes for proteins with different rates of digestion. Once again, balance is the key.
3. Be mindful of your overall daily protein intake: When you add protein powder (either whey or casein, or both) to your diet, remember to keep your overall protein intake in check. As mentioned in the second email of this series, consuming too much protein has downsides.
That’s a wrap. I hope you are enjoying this series so far. It’s been a blast for me to create them!
Have a wonderful week, and stay tuned for my final protein power email.
Cheers,
