ULTIMATE SHOWDOWN: PLANT-BASED VS. WHEY PROTEIN
Which One Will Supercharge Your Gains?
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I have spent over 25 years in the supplement industry as the Editor in Chief of Bodybuilding.com, writer and columnist for many international health and fitness magazines, and a co-founder and investor in several supplement companies. I also own a gym franchise and have been a personal trainer since that time. In short, I know a lot about supplements from all sides of the coin.
On of the most common questions I still get in relation to supplements is, “Which protein is best, whey or plant-based?”
I always suggest whole foods as the priority, but powders are there for convenience and as a great post workout priority due to its ease of digestibility for recovery. There are many different plant based and milk-based supplements available, so choosing the right one can be confusing to say the least, especially when they all tout themselves as being the best.
Let’s start with the big boys’ favorite - whey protein. There are several but let’s begin with isolate.
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Whey protein isolate (WPI) is at least 90% pure protein. WPI is produced by filtering milk through a cold filtration to remove the lactose and fat without destroying the integrity of the protein.
Filtration through higher temperatures can possibly denature or destroy some of the structural integrity of the amino acids and peptides. WPI is generally better for those who are lactose intolerant or for people who get gastrointestinal issue. WPI is the more expensive of proteins due to all of these benefits, its purity and its digestibility.
Whey Protein Concentrate (WPC) isn’t filtered as much so you’ll get less purity, more lactose, more fat and will be slower to digest. For this reason, its cheaper and if often used in protein blends and meal replacements. This isn’t the preferable protein post workout as Isolate digest much quicker.
We also have another type of whey called casein.
Many bodybuilders and fitness enthusiast opt for this as when on a diet as a craving killer. It mixes very thick so most will mix it in a bowl to make a pudding consistency for an evening dessert alternative without the excess calories.
Whey Protein
Kris Gethin
Casein digests much slower than concentrate and Isolate so many bodybuilders take it before bed to support muscle growth while sleeping so they can get a slow trickle of acids to remain anti-catabolic during the night when most “normal” people would be fasting.
There are many qualities to whey proteins so let’s cover a few of those benefits:
It helps improve body composition when paired with resistance training.
Lots of research has found that whey protein supplementation can build muscle when combined with resistance training especially post-workout as it has the highest bioavailability (BV) of all protein sources whether it be from supplements or food.
Plant-based protein powders have become quite popular over the past 10 years due to more people becoming vegan and vegetarian, more are lactose intolerance and larger demand in countries such as India where around 60% of the population is vegetarian.
The various forms of plant-based protein powders:
Grains, pea, rice, seeds and hemp are some of the more popular forms of plant protein and often you can find them blended together to create complete forms of proteins and many of the essential amino acids can be missing.
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Benefits of plant protein:
Other than some forms of whey isolate, egg white protein powder and beef protein powder, plant protein powders are a staple for many who want to avoid lactose
Plant proteins can be a great source of fiber to help with cholesterol and digestive health. Pea proteins contain nearly as much leucine as whey but don’t digest or get absorbed by the muscle. It’s all about what we absorb, not what we eat or drink.
The key amino acid that is a key distinguishing factor between whey and plant-based proteins is the very anabolic amino acid called leucine.
Whey contains more of the amino acid leucine than plant protein. It I said that around 3 grams is required to trigger muscle protein synthesis (MPS)
There is around 12% of leucine is about 12% yet only around 7% in soy protein, and on top of that, whey is much easier for the body to digest.
Whey protein vs. plant protein
Pros of whey protein:
Complete protein
Faster absorption
More leucine per serving for muscle mass
Pros of plant protein:
More antioxidants and fiber
Fewer issues of GI discomfort
More Fiber
Cons of whey protein:
Highly variable with amount of protein per serving dependent on form
Some brands will have prop blends and fillers.
Can cause stomach issues (whey isolate is less likely to do this)
Cons of plant protein:
Less protein per gram, which means more powder necessary to achieve desired serving
Lower bioavailability
Lower in leucine
Plant Protein
Kris Gethin
Although there may be an improvement to muscle mass when comparing whey to plant protein, plant-based protein powder supplements can build muscle like whey protein powder supplements, just not at the same efficiency.
In various studies, whey protein results in more lean mass, regardless of resistance training status. Whereas muscle strength is similar between groups. But you don't need to choose one over the other, both contribute to strength and muscle mass but at different rates.
Most people require protein powders for convenience and for post workout recovery. They both do their jobs very well so I’d never deter one over the other, but being a non-vegetarian, I prefer whey. However, I have many plant based clients who do very well on their plant-based protein powder counterparts.
Of course, I am always going to suggest wholefoods first, but for the active and the elderly who have difficulty getting their protein requirements through food, both proteins serve their purpose very well.
When looking for a whey protein, I suggest looking for one that’s grass-fed, contains digestive enzymes and is free of artificial sweeteners.
When choosing a plant protein, I recommend one with a blend of plant sources to create a more complete naturally sweet protein.
Let the muscle gains begin.
