The Truth About Women-Specific Protein Powders

These women-specific protein powders available in the market are just a marketing gimmick designed to attract new customers. In reality, there is no such thing as gender-specific protein powder. So, without relying on these claims, when purchasing protein powder, just keep these 3 things in mind:

  1. Ensure that the protein powder contains at least 75 percent protein, meaning there should be at least 75 grams of protein per 100 grams of the product. Also, make sure that leucine is roughly 10% of this. All this can be found on the nutrition label.
  2. If you’re opting for whey protein, the first ingredient should be whey concentrate or isolate and if you choose a plant-based protein, instead of one plant, look for a blend of two plant sources, such as pea and brown rice. This will offer a better and complete amino acid profile as compared to a single plant source.
  3. when making a purchase, buy the product from the brand’s official website or an authorized seller. 

However, whether you actually need a protein powder is something that depends on your current protein intake. Let me make this easier with help of an example. 

Let’s say you weigh 60 kg and workout regularly. Now, an important thing to remember here is protein must always be consumed as per body weight and activity level. So, if you are sedentary, you need around 1 gram, and if you are active, you need 1.2 to 2 grams per kilogram of body weight. 

This means at 60 kilos and current activity level, you would need between 72 and 120 g of protein per day. 

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Now assuming that from foods alone, you’re consuming about 50g of protein daily, which means you roughly need 30-40 g protein more to be in that active protein range. This can be completed either by adding a protein powder (gender doesn’t matter here) or adding some more lean protein sources like:

  • Soy chunks
  • Chicken breast
  • Fish
  • Fofu
  • Tempeh
  • Whole & egg whites

to your meals.

The bottomline is gender specific protein powders are just a marketing gimmick, and whether you actually need a protein powders depends on how much is your current intake and anything remaining can be completed by including a protein powder. 

Chicken Vs Dal: Protein Comparison Which Is Best

Protien Comparison Between Chicken and Dal

If you are a new bee in your fitness journey and you want to know which protien source ID best for you according to your fitness goal and calorie intake. Then read this full article and learn all the nutritional values and facts about Chicken and Dal.

Chicken contains 25% protein, which means that every 100 grams of chicken will give you 25 grams protein. On the other hand, lentils (dal) is 20% protein, which means you would need to consume about 125 grams of lentils to get the same amount of protein. Both chicken (4g per 100g) and lentils (1-2g per 100g) are low in fat.

Chicken is carb-free, while 125g raw lentils (all dals) contain roughly 82 grams carbs, including 16 grams of fiber. In terms of calories, chicken provides 140 calories per 100 grams, while lentils provide about three times this amount (441 kcal per 125g).

Nutrients ChickenDal
Protien25g20g
Carbohydrates 0g65g
Fiber0g13g
Fat4-8g1-2g
Calories 140-170 kcal350-370 kcal

But, both chicken and dal contains some other nutrients like:-

Dal

  • Iron
  • Magnesium
  • Phosphorous &
  • some vitamins

Chicken 

  • Selenium &
  • Vitamin B
CALORIE COUNTER

Now, you cab understans the nutritional value of both chicken and dal. So, there are two major issues with lentil protein. 

1. Firstly, its availability is approximately 50-60%, meaning that out of the 25 grams protein in lentils, the body will use roughly 15 grams, and that too when you consume around 125 grams of raw lentils, which may not be possible for a lot of people in a single day. 

2. In contrast, most of the protein from chicken is readily available, and you can consume a bit over 100 grams in a serving as well.

Meaning, in order to get the same amount of available protein as that of chicken (25g), you would need to eat roughly 200 g uncooked dal translating to around 400g of cooked dal without water. 

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Conclusion

In summary, the point that I am trying to convey is that you shouldn’t look at dal as a source to complete your protein intake, instead eat chicken or any other non-vegetarian food such as fish, whole egg & whites as your protein source if you’re a non-vegetarian. If you don’t consume chicken, include lean & high quality veg protein foods like soy chunks, tofu, tempeh, paneer, milk, curd, whey protein in your diet and let lentils be your source of fiber and other micronutrients. 

The bottomline is, dal being a nutrient dense food that comes with a lot of health benefits, consider including dal in your regular diet for its high fiber, complex carbs & other micronutrients and as far as protein in dal is concerned it can be one of smaller sources. 

Hope it helps.   

Milk vs whey protein

Milk Vs Whey Protein : Which Is Best?

Milk Vs Whey Protein: Which Is Best Option For You?

Most of the fitness trainers in youtube suggests you to Add whey protein in your diet plan. But, at the same time some youtubers is saying that whey protein is made from milk. So, don’t consume whey protein start consuming Milk. Now, many poeple confused that what could I do and which option is best for me milk or whey protein.

So, Today in this Article I will clear all of your myths and misunderstanding regarding to milk and whey protein.

Nutritional Comparison Of Milk and Whey Protein

NutrientsMilkWhey Protein
Protien3-4%75%
Carbohydrates 4-5%2-5%
Fat3-6%2-5%

Whey protein is made from milk, therefore, both are the highest quality protein sources which means that they are a complete protein having all essential amino acids in appropriate quantities and are highly bioavailable. 

For the sake of comparison, let’s take 75 percent whey protein because when you’re paying for a whey protein, you should get a good amount of protein in it, hence any good protein powder with 75% or more protein content is recommended that comes at about Rs 2500/kg. 

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So basis this, one scoop of whey (33g) will give 25 g of protein, and on the other hand, milk is only 3% protein, so to get the same amount of protein from milk as whey’s one scoop, one has to drink 800 ml milk.

While, whey has minimum fat and carbs and 800 ml of milk will give 28 g of fat, of which 17g (60%) is saturated, and 32 g carb, One scoop of whey gives 120 calories at Rs 82, and 800 ml milk gives 475 calories in Rs 43 (Rs 27/500 ml packet).

So the point is that drinking almost a liter of milk to get the same amount of protein as one scoop of whey may not be practical and digestible for many people, but milk is a nutrient-dense food providing a good dose of calcium, b12, etc.

So its consumption will be beneficial unless you are lactose intolerant, but if the question is about completing your daily protein intake, a combination of milk & other quality lean protein sources (this may include whey protein if needed) will be your best bet. 

How To Complete 80g Protien Per Day

  • Milk – 500 ml packet – 15g protein
  • 2 eggs – 12g protein
  • Soy chunks – 50g – 25g protein
  • Tofu – 100g – 14g
  • Whey – 20g – 15g protein

If you want to squeeze in maximum protein in fewer calories, lean sources such as soy, egg whites, tofu, tempeh, chicken, fish, whole eggs, etc. can be prioritized first and if calories aren’t a big issue, choose as per your wish. 

Find your protein sources from the sheet below.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/10XZbicpkw-o6iKzceXhdpMMFA3hfDKFBPxBzJTqizEY/edit#gid=983591962

Should Women Take Protein Powders?

Let me explain this with the help of a simple example to understand whether females should take protein powder or not. 

Let’s say you are pursuing B.Com (Hons) at Miranda House, weigh 60 kg, and have a sedentary lifestyle. So, how much protein do you need – 60 grams per day. Right? 

Remember, protein must be consumed as per body weight and activity level. So, if you are sedentary, you need around 1 gram, and if you are active, you need 1.2 to 2 grams per kilogram of body weight.

This means at 60 kilos, you would need 60g protein if you’re sedentary and between 72 and 120 g per day if you’re active – such as playing a sport, working out regularly, etc.

Now, about your meals, a plate of poha and tea for breakfast, a fruit for mid-morning, vegetables, 2 rotis, and yogurt for lunch, tea and makhana in the evening, and a serving of lentils and 1 roti for dinner. If we calculate the protein content in all these foods, it only adds up to 38 grams. 

A calculation of this would look something like this.

  • Poha – 40g – 3.2g protein
  • Milk – 250 ml – 9g protein
  • Banana – 100g – 1.5g protein
  • Veggies – 150g – 2.5g protein
  • Atta – 90g – 11g protein
  • Makhana – 20g – 2.5g protein
  • Dal – 40g – 8g protein

Total – 38 g protein

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Furthermore, most of these foods are low-quality protein sources. Even if you were to ignore this fact, this 38g protein would fulfill only 62 percent of your protein requirement (38/60 = 62%). 

Where will you get the remaining 38 percent? 

There are two ways around it – 

  1. Either be prepared for muscle loss – this happens to most people as they age leading to an involuntary loss of muscle because of inactivity and sub-optimal protein intake.
  2. Incorporate these high-quality protein foods into your diet to complete your remaining protein intake. 

Veg sources

  • Soya chunks – 52g protein per 100g 
  • Paneer – 18g protein per 100g
  • Tempeh – 18-20g protein per 100g
  • Tofu – 14g protein per 100g
  • Curd & Milk – 3g protein per 100g

Non-veg sources

  • Chicken – 25g protein per 100g
  • Fish – 20-22g protein per 100g
  • Egg – 6g protein per egg

or simply buy a quality protein powder with atleast 75% protein content from a reputed brand. 

Now, this was just an example to explain a simple point but the bottomline is, first of all, find your daily protein requirement as per your activity and weight. Then, find how much protein you currently consume. If you’re able to meet your protein requirement from all protein foods, you really don’t need a protein powder.

But If you fail to meet your protein requirement, it’s best to look for a quality whey or any plant-based protein powder of choice and complete your protein intake.

Decoding Egg As A Protein Source

Eggs are one of the highest-quality protein sources – meaning it is a complete protein and almost entirely available to the human body. One whole egg provides 6 grams of protein, 5 grams of fat, with nearly 30% of that fat being saturated (1.5g), negligible carbohydrates, and 70 calories. Additionally, eggs contain good amounts of micronutrients like:

  • Vitamin A
  • b2
  • b5
  • choline
  • b12
  • phosphorous

Overall, whole eggs are a nutrient-rich food. However, they also contain approximately 190 mg of cholesterol, which concerns a lot of people. Nonetheless, numerous studies have now shown that dietary cholesterol from eggs does not significantly impact blood cholesterol levels however, factors such as your overall diet, lifestyle, and genetics can contribute more to changes in blood cholesterol.

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So, the key takeaway is that consuming eggs is unlikely to raise your blood cholesterol levels, especially if your

  1. daily calorie intake is balanced,
  2. your diet has variety (whole grains, nuts, seeds, vegetables, fruits, legumes, etc.),
  3. you maintain an active lifestyle,
  4. and engage in regular exercise.

With this, you can confidently include 3, 4, or even 5 whole eggs in your daily diet but if your overall lifestyle and eating habits are not on point that can lead to increase in LDL cholesterol (also known as bad cholesterol).

So the bottomline is that a bad lifestyle anyway can cause high total cholesterol & LDL levels even without the consumption of eggs. So rather than blaming a single food for your high cholesterol levels, focus on building a better lifestyle instead.

Sattu vs mass gainer

Mass Gainer Vs Sattu Powder Which Is Best?

Comparison Between Mass Gainer and Sattu Powder

All those looking to gain weight must understand this comparison carefully. Because, Nowdays A myth is going viral that sattu powder is better than protein powder and mass Gainer.

NUTRITION PER 100GMASS GAINERSATTU POWDER
CARBOHYDRATES70G65G
PROTEIN2G6G
FAT20G20G
CALORIES380 KCAL390 KCAL
This Data Differs From Place To Place

Every 100g mass gainer contains approximately 70% carbohydrates, and sattu also provides nearly 65g carbs. fat content is relatively low in both. and both are roughly 20% protein. even there isn’t much difference in terms of calories either. mass gainer provides around 380 calories, while sattu offers roughly 390-400 calories per 100g.

Now as you can see, the nutritional content and calories are quite similar for both, but the price difference is significant. You get sattu for just Rs 200/kg, while you would have to pay 5 times that amount, rs 1000/kg, for a mass gainer. So, if you have extra cash, feel free to spend it on mass gainers, else go for sattu and incorporate sattu into your meals.

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And, when it comes to gaining weight, you should pay attention to creating a caloric surplus using different strategies. First one is consuming liquid calories. This is where sattu will help. You can make a sattu peanut butter shake using sattu, milk, banana, nuts or nut butter etc. making this a high calorie drink or you could just make sweet or savory sattu with water. 

Secondly, include other high-calorie foods like nuts, peanut butter, dry coconut, dark chocolate, paneer, whole eggs, bananas, potatoes, etc., in your diet. If you can’t have big meals, try eating smaller and more frequent meals. 

Lastly, be more active during the day such as doing strength training. That will increase your appetite to some extent. 

Basically, if you want to succeed at gaining weight, try to make a plan because results won’t come in a few months. You have to stick to it consistently to achieve the desired results.