Understanding the RIGHT types of protein for WLS patients
I've been looking for this article because there have been some recommendations for the wrong types of protein when a newbie asks. Taken from www.pamtremble.com/.
"Understanding the different types of protein supplements is essential in choosing the right
one for you. Below I review the main types of protein supplements used by weight loss
surgery patients. Yes, there are others... but this basic outline will get you started with what
you need to know.
WHEY ISOLATE PROTEIN -- this is the highest quality form of protein powder. All the fat and
lactose (sugar) has been removed from the original milk product and you're left with just the
protein. When you look at the label you'll see about 25g of protein per "scoop" (usually about
28g) with 0g carb and 0g fat. If you are lactose intolerant, this is your best choice. Because
Whey Isolate is the highest quality, you're also going to pay more for it.
WHEY CONCENTRATE PROTEIN -- although still a high quality form of protein powder, it has
not been processed down as far as Isolate and you'll find that some fat and carbohydrates still
remain in the product. Not much, but still some. Typically you'll see Whey Concentrate
containing about 1g-9g of fat and 1g-9g of carb (lactose) per serving. Check the labels
carefully to see how the numbers come out... some forms of Concentrate are higher quality
than others. Because it's not as high a quality of blend, it's usually priced much cheaper.
However, if you are lactose intolerant, you want to stick with Isolate instead.
COMBINED WHEY ISOLATE & CONCENTRATE -- A common way for manufacturers to achieve a
high quality protein supplement while still maintaining an economical price point is to use a
combination of both Whey Isolate and Concentrate in the mix. Make sure that Isolate is listed
first on the ingredient list to ensure you're getting more of the higher quality protein. This is
the type of protein I use and each scoop of protein has 1.8g fat and 2g carb with 24g protein.
OTHER GOOD TYPES OF PROTEIN -- some people find that they are actually "whey intolerant"
and have to search for other types of protein supplements. There are definitely other options,
but the variety is much more limited. Soy protein, rice protein, egg protein -- all these
powders can be purchased in the same way as whey protein. I personally haven't tried any of
these, but have heard from others that they do not mix as smoothly with liquid as whey, so
you have to deal with grittiness and sometimes lumpiness.
PROTEIN TO AVOID – stay away from the types that are low quality proteins and those
designed for body builders or people with normal digestive systems. Specifically… collagen
protein and hydrolyzed protein and those that do not contain all eight essential amino acids.
A popular protein supplement among bodybuilders is the “protein bullet" – an oversized testtube
type container with about 3oz of gel-based protein. This is the wrong kind of protein for
WLS folks. It’s made of low quality collagen protein and slow-release casein protein – great
for bodybuilders, bad for WLS patients."
"Understanding the different types of protein supplements is essential in choosing the right
one for you. Below I review the main types of protein supplements used by weight loss
surgery patients. Yes, there are others... but this basic outline will get you started with what
you need to know.
WHEY ISOLATE PROTEIN -- this is the highest quality form of protein powder. All the fat and
lactose (sugar) has been removed from the original milk product and you're left with just the
protein. When you look at the label you'll see about 25g of protein per "scoop" (usually about
28g) with 0g carb and 0g fat. If you are lactose intolerant, this is your best choice. Because
Whey Isolate is the highest quality, you're also going to pay more for it.
WHEY CONCENTRATE PROTEIN -- although still a high quality form of protein powder, it has
not been processed down as far as Isolate and you'll find that some fat and carbohydrates still
remain in the product. Not much, but still some. Typically you'll see Whey Concentrate
containing about 1g-9g of fat and 1g-9g of carb (lactose) per serving. Check the labels
carefully to see how the numbers come out... some forms of Concentrate are higher quality
than others. Because it's not as high a quality of blend, it's usually priced much cheaper.
However, if you are lactose intolerant, you want to stick with Isolate instead.
COMBINED WHEY ISOLATE & CONCENTRATE -- A common way for manufacturers to achieve a
high quality protein supplement while still maintaining an economical price point is to use a
combination of both Whey Isolate and Concentrate in the mix. Make sure that Isolate is listed
first on the ingredient list to ensure you're getting more of the higher quality protein. This is
the type of protein I use and each scoop of protein has 1.8g fat and 2g carb with 24g protein.
OTHER GOOD TYPES OF PROTEIN -- some people find that they are actually "whey intolerant"
and have to search for other types of protein supplements. There are definitely other options,
but the variety is much more limited. Soy protein, rice protein, egg protein -- all these
powders can be purchased in the same way as whey protein. I personally haven't tried any of
these, but have heard from others that they do not mix as smoothly with liquid as whey, so
you have to deal with grittiness and sometimes lumpiness.
PROTEIN TO AVOID – stay away from the types that are low quality proteins and those
designed for body builders or people with normal digestive systems. Specifically… collagen
protein and hydrolyzed protein and those that do not contain all eight essential amino acids.
A popular protein supplement among bodybuilders is the “protein bullet" – an oversized testtube
type container with about 3oz of gel-based protein. This is the wrong kind of protein for
WLS folks. It’s made of low quality collagen protein and slow-release casein protein – great
for bodybuilders, bad for WLS patients."
Most Active
Recent Topics
