If you have ever opened a container of yogurt and thought about pouring off the watery fluid on top, think again. The fluid floating around the thicker creamy portion is called the whey. Yogurt whey is a protein in yogurt and milk. Whey has a very high protein concentration, which is used to help build muscle in your body, and it is a very important part of yogurt for those wishing to eat a diet rich in nutritional value.
Muscle Building
Since yogurt whey is so high in protein, many athletes wishing to increase their muscle mass integrate yogurt whey as a regular component in their diets. The National Dairy Council states, "Research shows that consuming a high quality protein like whey in combination with resistance exercise can boost the rate at which the body makes lean muscle mass which may improve body composition." The research further indicates that a combination of whey protein intake and resistance exercise appears to yield better muscle building results compared to either of the two in isolation or compared to simply combining resistance training with other sports drinks that have a much higher percentage of carbohydrates.
Weight Loss
If you are attempting to lose or maintain your current weight, you might choose to avoid fat, and yogurt whey is fat-free. Many diet plans encourage choosing higher quantities of protein over fat or carbohydrates. Protein is more filling than carbs and will keep you full for a long period of time, as opposed to a plate of pasta or even fruit. If you are a vegetarian, you need to find a protein alternative for meat, making yogurt whey a viable choice. Whey has less sugar than the other parts of many yogurts, so this translates to fewer calories. In a 4 oz serving of yogurt, the whey typically contains 30 calories, no fat, one gram of protein and seven grams of carbohydrates.
Breast Cancer Prevention
Researchers at the Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center have discovered that whey and soy protein may play a role in the prevention of breast cancer. In a 2000 study published in "Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention", the researchers compared the protective effects of whey and soy protein against chemically induced tumors in the milk producing glands of rats. The research showed that the rats developed approximately half the number of mammary tumors if they were provided with a diet containing a processed whey protein as compared with the rats who were fed a standard diet. Agriculture Secretary, Dan Glickman, in response to the findings stated, "This significant new research, although preliminary, suggests that adding whey or soy protein to the diet may help protect women and children from developing breast cancer."
References
- United States Department of Agriculture: USDA-Funded Research Finds That Soy, Whey Proteins May Help Prevent Breast Cancer
- Utah Dairy Council: Whey Protein
- Cornell University: Milk Protein
- Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention: Diets Containing Whey Proteins or Soy Protein Isolate Protect against Mammary Tumors in Female Rats
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