Meat & Protein Powder

Meat & Protein Powder
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Meat and protein powder offer an effective way to add strength and muscle mass. Just as there are different types of meat with unique nutritional value, the same holds true for protein powder. According to the website Shapefit, protein powder is a good choice to take before and after a workout.

Types

Meat is an important part of your diet because of its high protein content. According to the website Meatpoultrynutrition, men should eat 63g of protein per day and women should eat 50g. The percentage of calories your body gets from protein should be less than 35 percent. Some types of protein powder are whey, casein and soy, explains the website Tryingfitness.

Chicken and Turkey

Skinless chicken cuts are a healthy source of protein, according to the website Calorie-counter. Chicken is also high in B vitamins and dark meat contains high amounts of zinc and iron. Skinless chicken breasts contain the least amount of fat of any chicken cut. According to the website Minnesotaturkey, turkey has more protein and less fat than a comparable serving in chicken, pork and beef. Turkey is also low in cholesterol.

Beef

Beef is another excellent protein source. According to the website Organicfacts, beef is high in the vitamins B-12 and B-6 along with potassium, selenium and zinc. When choosing cuts of beef, look for the leanest ones. Also, lean beef promotes heart health and helps to prevent against cancer. High in protein, beef has a moderate amount of fat.

Protein Powders

According to the website Tryingfitness, whey protein usually consists of whey protein concentrate and whey protein isolate. Whey protein concentrate does not cost as much money but does not have as much nutritional value as isolate. Isolate is quickly absorbed by the body and has more protein and less fat than concentrate. Soy protein is not as popular as whey, but it does lower LDL cholesterol, a type of cholesterol considered negative. Casein protein makes up a large part of milk protein and is a better muscle builder than whey.

Considerations

Protein powders can be expensive, so make sure you are committed to improving your physical fitness before making a purchase. Each powder has its advantages, so choose what suits you best. Also, check food labels on different cuts of meat to determine which are the healthiest choices.

References

Article reviewed by GlennK Last updated on: Oct 24, 2010

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