There are many reasons to add protein to your diet; protein meal replacement shakes can help you lose fat while maintaining lean muscle mass. The most common sources of protein in meal replacement shakes are whey or casein -- both dairy products, and eggs or soy. Each has its advantages; vegetarians might prefer soy-based protein shakes and people who are lactose-intolerant may need to avoid casein, but can usually tolerate whey. Egg protein is often considered the gold standard, because its protein is most easily absorbed by your body.
How Much Protein Do You Need?
Before you start adding protein to your diet, you need to determine what your protein requirements are and how much protein you're getting from your current diet. The general rule is that between 10 and 15 percent of your calories should come from protein. According to the Harvard School of Public Health, if you have healthy kidney function, up to 25 percent of your calories can come from protein. You can also determine how much protein you need based on body weight. The average person needs 1 g of protein per kg of body weight. You can easily convert this formula to pounds.by dividing your weight in pounds in half and subtracting 10. For example, a 150 lb. person would need 65 g of protein daily. People who are especially active may need more protein.
Egg Protein
The average egg contains 6 g of protein and contains about 70 calories. Eggs are a low-cost, high-quality protein and an important source of choline. Most protein powder is made from egg whites, which contain protein without the fat found in the egg yolk. All proteins are rated for their "biological value," which measures how quickly and how well your body can use the protein you consume. According to Wageningen University in the Netherlands, "Egg white protein is considered to have one of the best amino acids profiles for human nutrition." Although many foods contain all amino acids, the protein in egg whites is the most bio-available -- meaning you body can use all of its protein quickly and efficiently.
Whey Protein
Whey is a by-product of cheese making. When casein is separated from milk by curdling, the watery remains are whey. Look for whey protein isolate, which is strictly the protein, with all other components of the whey removed. Whey is a complete protein -- meaning that it contains all amino acids. It's particularly high in the amino acid leucine, which may help to build lean muscle tissue.There is slightly more leucine in whey protein than in egg protein. Whey protein may be a better choice than egg protein post-workout when your body needs quick energy and fast protein synthesis. However, it isn't absorbed as well at other times.
Soy Protein
Soy is the most problematic of these three proteins. Soy is unique because it's the only plant-based protein that contains all the amino acids, but it also contains isoflavones -- an estrogenic compound that can affect hormones levels. It may affect thyroid levels and can raise estrogen levels in men. This often isn't a problem if you use soy rarely, but daily supplementation may have side-effects. This is the best protein option for vegetarians and vegans.
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