Whey protein for weight loss
Content:
- How whey protein powders and protein shakes help you with your diet.
- Can you lose weight with Whey Protein?
- Maintain a calorie deficit with Whey powder
- Whey protein powders boost the metabolism
- Whey protein for muscle building and maintenance
- Which Whey is suitable for weight loss?
- Lose weight in the long term with Whey Protein and a healthy diet
How Whey protein powders and protein shakes help you with your diet
As different as we are as people, we have different success in weight loss. While one person's pounds just fall off, another person's weight stagnates. But there are ways that can help you lose weight. Protein powders and protein shakes containing whey protein, which is derived from milk, are effective protein sources that can help you lose weight in several ways. Due to the many flavors, shakes with protein are a perfect addition to a healthy and calorie-conscious diet or during a diet.
In our guide, we explain the benefits of Whey for weight loss, which forms of Whey protein are suitable for weight loss and how meals and protein shakes with Whey protein powder can be integrated into the daily diet.
Can you lose weight with Whey Protein?
Whey protein is suitable for weight loss because it can strengthen the feeling of satiety and promote fat loss. The low content of carbohydrates, calories and fats while being high in protein is one of the main reasons why it is so attractive for weight loss.
Losing weight with proteins such as Whey or casein protein is particularly popular. Protein shakes or other meals with high-quality Whey protein in a diet can optimally support the body and bring several advantages: A long-lasting feeling of satiety, support in building and maintaining muscle mass, and a healthy diet.[¹], support in building and maintaining muscle[²] metabolism stimulation[³] and easier maintenance of the calorie deficit.[⁴].
Maintaining a calorie deficit with Whey powder
For a successful diet, you need to take in fewer calories than your body uses. This is the only way you can successfully lose weight. The optimal way is to reduce carbohydrates and fat while increasing protein intake.
Protein powders - whether powders with Whey or other types of proteins - are suitable for weight loss because they are low in carbohydrates and fat but high in protein. Whey protein is known to keep you full longer[⁵]. To this end, a 2010 study analyzed food intake after drinking a protein shake with whey:
Half of the subjects received a placebo (zero calories and zero protein), while the other half received a shake that was either 13%, 25% or 50% protein. The subjects were given a carbohydrate-based lunch 90 minutes after consuming their shake. The results showed that those who had taken the protein shake ate much less. This effect was more pronounced in men than in women, who ate an average of 450 calories less than those who had taken the placebo shake[⁶].
If Whey protein shakes are used for weight loss, it is essential to pay attention to the quality of the shake or protein powder and check the ingredients, so that ideally no shakes with added sugar are drunk. Otherwise, instead of calorie deficit rather calorie surplus beckons - the exact opposite of what should be achieved.
Whey protein powders boost the metabolism
Whey protein shakes are an inexpensive supplement to increase protein intake. To understand how Whey can help with weight loss, metabolism should be considered. It plays an important role in weight loss. Metabolism is a process in which your body converts what you eat and drink into energy. The faster the metabolism becomes active, the more calories it burns. In addition, it prevents the body from storing the energy in the form of fat.
High protein intake boosts metabolism and helps burn more calories than usual [⁷]. Protein can also promote the development of lean muscle mass, especially during strength training. Those who have more muscle mass must also do more to maintain it. For example, studies have shown that ten pounds of muscle mass would burn about 50 calories in a day, while ten pounds of fat would burn about 20 calories[⁸].
One effect associated with whey protein is the Thermic Effect of Food (TEF). It is equally important for achieving a calorie deficit. Protein has a much higher Thermic Effect of Food at 20 to 30% compared to carbohydrates and fat.[⁹]. Digestion of protein consumes more of the calories ingested than the other macronutrients. In a normal mixed diet, the Thermic Effect of Food accounts for about 10% of caloric intake.[¹⁰]. If the protein intake is now increased, e.g. with a shake, and the carbohydrate and fat intake is reduced, this effect is further increased.
Whey protein for muscle building and maintenance.
Whey protein not only helps you lose weight by saving calories and keeping you feeling fuller for longer. It is also a protein-rich food and supports the maintenance and building of muscles[¹¹]. With diets, which are accompanied by a calorie deficit, there is a fundamental risk that the body will break down muscles more quickly - namely if too few amino acids are supplied. This can be prevented with a sufficient protein supply.
Whey protein contains BCAAs - important essential amino acids. The amino acid leucine can inhibit muscle breakdown and at the same time increase physical performance. With Whey Protein Shakes it is therefore possible to lose weight while muscle mass is maintained[¹²].
Which Whey is suitable for weight loss?
All Whey Protein products are suitable for weight loss when incorporated into a balanced diet. However, you should make sure that the protein powders consist of high-quality ingredients and avoid unnecessary ingredients such as additional sugar.
Especially popular are shakes or meals with powders made from Whey Protein Concentrate and Isolate - not only for weight loss.
Whey Protein Concentrate
Like all Whey products, Whey Protein Conc entrate is made from milk. However, the concentrate is not heated, but microfiltered. Thus, it contains a pure concentration of amino acids and also retains its creamy taste. Whey protein concentrate is one of the most popular types of protein on the market - due to the positive properties of Whey, shakes with Whey protein concentrate are also suitable for weight loss.
Whey Protein Isolate
Whey Protein Isolate has a protein content of 90%, which makes it very lean. It is suitable for weight loss because it has a low content of carbohydrates, calories and fats - and at the same time very high content of protein. Whey Isolate is obtained with the help of Cross Flow Microfiltration (CFM): This separates the protein from fat, cholesterol, lactose and carbohydrates. The result: a clear Whey Protein Shake that can support weight loss.
Lose weight in the long term with Whey Protein and a healthy diet
Whey protein is suitable for losing weight - whether used as a shake or powder. Whey is an ideal addition to a balanced diet or during a diet. Shakes & Co. can be easily integrated into the daily food intake. The good thing about Whey: Because of the low content of fats and carbohydrates, no unwanted extra calories are consumed.
In general, weight loss is successful when a diet is chosen that is easy to implement and maintain - Whey protein can contribute to this by promoting the feeling of satiety, boosting the metabolism and at the same time helping you to maintain muscle mass.
More guides on weight loss and Whey Protein
Sources:
[1] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16400055/
[2] https://academic.oup.com/nutritionreviews/article/68/7/375/1821484
[3] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19640952/
[4] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20875183/
[5] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16400055/
[6] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20875183/
[7] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19640952/
[8] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352939318300083
[9] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8878356/
[10] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9449148/
[11] Protein contributes to an increase and maintenance of muscle mass.
[12] [https://academic.oup.com/nutritionreviews/article/68/7/375/1821484