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Whey Protein for Weight Loss

You might have imagined that whey protein piled on the pounds rather than took them off. It is used by bodybuilders to build muscle, but it doesn't increase weight in the form of fat. In fact, it does quite the opposite. Whey protein can help promote weight loss and then maintain it at an optimal level.

Protein in dieting and weight control has taken centre stage in recent years. It is difficult to avoid all the many so-called "protein diets" which are promoted by experts and doctors in diet books and health plans. It shouldn't come as a surprise, then, that whey protein is being touted as the next big weapon in the weight management battle.

How is whey protein different from other proteins? Protein foods are not equal and can vary in the following ways:

• Number and quantity of essential amino acids - Whey protein is a very high quality complete protein with rich amounts of all the essential amino acids



• Digestion and absorption rates - Whey protein is absorbed quickly and efficiently into the body



• Fat content - Whey protein isolate takes longer to produce than whey protein concentrate because it requires more time and extra filtration. During the process, nearly all fat and lactose are removed. Typically, whey protein isolate contains just 0.5% fat



• Taste - Some whey protein has a very strong taste unless other flavours are added to it
• Purity - Whey protein isolate is the purest form of whey protein

How whey protein can help you to lose weight

Whey protein is a key ingredient in many weight loss and meal replacement products and whey protein isolate (with no fat or carbohydrates) is often the preferred choice. Studies have found that if you combine diets with leucine-rich protein foods, like whey protein, and exercise you have more lean muscle tissue and you lose more body fat. As you lose fat, your metabolic rate increases and you naturally burn more calories each day. Another way that whey protein can help you manage your weight is by promoting satiety, or a feeling of fullness.

Since whey protein is a soluble protein, it is very easy to digest. This makes it the protein of choice for people who are trying to lose weight. Other forms of protein, such as meat and eggs, are generally harder to digest and they also contain higher amounts of fat.

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