What are the three major types of protein?
The three major types of protein are Casein, Egg, and Whey.
Each one of these proteins yields different benefits and uses to aid in elements such as body absorption, recovery, and long lasting but slow release to your body’s uses. In this section, I will go over the benefits of all three major types and also my leading recommendations of how each should be used to get the best results.
- Casein
Casein is a slow digesting protein, meaning if you consume 25 grams of casein protein then it could take up to 6 to 8 hours for your body to digest or for your body to absorb the full nutrient value. If you are looking for fast nutrients or immediate results from a protein source then this is not the first choice.
Casein is best used for your resting period or when you go to bed so if you consume 25 to 30 grams of casein protein before you go to sleep for 6 to 8 hours. Your body will not be going without an ability for muscle recovery and muscle building because of the long lasting or slower digestion of casein.
Casein is not a protein that should be used for your go-to protein unless you are in a situation where you can not eat for an extended period of time.
Casein is a good protein for fat loss because it will reduce your body’s natural cravings for foods because of the extended time it takes for your body to use the nutrients from casein protein. This is why the best time to consume casein protein is before bed so you do not starve your body during you resting and recovery time.
Casein, like many protein, are good for bone strength and teeth strength.
A few good casein products to check out are Optimum Nutrition in Vanilla flavor and Optimum Nutrition Platinum in chocolate flavor. Just a few to check out in case you need a slow night recovery process but I only recommend using casein protein for nightly use during a sleep or rest period because of the length of time it takes to digest.
Conclusion results on casein protein:
Casein protein is put to best use for your muscle recovery if used before bed or your extended resting period.
- Egg protein powder
Egg protein powder aids in weight loss as well because it contains a very small amount of carbohydrates so including it in your diet can certainly help in your weight loss goals while providing your body the protein it need for muscle recovery. It is also slightly easier for your body to digest or absorb it than casein resulting in shorter time periods for your body to use the nutrients but not by much. Studies show that your body can only absorb 4 to 5 grams of egg white protein per hour.
There is also less fat and cholesterol so this is a healthy alternative to use of the premixes that you can buy from GNC or stores like that.
This is more in reference to using the egg white protein powder and not consuming whole eggs for a meal. As this may be good for quick nutrient release to your body, it can start to be harder to get and more expensive.
- Whey protein
As far as whey protein there are three different types which are whey concentrate, hydrolyzed whey, and whey isolate.
Whey concentrate is generally found in supplements in bulk such as the top of the shelf supplier at GNC and stores or online supplier like that. It generally doesn’t indicate that it is a concentrate of whey or if t does then it is in the small or fine print. This is because whey concentrate has a high lactose and to those that may be lactose intolerant then it can lead to an issue with your digestive track plus adding unwanted weight or fat gain.
Hydrolyzed Whey is another protein that is found in a lot of major off the shelf brands and can help with energy levels but this depends on which brand that you get. It is good for muscle recovery and weight gain but most major brands add other products to obtain a good taste so the end result is that us as the end users of the product, we may or may not get the results that you want if you do not look closely at the ingredients.
The hydrolyzed whey protein is another protein that can yield a higher that normal amount of lactose but not nearly as much as whey concentrate. You want to make sure that your protein has at least 80% to 85% protein content.
Whey Protein Isolate is one of the best proteins to use for fast absorption for your body to use the nutrients for muscle recovery time and muscle building. Studies show that whey protein isolate yields the ability of your body to be able to absorb 8 to 10 grams per hour plus having the lowest amount of lactose resulting in a better digestion and for those that may be lactose intolerant a better outcome for proper health.
Whey protein isolate is the best protein for fast recovery and muscle growth due to the ability for your body to absorb it quickly and having low lactose resulting in a reduced risk of unwanted body fat or belly fat. It has less lactose, fat, and fewer calories which help it produce the best bang for your buck.
- My results
Through the years I have tried many different proteins trying to get the best results and I have found that by using whey isolate as my primary protein during my morning shakes and throughout the day while using casein protein at night before I go to bed. This combination helps me get the best recovery time and muscle growth without gaining that unwanted belly fat.
You can check out my recommends by see my morning shakes or in the best protein to gain muscle in other post and pages on this website. You can use the links here and get to these sections if you are interested.
Please leave a comment below or in the contact us section of Diet and Exercise for Health, I look forward to hearing your thoughts and any questions that you may have.
Thanks,
Shane
Hi Shane,
A great post on the different types of protein and their benefits.
I’m a Whey Protein Isolate fan myself as not only is it great when I am training regularly, but also found that it really helps when you are trying to put on weight and build your immune system back up after illness.
Emma,
I am glad you like the article and thanks for stopping in. I agree about the benefits whey protein, I have many different positive results but mainly from having a good source of whey protein such as Dolce Whey. Dolce whey is the best grade of protein isolate that I have found on the market to date from my own personal experiences.
Thanks,
Shane
What about rice protein and pea protein? I use a meal replacement drink that gets its protein from rice and pea, and the makers of it say that by combining them you get a complete amino acid profile.
I’m curious about whey protein, though. Doesn’t that come from milk? Is it still okay for someone who is intolerant to dairy products?
Marcus,
As far as proteins go, the best types are listed here on this site. I would highly recommend the Dolce Whey isolate protein because is not heavy in lactose so you will have no trouble at all from being intolerant to dairy products. I am intolerant to dairy as well, might not be as bad as some but I have zero trouble using Dolce Whey because of it being an isolate. I also mix Dolce Whey with almond milk instead of standard milk to get rid of any diary as well.
Dairy products are not good for weight loss or even trying to maintain a certain weight if you have already hit your goal weight so thee are two major driving forces behind me using almond milk as the base for my shakes. One is the lactose intolerant piece and the other is the benefit of no unwanted weight gain such as fat.
I would also recommend Hemp Force protein which is a plant based protein and is a very good source as well.
Please take a look at the products tab on the site and it will show the different proteins and reasons for each.
I hope this helps out and I would love to hear your results when you try any of these.
Thanks,
Shane
You definitely know what you’re talking about. So I should use whey isolate during the day and casein protein before going to bed?
I’ve not weight trained for a while but when I do, I’ll try your technique and monitor my muscle recovery times. Thanks for the useful info. Do you take protein on non-training days as well?
Jay,
Great to hear from you, I do take protein on a daily basis as I do a lot of natural body weight exercises so I usually do not take a day off. I have light days and heavy days, I have built up my recovery time using this technique and it truly does help out recovery. On the days that I do not workout that hard then I normally do not take a casein shake before bed, I only take the casein protein before bed when I have did a good workout to aid in cell recovery and muscle growth.
You also do not feel starved when you wake up and there is no worry about unwanted weight gain from this because you only use casein protein before bed when you have put in a good workout so your body uses it throughout the night as you sleep.
As far as Dolce why protein, I take that every morning to start off my day with the proper nutrients to be productive and healthy.
Thanks,
Shane
Very interesting. I knew there were many different types of proteins, but I had no idea that they could be so different in terms of how the body digests them. Personally, I’ve used mostly whey for my protein. Haha I have some whey right now I’m trying to get through. What do you feel about vegan sources of protein like rice or other plants? Is it just as effective? Would be great to know your thoughts.
Wil,
If you are trying to help recovery then all three are great sources but it really breaks down to the times you take the protein, Whey protein in the morning or during the day and casein protein at night. I use a vegan source of protein myself which is called Hemp Force and is fro a good protein source and also is great for digestion due to the amount of fiber in it.
I have all these proteins in the products tab if you would to check them out, I have gotten the best result in my experience from these types of protein.
Thanks,
Shane
Hi Shane, thanks for the info about three major types of protein – especially I’ve never heard of casein protein before, and it’s great to learn it’s effective before going to bed. As you recommend, I’ll start trying whey isolate during the day and will try some casein at night also.
Can we take casein protein from a food? I’d like to have it naturally rather than from a shake to start with, is that possible?
Ray
Ray,
Good to hear from you and to answer your question about foods with casein in them, I recommended a shake because it is not in the best interest of health to eat before you going to bed however it is also not health to starve yourself either. If you want a recommendation about premade casein shakes then try Gatorade’s G series recovery shake, it is a good before bed shake if time is limited to make one.
You can read more about this is my article Simple Ways to Avoid Cravings
I hope this helps out,
Shane