Pick your protein

There are a wide variety of protein sources available. From eggs to soy, peas to milk; there is a means of getting the suggested daily amount of this macronutrient. But still one question remains: Are all proteins created equal?

Well, I suppose that's a bit subjective. For some, vegetarian protein sources are considered to be the best because they are not derived from dairy or meat. For others, what makes a protein source good is the fact that it does come from diary or meat. Again, determining which protein is the "best" is a complicated thing to do. So, to help narrow things down (and to actually arrive at a point), I'll focus on one specific issue: muscle building.

So, which protein is best for building muscle? Between milk protein and vegetable protein, researchers say that milk protein is superior. In a recent longitudinal study, scientists followed 56 young men who worked out for five days per week for twelve weeks. After each workout (and again 1 hour later), the volunteers were randomly assigned to consume either fat-free milk or fat-free soy protein.

Despite the fact that both drinks were equal in calories and protein, the group that consumed the milk protein showed greater improvement in both fast and slow-twitch muscle fiber, as well as an increase in fat-free mass.

Now, that's all well and good, but what if you're lactose intolerant? Ahhhh ... now we're back to square one, aren't we? My advice is to pick the protein that works best for you and your lifestyle.