Protein shakes: necessary for exercise?
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Some athletes swear by a protein shake after a vigorous workout in the gym or after an endurance run. Is it really necessary?
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You can buy them at the gym bar, at many internet stores or vitamin shops: protein powders that you can use to make shakes. They are usually quite pricey, which makes sense, as they contain a lot of protein, which is an expensive ingredient. A shake contains about 20 grams of protein, just as much as in a chicken fillet, steak or a large container of cottage cheese. Do you need that extra protein?
What's in a protein shake?
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Proteins are made up of building blocks: amino acids. A chain of different amino acids forms a protein. A number of amino acids cannot be made by our body, but we get from our food. These are the essential amino acids. The protein powders that you dissolve in water, milk or buttermilk or fruit juice are usually made from whey protein (also called whey protein) or casein protein: proteins from dairy. But there are also protein shakes based on soy, or even with added seaweed. The powders consist almost entirely of protein, and contain hardly any fat or carbohydrates. Sometimes they also contain sweeteners, fragrances and flavors for flavor.
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11 minMain dishpeanut oil, tofu stir-fry cubes finely seasoned, stir fry sauce sweet and sour, thick noodles, carrot julienne, beetroot julienne, yellow bell pepper, watercress,rainbow salad with tofu -
45 minMain dishRed cabbage, mild olive oil, quinoa plus, forest outing, lemon, sesame oil, soy sauce less salt, Bio Today tahini white in pot, tap water,grilled red cabbage with quinoa salad -
30 minDessertBrie, Roquefort, port salut, gruyere, Camembert, walnut, garlic, thyme, honey, grape, baguette, Red onion, red grape, raisins, Red wine, Red wine vinegar, Brown sugar,generous cheese plate with onion marmalade -
30 minDessertFull Milk, whipped cream, macaroon, custard powder, vanilla sugar, sugar, protein, amaretto, almond liqueur, basic recipe cooking pears,macaroon pastry with casserole
When which species?
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Both whey and casein from dairy are a good source of protein. Whey proteins contain many of the important amino acids and the body can also absorb them quickly. Casein protein also contains many good amino acids, but you absorb this much more slowly and gradually. Soy protein is an alternative if you don't want to eat or drink dairy. The shakes with seaweed are mainly used by people who want to lose some kilos, because it has a beneficial effect on the metabolism and a detoxifying effect.
Muscle Building
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Yes, you need extra protein when you exercise. Both endurance athletes and strength athletes need extra protein. An endurance athlete (for example a marathon runner) has long training sessions. This causes damage and breakdown of muscle tissue. You can use some extra proteins after a workout. Strength athletes can use proteins to build extra muscle tissue: exactly what they want. In the Netherlands, the recommendation of 1.2 to a maximum of 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight applies to competitive athletes. Someone who just sports recreationally needs: 0.8 - 1 gram of protein per kilogram of body weight. If you weigh 80 kilos, that is 96 to 160 grams of protein per day. The latter recommendation is really for the very fanatic strength athlete, such as professional bodybuilders.
Cheese heads
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That sounds like a lot, more than 100 grams of protein. But the truth is: we already eat quite high in protein in the Netherlands. After all, we are a country of cheese heads, milk drinkers, chicken jibs and meatballs. Most people therefore achieve the minimum protein requirement with ease and often consume much more. Men between 19 and 30 years eat an average of 95 grams a day and women an average of 68 grams. For most athletes, and certainly recreational athletes, this is more than enough to meet their protein requirements.
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5 minDrink without alcoholbananas, cool fresh apple-pear raspberry juice, Soy drink vanilla,soy fruit shake -
20 minMain dishsauerkraut, sticking potato, liquid baking product, half-to-half minced, Spice meatballs, pineapple, olive oil, liquid baking product,gratin sauerkraut dish with minced meat -
40 minMain dishlemongrass, fresh ginger, Red peppers, onions, tomato cubes, fresh cod fillet, coriander, oil, ground turmeric (koenjit), coconut milk, salt,fish in creamy coconut sauce -
15 minSide dishsweet potato, soft goat cheese, egg, spring / forest onion,stuffed sweet potato with egg
Protein snack after exercise
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You don't need an expensive protein shake for the protein. It is good to have a snack with proteins immediately after exercise, in order to help repair and build the muscles. Consider, for example, a dish of cottage cheese with fruit, a cracker with chicken fillet, a boiled egg or a glass of chocolate milk. Those kinds of pure-natural protein-rich snacks have another big advantage: they contain vitamins and minerals that you need for your digestion and for your metabolism. Protein shakes usually only contain protein, without other nutrients that are good for you. They can therefore unbalance your nutrition.
When do you want a protein shake?
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This is not to say that a protein shake is nonsense. For people who eat little protein, a protein shake can be a good addition. You may also want to consider a protein shake if you haven't eaten protein two to three hours before exercise or if you're never so hungry right after exercise. Then a shake might be easier to drink than an egg or a cracker. And oh yes: of course you can also take a protein shake if you just find it tasty and easy. A
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This is not to say that a protein shake is nonsense. For people who eat little protein, a protein shake can be a good addition. You may also want to consider a protein shake if you haven't eaten protein two to three hours before exercise or if you're never so hungry right after exercise. Then a shak