Best Protein Powders for Women: Types and Benefits

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of protein powder? Big muscles? The gym? A guy thing?  Protein powder is a popular supplement that’s usually associated with men loosing or gaining weight, building muscle or improving athletic performance. As quiet as kept, women use protein powder as well for a number of benefits, that don’t stop at the gym. 

Protein is a macronutrient, next to carbohydrates and fat. It makes up most of our body weight after water and is primarily responsible for the development and growth of our body’s tissues. When protein is ingested, it is broken down into 20 amino acids, all of which create calculated “chains” that carry out specific functions in the body.

Protein is a major source of building material for the hair, skin and nails, including internal organs like the heart and brain. It is needed for the regulation of hormones that control sexual development, growth and rate of metabolism. Proteins are also enzymes, which are essential for digestion, cellular energy, tissue/organ repair and brain activity.

Many women use protein powders to assist in weight management, bone health, immune function, muscle recovery and strong hair, skin and nails. A deficiency in protein can result in rapid muscle wasting, weight loss, slow wound healing and an increased risk of infection. Although protein deficiency is more prevalent in third world countries, it is still not unheard of in the west and adequate daily intake should be noted. Women should be getting between 46g – 50g of protein and pregnant women should be consuming 60g of protein a day for optimal health and body function. 

In this article we will discuss the benefits of protein supplements for women. 

Protein Powder Benefits for Women

We women can get so busy. Between personal, work, home and family responsibilities, time can become a very precious commodity. This is where protein powder comes in to fill the missing pieces of a meal. Protein shakes are an easy and satisfying snack for busy days. Taking less than 5 minutes to prepare, protein powders can be mixed with water or combined with fruits, greens and healthy fats for a more filling snack or meal replacement. Protein powder can also be added to baking recipes. This helps to balance blood sugar levels and limits snacking throughout the day due to its satiating effects. 

Plant Protein for Vegan Women

Plant protein is a great option for vegan woman. Although its benefits spread to any sort of diet, it is most beneficial to vegans who are having challenges creating complete protein meals. A complete protein contains all 20 amino acids, all of which are readily available in foods like meat and dairy products. Only some of these amino acids are present in legumes while the others are in grains, so a combination of both legume and grain create a complete protein during meal time. There are not many complete vegan proteins, but some of them include spirulina, peas, goji berries, quinoa, soybean and Plant protein powder. Noor’s vanilla flavored plant protein shake is made from pea protein, a hypoallergenic ingredient blended with superfruits and vegetables to offer a tasty meal replacement or snack. 

Benefit of Protein Shakes for Women

Protein powder can be a woman’s best friend, especially if she is wanting to lose weight, gain muscle or tone up. whey protein powder is great for weight loss as it keeps you satiated. This means you stay full longer while keeping cravings at bay. As mentioned earlier, protein has 20 amino acids; three of these (leucine, isoleucine and valine) come together and form BCAA’s, or branch chain amino acids. BCAA’s is a powder concentrate that targets the muscle and assists in its growth and tone during resistance training. protein powders give you the benefit of BCAA’s along with other amino acids like l-glutamine, that helps to soothe sore muscles by speeding up muscle recovery after a workout. Protein powder can be taken as a pre or post workout, depending on your individual goals.

All in all, protein contributes to immune regulation, enzymatic functions and assists with weight management and muscle building. Protein powder can help you reach your body goals much quicker, but more importantly, this macronutrient plays a major role in the biology of our everyday lives.