As we conclude our discussion on the importance of protein, we wanted to summarize these key components. Part four will cover why protein is an integral piece of your diet as well as listing what to look for and what to avoid when shopping for your protein source. Protein, much like water, compromises a large part of our bodies. It is absolutely essential that regularly consume a good source of clean whey protein because the body does not store it. The human body will easily store fat and carbohydrates but protein is like water in the sense that it is used and disposed of. It’s easy enough to understand that water needs to be consumed regularly and protein needs the same considerations.
It is a reasonable argument that protein is the most important nutrient for the body. One of the main reasons is that proteins are found in nearly every cell in the body as well as in the brain. Protein also includes the building blocks of a very important antioxidant called glutathione. Glutathione not only protects the body’s cells from injury, it also slows the aging process. As we age, the ability of the body to manufacture glutathione decreases, which makes consuming protein even more important for seniors. Proteins also plays a critical role in detoxifying the body. Again, the glutathione found in whey protein, along with iron and the trace mineral selenium form the enzyme glutathione peroxidase, which helps the body and liver to detoxify by eliminating toxic metals and chemicals, as well as other biological toxins.
When shopping for your protein source, there are several key considerations to keep in mind. Firstly, all proteins are not created equal. Some protein sources are much healthier and supply more usable protein than others. You want to look for a carefully-selected raw whey protein from New Zealand or Australia. Other regions including Canada, North America, England, Switzerland, Italy, Germany and other countries offer raw whey proteins but you can always count on quality whey protein from New Zealand and Australia. The reason is the cattle from those countries have not been injected with growth hormones or antibiotics. The cattle are grass-fed only, so no corn or grains are included in their diet. This is all critical as it ensures that the whey protein will come from healthy cattle, which have not been pumped full of synthetic chemicals to boost production and prevent disease.
Production of the raw whey protein is the last important component to look for when shopping for your source. The whey protein must be processed using a low heat, high filtration process. This will result in a undenatured whey protein. This process is critical because it protects the protein folds, which contain important amino acids. Most whey proteins on the market are processed using high heat pasteurization. This is a cheaper way to process protein and the heat destroys all the critical components in the whey, including the amino acids. What you are left with is a protein without all the integral pieces that the body needs.
