Vegan Protein Powder vs. Whey Protein Powder? Which Is Healthier And Better?

Are you working out? Are you trying to become healthier or a lean machine? Either way, you need protein in your diet to do so; while you may be watching your calories, sugar, and salt intake, making sure you have the right information on protein is very important. It plays a vital role in the maintenance and creation of cells in your body. You can say that an individual has to consume protein every day to survive and maintain a useful health chart. Protein is made of amino acids commonly known as building blocks because they are attached in long chains. But, the real question is why do we really need protein in our body?

Why Our Body Require Protein 

The human body requires protein for five precise reasons:

• To Build –

Protein is like a building block to the bones, muscles, skin, even your hair and nails.

• To Repair-

Your body makes use of protein to repair and build tissues

• To Oxygenate-

RBCs contain a protein compound that carries oxygen throughout the body. It helps in supplying nutrients to the entire body.

• To Digest-

Almost half the dietary protein a person consumes goes into making enzymes. This aids in digesting the food you consume. It also helps in making new cells and body chemicals.

• To Regulate-

Hormone regulation, especially during the transformation and development of cells during puberty, is essential and protein plays a vital role. 

Protein Supplements 

Protein supplements can be dietary and bodybuilding supplements or protein bars. If we get deeper into the topic, there are only two useful options: Whey protein and Vegan protein. 

Whey Protein 

Whey is a kind of protein-packed with amino acids such as leucine, isoleucine, and valine; they are the essential amino acids that are also considered the building blocks of the muscle. Supplements help in the preservation of our lean muscle in between meals and workouts. Other than that, whey protein also helps in burning fat, decreasing appetite, and boosting immunity.

Why Whey Is Better In Comparison With Vegan 

Whey has many advantages as it is, you read most of it above. But, there are more facts about whey protein that you don’t know.

• Tastes a lot richer and is palatable 
• Higher BCAA (Branched Chain Amino Acids) content, at least 20% to 30% more than Vegan Protein. 
• Higher in calcium compared to Vegan protein. An average of 25gms = 100mg
• It is cheaper than Vegan protein. 

Drawbacks:

• The calorie intake is 25gm = 120 calories(average)
• It is harder to digest due to lactose.
• A lot of whey brands target more men and can be very off-putting for women.
• It has a low content of iron in comparison to Vegan.
• All whey protein is made from milk, which makes it lactose. Soy lecithin is used as an emulsifier in most whey proteins. 

Vegan Protein 

The best alternative to Whey Protein is plant-based, for example, pea, hemp, soy, and brown rice protein. Some studies show that brown rice protein is equal to whey protein when building muscle, gaining strength, and helping in recovery. It provides excellent results because plant-based protein is more comfortable to digest. 

Why Vegan Is Better In Comparison With Whey 

Everything can’t be one-sided; there are some excellent qualities to Vegan protein as well:

• The calorie intake is 25gm = 97 calories(average)
• It contains no milk and therefore is more comfortable to digest. 
• The product is more gender-neutral in its marketing. 
• It is entirely allergen-free only if it is made without soy.

Drawbacks:

• Typically rated by many as tasteless.
• It has a lower BCAA content in comparison with Whey
• Since it has no milk, its calcium content is also lower
• And It is way more expensive than Whey. 

In conclusion, You have all the advantages and disadvantages of both the products. So which would you choose? Whey or Vegan? The decision should be entirely yours, and it should be based on your diet plan. It would be best to look at your health or the simple fact that which supplement suits you more. Both have been proven to be healthy and very good for people looking to build their bodies. You can try a sample of both of them and choose whichever product you like more.