Solving Dilemmas: Protein with Milk or Water?
Whey Protein With Milk?
Protein Composition of Milk
So, you’ve got your Fitness Standard (FS)™ whey protein, and now you’re just wondering what to mix it with.
Taking a look at the options - there’s the obvious choice of milk. For those that aren’t aware, whey protein is derived from milk.
The protein is separated from milk during a heating process and then spray-dried to create the protein powder that we have all grown to love.
Now, if your goal is to gain muscle, then milk trumps water.
Why?
Simply because of what we have heard as a child: milk is a complete meal. The nutrients present in milk provide your protein shake with extra nutrients. By choosing milk, you can pack in an additional 7 - 7.2g of protein, approximately 100 calories, extra calcium around 250mg and much more. In and of itself, your chosen Fitness Standard (FS)™ whey protein will contain a great nutritional profile. However, you can easily add to this profile through 200ml of milk.
Since we live in a choice abundant world - your choices for milk are pretty abundant too! Below is the nutritional profile for some easily available milk variants:
Skimmed Milk: 0.6g fat, 10g sugar, 7.2g protein, 10g carbohydrates, 74 calories
Semi-skimmed Milk: 3.6g fat, 9.6g sugar, 7.2g protein, 8.6g carbohydrates, 100 calories
Whole Milk: 7.4g fat, 9.4g sugar, 7g protein, 9.4g carbohydrates, 122 calories.
Now, although we don’t drink protein shakes to keep hydrated it’s important to maintain hydration levels through the day, as doing so helps with normal muscle function and prevents performance decreases due to dehydration.
But, did you know that milk has actually been found to be more hydrating than water? Studies have found that milk has a higher hydration index than water, helping to replace sodium lost in sweat and helping the body retain fluid better. This doesn’t mean you should drink milk over water, as well we’re made up of 75% of water, and the extra matter - but it is just an interesting point we thought of sharing with you.
All this glory of milk aside, it can take longer to be absorbed than water. Upon being digested, milk can often start to coagulate, or thicken. This further means that when adding it to your shake, it could take longer for the protein to be absorbed. Typically milk can take around 3 hours to be fully absorbed - not necessarily a bad thing since it provides your body with a sustained release of amino acids and protein, but undesirable if your body requires a sudden increase of protein.
Moving away from the invisible good stuff, milk has a tangible creamy taste and texture. If you wish to add flavor, it can sometimes enhance flavor too! t you choose. Don’t worry, Fitness Standard (FS)™ whey protein are instantized and so the powder will easily mix into milk. That said, if the protein powder tastes amazing already, adding milk won’t add too much to the taste!
Whey Protein With Water?
Adding water to your shake is the easier, cheaper and more convenient option over milk. That said, it really depends on personal preference and goals. If you are following a strict calorie-controlled diet, water is preferable as it contains e, water is basically nothing, which means when adding it to your shake you’ll be adding no extra calories, no extra carbohydrates, no extra fats and no extra sugars, so what you see on the Fitness Standard (FS)™ whey protein pouch is what you get in your shake.
Compared to milk, water can be absorbed instantly when consumed. This means that the protein can be taken directly to where it is needed much quicker than milk.
Water is used in the body’s cells, organs and tissues to help regulate its temperature and other bodily functions. It also protects tissue, helps remove waste and aids digestion. So, adding water to your protein may mean no additional nutrients, but it does mean getting all these benefits. 75% of us is water - it’s one of the most important substances on earth. We love you water!
Anyway, the conclusion really is that good quality protein is designed for clean mixing in both water and milk, so you should be good no matter which you choose, as long as your protein is a quality one.