Protein Supplements Vs. Whole Food Protein

The argument of protein supplements versus whole food protein has been debated for decades. The supplement industry will have you believe that supplements are just as effective, but this may not necessarily be the case.

Protein Supplement Marketing

• Companies that develop protein supplements are notorious for creating big, bold packaging touting the benefits of their products. These companies use big words and fancy graphics and packaging to market their product to consumers, but it's important to understand how to measure the quality of the protein source.

Protein Quality

• BV, or biological value, is a common measure of protein quality. BV measures how much protein is absorbed by your body. Whey protein supplements measure very high on the BV scale and many products measure near 100 on the BV scale. As far as whole foods go, eggs measure very high with a score of 100; chicken weighs in at 79; fish measures an 83; and beef measures an 80.

Protein Supplements

• Protein supplements are a very convenient and quick source of protein. Mixing up a whey protein shake is an easy way to get a quick dose of quality protein. Because of its high BV value, whey protein is an ideal protein supplement because almost of all the protein is absorbed by your body.

Whole Foods

• The downside to protein supplements (and upside to whole foods) is that you may not be getting the right amount of nutrients and macronutrients that you get from whole foods when you replace a meal with a protein supplement.

Bottom Line

• Whole foods can be quality sources of protein as well as quality sources of carbohydrates, healthy fats and many nutrients that are not contained in protein supplements. There is not scientific evidence to suggest that consuming protein supplements offers any advantage over getting your protein from whole foods.