To Your Health
July, 2008 (Vol. 02, Issue 07) |
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Soy: Soy protein is derived from soy flour. Similar to whey protein, soy protein comes in two types, the concentrate and the isolate, with the isolate being the more expensive form.
Soy protein contains a natural chemical that mimics estrogen. Three cancer studies funded by the National Institutes of Health revealed estrogen-dependant tumor growth increased as the amount of soy isoflavones increased. A study published in 2000 by the American Association for Cancer Research compared soy to whey and concluded, "Whey appears to be at least twice as effective as soy in reducing both tumor incidence and multiplicity." This news, coupled with concerns over soy protein negatively influencing thyroid function, has profound ramifications with respect to choosing a protein-powder supplement.
Animal or Vegetable Protein Foods
These are the two major protein sources. Animal-protein foods include meat, poultry, fish, dairy products and eggs. They are said to be of high biological value. Plant-protein sources, eaten together, enable a person to meet the standards of a high-biologic-protein diet.
If you choose to eat protein from dairy and/or meat, try to consume 12 ounces or less each week of fish, white-meat chicken or turkey. Eat beef as little as possible. If you desire dairy in your diet as a source of protein, use only fat-free dairy such as skim milk or nonfat yogurt, and limit it to 12 ounces per week.
Remember to always eat breakfast, even if you only have time to shake up a wholesome, low-fat, high-power protein and vegetable drink mix before racing off to work. Supplementing your diet with a high-quality protein powder made from whey-protein isolate or a combination of rice and pea protein can make a busy lifestyle a healthy one. When in doubt of the best protein-powder supplement to use, remember to always ask your doctor.
Donald L. Hayes, DC, graduated from Western States Chiropractic College in 1977 and is the author of five health and wellness books including his latest, Weight Loss to Wellness. To learn more, visit www.greensfirst.com.
