Whey vs Soy Protein for Women
What is the best protein powder for women? We were faced with this question when my wife, Carrie, recently decided to add protein shakes to her diet. Whey vs Soy protein for women – which is better? Well, we did a bunch of research on when vs soy protein for women, and here is what we could find!
How Much Protein Does a Women Need Daily?
If you are a normal healthy adult female, you should be getting 45 grams – 56 grams of protein a day. If you are regularly exercising (like you should :-)), then you may need much more than this. You can get protein from a wide variety of sources: chicken, fish, meat, beans, nuts, etc. But, if you live a busy life style, you may find it difficult to hit your target protein intake over the course of a day. Whey or soy protein supplements can help you get your target protein without having to spend 30 minutes cooking up a bunch of chicken strips for an afternoon snack.
For most folks that regularly exercise, they find the convenience of protein shakes after a workout to be a great time saver. But, the question arises: whey vs soy protein for women – which type of protein for my protein shake should I be using? Let’s try to answer that question by digging a little deeper into the facts of whey and soy protein.
The Facts on Whey Protein for Women
According to bodybuilding.com – whey protein has been the biggest protein selling supplement for years. And for good reason – this is because whey protein has great combinations of amino-acids that aid in muscle building as well as its effects to enhance the immune system.
So, where does whey protein come from? Whey is a semi-clear byproduct of cheese production – after the milk is curdled and strained, whey is left over. One caveat is that since whey protein comes from cheese production, you can find that you may have an allergic reaction to it. This is even if you are not lactose intolerant!
Whey protein is popular for a post-workout protein supplement because it is rapidly absorbed by the body. Whey protein has found to be a good all-around protein powder of choice for both men and women. It has a long track record of helping to provide results and is more “proven” then other types of recently commercialized protein powder supplements.
The Facts on Soy Protein for Women
According to Wikipedia – Soy protein that you would find in an off-the-shelf soy protein supplement comes from soybeans themselves. It is made from soybean meal that has been dehulled and defatted. Soy protein comes in three different commercial products: soy flour, soy concentrate, and soy isolate. Soy isolate is what you’re buying when you reach for the soy protein powder.
According to MusclesForLife.com – soy protein research has shown that regular intake of some soy foods has a feminizing effect in men! This is due to the estrogen-like molecules called isoflavones that are present in soybeans. OK – so most guys will probably be smart to shy away from this type of protein. But what about women – is soy protein good for women? Shouldn’t this potentially be considered a good thing for women? It seems that it may not be that simple.
The isoflavones in soy protein can be broken down by certain bacteria in the stomach (about 30%-50% of the population have these bacteria in their system) into an estrogen-like hormone called equol. In the case of women, research shows that soy is less likely to affect your hormone level. This is a good thing!
However, there seems to be a lot of conflicting research on the positives or negatives of soy protein in women. Some studies show that regular use of soy protein supplements can reduce heart disease. Other studies show that soy protein can help reduce breast cancer. Yet other studies have found the exact opposite!
Whey vs Soy Protein Costs
I have left this topic for last because health comes before cost 🙂 If we accept that both of these protein powders are equally OK for women, then let’s talk about which one will be easier on your wallet. At quick check at SamsClub.com shows that I can find whey protein powder for $7.58 a pound. Soy protein powder will run you about $9.99 a pound! This means that soy protein is 32% more expensive than whey protein powder!!
If you are voting with your wallet alone, then whey protein powder is definitely the way to go!
Whey vs Soy Protein for Women – Final Thoughts
It seems that the jury is still out on soy protein for women. Soy protein powder has not been around for as long as whey protein powder, and there is less research on soy protein powder for women. If you are taking protein powder supplement in your diet as a women, then you need to consider all of the above when you decide to select whey or soy protein powder.
Whey vs Soy protein for women – which is better? Well, for my wife Carrie, we have reviewed all of the above information and came to the conclusion that whey protein powder is the best for her. This is because whey protein powder has a longer track record, costs less, and we can both use the same kind since soy protein powder can have some strange effects on men!