Pea protein

The world of protein supplements is growing day by day. With more brands, greater demand, and new innovations, a wider variety of products are entering the market. One is no longer limited to either dairy-based or soy-based proteins when choosing their protein powder, but has access to a wide range of other proteins that include beef protein, fish protein, rice protein, hemp protein, and pea protein, which is enjoying a rise in popularity.

What is pea protein?

Pea Protein is a pure vegetable protein powder made from peas. Pea protein is characterized by good tolerance and easy digestibility. In addition to this, pea protein is rich in plant iron and according to studies can develop anti-inflammatory, as well as antioxidant effects.

What are the benefits of pea protein?

Pea protein contains per 100 grams of protein powder about 7 grams of the amino acid L-arginine, which is important for nitric oxide production and other bodily functions, and easily exceeds the argine content of Whey protein by a factor of four. The content of the essential amino acid lysine is also higher in pea protein than in most other protein sources. Lysine is involved in calcium absorption and thus contributes to the maintenance of bone health. Furthermore, lysine is needed for the formation of collagen, which is an important building block for joint cartilage and tendons. Bodybuilders and other athletes may be interested in the fact that pea protein is rich in glutamine and contains almost as many branched-chain amino acids(BCAAs) as whey protein, which can promote recovery after exercise and counteract catabolic muscle breakdown during dieting. Another benefit of pea protein that can be especially beneficial during a calorie-restricted diet is that pea protein has a much better satiating effect than Whey protein, which can help reduce overall caloric intake.

Pea protein powder

Pea protein powder is a vegetarian protein supplement made primarily from yellow hull peas. Pea protein is a sustainable protein source that generally has a high digestion rate of 90 to 95% depending on the source and form of the protein. Pea protein also has the added benefit of being hypoallergenic, which is due to the absence of common allergens and ingredients such as lactose, gluten and wheat, to which some people have intolerance reactions.

Why is a combination of pea protein and rice protein so high quality?

By combining pea protein with rice protein in a ratio of 30 : 70 you can get a pure vegetable protein blend whose biological value reaches the dream value of whey protein, which is about 104. This is possible because rice protein provides large amounts of the amino acid methionine, which compensates for the lower methionine content of pea protein, while pea protein provides large amounts of the amino acid lysine, which ideally complement the amino acid profile of rice protein.

For which applications is pea protein particularly suitable?

Pea protein is very suitable as a vegetable protein source for vegans and other people who want to avoid or minimize animal protein sources. For vegans, who cover a large part of their protein intake through cereal products, pea protein can also compensate for the low lysine content of cereal protein and counteract a lysine deficiency. Since pea protein is a so-called hypoallergenic protein, free of soy ingredients, lactose, milk protein and gluten, it is an ideal choice for those who are allergic to soy products or milk protein, or suffer from gluten intolerance or lactose intolerance.

What are the main benefits of pea protein?

• Excellent for vegetarians and vegans
• Has a good satiating effect
• High content of BCAAs, glutamine, arginine and lysine
• Hypoallergenic protein source that is well tolerated by most allergy sufferers
• Free from lactose and therefore also suitable for people suffering from lactose intolerance

Pea protein contains most amino acids in high amounts, which is especially true for the essential amino acid lysine. Unfortunately, pea protein lacks the sulfur-containing amino acids cysteine and methionine, which is the reason pea protein is often either fortified with these amino acids or mixed with rice protein or hydrolyzed whey protein, both of which contain more cysteine and methionine. Alternatively, pea protein can also be mixed with rice milk.

As has already been mentioned, pea protein is extremely hypoallergenic. Free from the most common allergens such as lactose, gluten, wheat and milk protein, pea protein is a sustainable and environmentally friendly source of protein. Peas do not require external pollination and the plant tends to absorb nitrogen from the air, so no additional fertilizers are needed. Unlike soy protein, pea protein is not associated with negative health consequences, and furthermore, pea protein is an extremely cost-effective protein source.

Taste and solubility

Pea protein tends to have a grainier texture than whey protein or soy protein, but this is not unpleasant. The texture of pea protein tends to promote more satiety compared to creamier and more liquid protein shakes, which is beneficial if you want to lose weight and fat or use a protein supplement as a meal replacement. Pea protein is naturally slightly sweet and the taste can be enhanced by mixing it with cold rice milk.

Pea Protein Isolate

Pea protein, just like other protein supplements, can be divided into different purity grades, which include pea protein concentrate and pea protein isolate. Pea Protein Concentrate typically has a protein content of over 80%, while the rest is mainly carbohydrates and a small amount of fat. Pea protein isolate, on the other hand, tends to have a higher protein content, typically above 90%. As a result, pea protein isolate also contains less carbohydrates and fat.

Pea protein vs. Whey protein

Even though whey protein contains more branched chain amino acids and has a higher protein content, the body only needs 20 grams of protein at a time to reap the benefits in terms of muscle protein synthesis. In addition, pea protein tends to have the highest arginine content of most protein sources available including whey protein. Increased arginine intake has the following benefits for exercisers:

• Exogenous arginine sources can help promote growth hormone release
• Arginine is involved in the synthesis of creatine
• Arginine is a precursor for nitrogen oxide synthesis

All these factors can positively influence training and performance beyond a simple increase in muscle protein synthesis. In terms of digestion rate, pea protein is digested at a medium rate, which means a longer delivery of amino acids to the muscles than with whey protein.

Conclusion

Pea protein is a protein that is gaining popularity due to its high digestibility rate and bioavailability, its low tendency to cause allergies, and its relatively low price. If you are looking for a good alternative protein source, pea protein represents a good choice.