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Does Whey Have Casein? | Ask The Fitness Nerd

Does Whey Protein Also Contain Casein? We Sort Out The Milk Protein Mystery Once and For All.

Dear Fitness Nerd,

I’m a little confused about whey and casein protein. Does whey also contain casein? And vice versa?  All I know is that both whey and casein are in milk.  Can you help me sort this out? — Janine (Dunwoody, GA)

You’re right that both whey and casein are proteins in milk.

But the important thing to grasp is that they are two totally different kinds of protein.

So in their purest form – isolated from the milk itself (for example in protein powder supplements) — whey typically doesn’t contain meaningful amounts of casein. Same goes for casein in regards to whey content.

Understanding Milk Proteins: Whey vs. Casein

The easist way to think about this is in the context of milk.

Milk contains about 80 percent casein protein, and 20 percent whey. Under normal conditions, you would never be able to differentiate between the whey and casein in milk visually. It just looks … well … liquid and “milky.”

However, when you add an acid or enzyme like rennet (which is used in cheese production), the milk will curdle. This literally separates the whey from the casein proteins.

The result is that the whey — which is a semi-clear liquid — will rise to the top, while the casein (which is heavier and coagulates in the presence of an acid or enzyme) will usually sink to the bottom.

In cheesemaking, the whey is siphoned off from the casein, and the solids are then drained through a cheese cloth, further extracting any residual whey or water and leaving the firm casein solids, which are then shaped into blocks of cheese (there are more steps, but I won’t get into them here.) 

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What’s The Highest Protein Content Food? | Ask The Fitness Nerd

Which Food Has The Highest Protein Content? We Dig Into The Numbers and Settle a Bet. Sort Of …

Dear Fitness Nerd,

Can you tell me what is the highest protein content food? My buddy and I have a bet going on this one. He says eggs and I say whey protein isolate has the highest protein. Who’s right? I have $25 bucks riding on this. Thanks. — Josh (Dayton, OH) 

Josh, let me take a shot at this.

Unfortunately, this could actually come to a draw, because you both are kind of right but also both wrong. If I sound like a Zen Buddhist monk, my apologies. This will make more sense in a minute. The good news is by the time your done, you will have a pretty good understanding of how to accurately compare protein content in foods.

How To Determine Protein Content In Food

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Taking Protein Before Bed? When & What Kind of Protein? | Ask The Fitness Nerd

When is the best time to take protein before bed? And what kind of protein should you take before you sleep?

Dear Fitness Nerd,

How soon before bed should I drink protein? Right before, or a specific number of minutes before before I actually go to sleep? Thanks! — Bob

The issue here is less about the timing of when to take protein before bed, as it is what kind of protein to take before you go to sleep.

You should try to consume your last serving of protein as close to your bedtime as is comfortable for you. Whether that’s a protein shake before bed, or a whole food souce of protein before sleep is up to you.

Some people experience no problems eating and then immediately going to sleep, while other people find sleeping on a “full stomach” uncomfortable. If you find that taking a protein-heavy snack right before bed interferes with falling asleep, then give yourself at least 30-40 minutes between the snack and bedtime.

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Black Beans and Egg Breakfast Bowl Recipe | Healthy Recipes & Snacks

Breakfast and Black Beans? Check Out This Protein-Packed, High-Fiber and Low-Fat Breakfast Recipe That Takes Less Than Five Minutes To Prepare. 

Unless you’re from Latin America, Mexico or Spain, beans and breakfast aren’t normally two things you associate together.

But maybe you should — especially if your usual breakfast routine is getting is getting stale and could use a kick. 

Beans are one of the most nutritious and inexpensive additions to any healthy pantry.  Filling, low-in-fat, and loaded with soluble fiber, protein, minerals and healthy antioxidants, beans are clean eating powerhouses. And that means not just made into soup or served with rice, but believe it or not, as a breakfast dish.

Black Beans and Eggs? For Breakfast?

This recipe uses canned black beans combined with eggs and traditional Mexican herbs and spices to make a tasty breakfast bowl that you can throw together in less than five minutes from finish to start.

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Salmon Patties Recipe | Healthy Recipes & Snacks

A salmon pattie recipe made extra-healthy without sacrificing flavor … and it’s even lightly fried!

Whenever I sing the praises of my salmon patties recipe, people who have never had a salmon patty always seem surprised that salmon can be “pattied.” After-all, isn’t salmon something you eat filleted on a cedar plank? They also get that same weirded out look that people get when they first find out escargot are snails.  The thought of fish shaped into a patty probably brings back bad memories of “fish fillet” day in the elementary school cafeteria, so I supposed you can’t expect to turn someone into a salmon patty lover over night.

Unless, of course, you can get them to try one — which usually involves me comparing them to crab cakes, which nearly everyone loves. Or, you can just call them salmon “croquettes” and the substitution of a French word for the word “patties” makes them sound gourmet and upscale. Suddenly, people think they are chic and want to try one.

Here’s the thing though: Salmon patties are wicked healthy, especially if you make a few modifications to the traditional salmon patties recipes floating around out there.  So if you are trying to add more healthy fats from things like fish into your diet, it’s worth your time to at least give this salmon pattie recipe a spin. If you like it, it will probably become a staple recipe in your clean eating diet.

First, a few things you should know about salmon patties and this particular salmon patty recipe.

Salmon Patties Are Easy!

One of the great things about salmon patties is that they are one of the simplest dishes to make, and they don’t take any special ingredients or equipment. Think meatloaf, but made out of salmon and pressed into little discs.

You literally can put this salmon patty recipe together in less than 10 minutes with canned salmon and six additional ingredients you probably already have in your pantry and refrigerator.  All you need is a glass bowl, a fork and your hands (that’s why they call them “patties.”) Cooking time is about 15 minutes, so you can have a healthy, clean meal in less than 30 minutes. And if you make extras (which I would recommend) you can either eat them for lunch or dinner the next day, or freeze them for a later meal.

If you want to make them with fresh salmon the preparation is a little more involved. Since we are trying to limit your time in the kitchen, so you can instead spend it running, working out or staying physically active, we’re going to use the tried and true canned salmon, which makes preparation very fast.

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What’s The Best Time to Drink Protein Shakes? Ask The Fitness Nerd

When should you drink a protein shake? Today we tackle the question of what’s the best time to reach for that protein shake.

Dear Fitness Nerd:

I’ve read a lot about the benefits of protein shakes, especially when it comes to building muscle and becoming leaner. But I’ve seen conflicting advice on when the best time is to drink protein shakes, and how often I should be consuming them. Some people say right before you workout, others say immediately following your workout, and some people seem to drink them 3-4 times a day or more. I’m confused. Can you help clear this up? Thanks. Sarah M. (Albany, NY)

Sarah,

This is a great question.  

The first thing to realize is that protein shakes are intended to be supplemental to your regular whole meals — not replacements for whole meals. So if you view it that way, you should typically be consuming no more than 2-3 shakes a day on your workout days, and 1-2 (if any) protein shakes on your non-workout days.

In general, the two most critical times for drinking a protein shake are:

1. First thing in the morning
2. Immediately following your resistance or weight training workout.

Why first thing in the morning?

Well, when you wake up, you have essentially been in a fasted state for the past seven to eight hours. That means you’ve had no protein during this time and you are at risk for becoming catabolic (meaning you’ll start to break down muscle for fuel.) By drinking a protein shake with some simple carbs (like orange juice or a banana blended in) as soon as you wake up, you can stop this muscle breakdown dead in its tracks and put yourself back in “positive nitrogen balance” — a fancy term that simply means you have more protein available for your body than what it is using for fuel or excreting.

The second key window of opportunity for drinking a protein shake is immediately following your resistance or weight training workout.

During this 30-60 minute post-workout window, your muscles are like sponges and take up nutrients — including protein — very quickly as part of the repair and recovery process. Your body also utilizes carbohydrates more efficiently during this period, due to increased insulin sensitivity, so drinking your protein shake with some simple carbs can help the body more efficient absorb amino acids and utilize them for ongoing tissue repair and growth.

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Quinoa Couscous Salad Recipe | Healthy Recipes

This couscous salad recipe uses the ancient super-grain Quinoa to make a cool, fluffy, high-protein, low-fat dish perfect for the summer months.

Couscous is one of my favorite summer dishes — loaded with fresh vegetables like cucumbers, red onion and tomatoes — and lean protein from chicken breast, it’s a quick, easy and healthy main course or side dish that takes advantage of summer’s bounty of fresh vegetables. This particular recipe for couscous salad uses a surprisingly tasty and nutritious substitute for the normal couscous pasta — Quinoa.

What Is Couscous?

Traditional couscous (or kuskus, in the U.K)  is technically a form of pasta, not a dish unto itself. It’s made with tiny, BB size balls of moistened semolina flour that are then coated with a light layer of fine wheat flour. The pasta is then steamed and served under a stew made from meat or vegetables. Couscous is a staple in much of Northern Africa, in the same way that pasta is a staple in Italy and rice is in Asia. It’s also popular in parts of the Middle East, Israel and even Sicily. In the U.S., many people associate couscous with a dish eaten chilled as a salad.

Nutritionally, couscous is pretty much on par with other semolina-based pastas. You can get quick-cooking versions of couscous made with whole wheat flour in the rice isle at the grocery store, which is healthier than the non-whole-wheat couscous. However, eating grains in their original whole-kernel state is even better. But making couscous salad with something like cracked wheat or whole brown rice wouldn’t result in the fluffy, airy texture that makes couscous so delicious.

That’s where the Quinoa comes in.

What Is Quinoa?

Quinoa (pronounced: Keen-Wa) is an ancient grain cultivated for more than 6,000 years in the Andean region of South America. The grain is actually the edible seeds of the goosefoot plant, which is uniquely suited for high-altitudes and has been a staple in traditional Andean diets for centuries.

The ancient Incas held the crop to be sacred, but European explorers dismissed Quinoa as “food for Indians.” Turns out they shouldn’t have been so quick to write the grain off — it is extremely high in protein (12%-18% protein), is gluten-free and easy-to-digest, is high in fiber and has a complete amino acid profile. The last point is an important one, because traditional European grains like wheat or rice do not contain all eight essential amino acids. This makes Quinoa ideal for vegetarians, vegans or people who are just trying to add more non-meat sources of protein into their diet.  It’s also high in minerals like phosphorus, iron and magnesium.

Quinoa also has an extremely fluffy, light texture and a slightly nutty flavor. This makes it a great substitute for rice — or couscous.  And it cooks quite quickly — in under 15 minutes — making it convenient and easy to prepare.

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