5. Maximum Nutrition, Minimal Fuss

March 4, 2017 American Council on Exercise Off Natural Health News

Who’s Cooking?

Hands down, when it comes to getting the many different nutrients needed to support physical activity and good health, eating whole foods in forms close to nature trumps eating foods processed in a factory. Unfortunately, as a nation people are cooking less and relying more on packaged convenience foods, fast foods, and other foods prepared away from home, which are typically higher in calories and lower in nutritional value. Research shows that people who frequently cook at home consume significantly more fiber, fewer calories, and less sugar and saturated fat compared to eating at fast food and full-service restaurants.

Besides the nutritional advantages of cooking at home, nothing quite compares with the taste of fresh ingredients cooked from scratch, such as vegetable barley soup simmering in a slow cooker all day or chicken roasted with carrots, celery, and potatoes. When you cook from scratch (or mostly so), you have a lot more control over the ingredients and cooking techniques used. For example, you can choose whole grain rather than refined ingredients and more healthful oils. You also can opt for healthier cooking methods, such as steaming instead of frying, and flavor foods with natural herbs and spices rather than artificial flavors concocted in a food lab.

If you fear this kind of home cooking is beyond your ability, you can put that thought aside. You don’t have to be a gourmet chef or spend hours in the kitchen to put together tasty, healthful meals. But it does help to have a plan and a well-stocked pantry. Marry that with basic knowledge of healthful cooking methods and simple guidelines for pairing foods and spices, and there will be no stopping you. So, let’s get started!

What’s in Your Pantry?

Your best intentions to cook an energizing, healthy meal can quickly fade when you’re hungry and don’t have the ingredients you need on hand. Vegetables, fruits, and whole grains should be the stars of your pantry—be sure to include plenty of them. These nutritious, whole foods not only supply vitamins and minerals, but also disease-fighting antioxidants. New research suggests a certain group of antioxidants called flavonoids may have special benefits in weight control (see Box 5-1, “Flavonoids for Weight Control”). Certain fresh and dried ingredients make for a well-stocked pantry based on how frequently they’re needed in recipes and how well they mix and match with a variety of other foods. You can fine-tune your own list of pantry essentials by starting with a sample list like the one shown in Box 5-2, “Stock Your Kitchen,” taking into consideration your individual food preferences, budget, and seasonality.

Fresh or plain frozen fruits and vegetables generally are preferred over canned, which often have added salt or sweeteners. However, fruit canned in 100 percent fruit juice is a good option, and some brands offer reduced-sodium or low-sodium canned vegetables and beans. You can reduce the sodium of regular canned beans about 40 percent by draining and rinsing them, while draining and rinsing canned vegetables reduces sodium by nine to 23 percent. When locally grown produce is available at farmers markets, treat your taste buds to these super-fresh vegetables and fruits, especially if you’re not able to grow your own.

What to Pitch

If your idea of cooking dinner is heating up a frozen pizza or browning some hamburger to mix with the ingredients of a boxed meal helper, you could be short-changing your nutrition. Most likely some convenience foods will find their way into your pantry, but try to choose those with wholesome ingredients and short ingredients lists. For example, although canned pears in 100 percent fruit juice are processed, they have few ingredients, and ones that are easily recognizable: pears, water, and pear juice concentrate. In contrast, many packaged foods are highly processed (sometimes called ultra-processed), and besides containing added salt (sodium), sugars, and/or fat, they also often contain additives that wouldn’t be found in foods cooked from scratch in your kitchen—such as artificial flavors, colors, and additives intended to imitate minimally processed foods, as well as preservatives to prolong shelf-life. Unfortunately, a recent, large study found that ultra-processed foods make up nearly 60 percent of Americans’ calorie intake and 90 percent of added sugars consumed.

It’s not just what has been added to processed foods that is concerning, but also what’s lacking, such as fiber, vitamins, and minerals lost during processing. When the form of a food is significantly changed, considerable amounts of nutrients can be lost. For example, to make field corn into corn products such as tortillas and chips, typically the corn’s outer bran layer and germ are removed (unless the product specifies it’s made with whole grain corn), and the corn is processed with alkalizing agents, heated, and rinsed multiple times, resulting in the loss of fiber and nutrients, including, thiamin, riboflavin, iron, magnesium, zinc, and selenium, among others.

You likely can spot some packaged foods in your kitchen that you know aren’t the best choices, such as puffed, cheese-flavored snacks, cookies, breakfast toaster pastries, or salty canned soup and frozen meals, but other not-so-healthy items in your kitchen may receive less scrutiny or even seem healthy. If any of these items are in your pantry, you may want to consider donating or giving them away—or simply don’t buy more when you run out. (For help surveying your pantry, see Box 5-3, “Pantry Cleanout.”) Although some natural and organic packaged foods may be better alternatives, such as those made with more whole grains and fewer questionable additives, they’re still processed foods and can run high in sodium, saturated fat, and added sugars, so limit them.

Planning Meals

Using a model such as Tufts’ MyPlate for Older Adults, it’s easy to visualize what a balanced meal looks like—a whole-grain, colorful vegetables, a bit of lean protein and/or a dairy item, and fruit for dessert. If you prefer smaller meals, save the fruit or another meal item for a snack. To put together your own healthy plate, choose a whole-grain, a lean protein and/or dairy item, one or two vegetables (primarily non-starchy), and a fruit.

Here’s an example of a balanced meal based on this model:
Whole grain: Brown rice; Lean protein: Red beans with Cajun seasoning; Vegetable(s): Sautéed green peppers and onions cooked with red beans; sautéed kale on the side; and Fruit: Mango cubes drizzled with lime juice.

Certainly keeping a well-stocked pantry will help you easily put together simple meals like red beans and rice, but having a basic plan of what you’ll eat for the week helps ensure you have everything you need. Before you go to the grocery store, jot down ideas of what you’ll eat during the week, then take inventory to figure out what you have on hand and what you need to buy, such as the one in Box 5-4, “Simple Week at a Glance Meal Planning,” on page 48.

Easy, Healthy Cooking Methods

Cooking not only makes certain foods more palatable to eat (not to mention safe, in the case of meat), but it also can affect nutritional value (see Box 5-5, “Cooking Methods Impact Nutrition,” on page 49). If “steaming,” “poaching,” and “broiling,” sound like a foreign language, a quick tutorial on these and other healthy cooking techniques will help. Much more help can be found in cookbooks and online (see “Appendix VI: Books and Online Resources” on page 96), as well as local community education classes or demonstrations offered at cooking supply stores.

Broil

Often referred to as upside-down grilling, broiling involves cooking food about 4–8 inches under the broiler heating element of an oven. Can be used for meat, poultry, fish, vegetables, and even fruit. Works best with a slotted broiler pan (or simply use a cooling rack with a cookie sheet underneath). Line the bottom of the broiler pan with aluminum foil for easier cleanup.

➧ Try it: Set broiler to high heat. Brush salmon fillet with oil and sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper, then place on a broiler pan (skin side down, if not skinned). Cook for about 10 minutes per inch of thickness (measured at the thickest point), or until the salmon sections pull apart easily. If the fillet is ½-inch or more in thickness, turn it over half-way during the cooking time. The fillet’s internal temperature should reach 145ºF when done. (Take the salmon out of the oven before it reaches a light pink/white color—at that point it’s overcooked and dry.) Drizzle the cooked salmon with fresh lemon juice.

Marinate

Marinating simply means soaking food in a seasoned liquid, typically containing an acid and an oil, before cooking to give the food more flavor, and in some cases to help tenderize it. The thinner or more delicate the food, the less time it should be marinated. Marinate seafood and tofu about 30 minutes; poultry pieces and vegetables, 30 minutes to 2 hours; and lean meats, 30 minutes to 4 hours. Use 1⁄3 cup to ½ cup of marinade per pound of food, store food in the refrigerator while marinating, and dispose of the marinade promptly after use.

➧ Try it: Mix ¼ cup balsamic vinegar with ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil and add dried oregano leaves, black pepper, and grainy mustard. Use to marinate vegetables or tofu.

Poach

Poaching involves cooking food on the stovetop in a saucepan in barely simmering liquid, which is just below the boiling point. Liquid is simmering when small bubbles rise slowly to the liquid’s surface. Works well for eggs, chicken breast, and firm fish.

➧ Try it: Put 4 cups of water in a saucepan and add chopped onion, sliced carrot, sliced celery stalk, lemon juice, bay leaf, and freshly ground black pepper. Simmer 15 minutes, then add thawed cod fillet(s). Continue to simmer uncovered about 7 minutes or until fish is opaque and flakes.

Roast

Roasting means cooking food uncovered in the oven, typically without adding liquid. Whole chicken or turkey, beef roasts, fish, and vegetables are commonly cooked this way.

➧ Try it: Cut butternut squash (peeled) into 1-inch cubes and toss with oil and seasonings, such as sage and freshly ground black pepper. Spread pieces in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet and cook in a 400ºF oven about 30–45 minutes or until tender, stirring once or twice during roasting.

Sauté

Sautéing involves cooking smaller pieces of food quickly in a little oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, stirring often. Stir-frying is similar but uses high heat and is faster, requiring constant stirring.

➧ Try it: Place a skillet on the stove over medium-high heat and allow the pan to get hot. Carefully add a bit of oil and allow it to heat up briefly. Then add the food you want to sauté, such as baby spinach. Cook and stir about 5 minutes until the spinach is wilted; season as desired.

Sear

Searing means cooking a food with high heat to create a flavorful brown crust on the surface of foods, such as meats. For example, you might sear a roast prior to cooking it through.

➧ Try it: To sear a roast, heat a skillet on the stove over medium-high heat until skillet is very hot, then add a small amount of oil to the pan (or brush oil on all surfaces of the roast) and carefully add the roast to the pan. Allow the roast to cook for a few minutes until the bottom has a brown crust, then sear the other surfaces in the same manner. Transfer the meat to the oven, slow cooker, or a pressure cooker to complete cooking.

Steam

Steaming is a gentle method of cooking, often used for vegetables, that helps in retaining texture and nutrients. All you need is a saucepan with a lid and a collapsible steamer basket.

➧ Try it: Fill the bottom of a saucepan with about 1-inch of water, then add the steamer basket (the water level should be below the base of the steamer basket) and bring to a boil, uncovered. Once the water boils, add the broccoli or other vegetables in a single layer and put the lid on. Cook over medium heat until the vegetables are slightly tender, about 7 minutes.

Seasoning Food

Herbs and spices are the secret to making good food taste great. Herbs and spices can help you cut back on salt, sugar, and fat in dishes while making nutritious foods, such as vegetables, legumes, and whole grains more enjoyable—so you’ll eat them more often. Herbs come from the leaves of plants (such as basil), while spices may come from the roots (such as ginger), bark (such as cinnamon), berries (such as peppercorns), dried seeds (such as cumin), or flowers/buds of plants (such as saffron and cloves). Compared to herbs, spices typically have stronger flavors, so they’re used in smaller amounts. For general guidelines on using and storing herbs and spices, see Box 5-6, “Using and Storing Herbs and Spices,” on page 51.

Besides their flavoring qualities, many herbs and spices also are rich in antioxidants, and some have anti-inflammatory properties. Those are two benefits that any physically active person—not to mention someone who is trying to minimize health issues associated with aging, such as cardiovascular disease and cancer—can appreciate. One study that evaluated the 50 foods highest in antioxidants showed that the top five were spices (ground cloves, dried oregano, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, and turmeric powder). However, you eat relatively small amounts of herbs and spices compared to fruits and vegetables, so the combination of all of these dietary components is ultimately important in keeping up your antioxidant intake. Make a point to use herbs and spices daily. Our “Suggested Seasonings” chart in Appendix I on page 90 will help you in combining common herbs, spices, and other flavor enhancers with specific foods.

Cooking for One or Two

No matter the size of your household, it’s important to cook nutritious meals to help fuel activity and support good health. Homemade meals generally are tastier and easier on your wallet compared with take-out food or restaurant meals. Even so, if you’re cooking for one or two people, it may seem a little challenging that recipes are typically geared to serve several people, packaged ingredients contain multiple servings, and produce may go bad in your refrigerator before you’ve had a chance to eat it. Fortunately, there are many strategies for shopping, food preparation, and storage that will make these activities more doable for small households.

Shopping Tips

No one likes to spend hard-earned money on food that goes to waste. Besides going to the supermarket with a well-planned list based on what you plan to eat that week, try these shopping strategies:

➧ Shop from bulk bins. You can buy just the amount you need and save money on expensive packaging. This can be especially handy when you’re trying a new food—perhaps quinoa or lentils—and aren’t sure how much you’ll like it. Buying in bulk also is handy for herbs and spices. If you’re buying a seldom-used spice, you can buy just a teaspoon or two. Bulk bins for grains, legumes, nuts, dried fruits, and many other foods are often available in supermarkets, as well as most health food stores.

➧ Buy individual pieces of produce. Although it may seem more economical to buy some produce, such as oranges or onions, pre-bagged rather than individually by the pound, that is only a good idea if you’ll be able to eat the produce before it spoils. Similarly, it’s generally acceptable to split up a bunch of bananas or put a smaller amount of grapes in a produce bag rather than buying the amount that’s pre-bagged.

➧ Consider ripeness. When possible, buy produce in different stages of ripeness. For example, you often can find some ready-to-eat bananas, as well as some green bananas, at the same store. Buying a small amount of each will save you a trip to the supermarket later in the week. This strategy also can work for fresh tomatoes, avocados, apricots, peaches, nectarines, plums, kiwifruit, mangos, and pears.

➧ Shop the salad bar. For smaller amounts of produce, such as for a minor ingredient of a recipe, check the supermarket salad bar. In some cases the produce will cost more on the salad bar, but you’ll save money because you’re able to buy only the amount you need. In other cases, the salad bar produce may be less expensive than what you’ll find in the produce section. Compare the price per pound to be sure.

➧ Buy frozen produce. Bags of plain frozen vegetables and fruits enable you to take out what you need and save the rest for other meals. Frozen produce is picked at the peak of ripeness, so it’s just as nutritious as what you’ll find in the fresh produce section. The only drawback is that the texture of frozen produce may not be quite as enjoyable. However, if you eat frozen fruit while it is still slightly frozen, the texture is more pleasing, and you won’t even notice the texture if the fruit is being used in smoothies or a fruit sauce. Similarly, many frozen vegetables work well in soups, casseroles, and stir-fries, plus they’ll save you prep time.

➧ Shop the meat counter. If you just want one pork chop, chicken breast, piece of fish, or a half pound of ground beef, the fresh meat counter is the place to get it.

➧ Look for single-serve packages. Many foods are now sold in single-serve packages (or multi-pack containers made of individually wrapped, single-serve packages), such as sauerkraut, frozen vegetables (such as corn and peas), tuna, hummus, cottage cheese, applesauce, dried fruit, nuts, string cheese, and individually vacuum-sealed plain fish fillets. These can help with portion control, in addition to reducing waste.

Befriend Your Freezer

Although many recipes are geared to serve several people, if you’re cooking for one or two people, in many cases you can make the full recipe and freeze extras. You also can use your freezer to store prepped ingredients and save time in the kitchen. Here’s how to make such strategies work. For additional guidance, see Box 5-7, “Freezer Food Tips.”

➧ Heat-and-eat entrees. Forget buying pre-made frozen dinners at the supermarket—you can make much healthier options at home. Dishes made with rice, beans, or pasta, such as casseroles, chili, and soup, typically freeze and reheat well. Meatballs, sliced meatloaf, and leftover roast beef freeze and reheat well, too. Freeze precooked meals in small glass dishes so you can put them straight in the oven to reheat (remove plastic lids first and cover with foil). Add a bit of water before reheating roast beef to keep it moist.

➧ Batch-cook chicken breasts and freeze. Many recipes, such as chicken salad, tacos, wraps, and soup, call for precooked boneless, skinless chicken breast meat. Rather than buying salty precooked chicken, cook and freeze your own for later use. One simple method is to put boneless, skinless chicken breasts in a single layer in a baking dish with ¼–½ cup water (to prevent the chicken from drying out). Cover and cook in a 350ºF oven for 30–40 minutes or until completely cooked. Alternately, you can cook chicken breasts in a slow cooker with ½ cup water on low heat for 5–6 hours (or 8–9 hours if the chicken is frozen). If you have to stack the chicken breasts, rearrange them once during cooking.

➧ Freeze recipe-ready ground meat. Cook lean ground meat crumbles in one-pound batches and freeze for later use in recipes, such as sloppy Joes, taco salad, or meat sauce for pasta. Cool the ground meat in a shallow container in the refrigerator, then promptly transfer the meat to one or more freezer bags supported by a flat surface such as a metal pan, until frozen. Once the meat is frozen, you can remove the pan for more efficient stacking.

➧ Freeze cooked whole grains. Brown rice, whole wheat berries (including ancient varieties such as farro and Kamut), oat groats, and other intact whole grains—ones that haven’t been ground into flour or flaked—take longer to cook. Cook extra and freeze (or refrigerate) them for later use. They can be used in soups, stews, casseroles, salads, pilafs, or simply as hot cereal.

Eating Well When Eating Out

If you’re like many Americans, you eat out at least three times a week and consume about one-third of your calories away from home. Eating out three times a week adds up to more than 150 meals a year, so your choices could have a big impact on your health. Eating out is no longer the special occasion it once was, making what used to be an infrequent splurge a regular occurrence.

Eating fast food is linked with obesity, but other restaurant meals can be just as problematic when it comes to consuming excess calories (see Box 5-8, “Non-Chain Restaurant Meals Pack in Calories, Too”). A new law requiring calorie information for restaurant foods is scheduled to go into effect May 2017, but non-chain restaurants and small chains with less than 20 locations won’t be required to provide calorie information—so, it may be even easier to overdo it at such eating places. Non-chain and small-chain eateries account for about 50 percent of restaurants in the United States.

Eating out doesn’t have to lead to overeating, but the large portions and flavorful, nutrient-dense dishes typically served at restaurants can hijack self-control and lead to excess intake, despite your best intentions. Although some people might think they’ll compensate by eating less at other times, several studies show this generally doesn’t occur. Additionally, as we grow accustomed to oversized portions served in restaurants, we may inadvertently increase portions sizes at home.

Trimming Restaurant Meals

It’s not impossible to control your calories when eating out, but it does take effort and implementing smart strategies. Follow these tips:

➧ Research first. If you’re considering going to a chain restaurant, check the restaurant’s website for nutrition information. If it’s a local, non-chain restaurant without nutrition information, check similar menu items on websites such as calorieking.com or in printed books of restaurant nutrition information. For help with meal options recommended by nutrition experts, try healthydiningfinder.com.

➧ Suggest a healthier restaurant. If you’re going out with a group, try to steer the choice to an eatery with smart choices, such as one that serves locally grown foods, specializes in vegetarian entrées, or prepares a lot of fresh fish dishes or leafy green salads.

➧ Eat clean and simple. It’s a lot easier to keep calories in check when you eat whole, basic foods, such as a grilled chicken breast or salmon rather than an entrée dripping with cheese or smothered in a cream sauce. Similarly, it’s better to select simple sides, such as grilled asparagus or fresh-steamed broccoli instead of broccoli rice casserole. If a sandwich comes with French fries, ask if you can substitute a simple vegetable that you see elsewhere on the menu.

➧ Order smaller meat portions. Although sirloin steak is lean, it’s only a good idea if the portion size is small. Skip the 12-ounce steak, which packs nearly 700 calories, and opt for a 6-ounce steak instead.

➧ Request condiments on the side. Dressings and dipping sauces typically add 100–200 calories to a dish, so ask for them on the side so you can control how much is used.

➧ Box up half your meal before you eat. Once you dig into a dish, it can be difficult to stop nibbling, so minimize the temptation to overeat by taking half off your plate when it’s served. If desired, split the dish with someone else.

Functional Foods and Supplements

Many supplements and specialty sports foods, such as nutrition bars, energy gels, and protein shakes, are promoted to active people and athletes—and they’re big business, amounting to billions of dollars in sales annually. Although some of these items have a time and place when they may be useful, in general you should get the bulk of your nutrition from a wide variety of whole, natural foods. Foods from nature—such as almonds, broccoli, blueberries, and spinach—contain vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber, and other components that interact synergistically in complex ways to support health. Isolating these compounds and putting them in a supplement may have no benefit, or worse, could have undesirable side effects.

Functional Foods

Functional foods are those that have a potentially beneficial effect on health beyond basic nutrition. They include simple foods thought to have special benefits, such as beet juice, as well as specially formulated sports foods, such as protein shakes. Before you use such products, especially on a regular basis, it’s important to understand the benefits and risks.

Foods as Performance Aids

Beet juice (sometimes called beetroot juice) has increased in popularity among athletes in recent years. Beets are naturally high in nitrate, which may help in lowering blood pressure via the production of a substance called nitric oxide, which relaxes blood vessels. It also may boost oxygen levels in your blood to help skeletal muscles work more efficiently. In one small study, recreational athletes drank about 17 ounces of beet juice per day for six days and did moderate- and high-intensity cycling. Compared to drinking a placebo beverage, athletes drinking beet juice had a lower demand for oxygen during moderate-intensity aerobic exercise and could exercise longer at a higher intensity before reaching exhaustion. Other research suggests increased dietary nitrate may improve performance in resistance exercise, and beet juice also may be helpful for those exercising at high altitudes since it can help blood vessels relax, enabling them to better deliver oxygen to tired muscles.

However, could high nitrate intake, even if from a healthy food such as beets, be risky? High nitrate intake has been shown to result in increased production of N-nitroso compounds in the body, which contribute to cancer risk. The acceptable daily intake (ADI) of nitrate, according to the World Health Organization, is 3.65 milligrams per kilogram of body weight per day (mg/kg/d). The amount consumed in the cycling study was 4.16 mg/kg/d, which is a bit more than the ADI. Further research is needed to determine if safety concerns are justified at doses and usage patterns shown effective for sports performance. In the meantime, moderation is likely best for beet juice, as well as for other trendy foods.

Specialty Sports Foods

Sure, an energy bar can be more convenient than toting along a bruise-prone banana, but the bars often are packed with highly processed isolated proteins, fibers that can make you gassy (such as inulin or oligofructose from chicory root), added sugars, and excessive calories—in fact, some top 300 calories. That can be bad news when paired with tempting flavors such as “chocolate brownie” and “salted caramel”—potentially leading you to eat them even when you’re not being active or when you’re not hungry. See Box 5-9, “Tips for Choosing Nutrition Bars.”

Unless you’re an endurance athlete spending more than 60–90 minutes in exercise or competing in long-distance events, you most likely don’t need specialty sports products, such as sports gels, energy chews or gummies, and sports drinks (covered in Chapter 4). Energy gels and chews are intended as a quick energy source and generally contain about 100 calories per serving. They’re commonly made of highly processed ingredients, added sugars, chemical preservatives, and caffeine. You may do just as well eating a 100-calorie box of raisins.

Ready-to-drink protein shakes are popular, too, but unless you’re a competitive bodybuilder, most likely you can get plenty of protein from regular food (see Box 3-3, “Top Protein Choices” on page 29 for a listing of the protein content of foods). Protein shakes and drinks typically contain highly processed ingredients and often contain artificial flavors and sweeteners. If you’re struggling to take in enough calories or protein due to a poor appetite, consult a registered dietitian nutritionist.

Dietary Supplements

Dietary supplements come in many forms, such as tablets, capsules, and powders. According to a recent consumer survey, 58 percent of Americans take dietary supplements. By far, multivitamins are the most popular dietary supplements among the general population, followed by vitamin D, vitamin C, and calcium. The most popular sports nutrition supplement is protein powder. Although countless dietary supplements are promoted to athletes, few actually have been shown to enhance performance, and even if there is a positive effect, it’s typically relatively small.

Besides concerns about unproven benefits, some supplements have quality control problems, such as not containing the amount of the active ingredient declared on the label. Supplements also may be contaminated with substances banned by athletic groups, such as steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs. Typically the contamination is due to poor manufacturing processes, but sometimes supplements are deliberately adulterated by manufacturers. The buyer of dietary supplements must be wary of such issues. For more guidance on dietary supplements, see Box 5-10, “Dietary Supplement Savvy.”

Protein Powders

Many gyms and nutrition stores, as well as supermarkets, sell protein powder supplements, which can be mixed into water, juice, milk, smoothies, or other beverages. Most commonly, the protein powders are made of whey, casein, egg, or soy protein, although alternative vegan (non-animal) sources such as pea and hemp protein powders are increasingly available. Both whey and casein are from milk; whey is from the liquid portion of milk when it’s coagulated (for example, to make cheese), while casein is in the curds.

Whey protein supplements have won favor with some athletes because the protein (amino acids) is absorbed more quickly in the body compared to casein, and research suggests whey protein may be more effective than casein for increasing muscle size and strength for those doing resistance training. Even so, remember that the body can only use so much protein—any extra is broken down for energy, and excesses can be stored as fat. Breaking down protein requires the help of your liver and kidneys, so the burden of excess protein could pose a problem for those with kidney or liver disease. For others, protein supplements simply may be wasted money. Although previously stated, it bears repeating: the majority of physically active people easily can meet their protein needs with food.

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