Pea Protein VS Whey Protein

Which is Better? Pea or Whey

If you're into bodybuilding, chances are that you are well familiar with protein sources from the likes of whey, casein, eggs and soy. But pea? Probably not much. It is not surprising since whey protein had dominated the market for protein supplements for over 20 years since it was first made popular in the late 90’s. It is also because alternatives to whey are lacking since there hasn’t been a protein supplement that came close to whey. But it looks like things are about to change.

         Recently, pea protein seems to have stolen the limelight of whey protein. There are increasing reviews that praise the wonders of pea protein in promoting muscle growth and burning fat. Celebrity dietitian, Cynthia Sass, quoted pea protein as the hottest new muscle builder in one of her articles in Shape. But how exactly is it that pea protein, which was almost unheard of in the past suddenly become the rising star in protein supplements in less than a year?

         The pea protein craze came about in 2015 after a study was published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition by a group of French researchers. The study found that pea protein is similar to whey when it comes to increasing bicep muscle thickness. The study, which ran for a period of 12 weeks found that men given pea protein experienced similar increase in bicep muscle thickness to men given whey protein, which led the researchers to suggest that pea protein could be the new comparable alternative to whey. But whey protein has always been touted as the leader in protein supplements. How is it that pea protein ended-up standing shoulder-to-shoulder with whey?

         We all know pea is packed with protein. But pea protein has several advantages over whey when it comes to price, protein content and the types of amino acids. Whey protein concentrate usually contains about 80% protein, while pea protein isolate contains 85% protein - about 5% more protein than whey. Not bad. But that's not all.

        Pea protein contains 4.7 times the amount of arginine in whey (8.7% in pea versus 1.9% in whey). Arginine is the amino acid responsible for increasing blood flow to the muscle and promote protein synthesis. The glutamine content in pea protein is about 67% higher than whey protein concentrate. Glutamine is the amino acid responsible for preventing your muscle from breaking down due to stress and illness. In other words, glutamine is the amino acid that helps preserve your hard-earned muscles from losing shape. And pea protein is an excellent source of glutamine compared to whey.

        Whey has always been known to contain the highest amount of branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) which helps promote muscle growth. In this case, however, pea protein seems to carry a comparable level of BCAAs as whey protein (18% in pea protein versus 19% in whey).

        Unlike whey protein concentrate, pea protein does not contain lactose and is easy on the digestive tract. Lactose is a sugar that your body can't break down and gets fermented in the intestinal tract, causing stomach discomfort, diarrhea and bloating. If you're sensitive to lactose, pea protein may be a more suitable choice for you.

        The digestibility of pea protein is 97.3% compared to whey protein at 99.7%. The negligible difference showed that pea protein is a very easily digestible protein. It has an absorption rate that is just slightly less than whey, but is still considered much faster than casein or other proteins. This balance gives pea protein the edge in muscle growth and protein synthesis without the need for the several intake after workout as recommended when consuming whey protein.

         Most importantly, pea protein product costs significantly less than whey proteins. At $9.10 per pound, pea protein is priced at 25-30% lower than whey protein concentrate. With higher protein and quality amino acid contents, pea protein provides your wallet with great savings over the long term, without compromising on your muscle growth and workout.


References:
1. Babault N, et al. Pea proteins oral supplementation promotes muscle thickness gains during resistance training: a double-blind, randomized, Placebo-controlled clinical trial vs. Whey protein. J Int Soc Sports Nutr, 2015 Jan 21;12(1):3.
2. Overduin J, et al. NUTRALYS® pea protein: characterization of in vitro gastric digestion and in vivo gastrointestinal peptide responses relevant to satiety. Food Nutr Res. 2015; 59: 10.
3. Institute of Food TechnologistsAnnual Meeting & Food Expo 2008. Nutralys Pea Protein.
4. Rutherford SM, et al. Protein digestibility-corrected amino acid scores and digestible indispensable amino acid scores differentially describe protein quality in growing male rats. J Nutr. 2015 Feb;145(2):372-9.