Protein powder is one of the popular bodybuilding supplements. It helps people maintain their weight, build muscles, and has many other benefits. In fact many filmstars, sports players are always sponsoring many companies of protein powder. After all, everyone understands that it is generally protein that comes from milk or eggs or from plants like peas, soy, hemp, served in powdered form that is easy to consume. Moreover, these supplements may also contain added preservatives, artificial flavors, or sugar.
Different types of protein powders
Now, that we know what a protein powder is the next big question is what are the different varieties of protein powders available and what are their shelf life. So, let us take a look at that.
1 – Whey protein
2 – Casein protein
3 – Egg protein
4 – Mixed plant proteins
Both whey and casein protein are milk proteins. Whey protein is basically the thin liquid that separates from the curd during the cheese-making process. The protein digests quickly and helps in building and maintaining muscle mass. Casein protein on the other hand is digested slowly and may help in reducing muscle protein breakdown. It also helps in muscle mass growth and fat loss during calorie intake restrictions.
Egg proteins are the best source of high-quality protein. Eggs help in decreasing appetite. Egg protein powders are generally made the egg whites and are a good substitute for people with dairy allergies. It is also easily digested. Likewise, there are many other vegetables that help maintain weight like cauliflower
Mixed plant proteins are generally a blend of plant proteins in powdered form to provide a person with all the necessary amino acids. The plants or seeds include pea, soya, chia seeds, alfalfa, hemp, quinoa, brown rice, flax seeds, and so on. If a person wants he/she can also buy these plant proteins separately and not as a blend. However, plant-based proteins have a much slower digestion rate due to the high fibre content. But, by adding certain enzymes to these plant protein powders their digestion ability may be increased.
At last, the most anticipated question is, how long does a protein powder last?
Now depending on the kind of protein powder and also the brand, the shelf life may vary. Let us move on to the next segment to check the various shelf life for different protein powders.
Protein powders and shelf life
Every edible item has a shelf life, beyond which the product is not safe to consume. Studies have shown that amongst various flavours like vanilla, strawberry, Snickerdoodles, and so on, chocolate leads the demand charts.
A common question is does chocolate go out of date? No, it does not, but it does have a shelf life. The more the cocoa content, the more the shelf life. Your protein powder is also similar.
Conclusion
To summarise the entire dilemma of whether to use or not to use an expired protein powder, the answer is simple. Don’t use an expired product until absolutely necessary. In any case, if you have to, then use it for a very short period of time after expiration. But, keep a sharp lookout for any signs that your protein powder has gone bad. We hope that the article was helpful.