What Is the Best Slow-Digesting Protein Powder? 

Are you looking for the best slow-digesting protein powder? Discover how to get the most out of every gram of protein.

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Slow-Digesting Protein Powder

What Is Slow-Digesting Protein?

Slow-digesting refers to the speed at which food passes through the digestive tract, as well as the speed at which amino acids (the building blocks of protein) are absorbed by the body.

As you might have assumed, different types of dietary protein are broken down and absorbed at different rates.

According to a study published in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, amino acids (the building blocks of protein) are absorbed at the rate of 1.3 grams to 10 grams an hour.

20 grams of a fast digesting protein might therefore only take 2 hours to digest, whereas 20 grams of a slow digesting protein might take 15+ hours to digest.

Why Should I Use Slow-Digesting Protein Powder? 

Foods that take longer to digest make you feel full for longer.

This can help curb cravings and prevent overeating, which can help with weight loss and management. 

Research also suggests that the speed of protein digestion affects postprandial metabolic response, which is the complicated physiological process that breaks down food into glucose (sugar), fatty acids (fats), and amino acids (protein).

Specifically, slow-digesting protein is found to inhibit muscle protein breakdown, whereas fast-digesting is found to promote muscle protein synthesis.

So, in theory, you should consume slow-digesting protein to prevent muscle loss (e.g. overnight), and fast-digesting protein to stimulate growth (e.g. post-workout).

But research also shows the long-term advantages of slow-digesting versus fast-digesting protein are minimal.

While acute studies demonstrate that slow-digesting proteins provide a more sustained amino acid release and inhibit protein breakdown, these differences do not translate into significant differences in long-term outcomes such as muscle mass or strength gains when total protein intake is adequate.

In other words, worrying about how quickly protein is digested is a waste of time.

Just prioritize meeting your daily protein needs.

What Is the Best Slow-Digesting Protein Powder? 

Many people recommend casein as the best slow-digesting protein source.

But casein is notorious for causing painful digestive side effects and even long-term gut health problems.

This is why I recommend dairy-free options like Egg White Protein Powder.

Egg whites are not digested as slowly as casein, but they are digested slowly and provide a better balance of speed of digestion and digestibility (how well the protein is digested).

Plus, our Egg White Protein Powders are made from a short list of simple ingredients.

No Food Additives

Regularly eating certain emulsifiers, thickeners, and other additives can not only upset your stomach, but also alter the composition of your gut microbiome.

This can lead to gut dysbiosis, or an imbalance in your gut microbiota, which has been shown to contribute to chronic diseases like obesity, type 2 diabetes, and even certain cancers.

Your gut microbiome affects various physiological processes, including immune function, so when the balance of bacteria therein is disrupted, it can have a huge impact on your overall health.

Here is a list of the most common food additives in protein supplements:

• acacia fiber
• acacia gum
• acesulfame potassium
• artificial flavors
• ascorbic acid
• aspartame
• calcium carbonate
• carrageenan
• cellulose gum
• dextrin
• dicalcium phosphate
• dipotassium phosphate
• erythritol
• gellan gum
• guar gum
• gum arabic
• inulin
• locust bean gum
• maltitol
• maltodextrin
• mono- and diglycerides
• ‘natural’ flavors
• rice bran extract
• rice dextrin
• rice hulls
• rosemary extract
• silica
• silicon dioxide
• sodium alginate
• soluble corn fiber
• sorbitol
• soy lecithin
• sucralose
• sunflower lecithin
• tocopherols
• tricalcium phosphate
• xanthan gum
• xylitol
• zinc oxide

Basically, if you could not find an ingredient in nature or make it at home, it should not be in your protein powder. 

No Protein Concentrates or Isolates

The protein source itself (not the type of protein, but the form) might be a factor worth considering too, especially if you have a sensitive stomach or preexisting gut issues.

Most protein supplements are made from protein concentrates and isolates, which have been mechanically and/or chemically stripped of everything but the protein.

This includes the enzymes, fiber, and other natural digestive aids that help your gut break them down.

You therefore do not digest them in the same way that it does whole foods, which can affect everything from satiety to gut health.

In fact, studies show that regularly eating protein concentrates and isolates can disrupt your gut microbiome and cause the formation of toxic byproducts in your gut.

So, pending further research, it is recommended that you stick to protein powders made from whole food protein sources.

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Drink Wholesome Is the Best Slow-Digesting Protein Powder

We make the best slow digesting protein powder because we use a short list of simple ingredients.

Our Ingredients

egg whites

coconut

vanilla

monk fruit

NOT Our Ingredients

• acacia gum

• acesulfame potassium

• artificial flavors

• carrageenan

• erythritol

• guar gum

• inulin

• maltodextrin

• 'natural' flavors

• silica

• soy lecithin

• sucralose

• xanthan gum

• xylitol

Note that instead of using protein concentrates or isolates, we use whole food protein sources like egg whites and almonds, which are easier to digest and absorb.

It follows that our customers experience fewer digestive issues with our Protein Powder than with any other type of protein supplement.

Order Samples to see for yourself.