Is there a such thing as good protein? I read things on packages like "x amounts of soy protein" and things like "good source of protein". I understand that it's likely that the "good source of protein" is based on the average persons intake level of protein, but is there a such thing as bad protein?

For example, bagels have like 8 grams of protein in them. If I can down like 5 bagels, that have egg and bacon on there, that "meal" because of the bacon and eggs have like 50+ grams of protein. Would that be any different than say the 50+ grams of protein that can come from drinking a shake? Eating a massive amount of meat?

And on top of that, what is the difference in a shake mix that gives you 40-50 grams of protein from like Wal-Mart vs. something from GNC or of the like that gives you 30-40 grams of protein?

I guess I'm just curious if it matters if my intake of protein is from cheese, bagels, and pasta, versus the likes of meats and such. Is 40 grams from one more beneficial than 40 grams of the other?

This is kind of a big question and probably over my head to explain fully.

Some proteins are complete and some are incomplete. Incomplete proteins need to be combined with other proteins. This is why we eat certain foods together. For example bread with peanut butter or beans with rice, cereal with milk etc.

Also proteins are rated based on their biological value or how much of the protein you eat is actually absorbed into the body.

I dont know if that helps, but you might try googling biological value of proteins, incomplete and complete proteins and amino acid profiles of protein etc and see if you cant answer your own questions.

An extreme example of an incomplete protein from a human consumption standpoint is gelatin. Although its dry weight is mostly protein, it contains no tryptophan, an essential amino acid for humans, and is low in some other essential amino acids.

To sort of sum up what's been said:

There are 20 amino acids that we need. Protein is made up of amino acids, but depending on what your source is, you may get more or less, some or none, of each of the aminos. Eggs and dairy products, meats and seafoods, and soy are the only common foods that contain at least SOME of all 20 amino acids we need. (there are others but much less common) All other foods that contain protein lack at least 1 amino acid which, as said above, is why we have combinations. (ex, rice and beans both lack certain aminos, but when combined contain all 20)

After that the only difference is how much of the protein is actually absorbed when you digest it; however, that is much less of a factor than the actual amino acid profile, and you should only be concerned with it if you are going to the very extreme, which I don't think anyone on this site needs to do

Strictly speaking, this is not true (except for gelatin, which completely lacks the essential amino acid tryptophan). It is more true to say that many common foods like rice, beans, etc. are low in specific essential amino acids, so they would be inefficient protein sources if they were your sole source of protein. But combining different foods can improve the amino acid profile. For example, rice is low in lysine, while beans are low in methionine. But rice is high in methionine and beans are high in lysine, so eating both compensates for each food's low content of a specific amino acid.

I believe the type of Carb and type of fat exist.

Fats- Can either be good fats like Polyunsaturated and monosaturated. Bad as in Saturated (a little is fine) and Trans Fat (avoid at all costs)

Carbs- Good Carbs are Low Glycemic and Bad Carbs are High Glycemic. High Fructose Corn Syrup is what you wanna avoid at all costs.


As for protein, I'm not sure. I just make sure I get mine from Chicken, Eggs, and Whey and I'm fine.

There is a difference.

Protein is a catch-all term for complex amino acid compunds. Your body requires a bunch of different kinds, some of which it can make itself, and some of which it can't (essential amino acids). Not all protein is the same quality; some is more easily absorbed, some is more rich in terms of amino acids, etc. Generally, vegetable-based protein is not as good as meat protein, though there are exceptions.

If you are looking for the best sources of protein, you can look at whey and casein protein powder, which have a high bioavilability and are very complete proteins. If you want a food, look no further than egg whites, which are ridiculously good protein, or chicken, beef and tuna. Avoid eating too many egg yolks, as they have high cholesterol, though you want a little cholesterol for testosterone production.

dietary cholesterol doesn't have a big impact on the cholesterol levels in your body. Your body produces it's own cholesterol and will produce less if you eat more and produce more if you eat less.

For most people. A minority of people are hyperresponders whose blood LDL cholesterol levels (and heart attack risk) go up significantly in response to eating more dietary cholesterol.

jupp, but it's just a minority. If you want to be 100% safe, then you need to see a doc and check if you are a hyper - or hyporesponder