What is pea protein powder and what are the pea protein benefits you can take advantage of? Learn about it here!
Amazing Pea Protein Powder Benefits for the Body
The Best Sources of Vegan Protein
Peas have been pushed to the edge of the plate for generations. Finally, this little legume is finding redemption.
Peas have made their way into an unlikely arena, one traditionally held by meat, cheese, eggs, and whey.
Pea has come out as a powerhouse of protein and is quickly rising up the ranks as it appears in more and more supplements designed to increase endurance, boost energy, build muscle, and help people lose weight.
Green peas have become more than just those little green things on your plate. They are packed with nutrients to help the body grow strong and healthy.
Pea Protein Powder Benefits
Protein is an important nutrient, but most of our sources aren’t always the best. You may be consuming proteins in your diet all your life but are all the sources good for you?
- Meat and eggs come with saturated fats, extra calories, and cholesterol, not to mention, animal products can be pretty hard on the kidneys.
- Whey is also rough on the kidneys and causes bloating, gas, and other digestive problems. Some whey protein powder supplements even contain harmful ingredients which may result in more harm than good to the body in the long run.
- Soy is an allergen and contains estrogen-mimicking compounds that mess with hormones. Even a slight change in hormones can cause problems in the body.
With so many side effects from these sources of protein, people naturally look for other means to get the nutrient. Some take protein capsules, others add plant-based vegan protein powder to their drinks or meals.
Now pea protein powder can truly shine through.
The Benefits of Pea Protein Powder
What benefits does organic pea protein powder offer to improve one’s health?
1. Contains All Essential Amino Acids
About 90% of a pea is protein, and quality protein at that, rich in essential amino acids.
In fact, it contains all nine essential amino acids— valine, phenylalanine, threonine, methionine, tryptophan, isoleucine, lysine, histidine, and leucine.
The body needs these nine amino acids to perform important functions in the body. Though a pea has low methionine content, you can compensate by adding brown rice to your diet.
Indeed, pea is a great source of vegetarian protein.
2. Easy Digestion and Fast Absorption of Fiber
Being a legume, a pure pea contains high levels of fiber and starch making it hard to digest. Pea powder, meanwhile, loses most of its fiber and starch when processed.
Pea powder becomes easier to digest, thanks to the process it goes through.
The proteins in this legume are 95–98% digestible, allowing for maximized absorption. This means the body gets access to them quickly and can put them to use right away where they are needed most.
3. Provides High-Quality Aminos
Peas also contain essential amino acids that are often lacking in other vegetables, like lysine. Each essential amino acid cannot be created by the body and must come from the foods we eat.
Aside from its amino acid profile, it also contains branched-chain amino acids like isoleucine, leucine, and arginine.
Arginine makes sure blood flows well in your veins, while isoleucine and leucine help gain muscle mass.
4. Allergen-Free and Does Not Cause Allergic Reactions
Unlike soy, whey, milk, and cheese, pea is not an allergen and allergic reactions to it are extremely rare.
Pea protein powder also doesn’t contain gluten like many grains and no lactose.
People avoiding allergens from dairy or gluten can drink and eat beverages and meals with pea protein powder.
5. Provides the Body with Steady Supply of Proteins for Energy
Protein is essential in building strong bones, muscles, and healthy tissue. It also goes into a multitude of enzymes the body uses to produce energy, transport nutrients, carry oxygen, and complete thousands of other tasks.
Protein isn’t stored in the body like many other nutrients, so a good, healthy, and steady supply is needed each day. You don’t need massive amounts, but you do need the right amino acids.
Pure pea protein does a great job of supplying them.
6. Muscle-Building and Repair
The rich amino acids in peas are perfect for repairing and rebuilding muscle.
After exercise, the muscle tissue is torn from the workout and needs an immediate supply of the right amino acids to repair these tears and layer extra muscle fiber over the top.
The highly digestible and absorbable nature of pea protein means you can take it just before or just after a workout and get amino acids to the rescue quickly.
Then again, taking pea protein powder without working out won’t make much of a difference. To effectively build muscle, consistent exercise must be done together with proper nutrition.
7. Promotes Appetite Control and Helps with Weight Loss
Peas help regulate appetite and aid in weight loss. Pea protein is a low- calorie food without the unhealthy fats found in many meat and animal proteins.
Food with high protein content keeps you full longer. This means you won’t be craving that extra donut in between meals.
This leads to gradual weight loss.
8. Good for the Kidney and Heart
The protein from peas, especially yellow peas, has been shown to lower cholesterol and blood pressure while being gentle on the kidneys.
It may actually prevent kidney problems.
According to a study, pea protein powder increases the absorption of cholesterol while controlling the production of fats in rats.
9. Less Processing, More Nutrients
Since peas are so rich in protein, this protein doesn’t require chemicals and a ton of processing to extract it from the carbohydrates.
Less processing does not strip away too much protein, giving you more of the nutrients from its organic state.
10. Better Taste and Texture
Pea protein powder has a less chalky, fluffier texture than most other protein powders and a naturally nutty sweet flavor.
It is often combined with rice protein, another allergen-free option, to create a more balanced amino acid profile and to combine their textures. Many feel this combination yields one of the best tasting protein powders.
Check out more protein sources from Marzia Prince in this video from Sunwarrior:
Plant-based protein powders give you the nutrition you need without the side effects of animal-based protein sources.
Organic pea protein powders offer the powerful benefits you need to become healthy overall.
You can also supplement with Sunwarrior Warrior Blend protein powder made from fermented yellow peas, Goji berry, hemp seed, and coconut. Make a healthy protein shake and enjoy all its natural goodness!
Have you tried pea protein powder before? Share your experience in the comments section below!
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Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on July 22, 2013, and has been updated for quality and relevancy.
