Soy protein is a vegetable-based protein created from soybeans. It is one of the best vegetable-based proteins available and comes in the form of concentrated, textured, and isolate. The best soy protein supplements are made of soy isolate. Isolate is a processed soy protein that is made from soy meal and has most of the fats and carbohydrates removed. Soy protein isolate contains approximately 90 percent pure soy protein and is an excellent protein supplement.
Protein is available in many forms and flavors. These include snack bars, shakes, and mixing powders. Good soy protein supplements are either premixed or easily mixed with water. This makes it more convenient to add protein to any meal throughout the day.
Rice protein is another form of vegetable-based protein. It is typically not as popular for bodybuilders because it contains less of the essential amino acids than soy protein. Rice protein is more bitter in taste, but does provide some of the benefits of protein supplements, especially for an individual looking for a vegetarian substitute.
Soy protein bars are an excellent source of protein for an athlete on the go. These soy protein supplements are typically available in small packages, which make them good for gym bags. They come in multiple flavors including, chocolate, coffee, peanut butter, and the always favorite cookies and cream.
There are multiple shake recipes available for soy protein supplements. This protein can be easily added to fruit smoothies or yogurt products. When mixing protein with shakes it's important to pick a neutral flavor so not to detract from the fruit flavors of the mixing products.
All proteins digest at different rates. Soy protein is a vegetable-based protein and typically digests slower then whey or other animal based proteins. This is because the vegetable content takes longer to process through the intestines.
Soy protein supplements typically take a few hours to convert to muscle building protein. This makes it a good protein to use as an appetite suppressant during the late afternoon or early evening. It is not recommended as a recovery aid immediately following a workout because bodybuilders require protein uptake within 90 minutes of completing an exercise routine.
There are some side effects to taking soy protein supplements. These include some reported thyroid issues and a delayed response to essential mineral processes. If taking soy protein as a primary protein resource, it is important to supplement the essential vitamins of calcium, magnesium, copper, iron, and zinc.