營養師告訴你乳清、大豆和大米蛋白，誰才是健身好夥伴？

When it comes to protein powder, most people first think of whey protein and soy protein—the former is extracted and purified from cow's milk, and the latter is derived from soybeans; but have you ever heard of "rice protein"? This protein powder is made from our staple food "rice" through enzymatic hydrolysis, breaking people's traditional perception that rice is only a source of carbohydrates.

Milk and soybeans are common foods.Protein sourcesRice is a popular nutritional supplement among fitness enthusiasts, making it a natural source of protein. As a whole grain, rice primarily provides carbohydrates and is a common source of white rice on the table. However, rice can not only be cooked and eaten with vegetables and meat, but it can also be used to extract high-quality protein powder, adding a new avenue for protein intake.

Nutritionally, rice contains approximately 801 TP4T to 901 TP4T of starch, an important source of energy for the body. In addition, rice is rich in fat-soluble vitamin E, unsaturated fatty acids, water-soluble B vitamins, dietary fiber, and various minerals, making it a nutritionally comprehensive food. Notably, rice contains approximately 51 TP4T to 81 TP4T of protein, higher than that of typical dairy products (dairy products contain approximately 851 TP4T of water and only about 3.51 TP4T of protein). In terms of "Protein Efficiency Ratio (PER)," rice has a PER score of approximately 2.3, meeting the "good protein" standard of a PER score greater than 2.0, indicating its excellent protein quality.

When assessing protein integrity, it's necessary to examine whether it contains sufficient amounts of the nine essential amino acids (EAAs). Whey protein contains approximately 471 TP4T of EAA, and all nine EAAs are present in ample quantities. Soy protein and rice protein have similar EAA content, approximately 371 TP4T, but each contains one slightly deficient essential amino acid, known as a "limiting amino acid." Specifically, the limiting amino acid in soy protein is methionine, and in rice protein it is lysine. However, the deficiencies in either are minimal and can be easily supplemented by combining them with other foods.

For those who exercise or require additional nutrition, branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) content is a key concern. Data shows that whey protein contains approximately 211 TP4T of BCAAs, soy protein approximately 171 TP4T, and rice protein approximately 181 TP4T, with little difference among the three. A 2013 study published in the *Nutrition Journal* further indicated that...Resistance trainingAfterwards, supplementing with plant-based rice protein and animal whey protein can effectively help build and repair muscles, and there is no significant difference in their effects on improving body composition and enhancing athletic performance. This means that rice protein can become a new choice for fitness enthusiasts, especially compared to whey protein and soy protein, rice protein has the advantage of being "hypoallergenic" and does not contain lactose, making it a more suitable protein source for people with allergies, lactose intolerance, or vegetarians.

In terms of applications, rice protein has a wide range of uses. It can be used directly as a nutritional supplement, brewed and drunk, or added to soy milk; it is also currently added to a variety of foods, such as bread, biscuits, cereal packets, plant-based dual-protein drinks, instant porridge, rice cereal, and noodles, helping people easily incorporate it into their daily diet.Increase high-quality proteinIngestion.

In recent years, with advancements in processing and extraction technologies, the industry has begun extracting functional peptide chains from rice protein. Multiple cell and animal experiments have shown that these peptide chains possess potential benefits such as lowering blood pressure and reducing inflammation. In the future, rice protein is expected to see further development in the biomedical field, potentially being developed not only into health functional foods but also into medical preparations. Furthermore, choosing plant-based rice protein can help reduce carbon emissions, contributing to environmental protection.