With so many protein products available — whey, casein, EAAs, BCAAs — you can be forgiven for getting a little mixed up. So let’s make it make sense.
Myprotein product developer and nutrition BSc Katie Brown is back for another breakdown of the nutrition facts, so you can stay well informed and make the right choices for you. Today, we’re delving into EAAs. What are they for and are they better than whey protein?
What are EAAs?
Yet another acronym, eh? Fortunately, this one’s pretty simple. EAA stands for essential amino acids, the building blocks of protein. Simple.
But here’s where we kick it up a level.
Amino acids are chains of compounds made from carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen and oxygen. These smaller chains join to form a larger protein molecule.
To digest the protein we eat, our bodies have to break the protein down into individual amino acids. These can then be used to support muscle during training and help in creating new muscle mass. That’s what we like to hear.
Overall, there are nine essential amino acids, also sometimes known as “indispensable amino acids”. They’re known as “essential” or “indispensable” because our bodies can’t make them, so we must get them from food. Poultry, meat and eggs are full of essential amino acids and can help you to reach your daily macro goals.
But these aren’t viable protein sources for everyone — vegans can struggle to get all of their amino acids on a plant-based diet, so that’s where our vegan-friendly EAAs come in handy.
And EAA supplements aren’t just for vegans. With the price of everything seemingly increasing, upping your poultry, meat and eggs might not be a road you’re willing to go down. And we’re with you on that. EAAs are a cost-effective and time-efficient way to get the nutrients you need, especially if you have a high-protein goal to meet.
