WORLD’S BEST SPORTS UNI SHARES TOP TIPS FOR PROTEIN POWER

Ahead of the UK’s busiest gym day which falls on the second Tuesday in March, Andrew Shepherd, Performance Nutrition Lead at Loughborough University – The best university in the world for sports-related subjects* –  shares his expert insights and top tips on how to unlock the power of protein.

In a world where one in three adults now consume protein products, understanding when to eat it, what sources to consume, and its primary role remains somewhat of a mystery to many according to a YouGov poll commissioned with Loughborough and Graham’s Family Dairy.

Here are Andrew Shepherd’s top tips for harnessing the power of protein:

• Timing is Key:  “One of the most important moments to consume protein is within 30 minutes of finishing your training or workout. Post workout your body needs to repair and rebuild its muscles, protein offers the building blocks (amino acids) to do this.”
• How much: “Aim for 20g of protein. It can help repair muscles and increase adaptations post training. Graham’s Family Dairy protein pouches contain 25 grams of protein, the equivalent of about five medium eggs.”

Source matters: “Dairy in the form of milk, yoghurts and cheese is known as a complete protein, this means it contains all the essential amino acids our body needs. It’s also highly digestible and easily absorbed by the body making it suitable throughout the day and pre/post workout..”

Andrew Shepherd, Performance Nutrition Lead at Loughborough University, added:

“The emphasis and growth in popularity of protein over the last few years has seen a rapid increase in the amount consumed.

“Incorporating protein sources after workouts, which are easily available, easily digestible and contain more than 20g of protein can help you to recover from exercise. There are a range of foods that can meet this need but dairy products such as protein yogurts provide a fantastic solution to getting the right total, type and timing for your recovery. Combining this with carbohydrate can support both refuelling as well as repair.”

A YouGov survey, recently commissioned by Graham’s Family Dairy, supported by Loughborough University found that people who exercise don’t know when, what or how much protein to consume:

• 37 per cent of UK Adults who exercise believe  one of protein’s key roles is to provide energy
• only 12 per cent of all UK Adults were consuming food at the optimum time after taking part in physical activity
• 70 per cent of respondents don’t know how much protein is in a medium sized egg.

Robert Graham, Graham’s Family Dairy Managing Director, said:

“We’ve seen a huge surge in demand for high-protein dairy products from gym goers so we wanted to understand the role protein plays to help  our customers get the most out of their workouts. That’s why we teamed up with Loughborough University to encourage everyone to consider the timing, source and volume of their post exercise protein intake. Our protein products are fat free, low sugar and sweetener free, relying on natural dairy goodness for their great taste and our protein pots deliver between 22 and 25 grams of protein per serving, setting them apart from others in the market which typically offer only 14g-20g, making them the perfect go-to post exercise snack.”

The family run business has launched a 30-day challenge aimed at highlighting the benefits of consuming protein to aid in exercise recovery. Powered by Graham’s, supported by Loughborough University, is free to sign up to and everyone who registers will receive expert advice and exclusive opportunities to take part in exercise classes sponsored by Graham’s Family Dairy at participating fitness facilities across the UK.

To sign up to the Powered by Graham’s campaign click here.