What Is the Difference Between Synthetic and Natural Protein?
Our body requires a certain amount of protein to keep up the muscle growth and perform the day-to-day function properly. So there are two ways to provide our body with the necessary levels. One is natural, i.e. nutrition we get from plants and animals. The other one is synthetic, which includes supplements prepared by industries.
To know what the difference between synthetic and natural proteins is, refer to the following section.
How Does Synthetic Protein Differ from Natural Protein?
If you wonder what the difference between synthetic and natural protein is, the first point to discuss must be their sources, like from where we obtain them. Natural ones are obtained from whole food items added to a diet. It includes seafood, poultry, nuts and seeds, tofu, and dairy products.
On the other hand, synthetic ones are made artificially using industrial processes. Good protein supplements include pea protein, whey powder, soy protein, etc.
| Impacting Factors | Natural Protein | Synthetic Protein |
| Side effects | Consuming direct sources of protein have little to no side effects. These are healthy. | Even though these are chemically identical to natural proteins, there are higher chances of side effects with synthetic proteins. |
| Processing | These are natural sources, which means their processing is likely to be healthy. | These are man-made supplements. There are hardly any evidence regarding its processing. |
| Inclusion in diet | Natural protein sources are not easy to find. Moreover, including these in a daily diet can be difficult. | It is relatively easier to find synthetic protein supplements across stores. Thus, including them in daily life becomes easier. |
| Customisation | It is hardly possible to customise natural protein sources. Some of its components might be beneficial, while others can be dangerous for individuals. | There are multiple varieties of synthetic protein supplements. These have different formula, and can be customised based on specific requirements. |
Synthetic Vs Natural Protein: Which One Is Better?
The best way to compare synthetic protein vs natural protein is to look at the individual pros and cons. So, here they are -
Advantages and Disadvantages of Natural Protein
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|
| Natural protein is all-natural, which is the biggest benefit one can have. | Many people cannot get enough protein content from their whole day's diet. Therefore, it will benefit them if they compensate for the remaining requirement with synthetic protein or supplements. |
| It provides the body with enough carbs, fats, minerals, and vitamins. | It can also be difficult to find natural protein every day and include these in daily diet. |
| By having natural protein sources, you do not get threatened with additional preservatives and sweeteners. So, one can say that natural is better than synthetic options. | Too much or too less of any component can have major health issues among the individuals. |
However, remember, when having protein from natural food sources, make sure you consume them through less processed items and non-junk items. Also, eat in proper proportion to avoid protein toxicity and nutritional deficiency.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Synthetic Protein
This is another critical topic on differences between synthetic protein and natural protein. Some of the major advantages and disadvantages of synthetic protein are as follows.
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|
| Unlike natural protein, where you have to wait hours to cook, supplements only take a few minutes and are ready-to-mix, like when consuming protein drinks. | You may find that these supplements contain artificial ingredients and colours. |
| Synthetic protein supplements are easier to absorb and effortless to digest since they are liquid. | Even though their values are printed, these supplements are industry-made, and there have been previous instances of scam. |
| Talking about the storage and preservation system, supplements are more convenient and can be easily stored in small protein shake bottles. | These supplements often contain lead and cadmium, which can be harmful for health. |
Protein supplements are not steroids. Industries extract them to make protein available to people in convenient ways. However, there can also be some disadvantages of synthetic protein, as described below.
What Is the Long-term Effect of Consuming Natural Protein?
When communing natural protein or adding it to your daily diet, it is essential to consider the recommended protein intake. When it comes to adult male, the RDI is 56 grams per day. For adult women, the average RDI can be around 46 grams. consuming excess protein can have its side effects.
1. Bones and Muscle Strength
Natural protein sources are capable of enhancing your bone strength. Consuming proteins for a long time can increase your bone mass, lowering the risks of osteoporosis and fractures. It is also useful for enhancing your muscle strength. In particular, people associated with body building need to consume an ample amount of protein.
2. Metabolism Boost
Another long term advantage of consuming protein is that it boosts your metabolism. Protein helps you burn up to 80-100 calories in a day. This can help you maintain a healthy weight.
3. Blood Pressure Control
You can maintain a healthy blood pressure if you consume natural protein. According to a previous study, protein is useful for lowering systolic blood pressure by 1.76 mm Hg on average, and the diastolic blood pressure by 1.15 mm Hg.
What Is the Long-term Effect of Consuming Synthetic Protein?
Regardless of what is mentioned under synthetic vs natural protein none can deny that taking protein supplements is highly convenient.
However, long term consumption of synthetic protein-like protein supplements has both good and bad effects on health. These are as follows:
1. Weight Loss Benefits
By consuming protein supplements, consumers feel full for a long time, and the urge to snack reduces drastically. Also, the portion of their meal reduces, adding up to weight loss. So, it can be pretty beneficial for people trying to lose weight and those suffering from obesity.
2. Muscle Development Advantages
If you are an athlete, you may benefit by adding protein supplements to your diet. Athletes usually have a higher protein requirement than ordinary people. For example, the recommended dietary allowance of protein for a healthy adult is around 0.36 grams. On the other hand, an athlete requires somewhere between 0.64 to 0.91 grams. It is to meet the energy needed to complete athlete training.
3. Recovery after Performing an Exercise
Another advantageous effect of taking synthetic protein is they help in repairing muscles and tissues. So, athletes also take supplements to speed up their recovery involving muscle soreness after workouts. Many reports even support that synthetic protein improves muscle performance and reduces damages.
4. Other Concerns
There are other concerns too of taking synthetic protein regularly. For instance, it may cost the consumer huge as quality products are usually expensive. In addition, some supplements also contain artificial sweeteners, including sucralose, which can lead to sugar cravings. It can even result in type-2 diabetes and obesity conditions.
So, this is all we wanted to share under what is the difference between synthetic and natural protein. Make sure you refer to both protein's advantages and disadvantages individually and the long term effect of protein supplements before deciding your diet plan. To be safer, consult your dietician for the purpose.
Frequently Asked Questions
What compounds are used to make artificial protein?
The smallest of nature's building blocks are used in making artificial protein. Researchers have become successful in combining short DNA (oligonucleotides) with peptides that coil around each other to form synthetic proteins.
Is it healthy to consume an all-protein diet?
Technically, it is possible to consume an all-protein diet. However, it might not be completely safe or healthy. Ideally, you should aim for getting 10%-35% of your calories from protein, and not more than that.