Are modern whey protein supplements backed by Ayurveda practitioners?

If we aren’t living in harmony with nature, we cannot expect ourselves to be healed.  Ayurveda gives us the way to do it. Products related to dairy have always been in the centre of Ayurveda treatment. Whey Protein as we know is derived from milk as well. But what do Ayurveda practitioners say about modern whey protein supplements? This article will go deep into the world of Ayurveda philosophy and its analysis of whey protein supplements.

Food, Body type and Ayurveda

Ayurveda practitioners strongly stress the concept of body type. The food that is beneficial for one body type under a specific condition might be redundant to another body type. These body types are made with a combination of doshas or humour which in itself is a combination of the five elements of nature – akash(space), jal(water), prithvi(earth), tej(fire), and vayu(air). Every person has a combination of these elements which makes him unique.

Doshas in Ayurveda

Various combinations of these elements give rise to the different proportions of doshas. All in all, there are three doshas – vata, kapha and pitta. Someone may have vatadosha on the heavier side while having some qualities of kapha as well; while others have their own combination. One among the three doshas must be dominant and that along with the second dominant dosha describes the person’s physiology and emotion.

• VataDosha – The elements Space and air make up this dosha. Vatadosha dominant people are known to have trouble sleeping. They are sensitive to cold and are prone to digestive issues like low absorption and indigestion.
• KaphaDosha – Kapha is based on water and earth. The Kapha dominant people have a slow metabolism, have breathing issues like asthma & allergy and are at the risk of heart disease. These people should go for regular exercise as regular exercising can counter all of these problems.
• Pitta Dosha - Pitta is based on fire and water. The pitta dominant people are prone to mood swings. Acne and inflammation is their regular companion. They are normally advised to stay away from spicy foods.

To know about your body type you should consult an Ayurveda practitioner. There are many online tests available that let you answer their questionnaires to determine the body type.

 Whey protein and Ayurveda

Everyone isn’t made equal. Milk and its allied products aren’t meant for everyone. Ayurveda strongly discourages Kapha dominant people from consuming milk. They recommend the milk-based product to Kapha dominant people only when they consume low-fat milk while being on an exercise regimen. Whey protein isolate has no bar on it as it doesn’t contain fats and lactose. Most ayurvedic practitioners don’t have a problem recommending it to the users. On the flipside, milk is the best for Pitta dominant and Vata dominant people and whey protein isolate is safe for everyone. 

The keepers of the knowledge of Ayurveda 

There are many whey protein brands in India, but very few of them really use the knowledge of Ayurveda to the full extent. Amongst the few is I am love nutraceuticals that envisioned the inclusion of natural herbs into their whey protein recipe the same way they are used in Ayurveda. Their Whey protein supplement - Protect + Repair comes with the added goodness of garlic extract, gotu kola extract, jamun extract and charmma or as they call in the Himalayas – the extracts of holy fruit. Moreover, I am love has ensured that their recipe doesn’t contain any artificial or synthesized compounds. Many whey protein supplements brands in India boast of multiple safety checks and yet the products give their users unpleasant side effects. That’s why the R&D team at I am love chose to go completely natural. As they say in Ayurveda - natural herbs always yield side benefits and not side effects. This is probably the greatest thing about Ayurveda