Nutritionist Gabriela Fernández explains the myths surrounding protein.

Over the years, we tend to hear and read many things about protein, and much of it we don't know if it's true or false. That's why sports nutritionist Gabriela Fernandez, popularly known as "The Pancake Chick," explains the myths that exist around protein and also how protein works within our body.

The Pancake Chick begins by explaining that the most common myths are: "that it makes you fat", "protein has to be clean", "Grassfed", "they don't have to have hormones", "protein for women", "fast absorption protein", "denaturation", "% of protein".

If there's an excess of protein, the extra goes to energy production. Excess carbohydrates are converted into triglycerides, and triglycerides go directly to adipose tissue. So a person gains weight or fat, not because the protein was converted into fat , but because the fat they ate goes directly to adipose tissue since it won't be used as an energy source.

Regarding "grass-fed" or "pasture-raised" protein, it is currently marketed as the best option because it uses cows that are fed on grass to extract milk and all dairy products. However, at the end of the day, while we know that diet influences the content and type of fatty acids in the milk's composition, I am only consuming the protein, which doesn't change with respect to the diet. Basically, I'm not getting the benefit of the animal's diet; I'm just consuming a much more expensive protein with the same amino acids as if the cow were eating concentrated feed or grass.

The nutritionist continued explaining the myth of "clean protein," which people often describe as having fewer calories and being "the best." Just hearing these things leads people to pay more to get it, but at the end of the day, compared to "regular protein," it ends up being practically the same. The only difference is the calorie count, and even then, it's minimal, which is ultimately irrelevant considering the impact it will have on body composition, especially since those calories were probably burned while looking at your phone. It's always best to check the ingredients so you don't get misled.

Now, if we look at the "protein percentage" myth, we're often told that each scoop should contain 80%. What does that mean? It's a ratio of the product's weight to the grams of protein it provides. An example the nutritionist gave is that many people say a certain protein powder isn't enough for them because it's only 73%, when they actually need 80% to 85%. What this really means is that the amount of powder contains a certain amount of protein. If you need to consume 30 grams of protein, a protein powder with 80% protein will require less than a 75% protein powder, so you'll use more powder to get the same 30 grams of protein you need. Ultimately, it's about how you want to use your protein powder and how much you want to spend.

Now, the famous topic of "protein for women," a subject that leaves experts wondering whether to laugh or cry. If we have protein powder and chicken, in the end, it will provide amino acids, and it won't matter where the source comes from; they are the same. The Pancake Chick mentioned that she doesn't understand why, if men's and women's muscle cells are exactly the same, people start creating "something specifically for women ," which doesn't exist, since the same molecule is needed and is the same one I'm consuming. So, it's just a marketing ploy to get women to pay more money .

And finally, the myth of "fast-absorbing protein ." Often, people try to sell us protein by saying things like, "This one is hydrolyzed, and because it's hydrolyzed, it increases muscle mass faster, and so on." The nutritionist explains that speed doesn't determine the net process of protein synthesis.