What to combine egg protein with

Egg protein is rarely consumed «in a vacuum»: it is added to shakes with banana, mixed with whey, combined with creatine or oatmeal. Some combinations have a scientific basis, others are simply about taste. Our editorial team examined what makes sense to combine with what and where a combination provides no benefit.

Why combine at all

Egg white powder is almost pure protein: it has few carbohydrates, practically no fat and no fiber. Such a product covers the protein requirement well, but on its own it is not a balanced meal. That is why it is often supplemented with other ingredients.

The goal of combining can vary. For endurance athletes it is important to replenish glycogen, so carbohydrates are added to protein. For those gaining mass, the total calorie content matters. For people on a diet — satiety. For those who take protein before sleep — the duration of amino acid supply.

A combination can also compensate for the peculiarities of egg white itself. It digests moderately quickly — slower than whey, but faster than casein — and contains slightly less leucine than whey. A well-designed combination with other proteins makes it possible to obtain a «middle» profile.

Finally, there is a purely practical aspect: taste and consistency. Egg white in its pure form has a specific taste and foaminess, so fruit, cocoa, milk or plant beverages make the drink more pleasant and, accordingly, make regular consumption easier.

Egg protein and carbohydrates

Combining protein with carbohydrates after a workout is one of the most researched strategies. The ISSN position on nutrient timing (Kerksick et al., 2017) notes that carbohydrates after exercise are important primarily for replenishing glycogen, especially when there is little time between workouts, and adding protein can enhance this process when the amount of carbohydrates is insufficient.

For muscle protein synthesis, carbohydrates are not mandatory if there is enough protein. However, for people who train twice a day, engage in team sports or endurance, a «protein plus carbohydrates» shake is a convenient way to quickly cover both needs.

Practical options: egg protein with banana and rolled oats, with berries and honey, with rice flakes. Oatmeal also adds fiber, which slows absorption, so such a shake is better suited as a full snack rather than a drink immediately after an intense workout.

People who watch their weight should take into account the calorie content of such combinations. A banana, honey and flakes easily turn a 100-calorie portion of protein into a 400-calorie meal. This is not bad, but it should be a conscious choice.

Combinations with other proteins

Egg protein is often included in multi-component blends together with whey and casein. The idea of such products is to combine the fast amino acid peak from whey with a longer supply from egg white and casein. Although there is little evidence of an advantage of such blends for muscle gain over individual proteins, they are quite logical from a physiological standpoint.

Mixing egg protein with whey yourself is a simple way to increase the leucine content in a serving. But if you choose egg white specifically because of lactose intolerance, there is no point in adding whey concentrate; whey isolate contains little lactose, but individual tolerance varies.

The combination of egg white with plant proteins — pea or rice — is interesting. It makes it possible to partly replace animal protein and diversify the amino acid profile. For people who limit animal products but are not strict vegans, this is a compromise option.

Finally, the simplest «combination» is egg protein and regular food. The powder can be added to cottage cheese, yogurt, oatmeal, pancakes. Thermal processing does not harm egg white: on the contrary, cooked white is absorbed better than raw.

Creatine, caffeine and other supplements

Creatine monohydrate is one of the best-studied sports supplements. The ISSN position on creatine (Kreider et al., 2017) confirms its effectiveness for increasing strength and muscle mass in resistance training and its safety at recommended doses for healthy people. A typical maintenance dose is 3–5 g per day.

Adding creatine to a shake with egg protein is convenient, because this makes it easier not to forget the daily intake. There is no special «synergy» specifically with egg white; what matters is the regularity of creatine intake, not the specific time or drink.

Caffeine is sometimes added to morning or pre-workout shakes. If you consume egg protein with coffee, keep in mind that a hot drink can change the consistency: egg white coagulates when heated, so it is better to add the powder to already-cooled coffee.

• Creatine:convenient to mix with protein; the main thing is daily intake.
• Caffeine:compatible, but avoid hot liquids.
• Vitamins and minerals:can be taken together with protein if you need them.
• Omega-3:fatty acids are absorbed better with food that contains fat; protein powder itself contains almost none of them.

As for «complexes» that promise to enhance protein absorption with enzymes or special extracts — there is a lack of convincing evidence of their benefit for healthy people. Egg white after thermal processing is well absorbed anyway.

Unsuccessful combinations and common mistakes

The first common mistake is mixing the powder with hot liquids. Egg white coagulates, forming flakes, and the shake becomes unpleasant in taste. For hot dishes it is better to incorporate the powder into dough or an omelet mixture rather than into a finished drink.

The second mistake is adding raw eggs to the shake «for reinforcement». The digestibility of raw egg white is significantly lower than of cooked (Evenepoel et al., 1998), plus there is a microbiological risk. There is no point in such a combination.

The third is an excessive amount of fiber and plant additives in one shake. Bran, chia seeds, flax and large portions of fruit together with protein can cause bloating and discomfort, especially before a workout.

The fourth is combining several protein products without accounting for the total daily amount of protein. Protein in a shake, a protein bar and protein cookies plus regular food can provide significantly more protein than needed and crowd out other nutrients from the diet.

Editorial conclusions

Egg protein combines well with carbohydrates for recovery, with other proteins for a balance of absorption rate, and also with creatine, for which the main thing is regularity.

The best combination depends on your goal: recovery, mass gain, weight control or simply a convenient snack.

Avoid hot liquids, raw eggs and excess fiber in one shake, and also take into account the total amount of protein per day.

We also recommend reading our articles «Myths about egg protein», «How to take pea protein: dosage, timing, duration» and «The benefits of pea protein for athletes».

References

1. Kerksick CM, Arent S, Schoenfeld BJ, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: nutrient timing. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017;14:33.
2. Kreider RB, Kalman DS, Antonio J, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017;14:18.
3. Jäger R, Kerksick CM, Campbell BI, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: protein and exercise. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017;14:20.
4. Evenepoel P, Geypens B, Luypaerts A, et al. Digestibility of cooked and raw egg protein in humans as assessed by stable isotope techniques. J Nutr. 1998;128(10):1716–1722.
5. Norton LE, Layman DK. Leucine regulates translation initiation of protein synthesis in skeletal muscle after exercise. J Nutr. 2006;136(2):533S–537S.
6. Thomas DT, Erdman KA, Burke LM. American College of Sports Medicine joint position statement. Nutrition and athletic performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2016;48(3):543–568.