Glossary · 56 terms

Glossary

The vocabulary that actually changes a buying decision, defined plainly. If a spec sheet uses it, it is explained here.

Protein Powders

Whey Protein: The milk-derived default — fast-digesting, complete, and the value benchmark.
Whey Isolate vs Concentrate: More filtering, less lactose, higher price — and whether that trade is worth it.
Casein: The slow-digesting milk protein — a different clock, same quality checks.
Plant Protein Blend: Pea, rice, soy, or pumpkin seed combined to cover the amino gaps one source leaves.
Leucine: The amino acid most tied to the muscle-protein-synthesis signal — stated factually.
Complete Protein: A source supplying all nine essential amino acids in usable amounts.
Protein per Dollar: Grams of protein ÷ price — and the dollars-per-20g number we compute for all of it.
Grams per Serving: The protein one serving actually delivers, read off the panel.
Amino Spiking: Padding the protein number with cheap free aminos or nitrogen fillers.
Mixability: How cleanly a powder dissolves — reported experience, labeled as such.
Whey Hydrolysate: Pre-digested whey — faster, smoother, and usually the priciest form.

Protein Bar: Convenient protein — judged on grams per serving, the $/20g math, and the sugar lines.
Protein Density: Protein per 100 calories — the number that outs a candy bar in disguise.
Sugar Alcohols: The "low sugar" sweeteners — listed separately, and worth reading.
Ready-to-Drink Shake: Pre-mixed protein — maximum convenience, premium per gram.
Collagen Protein: A protein from connective tissue — incomplete, and scored that way.

Electrolyte Panel: The per-serving milligrams of sodium, potassium, and magnesium — the real spec.
Sodium: The main electrolyte lost in sweat — read the milligrams, mind the caveat.
Potassium: A common secondary electrolyte — dose varies, needs are individual.
Magnesium: Included in some mixes — the form and dose both matter.
Sodium-to-Potassium Ratio: How a mix balances its two headline electrolytes — a spec to compare.
Osmolality: How concentrated a drink is — the basis of "hypotonic" marketing.
Added Sugar: Listed separately on the panel — a little helps absorption, a lot is just soda.

Meal Replacement: A shake built to stand in for a meal — judge the whole panel, not just protein.
Maltodextrin: A cheap fast-digesting starch and thickener — worth noticing when it leads.
Micronutrient Coverage: How fully a shake fills the vitamin-and-mineral gap of the meal it replaces.
Satiety: The feeling of fullness after eating — described, never promised.

Food Scale: The most accurate portion tool — makes "grams per serving" real.
Portion Control: Managing amounts by measured servings — a practical habit, no medical framing.
By Weight vs By Volume: Grams beat cups — especially for dense or powdered foods.

Dietary Fiber: Indigestible carbohydrate that adds bulk and slows digestion — grams on the label.
Soluble vs Insoluble Fiber: Two kinds with different jobs — most foods carry both.
Psyllium: A soluble fiber from husk — common in supplements, taken with water.
Prebiotic Fiber: Fibers like inulin that feed gut bacteria — and a common gas culprit.

Vitamin B12: Found mainly in animal foods, added to many shakes — read the %DV.
Vitamin D: Commonly added to shakes and multis — dose in IU or mcg on the label.
Iron: In some shakes and multis — more is not automatically better.
Chelated Mineral: A mineral bound to an amino acid — marketed as better absorbed.

Resistance Band: Elastic graded resistance for home strength — cheap and portable.
Adjustable Dumbbell: A dial-or-pin dumbbell that replaces a rack — judged on range and build.
Progressive Overload: Gradually increasing the demand over time — the basic strength principle.

Clothing Fit Service: Sizing help for a changing body — reviewed on cost and terms.
Body Recomposition: A changing muscle-to-fat ratio over time — context, not a promise.

Third-Party Testing: Independent verification that the label is true and the tub is clean.
Informed Sport: A batch-level banned-substance certification — a checkable signal.
NSF Certified for Sport: A widely trusted certification for label accuracy and banned-substance screening.
Proprietary Blend: A combined ingredient line that hides the dose of each component.
Serving Size: The amount the panel describes — confirm it before you trust any number.
% Daily Value (%DV): A serving's contribution to a general daily reference — not a personal target.
PDCAAS: A 0–1 protein-quality score — whey and soy top it, most single plants sit lower.
DIAAS: A newer protein-quality measure than PDCAAS — useful when a brand publishes it.
Thermic Effect of Food: The energy spent digesting food — highest for protein. A fact, not a promise.
Sarcopenia: The age-related loss of muscle mass and strength — defined factually.
Lean Body Mass: Everything in the body that isn't fat — used as context, not a product claim.
Protein Timing: Spreading protein across the day — total intake matters most.

Subscribe & Save: Recurring-delivery discounts that change the real per-serving cost.