Table of contents
- What is whey protein
- Whey protein concentrate
- Whey isolate
- Hydrolyzed whey protein
- Whey blends
- Whey protein v isolate
- Cheap whey protein
- Whey and glutathione production
- Best whey protein powder
What is whey protein?
Whey protein, also known by the names whey protein, protein powder, whey protein or whey for short, is the most popular protein supplement currently available on the market. And no wonder: protein is indispensable for a healthy body. They are the most important nutrients we need to function properly.
What are the benefits of whey protein?
Proteins are our body's building blocks. Among other things, our skin, hair and muscles are built from proteins. Do you have enough proteins in your body? Then this benefits the repair and maintenance of your muscles and connective tissues. Do you have too little protein? Then that can have negative consequences on your performance and well-being.
Whey, how to use?
A whey protein shake is easy to prepare. These days there are all kinds of protein powder variants, each with different properties, flavours and peculiarities. So there is something for everyone.
If you are new to the world of whey protein, we recommend that you inform yourself well or study it through reliable sources. There are different types of whey protein. Depending on your goals and wishes, you can make an informed choice for a particular type of whey protein.
Different types of whey protein powder
In summary, there are four different main types of whey protein:
- Whey protein concentrate (also known as whey concentrate)
- Whey isolate (also known as whey protein isolate)
- Hydrolyzed whey protein (also known as whey hydrolysate)
- Whey blends
In the next chapter, we look in more detail at the different types of whey protein and explain their properties, advantages and disadvantages.
Whey protein concentrate
Whey concentrate is the least processed whey protein and therefore has the easiest and fastest production process. As a result, whey protein concentrate is relatively lower priced.
Whey protein concentrate consists of 80% protein. The remaining 20% consists of carbohydrates, water and fats.
The carbohydrates in whey concentrate contain milk sugar, also known as lactose. Are you lactose intolerant or prefer not to take lactose for other reasons? Then whey protein concentrate is not the best choice for you.
Whey isolate
The production process of whey protein isolate is a bit more complex than that of whey concentrate. For instance, whey isolate is highly filtered, which increases the protein content to 90%.
Whey protein isolate is thus produced differently and therefore contains more protein than whey protein concentrate. This is also reflected in the price. Whey isolate is generally more expensive than whey concentrate.
Whey protein isolate contains less water and carbohydrates than whey protein concentrate. Also, whey isolate is virtually devoid of milk sugar (lactose). This can be a nice touch if you are sensitive to lactose. Your body also absorbs whey isolate faster because the milk sugar has been filtered out.
Hydrolyzed whey protein
Whey hydrolysate is the purest variant of whey protein. Whey hydrolisate is pre-digested, meaning your body absorbs it very quickly. Because the production process of whey hydrolisate is complex and time-consuming, whey is the most expensive option among whey proteins.
Because hydrolyzed whey protein is pre-digested, your body hardly needs to perform any work to absorb it. This is useful if, for example, you have been training heavily and want to create a big boost for your muscles. Are you a normal athlete? Then whey hydrolisate is not really necessary.
Besides the higher price, you have to be aware of the taste of this whey protein. Hydrolyzed whey protein has a distinctive taste, due to its shorter protein chains. By adding other ingredients, this taste can be disguised somewhat, but you can't escape the fact that the overall taste of whey hydrolysate is a bit more bitter - and not everyone likes that.
Whey blends
Finally, you will often come across whey blends. Think, for example, of a mixture of whey protein isolate and whey concentrate. Look at the ingredients list for the breakdown of the different whey forms so you know what you are buying.
Whey protein v isolate
People regularly ask us what the difference is between whey isolate and whey protein. As you may have read above, whey isolate is in fact covered by whey protein. You could say that whey isolate is always whey protein, but whey protein is not always whey isolate. Are you still following it?
Take this example: 'What is the difference between an apple and fruit?' An apple is always fruit, but fruit is not always an apple.
You could, however, tell the difference between whey protein isolate and whey protein concentrate, or the difference between whey protein isolate and Hydrolyzed whey protein. These are different whey types, each with their own characteristics, advantages and disadvantages, such as we have discussed above.
Cheap whey protein
Nowadays you can find plenty of cheap whey protein options. While this is nice for your wallet, it also has some drawbacks. Almost all cheap whey protein on the market is bursting with unhealthy additives. Think refined sugars, sweeteners like aspartame, soy, non-organic eggs and other preservatives. Also, cheap whey protein often has a lower protein content than more expensive whey.
As tempting as it is: if you want to do good for your health, we don't recommend buying cheap whey protein. The additives you find in cheap whey are not only unnecessary, but can actually be bad for your health. By spending a little more, you choose a whey protein with better nutrients and fewer or, at best, no harmful ingredients at all.
Whey and glutathione production
Glutathione is an antioxidant that we make ourselves from amino acids, vitamins, minerals and food. Whey protein contains high concentrations of the amino acid cysteine, the main precursor for glutathione production.
In the late 1980s, researchers found that heat and processing of whey protein significantly reduced the amount of cysteine (and other relevant components). For optimal glutathione production benefits, you want the least heated whey protein possible.
NoordCode Pure Whey is processed without irradiation at low temperatures to preserve the glutathione-promoting components as much as possible.
Best whey protein powder
What is the best whey protein? That depends not only on your personal situation (intolerances, your sporting efforts, etc) and additives but also on the source of the whey: the cows!
Are you looking for premium whey protein? Then we can help you further. Livehelfi offers the highest quality organic grass fed whey protein from European cows!
