It’s all well and good taking whey protein as a dietary supplement… but
do you actually know what it is? You’d be surprised how many people
don’t! In scientific terms, whey protein is basically a
mixture of ‘globular proteins’ isolated from whey – which is the by-product left
after the production of cheese from cow’s milk.
For us, though, whey protein is an invaluable
source of the amino acids our muscles need to grow. It’s a fast-absorbing protein
that helps our muscle tissues repair themselves after weight training.
Can I get whey protein from meat?
Although various meats are high in protein, no meats actually
contain whey protein.
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What types of whey protein are available?
Whey protein falls into two main categories – whey protein concentrate and whey
protein isolate.
Whey protein concentrate doesn’t contain too much fat and is, in most cases, around
75% pure protein by weight.
Whey protein isolate is whey in its very purest form. Isolates are processed to get
rid of any fat and lactose and in most cases, whey protein isolate is around 92% pure protein by
weight.
As for whey protein supplements, these are usually categorised under three
headings:
- Whey protein isolate
- Whey protein concentrate
- Whey protein blends
The cheapest supplements tend to be whey protein concentrates, but it is important
to remember that these have the highest levels of fat and lactose.
If you are after the highest proportion of protein per portion with almost no
carbohydrates, lactose and fat, you should look for whey protein isolates – but these tend to be a
little more expensive than whey protein concentrates.
Arguably the most popular whey protein powder, though, is whey protein blend. This,
as you may have guessed by the name, is a mixture of whey protein isolate and whey protein
concentrate, leaving you with one of the best protein shakes around. Price wise, it usually falls
somewhere between whey protein isolates and whey protein concentrates.
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