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Learn how to choose the best protein for your body!
Whey is the watery part of milk separated from curds during cheese making. Cow's milk is comprised of approximately 80% casein and 20% whey. Unknown to many, certain types of whey protein can impart phenomenal health benefits to a wide range of individuals. It is widely believed amongst many researchers that the health benefits of a properly prepared whey protein outshine the benefits of ALL other forms of protein supplementation (including soy.)
However, not all whey proteins are created equally. In this article you will learn exactly what to look for in choosing top quality whey protein supplements which impart all of whey's incredible health-promoting and disease fighting benefits.
Types of Whey
The different processing techniques that whey undergoes determine the difference between a product with potentially remarkable health benefits, and one that is potentially damaging to health. First, let's start by separating all whey protein into 2 categories:
- WHEY CONCENTRATE - a cheap whey protein with relatively high levels of lactose, fat, cholesterol, and denatured (non-functional) proteins.
- WHEY ISOLATE - a more pure whey protein with lower levels of lactose, fat, cholesterol or denatured proteins.
Whey protein concentrate
Whey concentrate is the broad term that describes any whey which, after pasteurization and removal of some fat and solids from cheese manufacture, is ultra filtered to achieve protein content of anywhere between 25% to 85% actual protein. Some particularly deceptive companies have been known to use whey concentrates with as little as 50% protein in their nutritional products, but most of the Whey Protein used in the nutritional market is called WPC 80, or Whey Protein Concentrate 80% protein. Supplement companies LOVE to use this whey concentrate. It's among the cheapest dairy proteins, which puts more money in their pockets and they can label it as "whey protein" and make a killing off of unsuspecting consumers. Interestingly enough, WPC 80 is not just popular in nutritional supplements; it is also used for animal feed, pet foods, and as filler in many commercial baked goods.
Often companies will go out of their way to tout that their products contain whey isolate, when in reality the product contains miniscule amounts of isolate and large amounts of concentrate. The problem is only compounded when companies hide significant amounts of low quality raw materials within so-called "proprietary blends" of ingredients.
In truth, there are not a lot of reasons why a supplement company would use a high quality whey isolate instead of a low quality whey concentrate. The general supplement consumer simply is not discerning enough to tell the difference between the two. Hopefully this article will be a force in changing the way some of these supplement companies do business. Unfortunately, companies who formulate products with top quality as their priority are an exception and not the rule. So, as supplement consumers what should we do to ensure we get the best quality whey? The take-home rule is this: Any protein supplement that lists whey concentrate anywhere in the ingredients should not be purchased. Period.
Cholesterol
If you currently use one of the big tubs of whey on the market (the ones that are mostly comprised of whey concentrate) go look at the Supplement Facts box on the label. Scan until you see the cholesterol stated. How many milligrams are there in a serving? It is not at all uncommon for some of the cheaper whey products on the market to contain a whopping 25-55 (or more) mg of cholesterol in an approximately 30 gram serving.
So? Well, compare that to a product that is all whey isolate. In the same size serving, a whey isolate product will deliver next to no cholesterol at all. A significant amount of cholesterol in any whey protein powder is indicative of the usage of whey concentrate, crudely produced filler absolutely unfit for inclusion in health supplements. Many users of whey concentrate supplements unknowingly consume hundreds of milligrams of powdered cholesterol per day from products they believe to be health promoting. But in actual fact, they are risking their health to serious problems like heart diseases.
Lactose
Lactose, or milk sugar, is another residual ingredient found in many cheaper whey protein concentrates. In fact only whey protein isolates are allowed to claim the lactose free status. This is a big reason why whey isolates are so much easier to digest as many people lack the enzyme needed to effectively digest lactose. Interestingly, even if you don't consider yourself to be lactose intolerant, this disorder often goes unrecognized and can be the cause of many nagging health concerns. So, if you have ever experienced bloating or gas with a whey protein product, chances are it contained lower quality concentrates with substantial amounts of lactose.
Whey isolate
In general terms, whey isolate is any whey protein achieving 90%+ protein content. By definition, whey isolate will have more protein, less fat, less lactose, less cholesterol and less denatured proteins than the cheaper whey protein concentrates Of course, the whey isolates will cost more than the cheaper concentrates, but the increase in price can definitely be worth it if you know which type of isolate to choose. You see, there are two general types of processing which can produce a whey isolate. They are known as ion exchange, and microfiltration.
Ion exchange
The Ion exchange process of isolating whey protein was the first to yield protein contents of 90%+ while ridding the product of lactose, fat and cholesterol. Even today, after improved methods of whey extraction have been perfected, many unscrupulous supplement companies continue to tout Ion Exchange whey as a superior Whey Protein Isolate. The Ion exchange process involves separating the protein in whey from the undesirables on the basis of electrical charge. This method is able to extract the most protein, and the resultant product yields the highest protein percentage available. However, there is a big price to be paid for this seeming benefit. You see, a drastic shift in pH is required to drive the chemical reaction which isolates the protein. In doing so, the nature of the whey protein is compromised. The relatively allergenic Beta-Lacto Globulin fraction becomes predominant (instead of the more delicate Alpha-Lactalbumin) and many of the valuable micro fractions of whey are lost or reduced including: glycomacropeptides, immunoglobulin, lactoperoxidase and lactoferrin. So in essence, what is produced is a stripped down protein that doesn't deliver many of the benefits of filtered whey.
So, in the Ion-Exchange process, ratios and quantities of valuable protein fractions are altered to produce a protein which may impart less of a heath promoting effect than that of filtered whey.
Microfiltration
As discussed earlier, when a filtered protein reaches 90% proteins the resultant protein is known as whey isolate. A well manufactured filtered whey isolate will provide indentured, usable protein and retains a whole host of other micro fractions in proper balance, giving whey functional benefits above and beyond just the amino acid profile.
The microfiltration process allows only soluble proteins to pass through the membrane, thus removing the highest level of lactose, fat, cholesterol, and denatured proteins (denatured proteins are relatively insoluble). A well made protein will then be spray dried at low temperatures to maintain the structural and biological integrity of the protein.
Low temperature Microfiltration using highly selective ceramic filters produces the highest quality whey isolate currently available.
Even all filtered whey isolates are not the same. Many companies unfortunately use lower quality filters, not ceramic, and spray dry their protein at high temperatures, both of which potentially compromise the integrity of the finished product.
There are so many companies who use the term "cross flow micro filtered" to describe both whey isolates and concentrates, such that this term is being misused and has little to no real meaning anymore.
So, to sum up the benefits of properly produced filtered whey isolate:
- More immune boosting micro fractions
- More growth promoting micro fractions
- Less denatured proteins
- Lactose free
- Higher protein percentage
- Better, cleaner taste than a concentrate
- Mixes easily
- Low in cholesterol
- Less allergenic
Conclusion
It seems strange that as the research into whey's remarkable health-giving benefits continues to grow, the quality of the typical whey supplement is becoming poorer because of the demand and supply of the market forces; increasing demand for lower prices by consumers, and need for higher profits by companies. Most consumers, unless they know what to look for, can completely forget about receiving any health benefits from their low quality whey supplement, and should be more concerned with the potential harm such a supplement could be doing them. The solution, however, is a simple one. Chose only the highest quality ceramic filtered whey isolate to reap the full gamut of benefits which only quality whey can offer.
Like this one, the articles in this series will aim to give you, the supplement consumer, the information you need to make intelligent choices in the jungle that is the nutritional supplement industry.
- Shahid Mazali
NutriFirst Master Trainer
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