What is whey protein?
Protein-based supplements are among the most popular supplements in the segment of dietary supplements. There are available in the form of powders, drinks, bars, and now even in form of carbonated drinks.
Among the many choices available to consumers, powder continues to dominate the market because of its efficient nutrition value, fast digestibility, and competitive pricing. within the protein powder, we have majorly four types of protein available; that is (i) whey protein powder, (ii) casein protein powder, (iii) soy protein powder, (iv) plant-based protein powder and of course, there are many brands selling mixtures of above types along with supplements like creatine __ and BCAA, as a proprietary blend.
Whey protein powder is actually a by-product of cheese making process, during the cheese-making process, the milk is heated to remove unwanted bacteria, which separates the milk into curd and liquid whey.
Liquid whey in its purest form contains mixtures of protein, carbohydrates, fat, and lactose, which then undergoes various pasteurizing, filtering, and drying processes to be turned into a powdered form of whey.
Fun fact: It takes around 200 Liters of milk to manufacture 1 kg of whey protein, 24 kgs of cheese, and 6 kgs of casein protein
What are the types of whey protein?
In the processed powdered form, whey protein is generally sold in three primary forms ; (i) whey protein concentrate, (ii) whey protein isolate, and (iii) whey protein hydrolyzed.
Looking at each one of them as follows :
- Whey protein concentrate is generally dominated by protein and lower in fats and carbohydrates. The concentration of protein can be above 80 percent to 90 percent. It is the most economical protein available among the three types of whey protein
- Whey protein isolate: Isolates are generally further processed to remove fat and lactose and have a protein content of around 90-95 percent. They are slightly expensive as compared to concentrate whey protein.
- Whey protein hydrolyzed: Hydrolyzed protein is often known as the purest form of whey protein as well. It goes through the process of hydrolysis. Since it has already been in the process of hydrolysis, the rate of absorption and digestion is way faster compared to the other two forms of protein.
Which protein to buy?
Whey protein hydrolyzed is generally recommended as a medical protein supplement and infant protein formula, because of its reduced allergen potential and easier digestibility, and people with lactose intolerance can explore consuming whey protein isolate. however, those who do not have any limitations, allergies, or intolerance, can very well consume whey protein concentrate reason being easier availability and affordability.
