A good physique and good health play a vital role in people’s day-to-day lives, especially sportsmen, models, and actresses. You might have heard about dietary supplements before, and in contemporary times, protein powders and protein drinks are among the effective nutritional supplements. [2024]
The kind of protein obtained from the items mentioned earlier is named Whey. For your additional knowledge, you get it out of any milk product.
Whey protein has three different types. Some of the major whey proteins are whey isolate, whey concentrate, and whey hydrolysate.
Over here, you will learn in detail about whey protein isolate and whey concentrate. Whey isolate vs concentrate is a pretty big topic of discussion among the fitness community. This article explains the basics so that you can easily distinguish between whey types, and if you ever need to select the one, you go for the one that suits your needs the most.
In short, the below article is perfect for knowing everything from starting to end regarding whey protein benefits, its types, dosage, and more.
What is whey protein?
Whey is a milk byproduct, and it is extracted from the liquid Whey during the cheesemaking process. Most of the proteins present in protein drinks and protein bars that you consume are from milk items.
At that time, there was the use of milk to make edible things like yogurt or cheese; its leftover liquid is called Whey. Fortunately, a quickly digestible protein you can get from the available dairy, and this protein is called whey protein.
Many of us recognize whey protein in the form of Whey Protein Powder. But, to convert it into powder form, the product goes through various processing and filtration stages. People can then add it to their favorite shake, smoothie, or just plain water/milk.
How is whey protein made?
Whey protein manufacturing goes through a series of steps.
- Cow’s milk- Cows are milked twice daily through robotic techniques and are grass-fed to ensure high-quality milk.
- Transporting the milk- The next step is shipping the milk to whey protein manufacturing units through tanker trucks. It is a challenging task as milk is a perishable product.
- After the milk arrives at the plant, the cheesemaking process begins after the quality test. In this step, there is a separation of curd from the cheese with the help of enzymes. Whey is the coproduct. It comes out in the liquid form.
- Pasteurization and milk separation –
Now, the pasteurization of liquid Whey is the following process. Also, the protein is isolated and concentrated using methods known as membrane filtration and ion exchange technology. In Membrane Filtration (MF), workers use porous membranes, which is the cold temperature separation process.
Membranes help in removing the bacteria and defatting the liquid Whey. It retains the whey protein. Ion exchange is a process that selectively isolates specific protein components:
- The raw Whey passes through the column.
- Protein gets collected and separated based on the net charge.
- The workers wash away the rest (lactose and minerals) particles.
It is later processed into a different ingredient.
The ion exchange method considers choosing all the nutritional and functional proteins in Whey, and it consists of bioactive proteins like immunoglobulins and lactoferrin. Thus, the final whey protein has less fat and lactose.
- Spray Drying process– The whey protein is spray dried in powder form with 80 and 95% protein and keeps the products’ nutritional value intact.
- Quality Control- Further, the whey protein powder goes for testing to determine the amount of protein in it. The measurement is done strictly.
- Blending- To mix it with other ingredients, plain whey protein powder is blended after proper transfer to the respective unit.
- Packaging- The flavored whey protein powder goes for packing. It is sealed into various sizes of recycled cardboard canisters. For testing in a lab, the workers form a sample batch. An infra-red machine checks the quantity of protein, fat, carbs, amino acids, etc., in the sample.
Is whey protein good for weight loss?
Weigh protein helps in weight loss in different ways. Here check them out.
1. Weight Management
It is a fact that high-protein diets are beneficial in healthy weight management compared to normal-protein diets. They help in effective fat loss with more significant space, prevent weight regaining, and promote calorie-burning lean muscle mass growth. In addition, recent studies have shown that whey protein is helpful to improve body composition.
Whey is a fast-digesting high-quality protein, and it is most suited after workout drinks for faster muscle recovery and protein synthesis. You can have it as a supplement combined with resistance exercise or include it in a weight-loss or weight-maintenance regime.
Whey protein is a go-to supplement for people active in fitness, and bodybuilding. It provides you with more than twenty-four grams of protein in a limited calorie(under 130kcal) count. In other words, those who are looking for quality weight loss or need long-term weight maintenance can go for whey protein.
2. Appetite Control
People have a lot of food cravings. With whey protein intake, one can control appetite and avoid cravings. Many studies have proven that high protein food such as whey protein effectively kills hunger or your appetite more than other high protein sources, such as soy, tuna, turkey, and eggs.
Whey consumption leads to upscale hormonal levels such as GLP-1, GIP, and CCK. It reduces the appetite and promotes satiety. In addition, it reduces the amount” of “hunger hor “one” ghrelin.
3. Boost & Preserve Metabolic Rate
All to research, Whey protein works best in the case of several metabolic functions. First, there is a thermic effect in all foods, which means there is a burning of a specific percentage of their usable calories. But, protein has five times higher thermic impact than carbs or fats.
What does this mean? When you eat whey protein, you burn more calories, which applies to other high-protein foods. It also implies that whey protein leads to low metabolization of energy. Hence, unlike fat, your body can store less protein, leading to low chances of weight gain. [Research Link]
4. Muscle Growth, Recovery, and Strength
There are two main elements governing muscle growth and recovery. One is muscle protein synthesis, and the other is muscle protein breakdown. Whey protein contains a massive amount of essential amino acids, and therefore, one can digest it fast.
Hence, whey protein is the best protein source if someone wants to increase muscle protein synthesis. It also works best for regulating muscle mass.
With these significant features, we can say that whey protein is one of the best options for weight loss and improving body composition. Moreover, apart from weight loss, whey protein consists of a surplus of health-related benefits that can enhance your lifestyle.
What is whey protein isolate?
Whey is processed for decreasing its lactose and fat amount to leave only protein is termed protein isolate. Whey protein isolate has 90% or more protein by weight. here, the remaining 10% are carbs and negligible fat. Hence, all those having an issue with digesting lactose should have whey protein isolate.
What is a whey protein isolate made of?
Whey protein isolate comprises around 90 percent protein or more, lactose, and fat. However, it doesn’t have plenty of valuable nutrients in the whey protein concentrate comparatively.
What is whey protein used for?
Generally, whey protein is used as a protein supplement, and it shall increase your nutrient intake and make your immunity stronger. Many athletes use it for improving their strength and athletic performance, and many use it to promote the growth of lean muscles.
Read: Best Whey Protein Alternatives For Lactose Intolerant in [2024]
What is whey protein is good for?
Whey protein can be called a complete package of protein. You can use it after a workout, or make pancakes, protein bars, cupcakes, and several other recipes.
Let us know some significant whey protein benefits:
Whey isolate vs whey protein is a big topic of discussion. Many studies show that whey protein includes branched-chain amino acids, a kind of amino acid that leads to the development of your muscles.
Not just that, the amino acid of whey protein even helps in repairing the skin of your injury.
Because of these above-stated whey protein benefits, it has been a great hit worldwide.
The after-effects of having both given whey protein (whey isolate and whey concentrate) might be the same because no individual differences have been found yet, even by the professionals in this field.
Whey protein types
The most important types of whey protein are given in this section. Those are as follows:
- Whey protein concentrate
- Whey protein isolate and
- Whey protein hydrolysate
Which whey protein type is best?
You can tell that you shall get whey protein from milk from the above. After the whey protein vanishes—it shall get micro-filtered instead of heated. Resultantly, your body shall have a filtered lot of mixture of protein that is highly pure. Hence, we can say that whey protein concentrate is the most famous and efficient protein and is present everywhere in the market these days.
When to take whey protein for best results?
If you wish for the best results, you need to take whey protein within an hour of your workout getting over, as it lets the muscle recover faster.
How many protein shakes should one drink daily to gain muscle?
It depends. To gain muscles, you must follow a calorie surplus diet that is rich in carbs and protein. Calculate your macros, and add protein shakes according. On a regular, Approximately three protein shakes every day is enough to fulfill your short-term bodybuilding goals. But the foremost source of your protein should always be three-time meals a day.
What is whey protein hydrolysate?
It is a type of protein that helps digest food quickly with the help of acid and a lot of heat.
Hydrolysates are absorbed faster if you track the isolates’ speed. However, no study shows this high speed is good for the increase or recovery of muscles.
What is whey protein hydrolysate made up of?
Whey protein hydrolysate is made by enzyme-catalyzed hydrolysis of a particular protein purified earlier by membrane processes or ion exchange, even comprising the process of drying into the powder.
What is the difference between whey protein isolate vs Whey protein concentrate?
If you compare best whey isolate and concentrate, you will find that the former faces higher processing, leading to more protein with just some fat, carbs, and lactose.
Financially, whey concentrate is more affordable instead of whey isolate.
Whey isolate vs concentrate vs Hydrolysate
The advantages of whey concentrate are that it is pocket friendly and ranks at the top to strengthen your immunity. Although, some people having lactose sensitivities try to avoid it.
When it comes to whey isolate, this comes after the whey is concentrated in carbs and fat. Again, those with lactose sensitivities prefer this one most of the time.
On the other hand, Whey Hydrolysate digests the quickest compared to the types mentioned above protein. The major drawback is that Hydrolysate is the most expensive product of the three.
What is a whey protein concentrate made up of? Explanation in brief
Whey protein concentrate comprises around 80 percent protein, lactose, fat, and the best flavor.
Whey isolate or concentrate for bulking?
The people who wish to gain weight and noticeable bulk need to go for whey concentrate. However, to get the opposite outcome (losing weight), people require consuming whey isolate.
Thus, everyone should always set their aim before using any protein supplement. After all, it is an essential task for maintaining their body the way they want, healthily and properly.
How and when to take whey protein?
It is believed that the right time to consume whey protein is after you finish your workout and that too within an hour. It is because it helps in muscle recovery. But as per the research body takes around 48 hours to repair and regrowth.
Hence, it is good to take approximately 20g to 30g of whey protein during the day whenever you find it comfortable. Therefore, one should consume about 1-2 g of protein per kilogram of body weight daily.
Here are some other specifications as to when you can take whey protein and how–
Taking Whey Protein in the Morning
At night glycogens become low. It makes the body convert the amino acid stores and leads to the metabolic process. It results in the breakdown of muscles.
Hence, when you wake up, have some Whey protein as it helps in quick digestion and delivers amino acids faster. It helps in dealing with muscle breakdown. If you consume a quality whey protein shake just after waking up in the morning, it energizes you. It is because it consists of fantastic amino acid features and practical biological value.
Consume Whey Protein before the Workout
For getting an effective nitrogen balance in the body, it is good to have a whey protein shake before the workout. It helps in stimulating protein synthesis. Also, the muscle mass increases. For growing new muscles, protein is a must, and if you take it before your exercise, it creates wonders. Hence, consume around 25-35 grams of whey protein before starting the workout.
Taking Whey Protein Post Workout
According to experts, the best time to take whey protein for athletes is soon after the workout. Their muscle, while performing, must have gone through a lot of excursion and stress, and now they require nutrients for regrowth and repair. Thus, whey protein is the perfect solution in this scenario, and it works like a medicine for repairing the starved muscles.
According to the experts, you can consume more protein after a vigorous workout. Hence, better to opt for a considerable amount of whey protein post-workout. It will kick-start you and rebuild the muscles, gaining more energy.
Read: First Phorm Protein Review | Everything About 1st Phorm Protein Powder – [2024]
Having Whey Protein Before Bed
Many people go to sleep without eating much, resulting in low nutrients for their muscles. Again the muscles will convert into amino acid stores and lead to the metabolic processes. Hence, experts suggest having a whey protein shake before going to bed.
As a result, your muscle will not go into a catabolic state. It also gives your body the required nutrients and prevents muscle breakdown during the night.
How much is whey protein per day good for you?
The best thing about whey protein is that most people don’t face any problems after consuming whey protein. However, many experts suggest a dose of 1 to 2 scoops around 25 to 50 grams every day. So it would be best if you went for this same amount to match your expected result.
How much is whey protein per day to reduce cholesterol?
According to one study, an obese requires 50 to 60 grams of whey protein every day for twelve weeks, bringing observable changes totally and decreasing LDL cholesterol. [read more]
Which whey protein is suitable for beginners?
Which Whey shall I pick for my body type? Which type of whey protein would suit me best? Is this whey protein right for me? Many fitness freaks have such questions in mind and are unclear about what to choose. Even gym beginners have these thoughts before buying a protein shake.
The answer is that one must look for a Whey Protein that matches the fitness goal. In addition, it should be in sync with your diet plan.
For Gaining Weight: First of all, you need to follow a calorie surplus diet to gain weight. Whey concentrate has more carbs and fat, and it can help you achieve your daily calorie goal. Whey Concentrate would be a better option for gaining weight, while for reducing weight, Whey Isolate is a better option.
For Lactose Intolerance: Since whey concentrate has the most lactose(milk sugar). So, Individuals should choose Whey Isolate or Hydrolysate if they are lactose intolerant as Isolate and Hydrolysate have lactose filtered out, whereas Whey Concentrate contains a higher concentration of lactose.
Another situation that often puts protein consumers in a dilemma is which Whey Protein flavor or brand is the best in taste? There are different flavors of whey protein powders in the stores. So you can get the flavor of your choice.
Which whey protein flavor is the best?
Many customers think extreme milk chocolate is the best whey protein flavor because it tastes delicious. You can have it with water, and otherwise, you can have it with milk. The sweetness level is perfect. Because of these points, many of its customers love it and want to buy it.
They also recommend it to their relatives and friends. Due to this, its popularity level is undoubtedly touching the sky. However, there are many other flavors that you can try.
Which are the whey protein alternatives for vegans?
Some of the whey protein alternatives are as below:
- Plant-based proteins,
- Vegan 85 and,
- Collagen protein.
Whey protein for women (a crucial section of society)
You might have noticed that many women are health conscious and want to lose weight to look perfect as quickly as possible. One of the valuable outcomes of whey protein is that it increases the amount of protein in the body, which helps lose weight.
Most people think whey protein for women is valuable due to this that too for their whole life.
Additionally, many women are in the modeling and acting profession, which needs a fit body for success realistically in every corner of the world.
Thus, whey protein for women is beneficial overall.
How is whey protein helpful for bodybuilding?
By introducing whey protein to your intake, your diet becomes healthier. It is because whey protein includes bringing more protein into your body.
So not just particularly bodybuilders but even athletes like whey protein a lot to be part of their life. These people require increasing muscles and energy simultaneously by removing their body’s fatty portion speedily, without facing any significant side effects.
Hence, whenever you come across a question like: Is whey protein good for the body? Then, in that case, your answer should always be yes. You can conclude that from this section easily after going through minutely.
The Bottom Line
Whether you want to lose weight, increase muscle mass, want to reduce body fat, or increase core strength, irrespective of your fitness goal, Whey Protein powder is the perfect dietary supplement. It is crucial to support your workouts and help achieve the best results.
In this blog post, we discuss everything about whey protein powders. We learned which type of supplement would suit what condition.
Whey isolate or concentrate both have their benefits. If you’ve been into fitness for years and follow a strict diet or have lactose intolerance, whey isolate might be a good pick.
On top of it, whey protein has many benefits- be it isolated or concentrated. So go ahead and pick the one which fits you right. You can also take the help of experts before buying one.