Why Use Protein Powder

Protein is a staple in any health and fitness plan. Whether your goal is to gain massive amounts of muscle, or you just want to look better naked, protein is going to be the foundation of your nutrition plan. With the staggering array of protein supplements available, the question here then is; what is the right protein powder for me? Without getting too in-depth, the following guidelines will help you answer that question when choosing your protein powder. First off, we have whey protein. Whey protein comes in three varieties; concentrate, isolate and hydrolysate. Whey proteins are fast-digesting, and are often used for pre- or post-workout shakes.

Whey concentrate is the most widely used of the three, being the least expensive to manufacture. Within the category of whey protein concentrate, the powder can contain anywhere from 29% to 89% protein by weight, the remainder being lactose and fat. The downside to buying whey protein concentrate is that you don’t know what percentage of protein you’re buying because the FDA does not require supplement makers to disclose that information on their label. You could be buying the lowest grade and not even know it.

Whey protein isolate is 89%+ protein by weight. It contains very little lactose and fat, has the highest biological value of any protein (159) and is loaded with essential amino acids. Whey protein isolate is easily digestible, and while being somewhat more costly to manufacture than concentrate, is still very affordable. Personally, WPI is my choice for whey protein. The last of the whey proteins is hydrolysate, the most expensive of the three to manufacture. Whey protein hydrolysate is basically pre-digested whey isolate, and this is done through an enzymatic process. Aside from cost, WPH is also extremely bitter, and the taste is difficult to mask with flavoring agents. Because of the bitter taste and high manufacturing cost, many supplement companies stay away from using WPH. If you find a protein powder whose primary protein source is whey hydrolysate, be prepared to pay more for it.

Another source of protein often used in protein supplements is milk protein. Like the whey proteins, milk protein comes in both concentrates and isolates. Milk proteins are slow digesting, are excellent for inducing muscle growth, and milk protein powders make great meal replacements.

Milk protein concentrate is made by filtering, evaporating and drying skim milk. Milk protein concentrate contains both casein (another protein to be discussed in a later article) and whey protein. Much like whey concentrate, MPC is available in a range of protein from 42% to 85%. Again, because of FDA guidelines, supplement companies do not have to disclose on their label what range they use. Milk protein isolate is, you guessed it, a more purified form of milk protein concentrate. The extra filtration step eliminates more of the lactose, yielding a higher protein percentage. Again, this higher filtration will lead to a costlier end product, but milk protein isolate is a better protein source than MPC.

This is just a few of the proteins used in protein powders today. Be sure to check back, as we will discuss more protein sources in future articles. For now, this info should help you to make better informed decisions when it comes to your protein powder.