Are you health conscious and hit the gym regularly? Is it your dream to have a healthy and muscular build? Then you are not new to whey protein and its benefits! The fitness and sports industry survive on whey protein and is recommended for all exercise buffs.
No, whey protein is beneficial because it helps in muscle recovery and growth of the person when it is taken daily.
If you did not know, whey is the liquid left from milk after making yoghurt and cheese. This contains protein that digests fast and is generally called whey protein.
When processing, whey is mixed with casein proteins which are digested slowly. Together they form a powerful component that contains all the amino acids required by the body to be healthy.
However, when you go to the market, you will come across two kinds of whey protein products – whey Isolate protein and whey concentrate protein.
Let’s Understand What these are, What are the Benefits and Differences Among these?
Whey concentrate and isolate are essentially the same things but with certain nutritional differences. These differences are caused during the processing period.
Whey Concentrate Protein Powder
After collecting the liquid whey (following the yoghurt or cheese production), it is passed through certain processes to enhance the protein content.
When a certain protein percentage of approximately 80 per cent has been achieved, it is dried off. The rest, 20 per cent of the concentrated powder, contains fats and carbohydrates.
The concentrate is made using micro-filtration instead of heating while the pure protein is being produced. This system ensures that the protein is intact and in pure form. The texture of the powder is therefore smooth and mixes very easily.
Glutamine and BCAA are the main components of the whey concentrate protein and are very useful for enhancing muscle recovery, size, and definition.
Many protein subfractions are also included in the concentrate forms in the whey concentrate protein, which have important health benefits and biological activity. Ideally, all the peptides should be kept in their undenatured form to allow the properties to work.
But when it comes to whey isolate protein, the peptides get undenatured because of further processing. However, the protein does not fail to help in the muscle-building process.
Whey Isolate Protein Powder
Further steps are taken to reduce the fat and carbohydrate content. The isolate powder contains around 90 per cent or even more protein content. This is because the isolate form is made using Cross Flow Micro-Filtration, which successfully separates the protein from lactose, cholesterol, and fat.
The end product, therefore, contains the purest form of protein. Therefore, consumers of whey isolate take less amount of carbohydrate and fat and more protein per serving.
It is widely believed that whey protein isolate has the lowest lactose, cholesterol, fat, carbohydrate, and calories those other proteins available in the market.
Therefore, fitness experts recommend the same for people who need to lower body fat levels and complete protein for muscle recovery and building. Research has shown that the amount of amino acid in both is almost the same because the main component from which whey protein has been made is the same.
Whey protein contains lower levels of lactose, but the extra processing of the isolate form reduces the lactose level even further, makings it the first choice for fitness enthusiasts suffering from lactose intolerance. Many users feel that the whey protein concentrate makes you feel bloated because of the higher amount of lactose.
Which Kind of Whey Protein is Best for You: Concentrate or Isolate
If one is to judge whey concentrate protein vs whey isolate protein clearly, it would be difficult because the person’s nutritional requirements rule the choice. The differences between the two are obvious.
One other thing that can tip the scales is the price factor; whey concentrate protein is cheaper than whey isolate protein. Whey protein isolate can be a clear winner because it has more protein content and less fat, carbohydrate, and lactose. But this benefit comes with a higher price tag.
The extra manufacturing process is responsible for the price rise and can be chosen if you are lactose intolerant or if you really do not want your body fat to increase. Otherwise, you can increase the dosage of your organic whey proteins and get the same amount of protein.
Ideally, using the isolate or the concentrated form will get identical muscle-building and training results because they are made from the same ingredients except for the processing part.
Whey protein isolate is the best choice if you are lactose intolerant or consuming lower calories. It is beneficial to prepare for a body-building show because you have to look glamorous and not allow body fat to ruin it. Isolate is undoubtedly the leaner choice between the two, but you can sustain muscle growth, maintenance, and development if you are not very particular.
So, as the bottom line, if you want low calories or can bear a large amount of lactose, whey isolate protein can be good for you, while whey concentrate protein is almost the same with many protein factors at low cost.
