Best Whey Protein Isolate

Why should you take whey protein isolate? Whey protein isolate powder is a protein supplement. Most people get enough protein through their regular diets, but not everybody. Strenuous exercise, dieting, even aging can increase your protein needs. Athletes often take protein supplements to gain muscle.

We’re going to take a look at whey protein isolate as a protein supplement. We’ll tell you what it is, how it can benefit your diet, and a little bit about cold-pressed whey. It’s important to have a thorough understanding of a supplement before deciding to add it to your routine.

Not all whey protein isolate powders are created equal. We've reviewed hundreds of protein powders on the market to put together a list of top whey protein isolate powders for 2021. Here are the things we considered when ranking our choices for the best whey protein isolates.

1. Taste

Continued and regular protein powder consumption drives results. Still, overpowering sweetness and unpleasant aftertastes make it hard to stay on track. We rigorously sampled numerous protein powders to find great-tasting options that you can actually look forward to drinking.

2. Protein Quality

Cold-pressed(processed) grass-fed whey protein isolate is the highest quality protein powder available on the market. This type of whey protein is never exposed to high temperatures that can damage or alter fragile macro and micronutrients found in the protein. We recommend sticking to products that provide at least 25g ~ 30g per serving of protein.

3. Sweeteners

We found that the best whey protein isolate powders have 0g of added sugars. Ratings were given depending on the types of sweeteners used in each protein powder.

4.Value

Overall value was determined by price per serving and price per grams of protein. Quality of ingredients such as protein and sweeteners were also considered.

Whey is a byproduct of cheese making. Once curds are formed, the liquid left behind is called whey. Whey is high in protein that is quickly absorbed and easily digested.

Whey protein isolate is processed to remove nearly everything from whey except the protein. Whey protein isolate contains 90% protein. What gets removed is water, carbs, and fat. As a result, nearly all the lactose is also removed. This may make it more tolerable for some people with lactose sensitivity compared to other dairy-based protein supplements.

Whey protein isolate has (per 100 grams): 58.14 grams of protein, 1.16 grams of sugar, 698 milligrams of calcium, 872 milligrams of potassium, 1.26 milligrams of iron, and 359 calories. In addition, it contains 1.16 grams of fat, 12 milligrams of cholesterol, and 372 milligrams of sodium.

What does that mean? Whey protein isolate is high in protein and a good source of calcium (54% of your daily requirement). It has lower but not insignificant amounts of potassium (19%) and iron (7%). It is very low in fat (1%) and cholesterol (4%), and moderate in sodium (16%).

Muscle Building and Workout Recovery

Whey protein isolate is a complete protein containing all nine essential amino acids. It is easily digested and absorbed by our bodies. This makes it a popular protein source for athletes.

The easy absorption makes it useful before a workout to avoid bloating and prevent tissue damage, and after workouts to assist in muscle recovery and repair.

Athletes looking to build muscle also favor whey protein isolate for its leucine, an amino acid associated with muscle growth. These athletes likely pair the protein supplement with strength training. Muscle growth with whey protein isolate tends to be lean muscle.

It isn’t only athletes that can benefit from the muscle-building properties of whey protein isolate. We lose muscle as we get older and in combination with exercise, whey protein isolate can help decrease muscle loss due to aging.

Health Benefits

While whey protein has been extensively studied, some of its health benefits are the subject of continuing research. Whey protein isolate has been linked to lower blood pressure, moderating blood sugar in the treatment of type 2 diabetes, reduction of inflammation, and lower cholesterol.

Whey protein isolate is low in fat, sugar, and other carbs. It’s a fairly pure protein source that avoids some of the health drawbacks of foods high in protein like red meat and full-fat dairy products. It’s also extremely low in lactose, so it may be tolerated by those who have trouble with other dairy products. It is still dairy, so this is one to check with your doctor if you have lactose intolerance or sensitivity.

Weight Control

The low fat, carb, and sugar content combo in whey protein isolate strike again for people trying to lose weight. Its high level of protein without the high-calorie fats and carbs associated with other protein sources helps dieters cut unnecessary calories and still get enough protein in their diets.

Because it has the nine essential amino acids to be a complete protein, dieters are also getting the most out of the protein calories they consume with whey protein isolate. When combined with weight training, whey protein can help increase lean muscle and decrease fat.

Cold-processed whey has not been heated to high temperatures. Commercial pasteurization often uses temperatures over 200°, which can result in damage to the beneficial amino acids in whey. Commercial drying of the whey powder is also sometimes done at high temperatures.

Whey can be heated to about 160° without damage, which is the FDA minimum for pasteurization. So whey products can (and should) be pasteurized without damage as long as the heat remains at 160°.

Are you wondering about cheese making? The heat used to make cheese is well within the limits to avoid damage. Since cheese uses the highest quality milk, that’s where the best whey comes from.

Cold-processed whey is pasteurized, curdled (the process that forms curds and separates whey), cold-microfiltered (passed through progressively finer mesh or membranes), and dried all at low enough temperatures to avoid damage to the whey structures.

The primary harm done to whey by high heat is damage to the amino acids. That makes the protein less available for your body to use. Since one of the primary benefits of whey protein isolate is its easy digestibility and absorption, damaging the protein defeats a main purpose of taking the supplement.

Ideally, cold-processed whey (also called cold-pressed or cold-filtered) leaves all of the protein’s structures, amino acids, and other nutrients intact and available to be absorbed and used by your body. Whey processed with regular commercial procedures, particularly high-temperature pasteurization and drying, may not have as much nutritional value.

If you decide to choose a cold-processed product, do not confuse it with a “raw” product. Pasteurization is an important step to eliminate microbes that can make you sick, and it can be done without damaging whey protein. It just needs to be done carefully.

Cold-processed whey is going to cost you more. But if you can find a brand of good quality, it will yield greater benefits due to its intact protein. Choosing a cold-processed vs. commercially processed whey supplement is basically a cost/benefit analysis.

Let’s take a look at some whey protein isolates on the market today.