What is the difference between whey protein and whey isolate? These two types of whey both consist of fast-digesting proteins and are used as an ingredient in making dietary supplements. If you’re a fitness enthusiast, you may have already heard about whey and how it can boost muscle mass, strength, and performance. However, selecting the best protein can be a bit confusing. To make it easier, we will provide more information about whey protein concentrate and whey isolate.
What Is Whey Protein Concentrate?
Whey is the liquid byproduct of making cheese or yogurt. Once water and casein are removed from this byproduct, you’ll get whey protein concentrate. It is then micro-filtered to produce pure protein. This ensures that the protein powder will have a smooth texture and will mix easily, giving you a perfect protein shake.
Whey protein concentrate is a popular sports supplement. It is considered the most economical and efficient form of protein for the body to digest and use. Whey protein concentrate consists of up to 80% protein (by weight). It is also rich in branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) and glutamine, making it an ideal supplement to help build muscle, reduce fatigue, and improve physical performance.
What Is Whey Protein Isolate?
Meanwhile, whey protein isolate undergoes cross-flow micro-filtration. This process separates protein from fat, cholesterol, and lactose so that a purer form of the protein can be extracted. As a result, whey isolate has up to 90% protein content, higher than that of whey protein concentrate.
Whey isolate also has less fat, cholesterol, carbohydrates, and calories than other protein supplements on the market. Additionally, whey isolate has lower lactose content than whey protein concentrate, making it the preferred choice for people who are lactose intolerant.
Final Thoughts on the Difference Between Whey Protein and Whey Isolate
Both whey protein concentrate and whey isolate have beneficial effects for active people. The main difference between the two is that whey isolate undergoes further processing. The result is a higher protein content with fewer carbohydrates, lactose, and fat. Another difference between whey protein and whey isolate is cost. Whey isolate is usually more expensive than whey protein concentrate because the former undergoes more meticulous processing than the latter.
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