Picking apart your protein: Which powder to choose for best results
Walk down any supermarket health aisle (or god forbid, into a supplement shop) and you'll be astounded by the sheer weight of choice of protein powders.
With tubs of coloured powders promising a whole variety of slightly painful adjectives – from "ripped" to "shredded" and "annihilated", it's pretty common to find yourself scratching your head wondering what is best.
The truth is that many protein powders are very similar. So what should you actually be looking at when it comes to choosing one?
According to Dr David Cannata, pharmacist and product training specialist behind Swisse’s Pure Warrior range, the most important thing to know is the difference between whey protein isolate (WPI) and whey protein concentrate (WPC).
But first, a refresher on what protein powder really is
Ask your grandma's friends what protein powder is (I did, for the record) and they'll likely think that it's some kind of steroid drummed up in a lab to send young men crazy.
(As I found out first-hand, that's why the lockout laws are in. To stop those crazed protein fiends.)
But the truth, as Cannata explains, is far more boring than some kind of mass-produced steroid: protein powder is actually just a by-product of milk and cheese-making that's been dried and powdered.
"Both whey concentrate and whey isolate powder are initially created by separating whey from milk," Cannata tells Coach.
"Whey is highly concentrated in protein but also contains some fats, carbs and sugars."
The way this works is simple: fresh milk arrives at a cheese-making facility where it is pasteurised to make it safe for human consumption.
Enzymes are then added to the milk to force it into two layers – a solid, lumpy bottom layer that's used to make things like cottage cheese, and a liquid top layer that's then sent to a protein processing plant.
This liquid top layer is pure whey, which is then placed into a giant heater where it's dried into a powdered form. Companies then add their own variety of flavourings and additives, where it’s then packaged and sold on supermarket shelves.
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Whey concentrate versus whey isolate
Putting aside the marketing claims placed on protein tubs, the two major varieties you'll find on shelves are whey protein concentrate and whey protein isolate — look out for WPC and WPI on the labels.
There's also a whole range of plant-based proteins, but most experts (and studies) focus on animal milk-derived whey protein as the most effective way to supplement your diet.
You'll find that WPI is generally more expensive than WPC, and often promises a higher carbohydrate-to-protein split.
"The main difference between the two is that whey isolate powder undergoes a secondary microfiltration process to further separate or 'isolate' protein found in whey," explains Cannata.
"So it removes more fats, carbs and sugars from whey, providing a purer protein powder."
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If you're picky with your diet, go for WPI
If you look at the big picture of protein powders – that is, a diet supplement to help you burn fat and build muscle mass – then both concentrate and isolate will work.
But if you're ultra-picky with your diet, and want to control your intake of carbohydrates, protein and fats down to the gram (it's all about those macros, bro) then you'll want WPI.
"Whey isolate powder is the cleanest possible protein powder," explains Cannata.
"Despite the higher overall price tag of the powder it is still bang-for-your-buck as when you do a gram for gram comparison, you get more protein and less fats, carbs and sugar."
But if you're more of a weekend warrior who doesn’t lie awake at night fretting over the size of your calves, then either protein powders would be a good choice to help you recover faster.
"This is ideal for people training frequently at a high level, however for the casual gym-goer or moderate level trainer, the need to have a pure, fast absorbing protein may not be a necessity. So the extra expense may not be worth it and a whey concentrate powder would be suitable."
Like all things, going ultra-cheap is probably not the best
Because whey protein is simply a product that's made from the waste of cheese making, it would make sense to simply choose the cheapest one on the shelf – but this is only half true in reality.
As Cannata explains, the quality of your protein powder can have some bearing on your ability to recover thanks to sneaky marketing and manufacturing tactics, so it literally pays not to go too cheap.
"Poor quality powders contain fillers or are mixed with lower grade protein sources," explains Cannata.
"This reduces the costs of manufacturing but as a consequence the level of protein and type of amino acids aren’t ideal and have a reduced