Do you know what’s in your whey powder?!?

Whey protein has for many years been the go-to protein shake for those wanting lean muscle mass. Whey has a full amino acid profile and is a complete source of protein providing recovery and repair to our muscles. When milk has been curdled and strained the remaining liquid is called whey. The liquid whey can then be processed to create whey concentrate, whey hydrolysate & whey isolate. Whey isolate is created by further processing whey concentrate to provide a supplement with a greater amount of bioavailable protein. There are thousands of whey protein powders on the market. Here’s a quick guide to choosing the best:

Choose Grass Fed : A 2012 study published in the Journal for Dairy Science showed that cows fed on high grain diets have higher incidences of metabolic disorders caused by build-up of toxic and inflammatory compounds. These metabolic disorders are treated with antibiotics. Also, the grain or corn used to feed cattle are mostly pesticide-laden andcontain animal and vegetable byproducts such as poultry feather pellets, animal fat, potato waste, soy cakes, poultry carcass, and meat processing waste.

Choose Organic: Whey proteins classified as organic do not contain any genetically modified organisms (GMO). There is still a raging debate on the pros and cons of GMO’s but who want’s to take part in a 21st Century experiment that could go wrong?

Read your ingredient labels: The only ingredients you want to see are whey protein isolate and natural flavours such as cacao bean and vanilla bean. Look out for ingredients such as Hydrolyzed Animal Protein. This describes connective tissue from animals and is a cheap ingredient to bulk up the product.

Watch for hidden sugars: Whey isolate is virtually lactose free so on the nutritional panel Sugars per 100g should be low. If sugars are high check your ingredients for hidden sugars. Sugars go by lots of different names – anhydrous dextrose, cane crystals, cane sugar, corn sweetener, corn syrup, crystal dextrose, evaporated cane juice, fructose sweetener, fruit juice concentrates…

Grass fed cows that eat what they are naturally built to digest have less health complications, need for antibiotics and produce high-quality protein in their milk.

Vegan or intolerant to dairy and whey? Read What Are the Best Plant Proteins For Your Body

Words by: Sonya Todd-Jones, Dip Health Sciences (Pathology), Dip Practice Management, Dip RM,