What is whey protein?


Here is an article by a guest author that will be of interest to some of us. I use whey protein powder in some of my bake mixes. This whey protein would work in my bake mixes, as would this one (choose an appropriate flavor - vanilla is good).

What is Whey protein?

Whey protein is a dairy product, which comes to being as a by-product of the cheese manufacturing process. Whey is rich in amino acids and has the highest biological value of any known protein. For this reason, it is highly popular amongst weight trainers and bodybuilders and whey protein supplements are the best selling amongst these categories of people, who require a high daily intake of protein. Whey helps to repair muscle and help it rebuild, largely through its amino acid make up.
Whey’s properties however are not just bound to physical activity. Whey can help in weight loss, Diabetic sufferers, wound healing and even for some cancer patients.
Whey protein comes in three different forms, Isolate, Concentrate and Hydrolysate. Whey Isolate is usually what is present in the supplement powders available to buy. Whey protein Isolate is 90% protein and absorbed fast into the body, making it highly popular. Due to the extra processes carried out on Isolate, it tends to be more expensive than Concentrate. Concentrate has the advantage of being cheaper, but tends not to be as good a quality. It can also be the cause of some mild flatulence, reported with some older brands of whey. Hydrolysate is the purest form of whey, having undergone the most filtering in the production process. Despite being the best quality, it comes at a higher retail price because of the filtering processes it has undergone.
Whey protein that you can purchase tends to come in the form of powders that are reconstituted with milk or water but as times advance and our needs seem to turn to needing things quicker all the time, companies have developed products such as liquid whey protein that can just be drunk without any mixing.
Whey’s journey from being an unused by product of cheese to a top selling supplement has taken time but it seems like it will be at the top for many years to come.

Author: David Stanhope
www.wheyproteinking.com