Do you know the benefits of whey protein ingredients? It is not difficult to obtain this kind of substance in your daily diet. Simply put, whey protein is known for its rich amino acid content, which can help muscle growth, recovery and maintain good health.
This raw material is extracted from milk during the cheese-making process and can be effectively absorbed and utilized by the body. This is why athletes, fitness enthusiasts, and anyone who wants to increase their protein intake like it. Adding whey protein to supplements is not enough to support it from these aspects alone. If we want to recognize the role of a type of ingredient, we must understand it from a comprehensive perspective.
Table of Contents
1. What Are the Benefits of Whey Protein?
2. What Are the Side Effects of Whey Protein?
3. Types of Whey Proteins and Their Differences
4. Where Is Whey Protein Used?
5. What to Check Before Buying Whey Protein?
What Are the Benefits of Whey Protein?
Whey protein refers to the protein dissolved and dispersed in whey, accounting for about 18% to 20% of milk protein. It can be divided into heat-stable and heat-unstable whey protein. The precious protein separated and extracted from milk using advanced technology is hailed as the “king of protein” for its many advantages, including high purity, high absorption rate, and the most reasonable amino acid composition.
High Nutritional Value
Compared with other types of protein, whey protein has the highest nutritional value. Generally speaking, proteins that contain all the essential amino acids and can provide what the human body needs can be called high-quality proteins, also known as complete proteins. Essential amino acids refer to amino acids that the human body needs but cannot synthesize on its own and must be taken from food.
Among plant proteins, only soy protein is a complete protein, however, it lacks methionine and needs to be supplemented with cereals. Soy protein is not as good as high-quality animal protein in terms of absorption. Whey protein contains 8 essential amino acids for the human body in a reasonable ratio, which close to the required ratio. It is an essential essence for human growth, development, anti-aging and other life activities.
Easy to Digest and Absorb
Breast milk contains 60% whey protein and 40% casein, so babies who drink breast milk have easier bowel movements and the amount is smaller. In addition, whey is rich in cysteine and methionine, which can maintain the level of antioxidants in the human body. Plenty of experimental studies have also shown that taking whey protein concentrate can promote humoral and cellular immunity, to stimulate the human immune system, and prevent the occurrence of chemically induced cancers.
Low in Fat and Lactose
Whey protein contains β-lactoglobulin, α-lactalbumin, immunoglobulin, and many other active ingredients. These active ingredients that make whey protein have lots of advantages for health, as it is considered to be one of the high-quality protein sources needed by the human body.
From a nutritional point of view, excessive consumption of foods containing animal protein can lead to increased body fat and cholesterol, which can easily lead to cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, by choosing to take protein powder with a high absorption rate, you can avoid these problems while supplementing protein, and whey protein is the first consideration when choosing protein powder.
What Are the Side Effects of Whey Protein?
It is not recommended for people with special physical conditions or diseases to consume high-protein products on their own. They should seek the advice of professional medical staff If they need to consume them. As for healthy people, whey protein can be your best partner, they do not need to worry about side effects from supplementing whey protein, but it also causes many problems if you are not taking it rightly.
Over-taking
According to the recommendations of authoritative organizations, an adult should consume 0.8g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day, which is the minimum protein intake required to avoid protein deficiency. If you are a person who exercises regularly, you need to take 1.5 to 2.0 grams per kilogram of body weight per day. These sources of protein include the foods you eat throughout the day, as well as additional protein products.
Exceeding this range and consuming excessive protein for a long time may cause obesity or put a burden on the kidneys.
Lactose Intolerance
There is a group of people whose small intestine does not produce enough enzyme (lactase) to digest lactose and have symptoms of lactose intolerance. The most direct reaction to this symptom is gastrointestinal discomfort, which usually causes diarrhea. In this case, you can generally choose “isolated whey protein” or “hydrolyzed whey”. During the production process of isolated whey protein, the lactose in the whey protein will be removed, which can reduce the gastrointestinal discomfort caused by lactose.
Types of Whey Proteins and Their Differences
With the continuous development of product technology and the increasingly fierce competition in protein products, whey protein products are emerging in an endless stream. Concentrated whey protein, isolated whey protein, and whey protein products with added protein peptides have appeared on the market.
Whey Protein Concentrate (WPC)
The main process is to directly dry the whey to obtain whey powder, in which the whey protein content is extremely low, generally not exceeding 30%. The product obtained after the whey is clarified, ultrafiltered, and dried is concentrated whey protein. The different degree of filtration determines the protein concentration, and products with concentrations ranging from 34-80% can be produced.
Whey Protein Isolate (WPI)
Whey protein isolate is a high-purity whey protein obtained by further processing on the basis of whey protein concentrate, with a purity of more than 90%. It is expensive, 2-3 times that of concentrated whey protein, but it is also easier to digest and absorb.
Whey protein isolate ingredients has a high content of high-quality protein and can provide the required high-quality protein for certain groups of people with specific needs, such as infants and hospitalized patients. In addition, whey protein isolate contains bioactive compounds such as α-lactalbumin and β-lactoglobulin, lactoferrin and immunoglobulin.
Whey Protein Peptides
Whey protein peptide is the hydrolyzate of whey protein and the essence of whey protein. It can participate in the process of muscle synthesis in the body faster. According to different needs, whey protein peptides are developed into various functional proteins, such as antioxidant peptides, ACE inhibitory peptides, cholesterol-lowering peptides, etc.
From the above introduction to whey protein, we can understand that the content of concentrated whey protein is relatively low, and it also contains some lactose, but its price in the market is relatively cheap. Whey protein isolate has a higher concentration and contains almost no lactose, making it suitable for people with lactose intolerance, so it will be more expensive. The last type of whey protein peptide has a purer concentration and is suitable for medical use, but it is also more expensive than the first two.
In all, from concentrated whey protein to protein peptides, we can understand that the extraction process is becoming more and more sophisticated, and the application methods are also tending to be used by specific groups of people. For the market, the most obvious difference is the price.
Where Is Whey Protein Used?
Simply expand the application of whey protein can from several popular fields, the most popular of which are sports nutrition, diet recipes, weight management and personal care regarding skincare.
Workout Supplements
Properly increasing the intake of whey protein plays an important role in replenishing protein loss during exercise, increasing muscle strength, promoting hemoglobin synthesis, and eliminating fatigue. There are types of whey protein products in the field of sports nutrition, the most common ones are protein powder, protein drinks and protein bars. The raw materials are the same, but the finished form will change with people’s tastes and market trends.
High Protein Diet
People like to take protein as part of their daily diet and add it to various meals, which not only makes them delicious but also absorbs high protein. With the rise of healthy eating, many baked products are not as unhealthy as traditional ones that add a lot of sugar. Many protein powders on the market also have a variety of flavors because they add sweeteners that are different from white sugar and are often healthier. Using these protein products as baking ingredients can make products such as cakes and breads high in protein and low in fat.
Infant Formula
Whey protein contains the essential amino acids that babies need for growth and development, as well as bioactive components such as immunoglobulins, lactoferrinand, which is easily absorbed and utilized to support the baby’s immune system. In addition, whey protein is easier to digest and less likely to cause gastrointestinal upset for infants with developing digestive systems.
Personal Care Supplements
Proteins are also researchable in the biological field because they are natural and non-toxic, and can also play a role in cosmetics and skin diseases. Whey protein can hydrate and moisturize the skin, and may be added to creams, lotions, and essences. In addition, the amino acid components in the protein can maintain the elasticity and firmness of the skin, performing with anti-aging functions. Amino acids also help repair skin cells and have a repairing effect on wounds and scars.
What to Check Before Buying Whey Protein?
Whey protein is very popular in the market due to its safe ingredients, high nutritional value, and wide range of applications. At the same time, some manufacturers use low-priced proteins or substances that look like whey protein to impersonate whey protein in order to make more profits. Fake whey protein usually adds a lot of spices, which can not only cover up the unique taste of the fake raw materials, but also explain why the unique flavor of whey protein cannot be presented, and can also please consumers who simply pursue taste.
So before buying whey protein, here are some ways you can determine whether the product you bought is genuine:
- Consult the manufacturer or authorized agent of the product to confirm the identity of the place of purchase, and request to send it back to the original manufacturer for identification.
- Choose a brand with a long time of listing and a strong company with formal registration qualifications.
- When whey protein is washed with boiling water, many flocculent and granular white objects will appear. While the color of soy protein is close to milky white after brewing, but not as white as whey protein, and it does not dissolve as quickly as whey protein.
SED Ingredients works as a responsive supplement ingredient supplier that can handle both large and small demandsis able to guarantee the quality of our whey protein because we have reliable sources of raw ingredients, with certifications including ISO, FSSC22000, HALAL, ORGANIC CERTIFICATE, GMP, FDA, etc. If you are looking for whey protein or other ingredients, contact us now for a free quote!