There are different types of protein out there. I personally prefer a blend protein (different proteins together) for most of my protein uses (and a specific post-workout drink for right after a workout).
My personal favorites are from Syntrax
Essence, is great and light tasting (also a bit more expensive since it is purely an isolate)
Matrix 5.0, is great tasting and a lot cheaper (5lbs for about 30 bucks) and it never clumps like many of the cheaper proteins do.
Here is some info on most of them it is a bit long, but I figured it would give you all the information you wanted.
Information
-Types
-
Whey
The original whey separated from whole milk is actually a mixture of protein, carbohydrate (in the form of lactose), fat, vitamins and minerals. However in any high quality protein powder the lactose is removed as is most or all of the fat (the amount of fat removed depends on if it is an isolate or concentrate see below). The protein component of whey has a long and growing list of benefits including; improved immune function, decreased cancer rates, lower cortisol levels, and lower blood pressure. The extremely high biological value and branched chain amino acid content of whey make it a favorite among bodybuilders and the elderly to retain and build new muscle tissue.
What is the difference between the various isolates and concentrates of whey?
Whey concentrates were the first types of whey available on the market. They generally have 70-80% protein content, with the rest being lactose, fat, and minerals. The advantage to concentrates are that they are a good source of protein with low amounts of fat (about 10% same as a
skinless chicken breast), and concentrates are also cheaper to make and thus cheaper to buy. The downside is that they do contain lactose (which if you are lactose intolerant is no good) and for some people dieting they want to limit their fat intake.
Whey isolates are whey concentrates that have been put through another filtration process. They generally contain 90-95% protein and often zero fat and no lactose, however there are several techniques of creating the isolate and they do have important differences.
Ion exchange is one method of creating a very pure
whey protein isolate. However in the ion exchange process uses acid and alkali which denatures the proteins in whey (meaning breaking the proteins native shape). It turns out that the native shape of the proteins in whey are extremely important for the various health benefits listed above. So an ion exchange whey is a very pure form of protein, but the unique benefits of the whey are lost.
Other isolating methods that create a very pure whey product include “ultrafiltered isolates” and “cross flow filtrates.” These are new processing methods that allow the manufacturers to get a 90% + pure product while retaining the native or undenatured state of the proteins. The downside is you are going to pay more.
What is Glutathione and its association with whey protein?
Glutathione (GSH) is an extremely important water soluble antioxidant (vitamin C is also a water soluble antioxidant). Whey protein has a unique ability to raise and maintain the bodies GSH levels more so than other proteins, hence its ability to increase the bodies immune system.
BV- 104
PDCAAS- 1.0
-Casein/Micellar Casein/Milk Protein Isolate
Casein is the predominant protein found in cows’ milk (approximately 80%). The other protein source is whey. While whey protein is digested and absorbed by the body within 2 hours, casein is digested more slowly, up to 7 hours providing your body with a constant supply of protein, something athletes and bodybuilders take advantage of by taking it at night. Other benefits include caseins strong anti-catabolic activities, meaning stopping muscle breakdown, along with its high biological value.
What is micellar casein as compared to casein, or milk protein isolate?
The casein naturally found in raw milk is in a form called micellar casein. Micelles are clusters of in this case casein proteins in their natural undenatured form. When manufacturers want to make a casein protein powder they have two choices, to use acids in order to separate the protein, in which case you lose the micelles and destroy the natural form of the protein, but end up with a cheap way of isolating the protein with little to no fat. On a label you will see these as “casein” or “casein salt.”
The other way, which is superior, is to us an ultra filtration technique that keeps the temperature low, and does not use any chemicals. While it is more expensive to do, you maintain the natural structure of the protein and the micelles with little to no fat. This second type will be called “micellar casein,” or “milk protein isolate.”
BV- 91
PDCAAS- 1.0
-Soy
Purified from soybeans the benefits of soy protein include: lower cholesterol levels, improve blood lipid profile, and has high levels of glutamine, and can improve thyroid hormone output aiding in weight loss.
What about the estrogenic compounds in soy?
Soy proteins do contain estrogen like compounds, this has two important considerations. The first is that estrogen has a cholesterol lowering effect of which it has been confirmed the estrogen like compounds in soy also have the same effect, when researchers studied rats fed soy with the estrogen compounds and rats fed soy without the estrogen compounds they found the rats eating the soy with the estrogen compounds to have lower cholesterol levels. Also in epidemiological studies in humans it has been noted that people eating soy have lower cholesterol levels.
The second consideration is the possible negative impacts ingesting estrogenic compounds may have for men. This is a little tricky, but researchers have done a great job figuring it out in recent years. It seems that the estrogenic compounds are “tissue specific.” For example a study done on male rhesus monkeys fed soy showed no difference on reproductive hormones (Testosterone, DHEA, testicular weight, prostatic weight, and other measurements as well). This information means that the estrogenic compounds in soy can improve cholesterol levels, lower heart disease risk, and lower cancer risk without having negative effects on male hormone levels.
Soy protein and thyroid output
Soy protein has been found to raise thyroid output in several animals including pigs (which surprisingly are pretty good indicators for human response). This is very good news for dieters since thyroid hormone as what are called “permissive” effects on metabolic rate. Often times when people restrict calories their thyroid hormone levels drop signaling the body’s metabolism to slow down, thus hurting their fat loss efforts. Thus the addition of soy to the diet can help keep the thyroid output up and aid in fat loss.
Is there a difference between soy isolate and soy concentrate
With soy protein there is a significant difference between the isolate and concentrate. Raw soy protein contains what are called “anti-nutrients” which are found in many raw legumes. The specific ones in soy are lectins which can cause inhibit other nutrients absorption, and protease inhibitors, which inhibit the complete digestion of proteins in the intestines and hinder the absorption of their amino acids. These anti-nutrients are removed from soy isolates, but not the concentrates. The anti-nutrients are also rendered inactive when soy is cooked. While it is not a life or death issue for people eating a moderate amount of raw soy (such as raw soybeans), it is advantageous to limit their consumption.
PDCAAS Score – 1
BV- 74
References:
J Nutr. 1995 Mar;125(3 Suppl):619S-623S.Soy protein, thyroid regulation and cholesterol metabolism.
J Nutr. 1996 Jan;126(1):43-50. Soybean isoflavones improve cardiovascular risk factors without affecting the reproductive system of peripubertal rhesus monkeys.
-Egg (have not written yet but good choice for a slow release protein)
-Rice (great hypoallergenic source, but a bit expensive and usually doesn't mix well)
Processing Methods
-Concentrate
Protein concentrates usually contain 70-80% protein with the other 30-40% of the powder being minerals, fat, and/or carbohydrate depending on the source. A well made concentrate is a high quality source that maintains the natural state of the protein, and for egg proteins only the concentrate is available.
-
Isolate
Isolates are protein concentrates that have gone through a second filtration technique. Isolates have 90-96% protein and no fat or carbohydrate in them, but retain most of the minerals. There are two general types available, the first is an ion exchange isolate. Ion exchange is a process of using acids and alkali to separate out the protein, and while it is cheap to make and creates a high protein content product, the proteins lose their natural undenatured state. The other type of isolate is called by several names including “ultra-filtered,” or “cross-flow ultrafiltered,” which is a more expensive process that does not use any chemicals, but you end up with a superior protein product that is extremely pure with no fat or carbohydrate, maintain the minerals and the natural state of the protein.
-Hydrolyzed
Hydrolyzed proteins are highly filtered proteins that are then broken into even smaller fragments, and until recently were made with harsh chemicals and tasted horrible (I really mean horrible). They were and still are used in hospitals for patients with digestive disorders such as crohn’s disease, burn victims, etc… that had malabsorption issues. Recently one company has found a way to enzymatically create a hydrolyzed whey protein that tastes reasonable and is not too expensive. Hydrolyzed proteins really are only applicable for patients in a hospital or directly after a workout since the protein will arrive to the muscles faster than any other protein source, and to date only one company has been able to make a hydrolyzed recovery drink that amazingly tastes better than any other recovery drink on the market.
My personal favorites are from Syntrax
Essence, is great and light tasting (also a bit more expensive since it is purely an isolate)
Matrix 5.0, is great tasting and a lot cheaper (5lbs for about 30 bucks) and it never clumps like many of the cheaper proteins do.
Linear Mode
