The important thing about whey is to get the purest form. You want a grass-fed (pasture-fed) cold-pressed whey. Otherwise it will often stall your weight-loss and cause bloating. So if you’re going to spend money on anything, spend it on your whey.
Ingredients in Protein Powders to avoid:
Heavy Metals: arsenic, cadmium, mercury, and lead
Artificial Sweeteners: aspartame, sucralose, maltodextrin and saccharin
Look for proteins that contain healthy sweeteners such as stevia or xylitol.
Aromatase (enzyme found in many protein powders that can throw off your hormones)
Glutamate (flavor enhancer – MSG)
Use soy protein only if you are vegan or lactose intolerant. Soy protein contains phytoestrogens, estrogen-like properties that over time can have a cumulative estrogenic, toxic effect on both men and women. Organic is always best.
A Few Popular Brands to Avoid Due To Heavy Metals:
Eas Myoplex (Arsenic, Cadmium)
Muscle Milk-Chocolate (Cadmium, Lead)
Muscle Milk-Vanilla Crème (Lead)
How do you know if your protein powder has the right ratio of nutrients?
Servings:
Per serving you want to find a powder that is similar to this breakdown:
110-150 calories
~3 g fat
~24 g protein
2-4 g carbohydrates
~4 g fiber
~1 g sugar
Processing (this is important):
There are protein isolates and protein concentrates. Isolates have been processed and filtered to remove other components. There is a difference between whey concentrate,whey isolate and hydrolyzed whey.
1. Concentrate is the cheapest, least effective whey protein that contains more lactose, fat and calories than isolate and hydrolyzed.
2. Isolate is the standard and contains a minimum 90% protein.
3. Hydrolyzed whey contains less protein but has been broken down and predigested for better absorption.
Bloating:
Ever feel bloated when using protein powder?
The most likely culprit is soy protein. There are some polysaccharides in soy that humans cannot enzymatically break. The microflora in the gut have the ability to break these polysaccharides down and metabolize them. One of the by-products from this metabolism is gas. Check your protein to make sure they aren’t also putting soy-protein in it along with whey. Drinking water also helps minimize problems with protein absorbtion and digestion.
If the whey is processed through heat it destroys the healthy protein molecules, this is why it’s best to buy cold-pressed whey or undenatured whey. Then make sure to keep the blending on low when making shakes to keep the healthy protein molecules alive.
Recommendations:
The products I recommend below are either my own, or I receive a small affiliate commission from them. However, I feel as someone you trust to find answers to your health and wellness questions – I promise to only recommend products that meet the standards discussed above, and that I have personally used and seen benefit from myself.
LeanMoms Grass-fed Whey (plain – nice because then you can add vanilla or chocolate flavoring on your own, also priced lower than competitors, with free shipping).
One World Whey (chocolate is my favorite of this brand)
Biotrust is a great company that makes a delicious whey. (Chocolate is my favorite)
I hope this article has helped you find some clarity with choosing a protein powder. When I first began using whey, I remember being confused with what was truly healthy and what was actually harmful. Marketing can be very deceptive – buyer beware, and know your ingredients!