The Best Whey Protein Isolate Powder

Buying Guide

Eating enough protein during the day can be tough for those who are looking to ensure their muscles have the fuel they need for growth and recovery. Whey protein isolate powders are made to fill this need, as they are designed to be a high dose of protein with relatively low calories so they can be added to a normal diet easily.

Whey protein isolate is one of three types of whey that can be produced from the byproduct of making cheese. The other two types of whey are whey concentrate and whey hydrolysate. The primary difference is that whey protein isolate is the purest form of protein from the selection and therefore can be produced to have very little calories, fat and carbohydrates, with some even being lactose or cholesterol-free.

Whey protein isolate powder comes in many flavors and varying levels of carbohydrates and micronutrients, which can make your search for the right one a tedious and, at times, a daunting exercise that will have your head spinning.

The first thing you should do in this search for protein is set a defined goal for what it is you want to achieve by adding this protein supplement to your diet. If you’re beginning your journey towards exercising and increasing your muscle tone or definition, it’s important to understand your recommended daily calories, as well as how much protein you need to eat.

There are calculators online that can help you figure these numbers out. Find one that lets you input your body weight, age, height and the level of activity you have in your daily life. The output of these calculators will give you a great idea of what your lean body mass is and how much protein you need to consume every day to maintain that. Similarly, it will tell you how many calories your body burns during the day, which is the number of calories you would eat in order to maintain your current body weight.

There are whey protein isolates that have no net carbohydrates, which can be ideal for those attempting a ketogenic diet or even just a lower-carb diet. Some whey protein isolates are even packed with vitamins and micronutrients or electrolytes like magnesium and potassium, which can be tough to fit into some of our diets naturally.

Keep an eye on the serving size when you are reading the nutrition facts on any of these packages. It is a heavily debated topic in nutritional science, but it is widely agreed upon that our bodies can only process a certain amount of protein at one time. This means you shouldn’t just drink your entire daily limit of protein in one sitting as a means of getting it out of the way.

Rather, you will want to keep your single-serving sizes of protein in the range of 25-50 grams of protein so that your body can properly process and use it. If you are on the smaller size, mass-wise, you might just want one scoop of protein even if the serving size is recommended as two-scoops. This saves you money in the big picture, but also helps you pace your protein ingestion in a smart way.

It’s hard to know which brand will work well with your tummy, so it is a good idea to try a few different brands and flavors until you find the one that works harmoniously with your body.

On that note, keep an eye out for the various flavor offerings. You’ll often find chocolate, strawberry, banana, vanilla and unflavored powders. These can be mixed with water for simplicity, in which you will mainly get the exact flavor of the powder and not much more. Using protein powder as an ingredient in a smoothie is a really common way to consume it and you can find tons of recipes and information online that will aim you towards a really tasty protein shake.

Once you have defined your daily protein intake and calories, the rest is simply building your diet around these two criteria. If you’re lifting weights as a means of getting more toned while also losing fat, you might be better off with a low-calorie protein powder that will help you stay in the caloric deficit that you will need to lose weight.

• Protein powder mixed with plain water isn’t for everyone. Don’t be afraid to mix it with things like cream or almond milk to really enhance the experience you have when drinking it.
• Use your whey protein isolate to make protein-bombs that can be stored in the refrigerator for convenient and healthy snacking.
• If you use a shaker-bottle to drink protein powders, clean it every time you use it. Protein residue will start stinking quite noticeably when left in a seal-off bottle for a week.
• Don’t give up on whey protein isolates if they don’t taste good to or if they upset your stomach. Try a new brand instead. Many times there is a whey isolate protein powder that will work well for you, you just need to find it.