Whey Protein Ultimate Guide: Is It Important? What to Look for Before Buying It?

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Here’s What You Must Know About Whey Protein

If you have joined the gym on your own or by the suggestion of someone, you might have heard about protein supplement – Whey Protein Supplement. All the gym-goers know about & talks about it. Shaking their shakers and drinking immediately once the workout is over. Your trainers might be suggested for better results. You might have even started using it, or else might be thinking of giving it a try. Before you jump into any conclusion, let’s clear some of the things you should know about it.

Is it that important to have Whey Protein into your diet, or else it’s just a myth? Don’t know about you, but several people have an assumption that it’s one of the magic supplements, which is necessary to build muscle. Some even think that all the pro bodybuilders rely on it, which is not true at all. I don’t know whether you are aware or not. Still, the bodybuilders who endorse any particular brand, are getting paid to do so, their body is not built from taking supplements but from the consistent efforts and dedication which they put for many years not only on exercise but also on a diet. So, the short answer is NO IT’S NOT NECESSARY TO HAVE WHEY PROTEIN, but if you have it, it will be convenient for you.

What Exactly Is Whey Protein?

Whey is just a by-product of milk, or in other words, Whey Protein is extracted from the liquid material which is found during the manufacturing process of curd & cheese, once which was thrown away considering as a waste product. About 20% of the protein in milk is Whey.

Whey Protein is popular in bodybuilding & even recommended by doctors as a functional food because it’s one of the easily digested or say fast-acting compared to other types of proteins. It consists of all the EAAs (Essential Amino Acids), including the three main BCAAs (Branched Chain Amino Acids) Leucine, Isoleucine, and Valine, which helps in muscle tissue repair and growth.

What Are the Different Types of Whey Protein?

Due to its popularity & advancement in processing technology like microfiltration commercially three different types of Whey Proteins are available: Whey Protein Concentrate (WPC), Whey Protein Isolate (WHI) & Hydrolyzed Whey Protein Isolate (HWPI). And, each of them differs in the amount of protein, carbohydrates, lactose, minerals & fat.

1. Whey Protein Concentrate (WPC):

WPC is a concentrated whey product that contains protein concentration anywhere between 40 to 90% of whey protein. It contains the highest amount of fat & lactose, and it’s also one of the cheapest compared to other types of whey protein.

2. Whey Protein Isolate (WPI):

WPI has concentrated whey products which have 90 to 95% of protein concentration. In simple words, it has been further broken down from the Whey Protein Concentrate, so the amount of fat, lactose & carbohydrates are less compared to WPC, which makes it a good option for someone limiting their fat & carb intake and it will be costly compared to WPC.

3. Hydrolyzed Whey Protein Isolate (HWPI):

Hydrolyzed Whey Protein Isolate is a WPI which get further processed and broken down into small components known as peptides to make it easier for digestion and to get into the bloodstream more quickly. Due to extra procedures, HWPI is most expensive compared to the other two WPC & WPI.

Whichever you choose, all the three will give you similar benefits, but WPI & HWPI offers more purity compared to WPC.

When Should I Take Whey Protein?

Many times people get confused when to take their protein shakes, aka Whey Protein Shake. To be honest, there’s no specific timing. You can take it whenever you want, but mostly it’s preferable during breakfast, pre-workout meal & especially in post-workout meal, due to its fast absorption into your body. As I said above, a lot of people take it immediately after the workout because it will absorb more quickly compared to other food, and it will help in muscle repair, which has been broken down during the workout.

How Many Scoops of Whey Protein a Day Is Safe?

Most people take 1 scoop a day. But, if you want, you can opt for 1.5 scoops.

Can You Replace Breakfast With a Protein Shake?

It’s recommended that you should start your day by having a healthy breakfast, which includes fat, protein, and carbohydrates. Your breakfast is the first meal of the day. It should be healthy and big enough to keep you energetic. I personally start my day with eggs, almonds, and pound stone shake – juice made of oats, banana, and chicken.

What Can I Eat Instead of Whey Protein?

A healthy diet is key. Whey protein is not a magic science. If you don’t follow a good diet, Whey protein won’t make any difference. You can go for foods like chicken breast, egg whites, whole eggs, low-fat cottage cheese as a protein source. For carbohydrates, Oatmeal, white rice, pasta, sweet potato, white potato, berries and, olive oil and almonds as a healthy fat.

Which Protein Is Best for a Beginner?

A good diet is best for beginners, and not any supplement shakes unless you’re vegan or who don’t like to eat meat, then you can opt for any of the Whey protein as it may become difficult to get optimal protein from food.

Is Whey Protein Powder Good for You?

Yes, there’s nothing bad in consuming Whey Protein, it’ll help you build muscle, strength, and lose fat. But it’s a supplement, so you have to have a good diet either you take Whey Protein or not.

Is Whey Inflammatory?

If you’re allergic or intolerant towards milk protein, then Whey protein, which is high in lactose such as Whey Protein concentrate, may give throat inflammation.

Is Whey Protein Better With Milk or Water?

If you’re obese or overweight, it would be better if you choose to drink Whey with water. And, if you’re a hard gainer or underweight, then it’s perfectly alright to drink your whey protein with milk along with other fruits like 1 or 2 bananas.

When Should I Drink Whey Protein?

Whey protein is recommended as a post-workout shake, which means after your workout, mainly because it’s a fast-absorbing protein source compared to others like chicken or fish.

What Are the Risks of Whey Protein?

No, it’s completely safe to take, as it’s just a type of dietary supplement. Though, if you have any intolerance towards milk or if the Whey Protein which you got is not of good quality, then it can create certain gastric discomfort other than that there’s nothing serious to worry about.

Some people say that it gives strain on the kidney, and one even asked, is whey protein bad for your liver? There’s nothing like that unless you have any pre-existing problem, then yes, all the high protein diets, including Whey protein, may create a problem.

What Are the Side Effects of Whey Protein?

If you’re allergic to milk, then it’s best to avoid the intake of whey protein. And, if you’ve taken high doses, then you may get some side effects like nausea, thirst, reduced appetite, fatigue, headache, bloating, and increased bowel movement.

Is Whey Protein Powder Bad for Your Kidneys?

No, whey protein is not bad for your kidneys unless you’ve already existing problems with kidneys, then it’s best to avoid high protein intake, which includes whey protein as well.

Can Kids Have Whey Protein?

Diet is more important, and also it’s recommended that you must be at least 18 years before taking any supplements, including whey protein.

Can Skinny Guy Take Whey Protein?

No, Whey Protein doesn’t make you fat. Though, if you eat more than your daily requirement, it doesn’t matter whether it’s Protein-rich food or not; you’ll gain weight.

Does Whey Protein Make You Fat?

Yes. If you’re following a healthy diet & workout routine and persistence with it, by adding whey protein, you’ll receive positive results.

Read Label Carefully – Before Purchasing:

Before purchasing, I would suggest you go through labels, even popular brands like Optimum Nutrition recommends the same, so you don’t end up paying more. Some of the important things to look out are like,

How Many Serving of Pure Protein You Get per Container:

Some of the cheap brands may cut out the cost but offers some cheap filter ingredients. Whether its 2, 5 or 10 lbs whichever you choose, you might end up getting fewer servings compared to the more reputable and original product. So, the best bet is to figure out on your own. Simply, do easy math; divide the grams of protein you get per serving by the serving size & multiply it by 100.

Let’s say, one company gives 24 grams of protein in a single serving of 29.4 grams & another company gives 26 grams of protein in a single serving of 35 grams. You may think, the second one, 26 grams of protein you’re getting, so let’s go with that. But wait; let’s see which one gives more.

First Company, 24 gram pure protein / 29.4 gram (one serving size) x 100 = 81.6% pure protein

Second Company, 26 gram pure protein / 35 gram (one serving size) x 100 = 74.28% pure protein

By looking above, we can say that the first company is the right one to choose from.

Total Number of Servings per Container:

It’s also one of the important things to check, whether it’s exactly you get the same amount as the label describes or not.
total serving check

For example, in 10 lbs Whey Protein Labels shows,

You get total 149 servings and 1 serving size is of 30.4 gram.

So, 30.4 x 149 = Total 4529.6 gram (Which is quite accurate & agreeable to go with.)

Is It Manufactured By or Manufactured For?

This part might be ignored by many. But, it’s good that you check on this also. You might think, why not go for the cheaper price range. It does cost money if you’re a regular buyer. Sometimes, you may end up with a brand, which does not develop or manufacture their products, but in return, they may have made through some other factory, which no one knows of what quality it’s. Some of the words like “Manufactured for,” “Packed for” or “Distributed by” does make a lot of difference. The reputable brands make a lot of investment in the manufacturing equipment, which does cost them a lot, so the price of products is also a little high.

Closing Thoughts

Whey protein is not any magic science to build muscles. Persistence with workout and diet is the key. If you simply take whey protein and don’t eat well or not regularly workout, you won’t see any change. However, if you’re hitting the gym regularly and follow a proper diet, by adding whey protein, you’ll reap benefits. Also, many brands are available with different price tags, so go through this post and find out what are some of the important things to check out before buying, such as reading nutrient labels of your favorite whey protein and much more.

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satinder chowdhry

Satinder Chowdhry

Satinder Chowdhry is the founder, gym enthusiast & regular contributor at SPCFiTZ.com who is passionate about bodybuilding & workout. Strangely, he was never into fitness and even started hitting the gym quite late during his post-graduation days to lose weight, but he got hooked on it after getting results. These days, he enjoys working out and writing fitness, bodybuilding & training-related articles. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned enthusiast, here you’ll find a collection of workouts, insights, and tips articles written by him to empower you on your fitness journey and transform your health and physique.

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