Unveiling the Distinction: Whey Concentrate vs. Whey Isolate

One of the most popular and common dietary supplements used by all is protein. And out of all the available proteins, whey protein supplements are most preferred by most Indians. Whey protein can again be divided into three types namely whey isolate, whey concentrate, and whey hydrolysate. Let us today look at the difference between two of the most common forms of whey protein, which include whey isolate and whey concentrate. But before going forward, let us look at what exactly is whey protein.

What is Whey Protein?

When milk is processed to form cheese or yogurt, the remaining leftover liquid is called whey. This liquid has fast-digesting proteins commonly referred to as whey protein. Whey Protein is particularly used to maintain muscle mass and muscle strength. There are other benefits of whey protein, which include maintaining a healthy immune system, maintaining an ideal weight, and helping in managing type 2 diabetes.

Difference between Whey Isolate and Concentrate

Even though both whey isolate and concentrate are nothing but protein, there is a major difference between both of them. Especially, in terms of the nutritional value that they provide because of the processing that would undergo.

The whey liquid goes through several rounds of processing to increase the protein content. Whey concentrate contains 80% of protein by weight and the rest of the 20% is high in carbohydrates and fats whereas, whey isolate, also known as the purest form of protein, contains 90% of whey protein by weight, and the rest 10% includes carbohydrates and fats. Since the processing steps included in whey isolate are more than the whey concentrate, isolate contains lower fat and carbohydrates as compared to a concentrate. However, the amino acid profile for both of them is surely identical, since they are derived from the same protein source.

In addition, whey isolate also contains lower lactose levels, thus, making it a better choice for those who have lactose intolerance. However, concentrate also has less level of lactose and can be consumed by those suffering from lactose intolerance.

Another point of difference between whey protein isolate and whey concentrate is the price difference. Generally, whey concentrate supplements can be purchased at a much lower price as compared to whey isolate supplements. In addition, if you are looking to consume a larger quantity of protein at a lower price, then concentrate is the one that you should opt for.

Conclusion

Whey Isolate and Whey Concentrate are two of the most commonly used dietary supplements. Isolate undergoes more processing as compared to concentrate but except for protein content and lactose levels, both proteins show the same characteristics. To conclude, both are excellent sources of proteins and you can take a call depending on your dietary needs and budget.