How to Choose the Best Whey Protein Powder
How Do You Choose the Best Whey Protein Powder?
There are many whey protein powders on the market which can make it difficult sorting through all of them to pick the right one. The following are some key points to consider before buying your next bag.Is it USDA certified organic?
The USDA Organic seal on Raw Organic WheyTM guarantees higher regulatory standards regarding how the cows are raised as well as how the whey is processed. Organic whey comes from cows not treated with bovine growth hormone (BGH/BST), which has been shown to be carcinogenic and linked to other health problems. Choosing organic whey also certifies that the cows have not been treated with antibiotics, cows have access to pasture and that all feed is grown without pesticides and is GMO-free.
Are the cows treated humanely?
Superior quality whey begins with what the cows eat and how they are treated. Make sure your whey comes from cows that are pasture-fed on small, sustainable family farms that don’t use hormones, steroids or GMO feed.
Make sure the whey is cold processed
Most whey is heat processed which makes it acidic and nutritionally deficient. The high heat damages the amino acids and nutrients that give whey its immune supporting qualities. Cold processed whey prevents this and helps to protect the nutrients and keep them in their natural state.
Make sure the whey is NOT acid processed
Acid processing is the cheaper method to separate the fat from the whey, but it denatures the amino acids. Instead, look for sweet processed whey that uses enzymes to separate the whey.
Get whey concentrate, not whey isolate
Whey protein isolates are acid treated and overly processed which prevents your body from digesting them as they should.
Pure whey without any additives
Many whey powders have added sweeteners, preservatives or fillers to make them taste better and cut costs. One way to know that it is a high quality whey protein is that it will taste great by itself. A lot of products do not taste great due to the processing they go through, requiring them to add sweeteners and fillers. Find an organic whey that has just one ingredient, organic whey protein concentrate. It should taste naturally creamy, light and delicious just by itself.