Whey Isolate vs. Whey Protein - What brings you closer to your personal goal?

It has long been no secret that proteins are important for our bodies. The essential macronutrient offers so many benefits that it is not only popular among athletes. In contrast to carbohydrates and fats, proteins saturate much better. According to current scientific findings, the daily requirement is around 1.5-2 grams per kilogram of body weight and is thus significantly higher than, for example, the outdated recommendation of the German Nutrition Society.^[1] Depending on what physical or athletic goals you are pursuing, your needs may be even somewhat higher. In addition to many natural sources of protein, the protein shake can be an additional and fast supplier of the important macronutrient, which can also support you in losing weight. However, there are differences in proteins as well, so in this blog post we've taken on the topic ofWhey Isolate vs Whey Protein.

Content:

• How is whey protein made?
• Whey Concentrate - Creamy, delicious and super versatile.
• Whey Isolate - Refreshingly light and full of power
• The head-to-head race - Whey Isolate vs. Whey Protein
• Your perfect combination - our ESN Designer Whey
• An optimal protein supply is and remains the A & O

How is Whey Protein produced?

Mammalian milk provides two different protein fractions: Casein and whey protein. Whey protein has a particularly high content of essential amino acids - especially the amino acid leucine, which stimulates muscle protein synthesis. The very good amino acid balance ensures a high biological value of 104 to 110, which means that almost the entire protein can be utilized by the body.

The extraction of this precious raw material requires a number of steps: Carbohydrates and fats in particular are removed through various filtrations until the protein is produced in the desired concentration. Both the degree of filtration and the manufacturing process provide information about the form of the Whey. The main distinction is between isolate and concentrate - so the battle could actually be: Whey concentrate vs. isolate.

Whey concentrate - creamy, tasty and super versatile

In production, it is usually obtained by means of cold gentle ultrafiltration from whey, which is a by-product of cheese production. The gentle low-temperature production process ensures that all natural protein fractions are preserved - in other words, the protein is not denatured. The Whey concentrate obtained by means of various filtration processes achieves a protein content of 70-80%. The carbohydrates are still at a level of 7-8% and the fats at 3-5%. After the several filtration passes, the Whey concentrate contains a good amount of protein, but also still some carbohydrates in the form of lactose, which makes it less digestible for lactose-intolerant people than an isolate, where the protein portion - as the name suggests - is isolated.

The ESN Tasty Whey is a very high-quality ultra-filtered Whey concentrate and is suitable for competitive athletes and ambitious fitness athletes due to the high content of bioactive protein fractions. Due to the easy solubility and the creamy consistency, it does not necessarily always have to be the shake with water - it can also be used, for example, in porridge or for baking. There are no limits to creativity.

Whey Isolate - Refreshingly light and full of power

To obtain an isolate from the Whey concentrate, further production steps are required in which the protein is almost completely isolated. The production of Whey Isolate takes significantly more time and requires special microfiltration. Due to the specific isolation of the protein, the isolate has a particularly high purity. The end product contains an average protein content of about 90-95%, which means that both the fat and lactose content are negligible. Whey Isolates are therefore also suitable for people with lactose intolerance. Learn more about Whey and lactose in our guide article.

Isolates like the ESN IsoWhey Hardcore or the ESN ISOCLEAR Whey Isolate are particularly rich in essential amino acids. Due to the optimal nutritional values, the products not only support weight management, but are even perfect as a companion for muscle building in the diet phase.

The clear and pure consistency of Whey Isolate has allowed us to produce a fruity Whey protein with an exceptional nutritional profile, which gives you a special refreshment after a hard workout or on hot summer days. We have optimized the ESN Fruity Whey Isolate with absorbable, free BCAAs. This stimulates the muscle protein biosynthesis initially even more effective. It is available in eight different fruity flavors and can even be enjoyed in the form of water ice.

The head-to-head race - Whey Isolate vs. Whey Protein

The amino acid pattern of both protein fractions is nearly identical, providing the body with equal amounts of protein. However, Whey Isolate, with a protein content of about 90%, contains significantly more protein than Whey Concentrate (protein content of about 80%). The higher the protein content, the less carbohydrates and fats are still included. This means that the most important difference is in the distribution of macronutrients.

Which Whey Protein is therefore the best for you depends on your individual fitness goal and your lactose tolerance. Whey concentrate is suitable for both normal and ambitious (strength) athletes. If you have set your goals higher in terms of muscle building, are following a low-carbohydrate diet or have been training intensively for a long time, an isolate is better suited for you.

Your perfect combination - our ESN Designer Whey

So that you do not have to choose one of the two in the battle "Whey Isolate vs. Whey Protein", our ESN Designer Whey offers you an effective combination of Whey Concentrate and Whey Isolate. The high isolate content guarantees you not only 48% EAAs (essential amino acids) and 23% BCAAs (branched chain amino acids), but also a low carbohydrate and fat content. Our ESN Designer Whey therefore ideally supports you in building and maintaining muscle mass and thus contributes to successful weight management. The instantized powder shines with an excellent solubility, a creamy consistency and uniquely delicious taste, making it versatile.

An optimal protein supply is and remains the A & O

Proteins are vital building blocks for our body - they are not only a determining part of hormones, enzymes, organs, the immune system and all cells, but also contribute to an increase and maintenance of muscle mass and the maintenance of healthy bones.

We are perfectly positioned - how about you? Which protein will you choose? Discover our Wheys based on samples and make sure your daily protein needs are met.

Sources:

[1] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31794597/