Whey concentrate or whey isolate: which should you buy?

Walk along any supplement shelf and the two words you will see most are "whey" and "isolate". Both come from milk, both are complete proteins, and both do the same basic job: they make it easy to add protein to your day. The difference is how much the protein has been filtered. WHEY CONCENTRATE Most tubs labelled simply "whey protein" are a concentrate, or a blend with some concentrate in it. It is filtered less, so it keeps a little more of milk's natural carbohydrate (lactose) and fat. Per scoop that usually means slightly less protein and slightly more calories than an isolate — and a lower price. For most people training a few times a week, a good concentrate is all they need. WHEY ISOLATE An isolate is filtered further. That typically pushes the protein share of each scoop higher and brings the lactose, carbohydrate and fat down. People tend to choose one when: • dairy sits heavy — many people who find milk uncomfortable manage an isolate better, though it is not lactose-free unless the label says so; • they are cutting and counting every calorie; • they simply want the most protein per scoop. The trade-off is price: an isolate usually costs more for the same weight. HOW TO CHOOSE Start with your goal and your budget, not the label on the front. • Building muscle on a budget — a concentrate or a blend does the job. • Cutting, or dairy bothers you — an isolate is worth the extra cost. • Just trying to eat more protein — either works; pick a flavour you will actually drink. READ THE BACK OF THE TUB The front of a tub is marketing. The nutrition panel on the back tells you what you are paying for: protein per serving, the serving size, and how many servings are in the pack. Divide the price by the number of servings to compare two tubs fairly. At Protein Basket we stock both, from brands including Baxter Labz, GNC, Isopure, Arscor and Apex Vitals. Bring your question to the counter and we will put two tubs side by side for you. A note on health: supplements are not medicines. If you have a medical condition, take regular medication, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or are under 18, speak to your doctor before you start.