Dairy or Plant Protein Powder?

The first step in selecting a protein powder is to choose between dairy and plant based. If you follow a vegan diet, you will be limited to the plant-based proteins such as hemp, soy, rice or pea. What you may not know however, is that dairy-based whey protein is actually appropriate for vegetarians, and those with gluten and lactose intolerances. Whey protein is completely gluten-free, and with less than 1% lactose content, it qualifies as lactose-free according to registered dieticians.

Whey protein isolate is gluten- and lactose-free.

This table outlines some of the key criteria you may want to consider when choosing a protein supplement.

		Complete Protein	Neutral Taste	Water Soluble	Quickly Digested	Low Fat
Dairy	Whey protein isolate
Dairy	Casein
Plant	Soy
	Pea
	Rice
	Hemp

As the highest quality source of natural protein available, whey protein offers all the typical benefits of protein (e.g., muscle growth and repair, bone strength, satiety, etc.), while also offering the best source for amino acids, with a protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score (PDCAAS) higher than any other natural protein source. Just look how it compares to the other leading protein sources: (Source: The Grande Whey Blog)

Protein Type	Biological Value (BV)	Protein Efficiency Ratio (PER)	Digestible Indispensible Amino Acid Score (DIAAS)	Limiting Amino Acid
Whey	104	3.2	115	Histidine
Casein	80	2.5	111	Histidine
Soy	74	2.1	92	Methionine + Cysteine
Pea	65	1.4	74	Methionine + Cysteine
Rice	64	2.0	64	Lysine

Whey protein isolate is regarded as the cleanest-tasting and highest-quality protein powder on the market. It's no surprise that it is also the most popular.

Complete Protein

The definition of "complete protein" is that it contains all 9 essential amino acids which are critical to the building of lean muscle, and for the recovery phase of any fitness regimen. The essential amino acids are not synthesized in the body, so they are a necessary part of our diet.

Neutral Taste

Many protein powders contain flavoring and artificial sweeteners. Whey protein isolate has a clean, neutral taste, which enables it to be enjoyed by consumers in a pure form without any additives.

Water Soluble

Casein protein powder is notorious for being very thick and hard to dissolve in liquids. Solubility is an important factor to consider if you have an active lifestyle and plan to consume your protein powder on the go without any high-powered kitchen appliances.

Quickly Digested

Protein consumption is recommended immediately following exercise as it helps repair muscle damage and stimulate growth. Proteins that are slow to digest, such as casein, do not provide these benefits.

Low Fat

Dairy-based proteins are very low in fat content, making them an ideal choice if weight loss is one of your fitness goals. Hemp protein powder surprisingly contains as much as 12g of fat per serving.

Biological Value

This number indicates the protein quality and how efficiently it is used by the body. A higher value corresponds to a higher-quality protein.

Composition of Milk

■ Water | ■ Lactose | ■ Fat | ■ Protein | ■ Minerals

■ Casein | ■ Whey

Cow's milk (in the USA) is made up of 87.7% water, 4.9% lactose (carbohydrate), 3.4% fat, 3.3% protein, and 0.7% minerals (referred to as ash). The protein is approximately 80% casein and 20% whey.

Whey Protein Isolate vs. Whey Protein Concentrate

During the cheese-making process, milk is seperated into curd (solid) and whey (liquid). The filtered whey is then used to make whey protein concentrate, which still contains varying amounts of lactose, fat and other impurities. Isolate is the result of further purification, leaving only the highest possible percentage of protein. Most people that select whey protein isolate are looking for maximum protein content with minimum impurities, hence why isolate is the gold standard for protein powder.

Make an educated choice: All protein powders are not created equal.