Whey Protein Buyers Guide: Which Should I Be Using?
What are WPI and WPC?
To put it simply, whey protein is a by-product of the cheese making process. After you make the cheese, the liquid that strains from the curds is called whey. You could consume it as-is (although the taste would be interesting), but you can concentrate the protein levels by dehydrating the whey liquid and forming it into a fine powder.
There are many different ways to filter the whey and dehydrate, and at Bulk, we prefer using whey that has been low-temperature ultra-filtered - meaning it hasn't been subjected to high temperatures that might damage the protein profile and has been finely filtered to retain as many nutrients as possible.
The result - the powder - is whey protein. And if you ever buy 'Raw' WPC - that's what you're buying.
Flavoured WPCs have had small additions to make them taste better, without ruining the nutritional value.
WPI takes the raw whey protein and processes it further to reduce sugars, carbohydrates, fats and sodium.
This means the end product is more expensive but contains at least 90% protein (compared to ~80% with WPC - but WPCs can vary, so make sure you always check the protein content of what you're buying!)
So - WPI and WPC both come from the same source but have different levels of processing applied.
Myths about WPI and WPC
So now we know they come from the same source - a few myths can easily be busted!
- WPI and WPC are both rapidly absorbing proteins (many people falsely claim WPC is slow digesting)
- Both WPI and WPC are great to consume directly after training.
- Both are low in fats and carbohydrates too!
As there is so much confusing info out there, we've put together a quick checklist to find the most suitable product for you.
So there it is
Forget about it being complicated, it simply isnât. The key difference is that WPI is simply a more refined version of WPC, but both having advantages depending on what you need.
If you are fussy about taste or want as little lactose as possible, go the WPI.
However if you want maximum value for money, WPC canât be beaten when compared dollar per protein gram.
If, however, you are looking for a protein which is released very slowly and offers a âsustainedâ delivery, then Micellar Casein (Milk Protein Isolate) would be the best choice. Our flavoured Micellar Casein mixes well, has a great creamy texture and taste, so it is perfect before bed or at times when getting regular meals in is difficult - but that's quite literally a whole other blog post!
Did you want to try some Samples?
And if you're not sure which protein flavour is right for you, why not pick up a sample pack!
Micellar Casein Protein
$50.00
Whey Protein Concentrate
$59.00
