How to Buy the Highest Quality Whey Isolate For the Lowest Cost

Whey Isolate For the Lowest Cost

About two years ago my oldest son started lifting weights. It didn't take very long until he came home telling me that he needed to get protein powder. After researching the topic on the internet, I decided that he probably did in fact need whey protein to help his muscles develop better. So, I asked around and there were a lot of people that had opinions on what worked well and what didn't but being a data person, none of them could really explain which protein brand was the best or more importantly tell me why it was the best.

Now, what I am going to tell you isn't rocket science but there are a few key elements that you really need to understand when you purchase protein.

First of all, you have to know how to read the Nutritional Facts. When you look at a protein powder, make sure you review the nutritional facts before you buy because the quality standards are all over the place. Here are some quick things to look for:

1. How much protein are you actually buying? Simply multiply the number of servings times the amount of protein per serving. For instance, if you have 20 grams of protein per serving and there are 100 servings, then you are buying approximately 2,000 grams of protein.
2. Look at the total number of calories (lower is better). Each gram of protein will have 4 calories. Ideally, if you buy a high quality protein, you can simply multiply the number of grams of protein per serving times 4 and this will tell you how many calories are in the product. If there are more calories in the product, then you have added fats and carbohydrates. If you are trying to put on lean weight or lose weight, you don't want very many extra calories.
3. Should I buy flavored or unflavored protein? I always recommend buying unflavored protein. The reason I recommend unflavored protein is because flavoring will take up about 25% of the volume of the product you are buying and many supplement companies do not account for this displacement of volume on their nutritional facts. For instance, if you are purchasing 2 pounds of whey isolate and it is not flavored, you are actually buying about 1.8-1.9 pounds of pure protein. If you purchase a flavored product, then you are only buying about 1.3-1.4 pounds of actual protein, the rest is flavoring. Most companies use sucralose for a sweetener, so the sweeteners do not take much volume. If Spenda or other sweeteners are used, then another 25% of product may be just sweetener, lowering your total protein purchase to only be about.8-.9 pounds of actual protein.
4. In short, flavor and sweeten yourself and save a ton of money. Once you get used to buying unflavored protein, you will probably never buy flavored again.
5. What about whey concentrate? Follow the same rules as stated above and if you can get more protein for your dollar and are not concerned with calories, then purchase the concentrate.
6. What should I pay for protein? There are several very good companies out there that are selling whey protein isolate and whey protein concentrate at great prices. Follow the steps above regarding how to pick a good protein and do not pay more than $40.00 for 5 pounds of the best quality whey protein isolates. Many companies will try to charge $10.00 per pound or even more but if you stay away from the popular brands, you can save a bundle.

How to Buy the Highest Quality Whey Isolate For the Lowest Cost