My goal here was to review most of the major whey protein powders on the market. Read on to learn what the results were of some common protein powders and how they stacked up against each other.
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Article Summary:
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- These are my results of some common protein powders and how compared to each other.
- Protein powders were all judged based on mixability, taste, texture, and profile.
- Products tested: Optimum Whey, NOW Foods Whey Isolate, and several others.
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 The Best Whey: A Review Of The Most Popular Whey Proteins On The Market
My goal here was to review most of the major whey protein powders on the market. The powders were all judged and mixed in a uniform way. All mixing was done with either a spoon or shaker bottle and the prescribed amount of water as found on the products package. In some cases I also tried the powders mixed with other liquids but these mixes were not considered in the final rating.
Protein Powders Judged On The Following
- Mixability: This is the product's ability to mix and dissolve thoroughly with consideration given to clumps, foam, and stickiness.
- Taste: Factors considered in this category are how well the product mimics its flavor, chemical or other after tastes, and balance of sweetness.
- Texture: Products will be judged here based on the nature of the product, whether it is supposed to be like juice or like a shake; thick and creamy or watery and thin. Also considered in this section are graininess as well as clumps and foam if applicable.
- Profile: This refers to the protein profile of the product. It will be based on current preference for whey protein where WPI is better than WPC and cross-flow micro- filtration is better than ion filtration. Additional supplements added to the mix may be considered in this section depending on context but cannot make up for a bad protein blend.
- Overall: This is the sum of all the previous factors.
Also included will be specific product highlights as well as drawbacks and my own personal thoughts on the product. The thoughts section is for factors that may be considered when purchasing a product (such as price) but were not part of the rating. If applicable, I will also make note of any other flavors that a particular brand offers.
The Contestants
Optimum 100% Whey Protein
| Highlights: |
Low price for a decent protein product. |
| Drawbacks: |
Cookies and Cream! |
| Mixability: |
4/5 |
| Taste: |
3/5 |
| Texture: |
3/5 |
| Profile: |
3/5 |
| Overall: |
13/20 |
Thoughts: This protein is a staple for most people and it's too bad most people don't branch out to other econo proteins. The 100% Whey Protein line is solid except for the Cookies and Cream flavor which is absolutely horrid. A comparable product would be Dymatize Elite Whey.
NOW Foods Whey Protein Isolate
| Highlights: |
All natural. Good price. |
| Drawbacks: |
None. |
| Mixability: |
3/5 |
| Taste: |
4/5 |
| Texture: |
4/5 |
| Profile: |
5/5 |
| Overall: |
16/20 |
Thoughts: NOW Foods Whey Protein Isolate is one of my personal favorites. This protein is pure CFM WPI which is the highest quality whey you can get. It is all natural with no artificial colors, flavors, or sweeteners and has a great, smooth, natural flavor. The powder mixes up quite thick and when you drink it, it just feels healthy.
Bioplex Whey Plex
| Highlights: |
None. |
| Drawbacks: |
Price. |
| Mixability: |
1/5 |
| Taste: |
1/5 |
| Texture: |
2/5 |
| Profile: |
3/5 |
| Overall: |
7/20 |
Thoughts: Bioplex Whey Plex is definitely the worst tasting and worst mixing protein I have ever had! The price is higher than most other five pounders as well. There is no reason to buy this protein unless you are looking to experiment.
ISS Research Complete Whey Power
| Highlights: |
Variety of flavors. |
| Drawbacks: |
Price. |
| Mixability: |
4/5 |
| Taste: |
4/5 |
| Texture: |
4/5 |
| Profile: |
4/5 |
| Overall: |
16/20 |
Thoughts: ISS Research Complete Whey Power Protein tastes very good and mixes well. It's a pretty basic mixture of WPC and WPI but they are both of a higher quality. For some this protein may not be worth the price, but the flavors are good and the quality is top notch.
Designer Whey Designer Protein
| Highlights: |
Added supplements. |
| Drawbacks: |
None. |
| Mixability: |
3/5 |
| Taste: |
3/5 |
| Texture: |
4/5 |
| Profile: |
3/5 |
| Overall: |
12/20 |
Thoughts: Designer Whey Designer Protein would make a good econo protein that could replace 100% Whey Protein. The added supplements to the mix don't really up the cost but also aren't enough to make a huge difference so no complaints there. I say definitely give this one a try if you're looking to switch up your econo protein.
VPX Zero Carb SRO
| Highlights: |
Added supplements. |
| Drawbacks: |
Price. |
| Mixability: |
3/5 |
| Taste: |
3/5 |
| Texture: |
4/5 |
| Profile: |
5/5 |
| Overall: |
15/20 |
Thoughts: For the price, I would rather get one of the fruit juice protein powders. Sure, VPX Zero Carb Protein is a quality powder with added things like glutamine peptides and arginine (in small amounts), but it just doesn't justify the price.
Dymatize Elite Whey Protein Isolate
| Highlights: |
Variety. |
| Drawbacks: |
Flavor. |
| Mixability: |
4/5 |
| Taste: |
3/5 |
| Texture: |
4/5 |
| Profile: |
3/5 |
| Overall: |
14/20 |
Thoughts: First off, although they have a great variety of flavors, many of the flavors have a chemical after taste. For some though this may not be a problem. I see Dymatize Elite Whey as one of the most viable contenders for best econo whey. It mixes well and the new fruit flavors are very good for the price.
Final Thoughts
Well, that's it for this installment. My favorite protein overall is NOW Foods WPI because, aside from the purity of the product (I like things that are "all natural"), the price can't be beat.
Protein is probably the most important part of an athlete's supplementation and there is no reason aside from simple luxury to shell out more money than is necessary.
Find a good econo-whey like 100% Whey Protein, Elite Whey, Pure Whey Protein Stack, and Complete Whey and use it to help get approximately 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight.
angelblood187@hotmail.com
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