Whey protein is also called protein powder. It is widely used in the sports world, but recreational athletes also regularly drink a protein shake. But what exactly is whey? In this blog, we explain it to you.

Whey is liquid left over from cheese production. This liquid is collected, filtered, heated and dried, leaving a nice powder. Whey powder contains a lot of protein and is very popular among athletes. It is absorbed into the body quickly so that your muscles are quickly supplied with the necessary nutrients.

Different types of Whey

There are three different types of whey available on the market:

Concentrate:

Whey concentrate is the simplest of the three varieties. It's a pure form of protein powder and often has a simple flavour. Whey concentrate is relatively cheap, compared to hydrolyse and isolate. It's also excellent for your immune system. The disadvantage is that the whey concentrate consists of about 80% protein, which is not as much as you would like. The rest is filled with fat and lactose. So, this type of whey is not suitable for people with lactose intolerance.

Hydrolyse:

Whey hydrolyse is the purest form of whey, and therefore also the most expensive. The advantage is that this form of whey is absorbed into the body quickly because it is already partially predigested. But it is precisely this process of pre-conversion that makes whey a lot more expensive.

Isolate:

Whey isolate is very similar to concentrate, but is extra strong filtered and contains up to about 90% protein. It also contains fewer carbohydrates and fats. And the number of calories is lower than, for example, whey concentrate.

So, there are three different types of whey on the market. But there are many more flavours! Which flavour you choose is, of course, very personal and taste sensitive. The range of flavoured whey is large.

You can think of fairly average flavours such as vanilla, strawberry, chocolate and strawberry. But there are also whey powders on the market in the flavours of latte, macaroons and cassis. So if you like to experiment a bit; there is plenty of choice!

Where can you buy whey?

Whey is mainly available at gyms and on the internet. There are many providers on the market for different prices.