Should you use a whey based protein powder or are there other substitutes?
Do you need a lactose free protein powder?
If you are reading this you likely have tried some different protein powders. There is a huge variety available and it can be a bit daunting to sort through especially if you have different needs like lactose free, gluten free, vegan or if you are intolerant to certain types of proteins.
Take our client Anya for example. She has a food intolerance to pea protein making her bloated and gassy if she consumes this. She is also lactose intolerant. So we wanted to find some good options. Another client wants to stay away from the typical heavy body building powders as they make her feel too full.
Now we also want to be sure that our recommendations don’t contain too many chemicals or additives that we dont need and we want it to taste good (who wants those chalky unmixable globby powders yuck)
In deciding whether whey is an option for people, ESPECIALLY WHO ARE LACTOSE INTOLERANT, we can look at what a whey protein is and where it comes from.
Whey and casein proteins in the powders are by products of the cheese making process. So they contain dairy. The question is can the manufacturer remove the lactose in the process and create a lactose free protein powder? YES for the most part. They run the liquids through a series of filters to remove the lactose. Then they label the product as a whey concentrate, a whey protein isolate or a whey hydrolysate.
Here is a quick guide:
Contains the most lactose>whey concentrate
Less lactose>whey protein isolate
Least or no lactose> whey hydrolysate
So if you are dairy free these won’t work. But if you are ok with dairy but are lactose intolerant you can try the hydrolysate option. And maybe even the whey protein isolate.
It is possible to find a protein powder that is lactose free with a little searching.
There are also a whole bunch of new formulations that don't rely on whey at all.
Look for
Egg white protein powder
Powders from beef or chicken
Pumpkin seed powder
Hemp powder
Brown rice powder
Pea protein blends
If it's animal based look for grass fed ideally. And free of hormones and antibiotics. The animal based versions are often gluten free and low in carbs making them ideal for fat loss. Bovine protein is great for people with soy, dairy, rice, pea, and egg issues.
If you would like some suggestions reach out to us and we provide you some of our favourites
Comments