This is the fourth part of our 6 part blog series titles The Complete Guide To Protein. In this blog post we are talking about what to look for on the label when purchasing a protein powder.

Q: What is the difference between concentrates, isolates, and hydrolysates?

A: These are terms that indicate the type and extent of processing that has been done to a particular protein. Concentrates have much of the water, carbohydrates, lactose, minerals, and fat removed so the protein content is much more concentrated than it was before processing. Protein concentrates range from 34%-85% protein, but most reputable manufacturers use at least 80%. Isolates are further stripped of non-protein materials to yield purity levels of 90% or higher.

Because of the extra steps, energy, and processing losses, protein isolates are more expensive than protein concentrates. Hydrolyzed proteins or protein hydrolysates are proteins that have been partially broken down (also called pre-digested) into smaller pieces, known as peptides so they get into your system quicker. Hydrolysates are generally more expensive than isolates and concentrates because extra processing steps are required. In the end, all of these protein types are highly nutritious and basically provide similar benefits, but isolates and hydrolysates offer purity and performance advantages over concentrates.

CHECK YOUR LABELS CAREFULLY

1. NUMBER OF SERVINGS PER CONTAINER.

Pay attention to this number. Some brands cut costs with cheap “filler” ingredients. So, while you may be getting 2, 5, or 10 lbs of something, you’re getting significantly fewer servings than you would with a more reputable product.

Better yet, figure out how much total protein you’re getting by multiplying the grams of protein per serving by the number of servings per container. Example 24 grams of protein/serving x 80 servings/con­tainer = 1,920 grams of protein/container. Like the pure protein percentage equation, this formula works best for straight protein powders.\

2. AMOUNT OF PROTEIN PER SERVING.

The number of grams of protein per serving is probably the most important aspect of protein powders. Seems obvious, but many people overlook this step assuming that either all proteins are about the same or that the most expensive powders contain more protein. Don’t make this mistake; check the Nutrition Facts panel to make sure you’re paying for protein, not just fancy marketing.

3. ORDER OF INGREDIENTS.

By law, ingredients in a food or supplement product should be listed from most to least abundant, or in technical speak: descending order of predominance. The importance of this becomes clear once you start shopping around. If, for example, two products are similarly priced, but one contains a greater amount of a less-expensive protein (you know this since the cheaper protein is listed ahead of the more-expensive protein source in the ingredients) you know that product is a lesser value.

Also, don’t get fooled by the hyped-up adjectives that some companies use to describe common ingredients. Sodium chloride is just salt; proteinaceous avian nucleus extract is egg yolks; all quality whey protein concentrates are ultrafiltered and contain microfractions like alpha lactalbumin, beta lactoglobulin, lactoferrin, and glycomacropeptides.

4 MANUFACTURED BY OR FOR?

Contrary to what you might think, many companies don’t develop, manufacture, or even distribute any of their own products; they either put their labels on common formulas or have unique formulas created by an external factory.

This typically adds considerable costs, which are ultimately passed along to their customers.

Phrases like “manufactured for,” “distributed by,” or “packed for,” let you know that someone other than the company that you’re buying from made the product.

True manufacturers have made the investment in the processing equipment and quality control procedures required to consistently offer the best products. So, choose “manufactured by” products whenever possible.

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