What is Functional Whey Protein?
It’s no secret that today’s consumers are on the hunt for healthier foods. As consumers actively seek out options that provide health benefits, there’s never been more pressure to make sure your products stand out among the competition on grocery and convenience store shelves. Food manufacturers must find ways to address consumer demands for better-for-you options that don’t compromise quality, taste or texture.
A simple way that food manufacturers can accomplish this — while also lowering their ingredient costs — is by using whey protein concentrate. We’re not talking about whey protein isolate (WPI) or protein supplements used for strength training and bodybuilders. Instead, we’re referring to the type that’s used in everyday food applications including soups, sauces, dressings, baked goods, frozen desserts and myriad other products.
What many food formulators haven’t understood, however, are the major differences between functional whey protein and its commodity counterparts. Here, we’ll help clear things up.
How Does Functional Whey Protein Differ?
The confusion over commodity products versus functional whey protein has caused some formulators to discount whey protein all together as a potential replacement for high-fat, costly dairy ingredients like milk, butter, cream and cream cheese in their formulations. That’s because many commodity products don’t perform well and are prone to separation, viscosity breakdown, off flavors and unappetizing textures.
When whey is created as a result of the cheesemaking process, protein can be isolated from the remaining liquid mixture and turned into a whey protein concentrate (WPC). This involves an ultra-filtration process that removes the water, minerals, and lactose from the whey, leaving behind a more concentrated form of protein, hence the name.
Unlike commodity ingredients, functional whey proteins are created using zero chemical modifications, resulting in more desirable functionality for your applications, including improved shelf-stability, creamier mouthfeel and richer texture. Because of the way in which it’s produced, food labels can list it as an all-natural ingredient to comply with clean label initiatives.
Whey’s clean, neutral flavor and superior water-holding capabilities allow food technologists to maintain the same texture, flavor, and appearance of their original formulations, ensuring a consistent appearance and taste that won’t take consumers by surprise. Likewise, as a replacement for high-fat dairy ingredients, not only does functional whey protein help reduce fat and calories, it can also be used to replace artificial ingredients and clean up product labels.
Many leading food manufacturers have discovered the benefits of its clean, neutral taste and water-holding abilities which make it easy to incorporate into many different applications.
RELATED: Video — Functional vs. Commodity Side-by-Side Comparison
Health Benefits of Whey Protein
As consumers look for ways to reduce artificial ingredients, sugar and empty calories in their diets, food manufacturers continue to look for ways to improve and promote the health benefits of their products. Incorporating whey protein in its many forms not only improves a formulation’s taste and texture; it typically improves its nutritional profile, too.
Unlike plant-based proteins, it contains all the branched chain essential amino acids necessary for building muscle. Research suggests that whey protein also can:
Improve bone density
Support weight loss
Reduce high blood pressure
Build lean muscle
Lower blood sugar
Decrease the risk of stroke
And more
The use of commodity products may run the risk of stripping it of some of its nutritional value. Questionable sourcing and food safety are also added concerns for today’s mindful eaters. Consumers increasingly want to know more than just what’s listed under the ingredients; they also want to know where their food came from, whether any animals were harmed in the making, how workers are treated, and whether environmental standards and ethical values are upheld by ingredient suppliers.
Scrutiny by consumers is expected to only increase in coming years, emphasizing the need to ensure a strict chain of custody and to carefully vet ingredients and those who produce them.
How to Formulate with Functional Whey Protein
Given functional whey protein’s impressive viscosity and gelation properties, along with its various flavor profiles, it’s ideal for use in a wide variety of applications, including both cold- and heat-processed systems. Because it’s easily hydrated, formulators need not worry about food formulation fails such as clumping, fish eyes and viscosity breakdown, even under high shear environments.
Some of the most popular formulations it can be used in include:
Soups & sauces
Spreads & dips
Cheese sauces & fillings
Salad dressings
Coatings & seasonings
Baked goods
Ice cream & frozen desserts
If you’ve dismissed whey protein as an alternative ingredient to premium dairy and eggs in the past based on a bad experience, it’s time to reconsider. Learn more about how ingredients, such as our Grande Bravo® functional whey protein, can help you create healthier products that cost less and perform up to your standards. Remember to check out our Grande Bravo in Action Video to see how Grande Bravo functional whey protein differs from commodity products and can be used in real life applications.
Need more convincing? Access our eBook below listing 10 reasons to use whey protein.
What Does Protein Powder Contain?
A common post-workout breakfast is often a protein shake or bar, tasting of chalk and chocolate or berry. That vaguely dusty flavor in these meals comes from protein powder, the substance sold in giant tubs in the supplement area of the grocery store. Often selected by those looking to add a significant amount of protein to their diets (without spending all their money on chicken breasts), protein powder helps repair muscles after an intense workout, or simply provide your body with enough nutrients to start the day. Ultimately, protein powders are shrouded in a cloud of mystery, and selecting one tub of magic dust from a shelf of seemingly identical products can be overwhelming. Plus, each jar of the stuff can run you over $30 if you're not careful, so really, how effective is protein powder? And what’s really in that tub?
Protein powder can be made from a variety of protein-rich ingredients, from whey to hemp to yellow peas. Both animal- and plant-based protein powders offer unique nutritional properties. The most common protein powders are made from whey, boasting high levels of amino acids that are essential to muscle repair. Whey protein is the liquid byproduct of cheese production—though you’re probably more familiar with it as the substance you pour off the surface of your yogurt. Cheap and nutritious, whey protein is often consumed just before or after a hard workout. To become protein powder, the flavorless liquid is dehydrated and mixed with flavorings and sometimes other nutritional supplements.
Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey is one of the most popular brands of whey protein. To create flavored versions of Gold Standard powder like “chocolate dipped banana”, “cookies and cream”, and “birthday cake”, the powder obvious contains more than just whey protein. The “chocolate malt” flavor’s ingredient list reads: “protein blend (whey protein isolate, whey protein concentrate, whey peptides)”, which are different forms of whey that are processed differently to contain unique levels of fat and cholesterol in addition to protein. It’s sweetened with acesulfame potassium and sucralose (calorie-free sugar substitutes). Additionally, the powder contains creamer, soy lecithin (an emulsifier), Aminogen® and lactase (both protein-digesting enzymes) as well as cocoa, salt, natural and artificial flavor. It’s important to note that while this popular brand has a great deal of artificial sweeteners and flavors, unflavored whey protein powders do exist. Those are typically just some form of whey protein and soy lecithin.
There are myriad plant-based protein powders (among them hemp, rice, and soy), but the newest—and potentially most environmentally friendly—is pea protein powder. Unlike other plant-based proteins, pea is a complete protein, containing all nine of the essential amino acids. It’s nearly identical to whey protein in its nutritional makeup, but often is made with fewer artificial sweeteners and flavorings. For example, NOW Sports Pea Protein Dutch Chocolate Powder contains: pea protein isolate, cocoa powder, natural chocolate flavor, natural vanilla flavor, sea salt, xanthan gum, organic stevia (a sweetener extracted from the plant species Stevia rebaudiana), and xylitol (a sugar alcohol used a sweetener.)
How Different Sources of Protein Function in Protein Powders
It sounds simple enough. People want to add a protein powder to their daily routine in order to supplement their protein intake. So buy a canister of protein and go to town. Can’t get any more complicated than that, can it? The reality is that it is actually a complicated issue and making the wrong choice in the source of the protein powder used can set individuals up for failure to improve their quality of life.
We are able to isolate protein from a surprising number of sources from things that we’re all familiar with, like milk and eggs such as whey, casein, and (unimaginatively) egg protein. But there are also sources of protein that may surprise many people. Industry can isolate the proteins found in such plant sources as peas, rice, and even hemp. It should come as no surprise that even among these more popular sources of protein supplements, each has its own unique role to play and favors certain benefits over others.
Sorting Out the Sources
One of the most common reasons that people take protein supplements is to provide the adequate recovery nutrition in order to increase muscle mass and improve their physical strength. People like athletes, bodybuilders, and even the average fitness weight loss client are these sorts of people seeking quality protein powders to supplement their diets.
The Milk Proteins
Whey protein is one of two different types of proteins derived from milk. It is found in the watery component of milk and provides a complete source of proteins, meaning that is a source of all nine amino acids found in nature. It is one of the most widely studied supplements in the world and has achieved prominence among protein supplements.
Whey protein is not used just as an aid for strength training but also is utilized in the medical field as a way to treat malnutrition and other conditions.
Casein is the other milk protein found in the creamy, fat portion of the milk that comprise the other half of the drink. One of the really unique facets of casein protein is how it interacts with the acid found in the human stomach. Most of the food that people eat simply enters the stomach and is moderately broken down before passing into the small intestines where the process of digestion is finished.
But casein forms into a gel-like substance in the stomach, in effect reversing the usual steps our bodies typically follow to break down food. This slower digestion process also makes casein protein much more useful for individuals looking for their protein supplement to aid in their weight loss. The longer you feel full, the less likely you are to eat, which means fewer calories in the body and a higher rate of weight loss.
Casein is seen as a slow acting “drip feed” of protein to the body. Whey protein acts quickly and is much easier to digest, thus, it has popular position as the post-workout supplement of choice. Whey protein contains more of the BCCA leucine than casein which helps to ignite the muscle repair and building process. Casein though behaves differently. Its much slower release action allows muscle to remain healthy and stronger for longer periods of time and is popularly taken prior to sleep after a hard day at the gym, keeping the hardworking athlete from waking with hunger pangs. It also slows down the catabolic process of using muscle for energy by making a constant stream of protein available to tap into.
Plant Sources
Plant sources like peas and even hemp have been used to produce protein for supplemental use. Where these sources shine is providing a reasonable option for those with limited dietary options.
Vegetarian and vegan lifestyles provide a wide array of health benefits in their own right, and for those who are committed to their lifestyles, these sources of protein are highly regarded. We also have to recognize that some people have food allergies and cannot use proteins sourced from milk or eggs. For them, these alternative sources of protein are not simply a lifestyle they have chosen, they are a solution to a problem that could seriously make them ill or, in the case of an egg allergy, possibly even have fatal consequences.
Given that peas are considered a legume, it should come as no surprise that they are a great source of protein. Unlike many other non-animal sources of proteins, pea protein is indeed a complete protein in that it has all of those nine amino acids that are also found in whey and casein proteins. And while it is true that some of the proteins found in pea-based supplements are more difficult for the body to properly digest and uptake, pea protein has the added benefit of being gentler on the digestive tract of individuals who suffer sensitivities to lactose, gluten and other tough to digest foodstuffs.
Picking Your Preferred Protein
Selecting the source of a protein supplement is ultimately a personal decision. In the case of whey and casein, discerning how two different proteins sourced from the same food can be different may is confusing enough. When a person is considering which protein source to use, there are a number of factors to consider:
Do they want a protein that is going to help increase their muscle mass and strength?
Are they looking to use a protein supplement to help lose weight and speed recovery?
Are there allergies to consider?
Does the person suffer from lactose or gluten sensitivity?
Have they chosen a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle for personal and/or health reasons?
Being educated on the options can help the most confused consumer to sort out the choices effectively and make the best choice for his or her needs. Consumers should also research how proteolytic enzymes can accompany a protein supplement to maximize protein digestion.
Morgan Walker Clarke is a retired nurse with over 20 years of experience. She works as a health and nutritionist writer to inform the public on staying healthy with a primary focus on supplements and diet. When she isn’t spending her time with her two kids, she loves taking long walks with her golden retriever, Buck, volunteering at the local nursing home at her hometown of Bridgeport, CT, and baking.
