Whey Protein
This is a subject for which I am
intensely convinced. Whey Protein consists of approximately 20% of milk
proteins. A by-product of cheese making, it was formerly tossed out as useless.
The food industry discovered that it had many interesting properties that lend
to a certain consistency of manufactured foods. However, the real story is in
the nutritional aspects. Investigations have shown that whey proteins that have
not been destroyed by heat or acid have an overwhelming number of nutritional
benefits, most beneficial of being a great enhancement of immunity. Immunity
includes protection against general sickness from bugs, poisons, carcinogens
and much more. This is only where it begins. Too much has been written for me
to rewrite, so here are a few places to look. The first articles are scientific
and very technical. Articles that follow are more general.
Scientific
Work begins this section.
The
Science:
Original Article Published in
Clinical and Investigative Medicine by Buonos et. al (Patents (below) followed)
This article demonstrates an almost four-fold increase in
immune response to foreign proteins over other protein sources
Immunoenhancing Property of Dietary Whey Protein in Mice: Role of
Glutathione
Denatured Whey Patent information by principal
Researcher, G. Bounous
Biologically Active Whey Protein
Concentrate
Undenatured Whey Protein Concentrate to
improve Active Systemic Humoral Immunity
Biologically
active undenatured whey protein concentrate as food supplement
General Articles: For more general readers:
Life
Extension Foundation Review on Whey
Another General Article by the
same Foundation
IMPORTANT!!! There is a TON of JUNK out
there!
Do not just go out and buy any old
product that says Whey on it. Most products pick up the old stuff from
cheese manufacturers and this is not what you want. You want the protein as
intact as possible, making it biologically active. There is also the extreme
out there of an ultra-intact source for high $$$. You want quality materials
that have not been subject to purification by heat or acid. According to
researchers:
To obtain
primarily undenatured whey to be used for subsequent production of whey protein
concentrate, the whey is not heated and the material from which it is derived
is slowly agitated to minimize protein denaturation. The prevention of
denaturation by maintaining high solubility avoids co-precipitation of whey
proteins with the caseins, whey protein loss is minimized, thus increasing the
protein content of whey. The whey is then cooled to 6.degree. C.
For the production of undenatured whey protein concentrate, the whey is
separated and concentrated through ultrafiltration, which allows for selective
separation of protein from lactose, salts and water under mild conditions of
temperature and pH. This is a physicochemical separation technique in which a
pressurized solution flows over a porous membrane. The membrane allows the
passage of only relatively small molecules.
Here is some information on
quality aspects of Whey types and what you might want to search for by Wil
Brink in a general article: The Whey it is
There are good quality sources
for reasonable cost. Here are a few that I think, (unless I hear otherwise) are
decent. One other thing before I proceed through this list. How can you tell?
From the articles above by Buonous, characteristics of undenatured whey are a
stable pH of near 6.5, excellent solubility in water and high light
transmittance of final product (The final solution is not cloudy) These are
somewhat hard to test because of some added flavorings and sweeteners, however,
products that live up to these claims:
Life Extension Foundation Whey Protein
w/added Lactoferrin (Lactoferrin is a highly active and beneficial fraction. This
source adds extra)
Natures Best IsoPure Protein
Designer Protein
Yeah, BUT How do I use it?
In a word,
lots of wheys! (sorry) Whey is best taken immediately after a workout, but is
excellent any time. It comes in powdered form and flavored or unflavored. First
option is to make shakes out of it in a blender. Here are some ideas. POWER SHAKES and
PUDDINGS. It is important not to heat it. The activity of the fractions in
the Whey are sensitive to heat.
Other options are to put a scoop in sugar-free, fat-free
yogurt. Top with some fresh fruit and WOW!