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Whey isolate protein is an effective way to supply the muscles with nutrients necessary for growth and recovery, so finding the best whey isolate protein powder supplement that suits your health needs is crucial in aiming for optimal results.

To help spare you some clicks, we’ve gathered our selection of the best whey protein isolate powders based on their nutritional content, price, and brand rep.  

What Is Whey Isolate Protein Powder?

Whey protein is considered a high-quality protein because it contains important amino acids needed by the body, and is particularly beneficial for increasing the production of new protein for muscle synthesis. 

Whey protein has two known forms — whey concentrate and whey isolate. Whey isolate undergoes a longer processing time, which further increases its protein content and lowers its levels of carbohydrates, lactose, and fats per serving, thus making it comparatively more expensive than whey concentrate, but with a cleaner profile than other forms of proteins. 

Benefits of Whey Isolate Protein Powders

Whey protein isolate is effective at facilitating faster muscle growth, is absorbed more effectively by the body, and has a higher quantity of amino acids compared to other protein forms. Other than that, it also helps…

• Prevent muscle wasting – Whey protein isolate can help preserve lean muscle tissue, especially for senior citizens who may be losing muscle mass because of natural aging, and those with muscle-degenerating diseases.
• Facilitates faster muscle recovery – Whey protein isolate helps hasten the muscle tissue regeneration process. In addition, glutathione production is increased, and it also supports the efforts of building and repairing lean muscle tissue.
• Prevents bloating – Compared to other protein forms, whey protein isolate is easier to digest and has a high absorption rate, and can be processed faster.

Choosing the Best Whey Isolate Protein Powder

Here are some things to consider when choosing your whey isolate protein powder: 

• Ingredient quality – One should always read a product’s label or research the ingredient profile to ensure compatibility with all its ingredients. Always avoid harmful chemicals and possible allergens.
• Sodium content – Opting for a low-sodium option is beneficial, especially if you’re following a low-sodium diet. It can also help lower blood pressure, maintain cardiovascular health, and prevent fluid retention, avoiding unwanted weight gain.
• Taste – The taste is perhaps the most crucial factor for consumers when deciding whether they like a product.
• Effectiveness – The ingredient blend can make or break a product’s efficacy. Always check clinical studies and ask your doctor’s advice about a supplement you’re considering buying.
• Certifications – Always check if a certain product is certified as being free from allergens or being GMO and vegan. Testing certifications add credence to the product’s efficacy and quality.
• Price – Check if the product price point suits your budget limits. Take advantage of any brand’s subscription plans since they usually offer freebies and discounts.
• Customer Reviews – If you´re curious about how a product works, you can always check customer reviews to see if they’ve had successes or drawbacks with the product. 

Top 5 Whey Isolate Protein Powders

1. Grow Grass-Fed Whey Protein Isolate – XWERKS

XWERKS will help you gain muscle mass and optimal physical performance without worry, thanks to its 100% New Zealand grass-fed whey protein isolate supplement, packed with 25g of protein, BCAAs, low sodium content, low carbs, and zero sugar and total fats that can help usher your fitness goals. 

XWERKS Grow’s powder blend mixes easily in contrast to other thick and clumpy protein shakes. It’s also easily digestible without making you feel bloating feel. 

Key Features

XWERKS’ pure whey protein isolate is exclusively sourced from grass-fed, pasture-raised cows in New Zealand. The brand subjects the sourced whey to a rigorous microfiltration process to remove excess fats and carbohydrates without eliminating important biological nutrients.

Nutritional Background

Pros 

• Uses pure, grass-fed whey protein isolate
• Low in sodium
• Soy and gluten-free
• Mixes easily
• Offers free shipping
• Money-back guarantee

Cons

• Contains lactose (for the lactose intolerant) 

2. 100% Grass-Fed Whey Protein Isolate – Transparent Labs 

Transparent Lab’s 100% Grass-Fed Whey Protein Isolate Supplement prides itself in exclusively sourcing whey protein isolate from 100% naturally-fed, hormone-free American dairy cattle and has one of the highest protein-by-weight ratios at 82% – ensuring optimal muscle growth and recovery.

Key Features

Each batch of Transparent Labs’s whey protein isolate supplement is made free from sugars and artificial sweeteners, food coloring, allergens like gluten, soy, eggs, tree nuts, and other additives or preservatives. It’s considered one of the cleanest proteins on the market being manufactured from grass-fed, hormone-free whey.

Nutritional Background

*Sodium content varies by flavor

Pros

• Uses whey protein isolate from grass-fed, hormone-free cows
• Keto-friendly
• Low sodium
• No sugar
• Free from allergens like soy, yeast, and gluten
• Zero additives

Cons

• Contains dairy
• Not suitable for vegans

3. ISO100 Hydrolyzed 100% Whey Protein Isolate – Dymatize

Strenuous workouts are best capped with Dymatize’s ISO100 Hydrolyzed 100% Whey Protein Isolate supplement. Its ultra-fast absorbing and digesting power makes it one of the highest-quality protein powders on the market. 

Key Features

ISO100’s whey protein isolate is filtered to remove lactose and excess carbs, fat, and sugar for maximum purity, mixability, and gains.

Each batch undergoes rigorous third-party testing to ensure its purity from preservatives, allergens, and other dangerous substances.

Nutritional Background

Pros

• Fast absorption
• Keto-friendly
• Low sodium
• No banned substances
• No sugar
• Free from allergens like soy, yeast, and gluten
• Zero additives

Cons

• Contains dairy
• Not suitable for vegans

4. Huge Isolate – Huge Supplements

Huge Isolate boasts a clean formula blend that delivers a whopping 30 grams of protein per serving, thanks to its high-quality whey protein isolate rigorously filtered to contain as minimal fat, lactose, and carbohydrates as possible, making it an excellent choice for consumers with strict dietary requirements.

Key Features

Each serving contains 5g of branched-chain amino acids, which help stimulate the building of protein in muscle and possibly reduce muscle breakdown – keeping you “huge” as your goals aim it to be.

Nutritional Background

Pros

• Keto-friendly
• Great taste
• Gluten-free
• Less bloating
• Zero sugar

Cons

• Contains dairy
• Not suitable for vegans

5. Whey Protein Powder Isolate 90% – Bulk Supplements

Bulk Supplements’ Whey Protein Isolate Powder is the ideal workout companion to help boost physical performance, support healthy muscle growth and recovery, and promote overall wellness and immune health.

Key Features

Why 90%? Bulk Supplements standardized this particular product’s protein isolate content to at least 90%, making it a purer form of whey protein than whey concentrate. It also allows for easier digestion and a lesser risk of bloating. 

Nutritional Background

Pros

• Uses whey protein isolate from grass-fed, hormone-free cows
• No sugar
• Keto-friendly
• Free from allergens like soy, yeast, and gluten
• Zero additives

Cons

• Contains dairy
• Not suitable for vegans

Whey Protein Isolate Database

We have collated a very large protein powder database that includes all of the best protein powders on the market. Below is the filtered view that only includes products from brands that have only used whey protein isolate. There are 69 whey isolate products from 40 different brands in the list.

You can search and sort the sheet to find the best value per gram of protein, or to find the highest amount of protein per serving, or even find those that do not use artificial sweeteners.

Whey Isolate Compared To Other Forms Of Protein 

In terms of nutritional benefits, whey protein isolate delivers almost the same benefits as whey protein concentrate and other protein forms. However, it stands out for its lower sugar, lactose, fat, carbohydrate, and calorie contents, which makes it ideal for people with lactose intolerance and those aiming to maintain muscle mass while losing body fat.

Whey Concentrate vs. Whey Isolate

Whey concentrate and whey isolate are essentially both forms of whey protein, but the differences lie in whey isolate undergoing a longer processing time, making its protein content greater and lower levels of carbohydrates, lactose, and fats per serving, thus making it more tolerable for lactose intolerant consumers to consume without much issue. 

Casein Protein vs. Whey Isolate 

Both casein and whey are dairy-based proteins and byproducts of cheese production, but they differ in digestion times — casein digests slowly, while whey protein digests faster. Whey protein’s amino acid profile stimulates muscle-building more effectively than casein’s, making it ideal for better muscle gains and recovery.

But the positive side of casein’s slow digestion is that it provides your body with a slow, steady release of amino acids, reduces appetite, and increases satiety. 

Plant-Based Proteins vs. Whey Isolate

The principal difference between plant-based proteins (peas, rice, seed, etc.) vs. whey protein isolate is that the latter is sourced from dairy. Incidentally, both whey and plant-based protein powders have similar amounts of protein, usually 20 to 30 grams per serving, but whey protein is considered a more complete protein since it contains all nine essential amino acids.

Hydrolyzed Protein vs. Whey Isolate

Hydrolyzed protein is the purest and highest quality form of whey protein.

There is little verified data about the digestion rate and bioavailability of these two protein forms. What is known is that both whey isolate and hydrolyzed proteins both undergo extended filtration processes, but all the fat and lactose are removed from hydrolyzed protein, while whey protein isolate still retains all the natural and beneficial elements found naturally in milk.

FAQs

Recap

• Whey protein is a high-quality protein because it contains important amino acids needed by the body, and increases the production of new proteins for muscle synthesis. 
• Whey protein has two forms — whey concentrate and whey isolate. Whey isolate undergoes a longer processing time, which further increases its protein content and filters out excess carbohydrates, lactose, and fats per serving
• Whey protein isolate is generally more popular for its complete amino acid profile and lower sugar, lactose, fat, carbohydrate, and calorie contents. 
• However, some protein forms like plant-based and hydrolyzed proteins may beat whey protein isolate in some factors like diverse suitability and total ingredient purity. 

Conclusion

Whey protein isolate is widely enjoyed and recommended for its reduced sugar, carbs, calories, and fat contents, yielding better muscle growth and recovery.

Always consider your health needs and goals before settling for a whey isolate supplement, to help make them more efficient and beneficial to your overall well-being. Sharing your experiences with supplements helps others have an idea of what to expect and how to make the most out of them.

Disclaimer: this article does not constitute or replace medical advice. If you have an emergency or a serious medical question, please contact a medical professional or call 911 immediately. To see our full medical disclaimer, visit our Terms of Use page.