There is a large difference between Whey protein isolate and Whey protein concentrate.  Whey protein isolate is the most pure concentrated from of Whey protein available.  Whey protein isolate contains 90% protein and very little lactose and fat.  Whey protein concentrate has between 30% and 90% protein depending on the product you are taking.  Lower the protein in the Whey protein concentrate the highest the fat and lactose.  Although Whey protein isolate instantly seems the only one to take, this is not the case, some people like the extra calories from the concentrate and find that the isolate is so concentrated it goes through the body too quickly and is therefore excreted.  Whey protein isolate vs Whey protein concentrate is personal choice hence both of them being available for sale, yet today, most supplement companies are concentrating on higher and higher quality Whey protein isolate.

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What is Whey protein?

Whey protein is a high quality protein powder  from cow’s milk.  In milk there are two different types of proteins, Casein, which is approximately 80% of the milk protein and Whey protein the other 20%.  Whey protein is much more soluble than Casein and is much better quality.

How is Whey protein made?

• Fresh milk is tested and approved
• The Casein and part of the milk fat are separated out to make Cheese
• The left over Whey goes through filters to separate Whey from Lactose and other left over ingredients.
• Liquid Whey enters an ion exchange tower to concentrate and purify the Whey protein, this is done carefully and gently so as not to break down and damage the Whey protein.
• The Whey enters a drying tower to remove water from it
• The Whey protein is then packaged up for delivery to the consumers

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Whey protein isolate vs whey protein concentrate

In London there are very few places that sell protein shakes, wheatgrass and high quality energy smoothies ready to go, Crussh does.  I highly recommend Crussh juice bars to anyone who is into fitness and building muscle, these juice bars have everything you need.  Yesterday I went to Crussh in Notting Hill, where I got a large protein shake for £5 with a Vit c booster.  You can have anything you want put in your protein shake.  Although their protein shakes are not made with a very high level of protein you can get double scoops, also make sure the Crussh juice bar you are going to has the protein tub you are purchasing on display not just a white tub with no label so you can check exactly what you are getting.  Some of their products are very strong like wheatgrass, you shouldn’t have more that one of these per day.

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One of the great sources of protein eaten by bodybuilders for decades is egg whites.  Consuming egg whites can be tricky and risky, first you have to crack all the eggs, get rid of the yolk, and put them in a glass to drink also with the risk of getting sick if the eggs are not in good condition.  Liquid egg whites can now be purchased from companies like Eggnation where you can buy egg whites in cartons or packets, these egg whites are tested to make sure they are safe and healthy to eat and can be drank straight out the carton.

Since companies like this consuming egg whites has been allot more appealing to me and I have tried Eggnation’s egg whites and now include them in my diet every other day. If you like egg whites like me, then this is a great company to check out, you will get similar results from a regular protein powder, protein powder will actually most likely be better at giving you better results than egg protein however I take it along with many other people because I have always liked eggs as a natural source of protein and have found them to give me great results for years, its a personal preference.

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Allot of people who are a bit hard up at the moment tell me their diet is suffering because they can’t afford the good foods, this shouldn’t be a problem even when times are hard there is no reason you can’t get good sources of protein.  Below is a list of cheap good quality protein sources.

• Canned tuna – you can buy these in packs of 5 and they are really cheap
• Cottage cheese – buy a large tub very cheap
• Peanut butter – buy a tub probably around £2 have a tablespoon a day
• Eggs – one of the best sources of protein – Read about the healthiest way to cook your eggs
• Brown rice – one of the best sources of good carbs and protein, you can buy this in huge bags for very cheap

Read our “Sources of Vegetarian proteins” for more cheap food that is high in protein.

As you can see from above the items you need in your diet that I constantly mention in my articles in this blog are very cheap so not having much money doesn’t mean you don’t have to eat well.  The luxuries like steak, fish, chicken etc can be left till you have more money but you will certainly not suffer.  When I had little money as a student I lived of brown rice and tuna and that was when I was in the best shape of my life.

In London there are tons of great restaurants but here are a few great ones to get in those high protein meals, most of these restaurants are walking distance from Personal training studios W10.

Nandos - Nandos serve great tasting, well cooked, high protein chicken.  You can pick your chicken sizes and I can promise you they have stuff on the menu to satisfy the stomach of the hungriest of people. (£10 per head)

Gauchos – Great Argentinean steaks, I normally have a medium rare steak 500gr with spinach, a great healthy high protein dinner. (£30-£40 per head) – Which is the best type of steak to eat?

Rodizio Rico – All you can eat Brazilian barbecue, they will keep coming to your table here with food until you say stop.   Endless portions of assorted meats straight of the skewer at your table.  I highly recommend this place for groups of people over 4 but is still great just for 2. (£20 per head)

Depending on if you want them to taste nice there are 2 different answers to this question.  If you want the healthiest quickest option but are solely eating them for nutritional value then cracking them scooping out the yolk and swallowing the whites is a great option.  Check the eggs are good quality and salmonella free, the best way to do this is to buy them in egg whites packs.  If you want nice tasting healthy eggs then the best cooking option is poached, I cook all my eggs this way and always have, avoid fried at all cost this is by far the worst option, but does taste nice.  Depending on the amount of eggs you are eating daily you will need to consider keeping the yolks in or out.  The yolk is high in cholesterol, although some bodybuilders still eat 5 yolks a day this is not the healthiest way to live.  I would stick to eating about 2 yolks a week and any extra eggs remove the yolks this way you will keep your cholesterol low, but it’s up to you, some people can’t see the point in eating an egg without the yolk as they think its the best part.

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You would think that protein bars were healthy as they are created for fitness and muscle building benefits, yet actually they are normally coated in chocolate or sugar which means they are often high in fat.  They do contain high amounts of protein great for building muscle but for losing weight they can cause problems.  Be careful when you pick your protein bar to make sure you pick one that is low fat, or switch to protein shakes they are usually very low fat.

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Pre workout meals - Bananas, Protein Shakes, Protein Bars

The worst thing you can do is go into a workout with no energy, that is why it is so important to get a good pre workout meal.  The examples above are the best pre workout meals I have found through experience over the years.  You want to eat your pre workout meal half an hour before your workout.

Post workout meals – Protein shakes, Protein bars, jacket potato/tuna, pieces of chicken breast

The most important thing about a post workout meal is getting it in your body as soon as you finish the workout.  You want to eat your post workout meal the second you finish your workout so the muscles get the protein and nutrients they need as soon as they can get them.  Protein shakes are the best as they are specifically designed for the post workout phase.  Protein shakes are easily digested and get to the muscles fast, that is why I have taken them for years as my post workout meals.

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Protein utilization (NPU) refers to the rate at which protein is absorbed into the blood stream. Why do I need to know about this? This tells you which proteins are best absorbed by the body so you can see which foods deliver protein to your muscle the most directly.

Food NPU

Eggs 88%

Fish 78%

Dairy Products 76%

Meat 68%

Soybeans 48%

Natural brown rice 40%

Red beans 39%

Coconut 38%

Nuts 35%

White beans 33%

Maize 25%

Whole wheat bread 21%

White bread 20%

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