You are likely aware that whey protein is arguably the best source of protein, and as such, it usually doesn’t come cheap. When suddenly finding a place which sells cheap whey protein, then, it can often be tempting to whip out the credit card and buy right there and then before it sells out. That could be a big mistake! Not all whey protein is created equal, and the cheap whey protein you have taken for a bargain may well be such poor quality that it completely negates the idea of using whey in the first place. Don’t despair: it’s quite easy to differentiate the difference between a genuine bargain good quality whey, and a rip-off, and this article will tell you all you’ll ever need to know to weed out the good stuff.
What is cheap whey protein and why is it cheap?
Cheap whey protein can be classified in two ways:
- Whey which is being sold at a discount to what it usually sells for.
- Whey which is just plain cheap to begin with.
In the case of point 1, finding a bargain is as simple as checking out whey protein reviews to determine what real users generally think of a certain product, and then comparing prices on several sites until you find the best price.
Generally speaking, whey protein which comes from well-known brands is always higher priced than little-known brands: but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s better quality.
Whey protein which is cheap to begin with can also be good quality protein and well worth buying. The key to determining whether cheap whey protein is cheap because of low quality is to simply determine whey protein purity.
How to determine whey protein purity…
Determining purity is as simple as dividing grams of protein content per dose by the actual dose size in grams. So, a dose of protein weighing 30g containing 22g of protein would be 22g divided by 30g = 0.73 (73% purity).
As a rule of thumb, I’d stick to whey protein which is above 70% purity.
Note: Again, generally speaking, the cheapest form of whey protein is whey protein concentrate, which will come in purities of as little as the 30% range, and generally tops out in and around the 80% mark. It’s the least refined form of whey, trailing behind whey protein isolate and even further behind hydrolyzed whey protein which top out at around the 90-99% purity mark. But, higher-end purity whey protein concentrate is still very good for most peoples needs, and will be far better than most other sources of protein.
What about pricing?
Giving prices would be redundant as market prices will always change, that’s something you’ll need to gauge yourself at the time you are looking to purchase. Simply look around, note down protein purity, brand names, and so forth, and you will soon develop a feel for what is good value and what isn’t. Good cheap whey protein really is all about the purity, though. Added fancy ingredients generally add very little to the effectiveness of the product, but usually add to the cost. Also, you will find the purer the whey, the higher the price – so generally, hydrolyzed whey protein is the most expensive, followed by isolate, then concentrate. Plus, well known brands always command a higher price.