How To Tell If The Brand Of Whey Protein Is Good

Six things worth checking

Protein powders vary enormously in what you actually get per dollar. These are the checks that separate a good tub from a well-marketed one.

1. Protein per serve against serving size

Divide grams of protein by grams of powder. A 30 gram scoop delivering 24 grams of protein is 80%. A 40 gram scoop delivering 24 grams is 60%, and you are paying for the other 16 grams.

This single calculation tells you more than anything on the front of the tub.

2. The ingredient list order

Ingredients are listed by weight. If a product is marketed as an isolate, whey protein isolate should be the first ingredient. If concentrate appears first and isolate second, it is a concentrate-based blend with some isolate in it — which is fine, but it should not be priced as an isolate.

3. Whether the blend is disclosed

Better products state how many grams of each protein source are in a scoop. “Proprietary protein blend” with no breakdown means you cannot verify what you are buying. Some brands disclose everything as a point of difference, and it is a reasonable one.

4. Amino spiking

Protein content is often measured by nitrogen content. Cheap free-form amino acids such as glycine, taurine and creatine also contain nitrogen, so adding them raises the measured protein figure without adding whole protein.

Look at the ingredient list. If free-form aminos appear high in the list on a product that is supposed to be whey, ask why. Brands that do not do this generally say so explicitly.

5. Third-party testing

If you compete in a tested sport, this matters more than anything else on the label. Look for HASTA or Informed Sport.

Note the difference between certified and batch tested. Batch tested means a sample from one batch went to an independent lab. Certified means every batch does, plus an audit of the manufacturer’s quality systems. The second is a stronger guarantee.

6. Cost per serve, not price per tub

Divide the price by the number of serves. A larger tub is usually better value, but not always, and a cheaper tub with a smaller scoop or lower protein percentage can work out more expensive per gram of protein.

Things that are not signals of quality

Flavour range, packaging, athlete endorsements and how loudly a label shouts tell you nothing about what is in the tub. Neither does price on its own — some of the best value products in this category are unremarkable to look at.

If you have a medical condition, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or take prescription medication, speak to your doctor or pharmacist before adding a supplement to your diet.