Best whey protein powders to fuel muscle growth
With gyms and fitness studios reopening their doors, here are the whey protein powders that'll help you hit the ground running as you reacquaint yourself with the squat rack
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There's a reason why everyone bigger than you in the gym is lugging around a protein shaker with their gym towel and water bottle. Incorporating whey protein into your training cycle helps up your intake of that all-important macronutrient credited with bulking, getting stronger and maintaining lean muscle mass.
Whether you choose to consume it before or after your workout, consuming a whey protein supplement alongside a good diet and structured training will help form a stronger base to keep the gains train moving. Not only that, it'll also give your body a boost when it comes to recovering from a tough session in the gym or heading out for a lung-busting double-digit-mile run.
Whey protein comes in many different forms and flavours, with more and more brands offering their own unique blend. While choice is always a good thing, it does make knowing what to look for in the supplement all that more challenging. Which is why we've put together a few pointers on what to pay attention to when upping your protein intake with a whey protein powder, along with the best options to get shaking.
What different types of whey protein are there?
While most whey protein supplements come in powder form, ready to be mixed with cold water, milk or your preferred plant-based alternative, different types of whey protein go through different processing methods to offer purer and less pure strains.
Isolate whey protein usually contains the strongest percentage of protein, along with a lower level of fat, carbohydrate and lactose content per serving. With whey protein concentrate, that protein percentage drops slightly, while fat and carbohydrate content jumps up and can offer more in the way of flavour to make it a little more enjoyable to consume.
There’s also hydrolysate whey protein, which is considered a more pure form of protein that has been shown to be absorbed much quicker by the body to start going to work. That ability to quickly release that whey protein into the body does mean you’ll likely need to pay more to benefit from it, though.
What other whey protein ingredients should you look for?
Along with the whey, most protein powders will also pack in a range of different ingredients that your body may or may not love. Pay attention to the level of sugar and fat content in single servings to make sure you’re also not putting a lot of bad stuff into your body too, and if lactose is an issue for you, you'd be much better off considering the vegan protein powder alternative.
A strong presence of natural ingredients is always favourable, while some powders will also offer digestion enzymes that help with absorption and the digestion of protein. Ultimately, the purer the protein form the better when you’re surveying that ingredients list.
What are the best whey protein powders to buy?
1/10Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey
Giving you a blend of all three main types of whey protein, this powder offers 24g of protein and a serving of BCAA (branched-chain amino acids) to offer an additional boost in muscle growth and to reduce fatigue after a tough workout. There are five flavours to choose from, but remember: this is one to sink 30 minutes before a workout or just after your session has been completed. £14.99 for 450g. optimumnutrition.com
2/10USN Blue Lab 100% Whey Premium Protein
Offering 24g of protein per serving, USN uses a blend of isolate, hydrolysate and concentrate whey to quickly release that protein into the body and start putting it to replenishing and recovery work. There’s a total of seven flavours to pick from, which should be ideally consumed after a gym session or any other time of the day you need that whey top-up. £26.25. At amazon.co.uk
3/10Innermost ‘The Strong’ Protein
Not just a solid choice because the branding will sit prettier in your kitchen cupboards, of Innermost's four signature protein blends, also comprised of The Fit, The Health and The Lean, The Strong is its hardest hitting. Not just a means to fill out freshly-torn biceps with a combined 34g of whey concentrate and isolate, casein to encourage protein absorption and 3g of creatine monohydrate to speed up recovery times, it also incorporates montmorency cherries and magnesium, which serve as an anti-inflammatory, and bilberries for an additional antioxidant hit. £29.95 for 600g. liveinnermost.com
4/10Reflex Nutrition Instant Whey Pro Protein Powder
The flagship high-protein, low-fat powder of Reflex Nutrition, this blend mixes whey concentrates and isolates with milk protein concentrate to a muscle-friendly macro split of 20g of protein, 1.8g of carbs and 0.9g of fat per serving. Coming from an Informed Sport-registered facility, its whey is also derived from grass-fed cows for that premium quality, because your training efforts are worth it. £19.95 for 900g. At amazon.co.uk
5/10Bulk Pro Informed Whey Protein
This whey isolate and concentrate powder offers a purer protein intake than most, with digestive enzymes on board to help break down ingredients and help the body quickly absorb the nutrients to put it to good work. There’s a sizeable 24g of protein per serving and it’s available in seven flavours. Bulk Powders has created it in compliance with international competition standards for professional athletes, making it one made for serious trainers. £20.24 for 900g. bulk.com
6/10MyProtein Clear Whey Isolate
MyProtein’s fruitier approach to giving you that protein hit offers 20g of whey hydrolysate per serving. That also drops 4g of BCAAs and 3g of glutamine amino acids into the body, too, to aid muscle growth and to tackle that post-workout fatigue. Whether you go Mojito, pink grapefruit or tropical dragonfruit, you just need to scoop it into your shaker and mix with water after you’ve put your body through the mill in the gym or out on the road. £19.79 for 20 servings. myprotein.com
7/10PHD Diet Whey
PHD uses a blend of whey protein concentrate, milk protein concentrate and soya protein, which works out to 17g of protein per serving. That’s combined with natural ingredients such as flaxseeds and green tea extract to offer a single serving with fewer than 100 calories. Best consumed in a smoothie between meals, it’s a vegetarian-friendly supplement you can pick up in sweet flavours such as banana and white chocolate. £11.99 for 500g. phd.com
8/10Kinetica Whey Protein
Kinetica has worked tirelessly with nutritionists and external advisors to inform its range of fitness supplements, and its whey protein powder is no exception. Employing 23g of whey protein per serving, derived from grass-fed, hormone-free cow's milk and tested to comply with WADA-exacting standards, it's no wonder this brand is fast being adopted by elite athletes across all kinds of sporting disciplines. £51.99 for 2.27kg. uk.kineticasports.com
9/10Hermosa Whey Protein
Hermosa's high-quality whey protein in a simple selection of either chocolate or vanilla lends itself particularly well to smoothie concoctions, protein pancakes and healthy bakes. That's because it's sweetened with plant-based stevia, making your creations more palatable without the need for spoonfuls of sugar. The glass jar is befitting of its premium blend, with 1kg refill pouches available to keep things as sustainable as possible. £30 for 420g. livehermosa.com
10/10Maximuscle Max Whey Protein Powder
Maximuscle uses whey protein concentrate, which contains 82.5-88.0 per cent of the nutrient depending on which of the four flavours you opt for. Mixed up with water in a shaker after your workout, it’s gluten- and soya-free, making it a better fit for vegetarians. It also uses natural flavours and colourings to help make it a little tastier to take down as well. £16 for 480g. maximuscle.com
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