Finding the best whey protein isolate in 2022 can be difficult. Online you will find a huge selection available and it can often be difficult to distinguish which is best. As well as different brands, many of them also now have several different isolate blends available to pick from. Luckily we have checked them out and will share our five favourites below.
Whey protein isolate is actually different to the more common whey protein concentrate which most people purchase. Before looking at whey isolate, it’s good to know the difference and the benefits of each. Concentrated whey protein contains roughly 80% protein content.
This is a significant amount and far higher than the percentage found in other foods. But whey isolate goes through additional steps to achieve a roughly 90% protein content. The higher protein content in isolate whey is ideal for those looking to absolutely maximise the amount of protein they will be consuming.
Furthermore, the increase in protein means there is less room for carbohydrates and fats inside the supplement. For users on a very strict macro-nutrient diet, whey isolates can help to achieve your tight goals easier. But this comes at a cost. The price of whey protein isolate is noticeably higher compared with whey concentrate. This amount will vary with each brand but can regularly cost up to 50% more.
Best whey protein isolate
With so many options available, we have reviewed our favourite whey isolates. Take a look below at the best whey protein isolate supplements we recommend for 2022.
The Protein Works Native Whey 95
The Protein Works launched in 2012 and now produces some of the most exiting supplements available. Unlike other brands, they are not afraid to try something new. This results in a lot of unique blends which can be purchased exclusively from their website. The product range is very big and contains a full range of sports fitness supplements.
Everything being available from one website makes it extremely convenient to purchase all your required supplements at the same time. Native Whey 95, also known as Diet Whey 95, is an extremely high protein content supplement. The pure high quality protein is extracted directly from skimmed milk using micro-filtration and ultrafiltration technologies.
This produces a high purity form of protein, much higher than a whey concentrate supplement. Each serving contains 28g of protein, with just 0.6g of fat and 0.1g carbohydrates. For those on a strict diet, this makes a good choice. Several flavours are available including chocolate and banana. A 1kg pouch is just over £40 which is pretty expensive for a protein supplement but is expected for such a pure form of whey protein.
Bulk Powders Whey Isolate 97
Since their launch in 2005, Bulk Powders is now Europes fasting growing supplement supplier. The huge range also goes much further than protein. The original concept behind Bulk Powders was to make pure powder supplements available to everybody, instead of proprietary blends. The large collection of products includes high protein foods, pre-workout and vitamin supplements. You may also recognise the Bulk Powders brand from sponsoring many athletes and body builders.
Simply put, Whey isolate 97 is the worlds purest whey isolate protein. To put it into perspective, most other brands have a high protein content at 90%. If you are looking for the highest protein content on the market, Whey Isolate 97 from Bulk Powders makes a superb choice. The BCAA content is also very high with 23g of BCAAs for every 100g of protein. There are 0g of carbohydrates and just 0.1g of fat per serving. There are no added ingredients, just great quality whey isolates.
The only downside is that there are no flavours available. If you are looking for a flavours whey isolate, other options are available with still a high amount of protein. The cost of a 1kg pouch is £35.99. This is quite expensive for a whey protein and higher than other whey isolates in this list. Overall this is a great choice for the highest possible protein content, with the draw-backs of no flavours and a higher price.
MyProtein Impact Whey Isolate
MyProtein is perhaps the most well known sports nutrition brand on the market and is also the worlds no.1 online sports nutrition brand. For those just starting to use supplements, I have always recommended MyProtein as a great option. The price across their full range of supplements is very competitive and some of the best value protein available.
The MyProtein website is also very easy to navigate and easy to order everything in one place. Each product also has a lot of reviews, allowing you to view others feedback before purchasing yourself. Impact Whey protein isolate is a high quality isolate supplement with a 90% protein content.
This may seem slightly lower compared with the previous options but this is still a very high protein content. Each serving contains 23g of protein, ideal for after an intense workout. There is also less than 1g of carbs per serving. The price is very good for impact whey isolate, with an RRP of roughly 28.99 for a 1kg pouch.
The MyProtein website also regularly has promotions where this can be found for less. As always with myProtein, there is an industry leading choice of flavours available with lots to choose from including salted caramel and vanilla.
Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Isolate
When it comes to some of the best selling whey protein, Optimum Nutrition know what they are doing. The brand is most well-known for their Gold Standard whey protein which contains a mix of both whey concentrate and whey isolate protein. Optimum Nutrition has been setting the gold standard in sports supplements for over 30 years and operates from state-of-the-art producion facilities in the UK.
Gold Standard 100% Isolate is an upgrade on the well known Gold Standard whey, to now contain all whey isolates. This leads to an ultra-filtered high quality protein supplement. Each serving contains a whopping 25g of protein and just 1.3g of carbohydrates. 5.5g of BCAAs are also present in every serving. Several flavours are available including chocolate and strawberry. This supplement comes in a tub instead of a pouch and can be found at a large range of sports supplement retailers.
PhD Nutrition Whey Isolate
The PhD Nutrition brand is one of the leading premium sports supplement brands in the UK. Their range of supplements include some of the highest quality blends available. PhD Whey Isolate contains a premium source of whey protein. The high purity makes it ideal for those on a strict calorie controlled diet and the supplement is also suitable for vegetarians.
Per serving there is 24.6g of whey protein and just 1.35g of fat. This supplement also contains a high concentration of BCAAs with nearly 6g per serving. A good selection of flavours are available including chocolate cookie and strawberry. PhD Whey Isolate can also often be found for a surprisingly good price online. The RRP is also good at £29.99 for a 908g pouch.
Finding the best whey protein isolate
We know that finding great quality supplements can be a hard and time consuming process. This is why we do it for you and share our favourites. Take a look at some of the key factors we consider when selecting our choices.
The manufacturer
A key factor to consider is the brand and manufacturer of any supplement. The brand can actually say a lot more about a supplement than you may think. Firstly it is a sign of quality. A premium manufacturer will be aiming to achieve a higher level of quality. There are many premium supplement brands in the UK who actively promote the quality of their supplements.
With a large manufacturer, it’s also easy to see the reviews of their products online. Well-established brands such as MyProtein have thousands of reviews online. This enables you to make an accurate decision based on others feedback of the supplements.
The supplements manufacturer is also an important indication of their price and availability. Some, such as The Protein Works target very good value when it comes to protein supplements. This is great if you plan on using whey isolates regularly without the larger costs associated with some brands.
On the other-hand, many of the great value supplement brands only sell though their own website. This could make it difficult if they run out of stock and you may need to find another brand. Some premium brands such as Optimum Nutrition are widely available from many only stores but often at a higher price.
Taste, flavour and mix-ability
The choice of flavours available for the best whey protein isolate supplements is more important than you think. There is also a huge difference in the amount of choice available between different products. Protein supplements are often consumed regularly. For example after every workout or each morning.
I find that consuming the same flavour every day is enough to put me off that flavour after a few months. To overcome this I like to rotate flavours each time I purchase. Another tip is to purchase two flavours and rotate between them each day. Keep a look out for the number of flavours available for each whey protein supplement.
Some brands such as MyProtein have a massive number of great flavours to pick from. Some other brands may limit the choice to just a few flavours. Another big variation when it comes to whey protein is how each flavour tastes. Even buying the same flavour from a different manufacturer can lead to a significantly different experience. For example the taste of MyProtein supplements to be slightly sweet.
A good tip is to stick with fairly common simple flavours to start and not buy any which have the potential to not taste as nice. I always recommend the chocolate and chocolate mint flavours as good choices between different brands. Until you are satisfied with the taste, it can also be a great idea to buy sample packs to try different flavours at once.
I have found that the mix-ability is generally very good across all whey protein isolate supplements. Due to being a higher and better quality source of protein it always tends to mix well. To get the best experience I always recommend using a protein shaker bottle and an adequate amount of water.
Nutritional value
The key reason for using the best whey protein isolate is to add additional protein to our diet. Protein shakes are an easy and convenient way to do this and contain far less fats & carbohydrates compared with getting the same amount of protein from foods.
Firstly we should note that all whey isolates contain roughly 90% protein content. But some of the most impressive contain even higher amounts. 97% protein can now be found in the best isolate supplements out there. But remember you will be paying a premium for these. Between each product and even each flavour the nutrient content will be slightly different. Check the nutritional details on each products page before making a decision on which is best for you.
Whey proteins are also naturally high in BCAAs such as Leucine. Some products will also contain additional ingredients added by manufactures to improve digestion and performance.
Optimising use of the best whey protein isolate
The timing and amount of whey protein consumed can greatly improve the benefits achieved. When using whey protein we recommend optimising the timing for maximum impact and to get the most benefit. Here are our top tips.
When to consume whey protein
Whey protein supplements can be consumed any time of the day to increase the amount of protein consumed and boost your daily protein intake. It may be beneficial though to consume it at certain times. For example after an intense workout your muscles will be worn down and in need of recovery. During this time they will be like a sponge, trying to absorb as much nutrients as possible.
Consuming a fast release whey protein during this time provides muscles with protein exactly when they need it to help support muscle growth and recovery. Another great time I find to consume a whey protein is during the morning. Overnight the body has been using the protein consumed the previous day for muscle growth while you are sleeping and the supplies in the body will be depleted. A protein shake first-thing in the morning provides the body with an instant boost of protein.
How much to consume
There is some variation in the recommended amount to consume and we would always recommend following the guidance on the supplements packaging. A general consensus is consume between 25-50 grams. For most whey protein supplements this is the equivalent to between 1 and 2 scoops. The amount of protein you are getting from the rest of your diet should also be considered here. If you already consume a high protein diet, you may use less whey protein.
In summary
This post contained details of our favourites for the best whey protein isolate supplements for 2022. A huge amount of choice is available and should be considered carefully to find the best supplement to achieve your goals. Many factors including the price and taste should be considered. With all whey isolates, the protein content is roughly 90% a great lean protein source. Let us know below which whey protein isolate you will be using in 2022.
