Some Info on Protein Powders
Thought this may be of some interest and use:
Bob Myhal's Supplement Buyer's Guide
Protein Powders
Which Protein Supplement is Best?
Unless you've been living under a rock for the past decade, by now you are well aware of the lean muscle-building benefits of protein. Protein provides the building blocks for muscle development, and whey-dominated protein powders in particular are virtually a "must-have" element of any serious bodybuilding or fitness nutrition program.
Because of its outstanding bio-availability and its extremely rapid absorption, a basic protein powder is still one of the best and most effective physique enhancing supplements on the market.
But with so many quality proteins available--and so much money being spent on overstated advertisements, added ingredients of questionable value, and worthless hype--deciding which basic protein powder makes the most sense for you in terms of both ingredients and cost can often be a frustrating chore.
To help you make the most intelligent decision, here's a quick comparison of some of the highest quality and most popular brands currently on the market:
Comparing Ingredients
When shopping for an appropriate protein supplement, you'll want to pay attention to total calories and the breakdown between protein, carbohydrates, and fat.
| Brand | Protein: | Carbs: | Fat | Calories |
| ASN American Whey | 20g | 6g | 1g | 104 |
| AST VP2 | 24g | 1g | .5g | 100 |
| Beverly Muscle Provider | 16g | 2g | 1g | 80 |
| Cytodyne Methoxy-Pro | 23g | 4g | 2.5g | 140 |
| EAS Precision Protein | 20g | 2g | 1g | 100 |
| MuscleTech Nitro-Tech | 20g | 3g | 1.5g | 110 |
| Nature's Best Isopure | 50g | 3g | 0g | 210 |
| Next Nutrition Designer Whey | 17.5g | 2g | 1.5g | 90 |
| Optimum 100% Whey | 23g | 2g | 1.5g | 110 |
| ProLab Complex Protein | 40g | 7g | 4g | 225 |
Comparing Cost
Now here's a cost per serving analysis of these same popular products. In order to keep the comparison relevant, I've decided to look at just the 2 lbs. and 3 lbs. containers. Of course, you can often save more money per serving by buying larger quantities, but more on that in a moment.
You'll notice that I've ranked the products for you from least expensive on a per serving basis to most expensive.
| Brand | Size | Cost | Servings | Cost Per Serving |
| Optimum 100% Whey | 2lbs | $13.95 | 31 | $.45 |
| ASN American Whey | 3lbs | $24.95 | 48 | $.52 |
| Next Nutrition Designer Whey | 2lbs | $22.95 | 40 | $.57 |
| Beverly Muscle Provider | 2lbs | $39.60 | 45 | $.88 |
| MuscleTech Nitro-Tech | 2lbs | $32.95 | 32 | $1.03 |
| AST VP2 | 2lbs | $33.95 | 32 | $1.06 |
| Cytodyne Methoxy-Pro | 2lbs | $31.95 | 24 | $1.33 |
| ProLab Complex Protein | 2lbs | $27.99 | 17 | $1.65 |
| Nature's Best Isopure | 3lbs | $35.95 | 21 | $1.71 |
So now you have an idea of what's in these popular protein products and where each one ranks on a cost per serving basis. Another piece of the protein puzzle involves looking closely at the quality of the various powders.
Comparing Purity
The chart below compares the purity (the % of the powder that is actual protein as opposed to fillers and/or other ingredients) of the most popular protein powders. In general, the higher the purity percentage number is, the better. The products are ranked from purest in terms of protein content, to least purest.
|
Product |
Serving Size |
Protein Content |
Protein Purity |
| AST VP2 |
28 g |
24 g |
85.7% |
| Optimum 100% Whey |
28.4 g |
23 g |
81% |
| Nature's Best Isopure |
65 g |
50 g |
80.6% |
| Beverly Muscle Provider |
21 g |
16 g |
76.2% |
| Next Nutrition Designer Whey |
24 g |
17.5 g |
73% |
| ProLab Complex Protein |
55 g |
40 g |
72.7% |
| MuscleTech NitroTech |
29g |
20g |
69% |
| American Whey |
32 g |
20 g |
62.5% |
| Cytodyne Methoxy-Pro |
38 g |
23 g |
60.5% |
My general feeling, is that if you're looking for a quality protein product and not a meal replacement, than a purity number of over 70% is desirable. Over 80% is outstanding.
Conclusions and My Protein Recommendation
As you can see from the Purity chart above, AST's VP2 is tops. It's one of the best whey protein formulas I've seen. But at over $1.00 per serving it's pricey, and I have to confess that I'm not a big fan of the taste either: it's a bit harsh.
In terms of purity, 2nd place goes to Optimum's 100% Whey at an excellent 81%. 100% Whey also comes in as the most economical per serving of the entire bunch. And I love the taste! For me, that's a winning combination.
If you're looking for a high quality, versatile, and economical protein powder, then Optimum Nutrition's 100% Whey is an excellent choice. At only $0.45 per 23 gram serving, and a rock-solid purity reading, 100% Whey is truly a protein bargain.
100% Whey is also available in a 5 lbs. size that drops the cost per serving down to a very appealing $0.37.
ROLL TIDE!!!
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