Question:
Can someone please tell me how whey and predigested protein is made?

A friend of mine told me that whey protein and predigested protein is made from cow vomit? It sounds really bizarre to me. Is this true? I thought whey was the liquid stuff you see at the top of cottage cheese or sour cream.    — A M. (posted on May 19, 2003)


May 19, 2003
I won't pretend to tell you how protein supplement products are made. I don't know. However, I do know that it's not made from cow vomit. (That's hysterical and gave me a good laugh!!) Remember Mary, Mary quite contrary - eating her curds and whey? It's my understanding that whey is part of the liquid that is on top when mild separates. I bet Michelle Curran knows the answer to this one!
   — ronascott

May 19, 2003
*milk* not mild. sorry!
   — ronascott

May 19, 2003
OK. I can definitely tell you it is not predigested in the sense you are imagining. I do have a degree in Biology and have taken plenty of chemistry so I'll give a little explanation as I understand it. Proteins are built like chains. Each link in the chain is an amino acid. Some amino acid pairs bind more strongly than others and, thus, are harder to digest (break down for use by the body). Predigested protein are chemically broken into shorter chains that your body can use. You don't have to break those tough links--it's done for you. That way you can be sure that the protein you ingest is absorbed rather than risk that the links won't be broken and have the protein pass through your body undigested. The chemicals they use to break these links are nothing scary or disgusting, it is just the key that fits into that particular lock to break that link. Before they put the digested proteins into the product, they are purified so that all the other stuff is removed. All you are getting is pure, digestible protein. I hope that helps! (BTW, I think it sounds gross, too! LOL)
   — ctyst

May 19, 2003
Whey protein comes from milk, not vomit. Cows actually CANNOT vomit because of their anatomy! Here are some good sites for more information on whey protein:<ul><li>http://tinyurl.com/c5u9 <li>http://tinyurl.com/c5u1 <li>http://tinyurl.com/c5u5 <li>http://tinyurl.com/c5tl <li>http://tinyurl.com/c5ts <li>http://tinyurl.com/c5tw </ul>Hope this helps!!
   — Julia Z.

May 19, 2003
Whey is a byproduct of cheese making. They used to just throw it away!!!!!! I think the pre-digested part is pretty well covered. Whey is #1 in protein bioavailability. Soy is #10, for example.
   — vitalady

May 20, 2003
OMG, I laughed so hard I peed my pants! Pre-digested = Cow vomit?!?!? That's really funny! I found this really great site that talks all about the benefits of whey protein, check it out! www.wheyoflife.com
   — Michele C.




Click Here to Return
×