All you need to know about clear whey!

Clear whey is a relative newcomer to the protein supplement scene and is gaining increasing popularity for a whole host of reasons.

In this blog we are going to discuss what clear whey is, the different types of clear whey available and where it might be of most benefit.

What is Clear Whey?

Clear whey as the name suggests is made from whey protein. The exact same type of whey protein that your thicker, creamier more ‘common’ protein shakes you will likely be familiar with are made from.

This means in terms of the amino acids available (the building blocks of protein), these are the same high quality as conventional whey protein. Which makes it ideal as a complete protein source to support recovery from exercise, muscle growth and fat loss.

The difference between a good old fashioned whey protein may not seem apparent. The difference really lies in the level of removal of the other ‘bits’ that make up our whey protein through specialised manufacturing processes which leaves the protein looking ‘clean’ and clear when we add water to it, rather than the creamy texture we get with whey protein.

This means that clear whey mixes more like a squash and lends itself to more fruity flavours. For many people this is much easier to stomach rather than chugging on a milkshake.

It makes clear whey an incredibly refreshing form of whey that is great over ice in summer and is becoming very popular with athletes who need a quick digesting form of protein to recover quickly after training and/or is useful during training as an intra-workout supplement as well.

Because of this squash like quality, clear whey might not be the type of protein you want to buy for things like mixing with oats or our Cream of Rice. But it is excellent for mixing with other powdered supplements like carb powders, electrolytes and greens products (that’s how I use my CSN clear whey both during my long endurance training sessions, and also with my greens product & CSN Creatine in the morning).

What is Hydro Whey?

Much like conventional whey protein, clear whey comes in different types with each ‘level’ related to the removal of excess sugars and fats from the whey protein. Hydrolysed whey (Hydro whey) has had all of the extras removed and is in essence about as stripped down as you can get form of protein.

This makes is incredibly fast digesting, less likely to cause bloating or trigger intolerances and makes it much easier to stomach.

When you combine the clear whey process, with a hydrolysed from of whey what you get in essence is a form of protein that is designed to be super-fast digesting, easy to digest and this is why it is increasingly popular with athletes. People who want to limit bloating and digestion issues and those who want the high quality protein source that is whey but in form that doesn’t have the creamy, thicker texture.

To summarise, Clear Whey gives you all of the benefits of a conventional whey protein but with a much cleaner, crisper taste and with more of the fats & sugars removed. This process does make clear whey a little more expensive per gram of protein compared to other whey proteins, but for some people (myself included) how I like to use the product, what I mix it with and how it effects my digestive system it is worth the added cost.

About the author:
Dr Paul holds a degree in Sports Science, post-graduate degrees in Sport Rehabilitation & Sport Nutrition and a PhD in Biomechanics.
He is a SENr Nutritionist and works with elite athletes and has written thousands of articles, blogs on all aspects of health and fitness. He is a 'hybrid' athlete, competing in both ultra-endurance events and powerlifting, recently completing a 100km trail ultra-marathon. 
Find him on instagram @theperformancestrategist or on his blog www.hybridathleteblog.co.uk