Protein is very important for our body. In fact, it is listed as one of the macronutrients that we need to get enough of regularly. However, getting enough protein simply from diet alone a lot of times is not enough. That’s where a solid protein supplement can come in handy! However, just like many things in life, not all proteins are equal – some are better than others.
Whey protein is one of those proteins. Aside from being protein itself, whey protein contains a wide range of essential amino acids. Not only that, but they’re also absorbed quickly by our body compared to other proteins.
That being said, and based on multiple studies, whey protein can help you build bigger muscles, increase strength and burn lots of excess body fat. Hence, it’s no wonder that whey protein is very popular in bodybuilding, fitness, and overall health.
However, you can’t just buy any whey protein on the market. Just like protein itself (and other things in life, too), not all whey proteins have what you need – some are simply better than others.
So, let’s take a look at a popular choice, Biochem Whey Protein. This option is made of 100% whey isolate protein, but does it have the benefits and ingredients you want? Let’s find out in this Biochem Whey Protein review!
About Biochem Whey Protein
Let’s start by taking a quick look at the company behind the whey protein. Biochem is a supplements company that mainly focuses on creating protein supplements designed to help you in your everyday life – whether it’s working out, burning fat, or giving your body an energy boost to face the day’s challenges. In addition to Biochem’s whey protein, they also offer a plant-based, keto-friendly option with their Biochem Plant Protein.
Now, let’s look at some of the key features of Biochem Whey Protein. For starters, Biochem Whey Protein is a grass-fed, vegetarian, and keto-friendly whey protein. It also contains the complete amino acid profile.
And of course, what else can’t we miss? The artificial stuff! In that regard, Biochem Whey Protein is free from the following artificial products and allergens: soy, gluten, lactose, and hormones. It has no artificial flavors, colors, and sweeteners. In this regard, Biochem Whey Protein is already promising!
Biochem Whey Protein is available in three different flavors: Natural, Chocolate, and Vanilla. If you’re into “milkshake” flavors, this could be an added point for you.
Now that we know some of its basic features, let’s figure out how it works on the inside – that is, knowing its ingredients to see what’s really inside the supplement and if the supplement is potentially effective or not.
Biochem Whey Protein Ingredients
Like most other protein supplements, Biochem simply contains protein (20g) plus other key minerals, which will be very helpful for your everyday life. These key minerals are:
- Iron (only in Chocolate flavor)
- Calcium
- Magnesium
- Phosphorus
- Potassium
- Sodium
Iron
Iron plays a key role in our red blood cells. It also helps us prevent anemia, which is essentially a condition that happens whenever we are too low or deficient in iron.
Calcium
Calcium is necessary for strong bones and teeth. Take it with vitamin D (through diet or supplements) to help you better absorb calcium.
Magnesium
Among its other benefits, magnesium is mainly known to play a role in cognitive function. This mineral can also help us relax.
Phosphorus
Some of the key benefits of phosphorus are regulation of our body’s energy, building strong teeth, and helps in relieving muscle pain after exercise – which is great for your workouts.
Potassium
Potassium plays a key role in muscle contractions, nerve signals, and regulating fluid balance. Lack of potassium can lead to muscle weakness and damage, among other symptoms.
Sodium
We are all taught that sodium is bad, but it’s just half of the story. Sodium is necessary to keep our body’s function in shape. Like potassium, sodium also plays a role in our muscles and nerves.
So, why the bad reputation? Many of our diets are rich in sodium, and too much sodium is bad for our health – hence the negative reputation. Still, sodium is good for our body, contrary to what many of us believe – just be sure to get enough of it, not too much.
Protein Content
As mentioned above, Biochem Whey Protein contains 20g of protein. This is not necessarily low, but it does fall a little bit from the recommended dosage range of 25-50g. There are a few options for whey proteins that do hit that 25g mark, such as 1UP WHEY Protein and Gnarly Whey Protein. However, if you’re getting plenty of protein, then more protein isn’t necessary for you, and 20g won’t be bad.
Processed With Alkali
If you ordered the Chocolate flavor, you would see in the ingredients that it contains cocoa (of course) that is “processed with alkali.” But, what does it mean?
Simply put, cocoa is “processed with alkali” (also called the “Dutch-process”) to reduce acidity and give the cocoa more flavor. However, to do this, the cocoa needs to be chemically manipulated, and hence, the safety concerns were concerned.
Later, we will discuss more alkali processing and what are its effects on our health, if any.
Biochem Whey Protein Benefits
One of the noticeable things in Biochem Whey Protein is its mineral content. It’s great to have a whey protein that will give you some of the essential minerals such as iron, calcium, and magnesium. It’s great to think that aside from building your muscles or simply supplementing yourself with protein for your daily life, you are also getting some essential minerals at the same time.
I also like the fact that Biochem Whey Protein is natural and does not contain any artificial flavors, colors, sweeteners, and specific synthetic ingredients and allergens like soy and gluten. We should also make a special mention that Biochem Whey Protein is hormone-free – which is good because one of the last things you’ll want is to have extra hormones disrupting your hormonal balance.
Finally, I like Biochem Whey Protein’s “milkshake” flavors simply because I’m a fan of “milkshake” flavors! However, if you like a flavor that’s not included in the whey protein – after all, they only have Chocolate and Vanilla – you can opt for their natural flavor and just add it to your favorite smoothie.
Is Biochem Whey Protein Safe?
Despite being free from other allergens, Biochem Whey Protein contains one potential allergen: milk. If you are allergic to milk, taking Biochem Whey Protein (as with other brands of the same supplement type) can cause side effects such as nausea, headache, stomach pain, cramps, and fatigue. It should also be noted that regardless of whether or not you have allergies to milk, taking too much whey protein than the recommended dosage can cause similar side effects. Hence, be sure to follow the recommended dosage to avoid or lessen the risk of side effects.
Now, let’s talk about the alkali processing or Dutch-processing for Biochem Whey Protein’s Chocolate flavor. Is it good, or is it bad? Well, in a nutshell, we can say that it is a “con,” but not in a way that you might think.
Despite the chemical processing, Dutch-processing is considered to be generally safe. The only difference between natural cocoa and Dutch-processed cocoa is that the latter loses some of their flavanols – a compound that is thought to benefit our cardiovascular health.
But overall, Dutch-processed cocoa is generally considered safe and considering that this is a whey protein supplement (not an actual cocoa product), it makes relatively little difference whether or not you use Dutch-processed cocoa or natural ones. Besides, you are keeping your heart healthy through your exercise anyway. And if you want to get those flavanols, you may consider adding natural cocoa powder to Biochem Whey Protein.
Final Thoughts: Should You Try Biochem Whey Protein?
Biochem Whey Protein is overall a good product that can be effective for your muscle-building needs. It also contains different essential minerals, which is great for a whey protein supplement!
However, if you are allergic to milk, you may consider taking the supplement with caution or avoiding it altogether. If you are pregnant or you’re currently under medications, consider consulting your doctor before adding it to your diet.
Where To Buy Biochem Whey Protein
If you want to try out Biochem Whey Protein, you can buy it on their website here. The containers are priced at $20, and they provide around 14 servings of protein, which is a sizable amount.