“Eating your curds and whey” may be one of the best things you can do for your health.  Whey is the watery protein found in milk, and according to dozens of studies, it has a long and impressive list of benefits.  While in the US, we associate whey with cow’s milk, it’s actually found in all animal milk — and happens to be one of the highest quality proteins in the world.

Whey protein concentrate (the powdered form) became popular in body building circles years ago when it was found to be the best protein available for maintaining muscle mass even when dieting.

But that’s just the beginning of the story.  Since then, whey protein has been found to

• Boost the immune system
• Fight pathogenic bacteria and viruses
• Improve energy levels
• Protect the body from oxidative damage
• Normalize blood sugar levels
• Reduce blood pressure
• Improve muscle growth in the elderly
• Protect against tumor growth
• Accelerate fat loss and decrease appetite

Researchers have even shown that whey protein has a positive effect on mood.¹ When 29 highly stressed people were given alpha-lactalbumin, a component of whey, their stress hormone levels decreased as did their feelings of depression.  That’s because the alpha-lactalbumin contains high levels of tryptophan, the amino acid that raises levels of the “feel good” hormone, serotonin.

You may be wondering what it is about whey protein that makes it so remarkable.  The answer seems to be in its many subfractions — each with one or more unique biological properties that contribute to its health benefits.

It’s important to remember that not all whey proteins are the same — the manufacturing process holds the key to the quality and number of subfractions in the final product.  The secret is to buy a high quality, carefully produced whey product that retains as many of the subfractions as possible in their natural state.

A good rule of thumb — look for a whey protein that has been made using a low-temperature, low-acidic manufacturing process.

Reference

1. Markus CR et al. Am J Clin Nutr. 2000 Jun;71(6):1536-44.

[Ed. Note: Melanie Segala is the author of numerous articles on the topics of health and alternative medicine.  She is the editor of Disease Prevention and Treatment, 4th edition, the Life Extension Foundation and the Managing Editor of Total Health Breakthroughs.]

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