Typically, whey protein is a product that is extracted when cheese solids are separated from the milk. The milky white substance that comes out during the process is actually full of pure protein that can be harnessed as a potential nutritional supplement. The liquid is then processed into a powder through dehydration and is incorporated with certain compounds such as isolated proteins, flavouring substances, artificial sweeteners, etc in order to make it more nutritious and practical to consume. Raw whey protein is just the substance that you get after the milk solid extraction, without the added presence of any chemicals or flavours.
They are typically sold at lower rates and have a higher chance of availability since they require little to no processing. You could say that the whey protein concentrates that most companies sell are similar to this raw form of whey protein.
It is a common misconception that digesting raw whey protein is very different from the normal whey protein. Truth is that in essence, you are getting the same amount of amino acids and a similar protein profile in both cases, which means that both these compounds are more or less the same thing.
If that is the case with these nutritional supplements, then you may be asking yourself about what it is that separates these two. Let us understand more about raw whey protein and how it is distinguishable from the usual whey protein powder:
- While whey isolates receive heat treatment and are incorporated with certain chemicals, raw whey protein is the compound that you get during the initial processing stages of whey and does not contain any artificial flavours. This makes it the purest form of whey protein.
- Whey protein supplements are typically processed to be completely rid of nutrients while the best raw whey protein is a rich source of fats, carbs, and lactose.
- While raw protein is definitely a purer source of protein, it does have a slightly lower protein content than your run of the mill protein isolates.
Recommended Intake Of Raw Whey Protein
Another of the many raw whey benefits is that it has similar nutrition intake recommendations to normal sources of whey protein. While the specific intake requirements may differ from individual to individual depending on their body composition and state of health, a general rule of thumb would be to consume around 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight to stay fit and healthy.
The food and nutrition board of the Indian Medical Association has also come up with the recommended daily allowance of protein for the average individual depending on their age. Keep in mind that this is only to sustain bare bodily functions and certain individuals such as athletes and sportspersons may need to consume more amounts of protein in order to support their prolonged physical exertion.
Given below is a table that illustrated the average raw whey protein requirements of individuals depending on their age:
| Age and sex | Total RDA in grams (g) per day |
| Babies and children | |
| 0 – 6 months | 9.1 |
| 6 – 12 months | 11.0 |
| 1 – 3 years | 13.0 |
| 4 – 8 years | 19.0 |
Males |
|
| 9 – 13 years | 34.0 |
| 14 – 18 years | 52.0 |
| 19 – 70 years and older | 56.0 |
Females |
|
| 9 – 13 years | 34.0 |
| 14 – 70 years and older | 46.0 |
| Pregnant or lactating people | 71.0 |
Always make sure to consult your doctor before supplementing your daily nutritional intake with any raw whey protein supplement in order to avoid potential health complications.
Digestibility Of Raw Whey Protein
Typically, the whey protein supplements that you usually consume are incorporated with some form of digestive enzymes to make them more absorbable for your stomach. This increases the effectiveness of the protein and helps in the better release of energy.
Raw whey protein on the other hand is completely devoid of any processed nutrients or digestive enzymes. This has led to a common misconception that this protein is not capable of being digested by the body or that it may lead to problems in the gut.
While it is true that raw and unprocessed products in general can have a deteriorating effect on the kidneys due to the presence of bacteria or the complete absence of enzymes, that is not the case with raw whey protein. Raw whey protein is typically manufactured from a pre existing form of digestible product, i.e milk, which has its own digestive enzymes.
One of the benefits of raw whey proteins is that they also have a similar amino acid profile to the typical whey protein supplements, which means that these amino acids are easily absorbed by the body without any issues.
Our kidneys also excel at absorbing and promoting the digestion of raw whey protein without any issues. Any excess or undigested protein is easily processed by the liver, which then converts the protein into a form of uric acid and gets flushed out from the blood via micturition.
Another plus point here is that humans in general have adapted themselves to consuming milk and milk products in general as a result of evolution. This means that there is virtually no excessive load being exerted on your kidneys and that you can consume this protein for as long as you want while staying within the recommended daily limits to avoid any potential side effects.
An important thing to keep in mind here is that our body can only process about 25 grams of protein at a single time. This needs to be metabolised completely before you supply more protein to our body since it cannot store protein in our body like it does with components like fat or glucose. Not timing your protein intake will only lead you to consume excess amounts of protein which is not absorbed by the body and instantly excreted.
The only possible disadvantage of consuming raw whey protein is that since it is unprocessed, it contains all the fat that is originally present in the milk. On the bright side, it also contains a lot of glutamine and branched chain amino acids that are useful for bodily functions. Additionally, the fat present in raw whey protein can also be beneficial for synthesising the production of hormones and aiding the absorption of essential nutrients.
