Protein powders come in many different flavors and sources. Here is a guide to the different kinds of protein powders out there and the benefits and shortcomings of each.
What is protein? A protein is a chain of amino acids. There are 22 clinically relevant different amino acids and these are strung together in different combinations to form proteins.
Of these 22, 9 are essential, meaning that they cannot be created by the body and must be consumed.
Collagen vs Whey vs Plant Protein Sources
Collagen protein powder is derived from animal bones and connective tissue. These sources are then enzymatically cleaved and the remaining protein isolated and purified.
Whey protein is derived from the cheese production process utilizing cow’s milk. The whey protein is separated from the cheese and dried.
Plant protein powders are usually derived from parts of plants. It is usually made from legumes, beans, lentils, peas, nuts, seeds, and whole grains. Proteins from these sources are extracted and then purified.
Whey Protein vs Collagen vs Plant Protein Structure
Collagen protein powder is going to be rich in certain amino acid residues because the helical structure of collagen requires certain amino acids to be repeated. These amino acids are glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline. Collagen is an incomplete protein source as it does not provide all of the essential amino acids.
Typical amino acid profile of HairOmega® Collagen Powder.
Whey protein is a complete source of amino acids since it is derived from milk which is meant to help baby animals grow. It has all 22 amino acids.
Plant proteins can be both complete and incomplete depending on the source of protein. Rice protein is incomplete and is usually combined with another protein source to be complete. Pea protein is another incomplete protein. Soy and hemp are complete.
Collagen vs Whey vs Plant Protein Digestibility
Collagen and whey are both easily digested. Both are easily broken down and absorbed by the body.
Plant protein tends to be higher in fiber and more slowly digested. Fiber has its benefits but slows down absorption.
Collagen vs Whey vs Plant Protein Powder Benefits
Collagen, being derived from connective tissue, is more beneficial for connective tissue health such as skin, hair, nails, and joints.
Whey and plant protein sources are complete protein sources and are beneficial for muscle building and weight loss using a high protein diet.
Taste of Collagen Compared to Plant and Whey Protein Powders
Whey protein powders are made from cheese so their taste is very strong when they are not flavored. Thankfully, food science has made significant progress and whey protein powders can taste like ice cream or lattes. They are usually sweetened with natural or alternative sweeteners to enhance taste.
Collagen powders also come flavored or unflavored. While unflavored collagen powder can have a “beefy” taste, it is one of the more popular collagen powder flavors because it can be mixed with other drinks like coffees or smoothies. More discerning customers can still taste the collagen but most cannot.
Allergens and Lactose in Whey, Plant, and Collagen Protein Powders
Whey protein is the most concerning in terms of allergens because it is derived from dairy. Some persons are allergic to specific proteins in the milk (milk protein allergy). Consuming digestive enzymes along with milk can help prevent those symptoms because enzymes break down proteins so they are less allergenic.
A portion of the population also lactose intolerant. Lactose is a sugar found in milk that can cause gas, indigestion, and diarrhea if a person does not make enough lactase enzyme in the gut. Lactase enzyme can be taken with dairy to prevent the symptoms of lactose intolerance. Lactose-free milk is made by adding lactase enzyme to milk. The same can be done for whey protein powder.
Collagen protein powder is derived from bovine sources so they cannot be consumed by those with specific religious beliefs.
Plant protein powders are hypoallergenic but some people are allergic to certain plants such as soy.
Other Concerns of Whey vs Plant Powders
While vegan plant protein powders have benefits such as being plant derived and hypoallergenic, one concern you should be aware of is that the plants these powders are made from can be grown in areas with that are dangerous for your health.
Farmland located near coal burning fire plants can be contaminated with heavy metals from coal ash. When that happens, the plants absorb those toxins and can concentrate them. When protein powders are manufactured from plants grown in those areas, the plant protein powders can expose the consumer those toxins.
This is less of a concern for protein powders derived from animal sources because animals themselves act as a "filter" for toxins. However, when protein powders are flavored with cocoa chocolate powder, they can become contaminated by heavy metals present within the plant-based cocoa powder. This is less of a concern with vanilla flavored whey protein powder because vanilla can be synthetically produced without heavy metal contaminants.
In summary, the choice between collagen protein powder, whey protein powder, and plant protein powder depends on individual dietary needs, health goals, and preferences.
Collagen is specialized for skin and joint health while whey and plant proteins are used for muscle growth and recovery.