Whey Protein: It’s The Taste That Kills

Whey is a natural product that has become the Protein Muscle Fuel of choice for Body Builders, but they can’t claim discovery of it. While it is not clear when it was first used, we know that Hippocrates (4th century B.C) used Whey liberally for its natural healing qualities particularly in the treatment of liver disease and gout. Whey has also served the beauty market for more than thousand years, both for weight loss and skin care.

Now Whey is drawing new attention in a new market segment: the ordinary Gym workout crowd that is adopting the new fitness and weight loss paradigm of Interval training.

While Whey in its natural form as a byproduct in cheese-making is still being used much the same way, the Whey Protein that is marketed to Body-Builders in Mega doses at Gyms and Nutrition Stores, may be more hazardous than beneficial to the users Health. Why? Because the Whey in these products has been highly processed, blended and adulterated with the objective to hook the consumers on the taste so they use more of it. This doesn’t resonate well with the Health conscious Fitness Individual searching for complementary Protein to burn more Fat.

Unprocessed natural Whey Powder has about 11% protein and 75% carbohydrates, Fibers, abundant B-Vitamins, Minerals (rich in highly absorbable calcium) and Amino acids. But in order to build muscle supernaturally quickly, the percentage Protein must be increased and the Carbohydrates (from Lactose) decreased. This is fairly easy to do by filtering liquid Whey in a process called Ultrafiltration. While the Protein can be concentrated and isolated to nearly 100%, the other Nutrients are lost proportionally. As with any processed Food product, the lost natural Nutrients and Flavors must then be added in form of synthetic substitutes that feature limitless shelve live.

Nevertheless, it is possible to produce all natural high-Protein Whey and there are a few “All Natural Body-Builders Whey Protein” products available, albeit hardly at a Gym or mainstream Supermarket. It may require some searching on the web using the right key words.

Unfortunately though, the vast majority of Whey Proteins are highly toxic concoctions with incompatible and antagonistic ingredients that can offset or invalidate the beneficial Health effects of Whey altogether; some aggressively advertised products amount to nothing more than flavored toxic gunk. It is therefore in the consumers’ best interest to read – and understand the Ingredients Labels before buying a product. The majority of fancy name products promising instant success and great taste from flavors reminiscent of complex desserts use several synthetic sweeteners and toxic chemicals that are detrimental to the Athlete’s goal. Here is a list of typical Ingredients to avoid like the plague:

Artificial Coloring:

Blue #1 = It has the capacity for inducing an allergic reaction in individuals with pre-existing moderate asthma. Brilliant Blue FCF has previously been banned in most of Europe but has been certified as a safe food additive in the EU and is today legal in most of the countries.

FD&C Yellow # 6 = Tartrazine appears to cause the most allergic and intolerance reactions of all the azo dyes, particularly among asthmatics and those with an aspirin intolerance. Symptoms from tartrazine sensitivity can occur by either ingestion or cutaneous exposure to a substance containing tartrazine.

A variety of immunologic responses have been attributed to tartrazine ingestion, including anxiety, migraines, clinical depression, blurred vision, itching, general weakness, heat waves, feeling of suffocation, purple skin patches, and sleep disturbance. Certain people experience symptoms of tartrazine sensitivity even at extremely small doses, some for periods up to 72 hours after exposure.In children, asthma attacks and hives have been claimed, as well as supposed links to thyroid tumors, chromosomal damage, and hyperactivity

Red #40 = Is a commonly used food coloring dye added to a variety of products. While it may make food esthetically pleasing in appearance, it can cause a negative reaction in those who consume it. Red 40 can also affect adults; it is a common trigger for migraines. It can also cause an upset stomach and make you feel uncomfortable and jittery. Children with ADHD generally have significant improvements of their behavior and ability to concentrate when red food dye is removed from their diet. Artificial colors are redundant in any Whey Protein product, there is absolutely no justification for their use, there are no benefits, only risks.

Propylene Glycol= In food it is used to retain food color pigments and distribute them evenly within the mixture. solvent and carrier of flavor or color in the food and beverage manufacturing processes. The MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) for Propylene Glycol says: May be harmful by ingestion or skin absorption. May cause eye irritation, skin irritation. Chronic exposure can cause gastro-intestinal disturbances, nausea, headache and vomiting, central nervous system depression.

Sweeteners:

Fructose or HFCS (High Fructose Corn Syrup) = A cheap and widely used alternative to Sucrose (Table Sugar). It is highly chemically processed from genetically modified “GM-Corn” and is suspected to cause diabetes and obesity, and proven to cause adipose (Fat) tissue around the waist. Why is it used in Whey Protein products? The answer is: because it’s cheaper than sugar, no other reason. According to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 79, No. 4:

“The digestion, absorption, and metabolism of fructose differ from those of glucose. Hepatic metabolism of fructose favors de novo lipogenesis (meaning it creates new fat tissue). In addition, unlike glucose, fructose does not stimulate insulin secretion or enhance leptin production. Because insulin and leptin act as key afferent signals in the regulation of food intake and body weight, this suggests that dietary fructose may contribute to increased energy intake and weight gain.”

Other undesirable effects of Fructose / HFCS are: Elevated blood pressure, elevated triglycerides and LDL cholesterol, depletion of vitamins and minerals, and even gout, heart disease and liver damage. Fructose inhibits copper metabolism leading to a deficiency of copper, which can cause increased bone fragility, anemia, ischemic heart disease and defective connective tissue formation among others. Altered Magnesium balance is leading to increased osteoporosis. Fructose has no enzymes or vitamins thus robbing the body of precious micro-nutrients.

Synthetic Sweeteners

“Acesulfame Potassium” is a non-caloric synthetic sugar substitute, and although FDA approved, it is highly controversial for its deleterious health effects. Because a human body cannot metabolize such calorie free drinks, the metabolism is disrupted and that fact puts the functionality of the entire product into question. The only reason for this ingredient to be there is cost, which benefits the producer while it renders the product questionable. This, sometimes called Ace-K, is usually present in addition to:

“Sucralose” – another non-caloric synthetic sweetener, and although FDA approved, it remains highly controversial. The alleged symptoms associated with sucralose are gastrointestinal problems (bloating, gas, diarrhea, nausea), skin irritations (rash, hives, redness, itching, swelling), wheezing, cough, runny nose, chest pains, palpitations, anxiety, anger, moods swings, depression, and itchy eyes. Why is this ingredient used? Again, because of cost-savings and convenience that benefits the producers, who know that most customers are shopping by lowest price, not highest quality.

Flavor enhancers

MSG (Monosodium Glutamate) is present in almost every product, albeit hidden under “Natural and Artificial Flavors”. This is a common deceptive term for Nasties like MSG and many other substances that consumers don’t want and are therefore hidden in euphemisms. MSG has no flavor but enhances the flavors of almost any substance it is added on. In Whey Protein MSG is hidden under Flavors, but on other labels it may appear as “Spices”, “Yeast Extract”, “Autolyzed Vegetable Protein”, and other terms. This is significant because MSG is hidden in so many different products, that the cumulative amounts can’t be added up. What’s the problem with MSG? Dr. Russell Blaylock, a board-certified neurosurgeon states in his book “Excitotoxins: The Taste that Kills“: MSG is an excitotoxin, which means it overexcites your cells to the point of damage or death, causing brain damage to varying degrees — and potentially even triggering or worsening learning disabilities, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Lou Gehrig’s disease and more. Why has MSG been added? To make you addicted to the product so you use more of it.

“Potassium Chloride” is used as a low toxicity fertilizer ingredient. It is also one of the three-drug combinations in lethal injections. So what does it do in a Whey Protein product? Ironically it is because of the presence of MSG in the product, and it is a cheap ingredient to increase blood potassium level. “When magnesium stores are low, as we see in athletes, the glutamate receptors are so sensitive that even low levels of these excitotoxins can result in cardiac arrhythmias and death.” – According to Dr. Blaylock.

Preservatives – Shelve live extension
Potassium Sorbate = Potassium sorbate is low-toxic and is regarded as safe. However, its synthetic characteristic is not considered too favorable by some experts. Prolonged use of the preservative could lead to allergic reactions, nausea, diarrhea and nutrient loss in food.

Sodium Benzoate= Apreservative used for decades by the global soft drinks industry. Sodium benzoate derives from benzoic acid. It occurs naturally in berries, but is used in large quantities to prevent mould in soft drinks such as Sprite, Oasis and Dr Pepper. It is also added to pickles and sauces.

Sodium benzoate has already been the subject of concern about cancer because when mixed with the additive vitamin C in soft drinks, it causes benzene, a carcinogenic substance. A Food Standards Agency survey of benzene in drinks last year found high levels in four brands which were removed from sale.

Now, an expert in anti-aging at Sheffield University in the UK, who has been working on sodium benzoate since publishing a research paper in 1999, tested the impact of sodium benzoate on living yeast cells in his laboratory. What he found alarmed him: the benzoate was damaging an important area of DNA in the mitochondria, the cells that produce Energy.

The mitochondria consumes the oxygen to give you energy and if you damage it – as happens in a number if diseased states – then the cell starts to malfunction very seriously. And there is a whole array of diseases that are now being tied to damage to this DNA – Parkinson’s and quite a lot of neuro-degenerative diseases.

Other Ingredients
“Vitamins and Minerals” – Are added to replace Nutrients lost in processing and filtering out the Vitamins and Minerals naturally present in Whey. These are synthetic chemicals derived from petro-chemicals with missing co-factors; lack of cell-resonance and synergistic action with other nutrients. This means that the chance of a “one size fits all” product to restore your body’s balance of nutrients is arbitrary and can do more harm than good. The main reason for adding these chemicals is marketing, it may appear the product is cheap because you don’t need any Dietary Supplements. But it is preferable to buy live-source Vitamins and Minerals as you can dose them according to your needs.

“Triglycerides” = Oils. Don’t be fooled by onerous, cheap Vegetable oils added, like the ubiquitous Canola-, Soy- or Safflower Oil – which are all from GM-Crops, containing pesticides.

“Soy Lecithin” = A binder and emulsifier from GM-Soy Finally, the Ingredients to avoid extend to the source of the Whey Ingredients: is the Milk sourced from CAVO cows? A CAFO is a type of farm at which animals are crowded close together in a confined area which operates like a factory, sometimes known as a factory farm. The vast majority of Milk in the U.S. comes from cows that are fed with everything but what they are designed for to eat: Grass! Feed is brought to the animals rather than the animals grazing or otherwise seeking feed in pastures, fields, or on rangeland. Sadly, but not by oversight, you will not find this declaration on the label – but if the Milk is indeed sourced from pasture roaming, grass fed cows, you’ll definitely find that statement! If the label is mute on this issue, you can bet that CAVO milk is used, meaning Antibiotics, steroids and synthetic growth hormones rBGH, and low calcium – in short – toxic gunk to begin with.

So it is really not difficult to identify products you don’t want, by just adding up the unhealthful ingredients. You can see which producer prioritizes lowest costs and highest margin over even the most basic Health concerns.