Q: I always wonder when I walk into Costco, if the whey protein they sell in gigantic tubs, for the same price as I buy mine in a much smaller tub, is going to do the same damn thing? Are all whey proteins the same, relatively speaking?

A: Good question. Not all whey is created equal, but that’s not usually the problem. The body will assimilate most whey proteins just fine. The problem comes in with digestion and such. Whey is derived from different sources and some is “cleaner” than others. That is, they’ve had most of the whey filtered to take the negative dairy effects out. Most super cheap proteins don’t contain any digestive enzymes that help you assimilate it with little to no distress to the gut. As an adult, milk products usually will make us develop monstrous gas and gut aches. The other issue with cheap protein is taste, as well as consistency. The more expensive whey proteins have been put through a process that makes them both more easily mixed in liquid and the taste is typically superior. But, on the other hand, there are other proteins that are just fine in terms of taste. Try some out. If they are super granular, or taste terrible, give them away.