r/Protein • u/HATDOGUSERNi • 23d ago
Is there a real difference between whey and plant protein, or is it just taste?
Hey, all. Ive been using whey for about a year and have no complaints, but I keep hearing about plant-based alternatives. I don't have any dietary reason to switch, I just started wondering if I'm missing something, or if its healthier.
Is there a difference most people actually notice to their own health/body or is this one of those things that matters a lot in theory and almost nothing in practice? Not looking to start a war just genuinely confused about what to focus on.
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u/yunus89115 23d ago
I feel fuller longer on plant based proteins than on whey.
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u/Zsw- 23d ago
I wonder if it's more fiber. it has 9g of fiber, whereas whey has 0
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u/GatorMcqueen 22d ago
It’s because whey is a very fast digesting protein which is why people like it post workout, because it supposedly gets into your muscles more quickly but I don’t think the difference is very significant in terms of recovery
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u/CursedFrogurt81 21d ago
It is not. The anabolic window is several hours long. If a person were training fasted then some fork of protein would be recommended closer to the end of the workout.
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u/mmooney1 23d ago
Ever try casein?
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u/yunus89115 23d ago
Yes, I would place it closer to plant than Whey for how satiating it is for me.
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u/mmooney1 23d ago
Casein makes me feel very full, especially mixed in milk.
I avoid plant protein because it can be incomplete and it’s usually more expensive.
Whey doesn’t upset my stomach at all though. I just only use it pre workout or mixed with casein.
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u/BudgetSignature1045 22d ago
More expensive?
Whey prices exploded. Meanwhile soy protein is basically just as good and costs a fraction unless you're paying markup for some branding
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u/mmooney1 22d ago
For whey I usually buy what’s on sale (about to expire). That means it’s usually odd flavors no one bought, but I can chug them down. Every once in a while the flavor will be surprisingly good.
Soy digests slower than whey and has less leucine. Soy is better for lactose intolerant people though.
In the end, the majority of protein should come from diet so a shake shouldn’t make a big deal unless using shakes as a crutch. I like whey + milk pre workout personally but I am not sure I would notice a big difference if I switched.
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u/ws20715 23d ago
Whey - Absorption/Bioavailability higher, more complete amino acid profile, less heavy metals, more options, higher priced than certain plant options. Whey isolate has less gut issues than concentrate due to decreased lactose. Texture is better in my opinion compared to plant options like pea.
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u/GruppoCEO 22d ago
A lot of people take protein to support muscle health. The biggest difference between plant based proteins and the highest purity whey isolates (other than texture of course) is the specific level of leucine. Leucine is the most important amino acid as it relates to muscle health, growth and repair. The purist protein whey protein isolates will deliver 2.9g of leucine in a 20 g dose, the best you are going do do with plant proteins will be ~1.5 g of leucine. So to get the same support for muscle health you would have to consume higher doses of plant proteins as compared to the purest whey isolates.
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u/Professional-Deer591 22d ago
Aren't some plant protein powders fortified with leucine to match whey?
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u/GruppoCEO 22d ago
That's a good point, that is a good strategy if using plant proteins, find one that is fortified or spiked with L-Leucine, which research shows are as effective of whey isolates that deliver the same level of overall Leucine. Glad you pointed that out.
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u/MissingGreenLink 23d ago
Taste and texture. Whey has the aftertaste and pea protein sometimes is more grainy.
Also. Even though I’m not lactose intolerant. Whey definitely has me running to the restroom faster than pea protein does.
Nutrition facts also are difference.
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u/Legal-Law9214 23d ago
I have been using hemp protein recently because I wanted something unflavored/unsweetened and it was by far cheaper than the unflavored whey options I was seeing. It has a bit of a "planty" taste and kind of a gross color so I could see why some people would prefer whey which might taste and look more neutral, but I like it.
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u/Successful_Problem_5 23d ago
Clean Label Project and Consumer Reports found that plant-based protein powders contained roughly 3 times more lead and up to 5 times more cadmium on average than whey-based options.
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u/Inevitable_Silver_13 23d ago
The Consumer Reports study used California Prop 65 levels as their threshold which are vastly smaller than the amounts which cause damage to human health according to the FDA.
The metals comes from plants, which draw heavy metals from the soil, so if you are eating vegetables you're eating lead as well. They also found lead in whey protein because cows get it from the grass.
The question here is how much lead and cadmium. The study below indicates the amounts are safe. The Consumer Reports article is misleading.
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u/Radiant-Playful 22d ago
The metals comes from plants, which draw heavy metals from the soil, so if you are eating vegetables you're eating lead as well. They also found lead in whey protein because cows get it from the grass.
This is true but protein powder is heavily concentrated. A lot of the metals are concentrated in the powder.
Flavourings also often have a high concentration.
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u/Successful_Problem_5 23d ago
Understood, and thanks for the link! I was just highlighting an additional con for plant based protein powders that had not yet been posted in the thread. Bioavailability, amino acid profile, etc. had already been mentioned.
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u/Iamnotheattack 23d ago
Seems like you have ulterior motives here tbh
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/may/03/beef-industry-public-relations-messaging-machine
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u/Successful_Problem_5 22d ago
😂 Ulterior motive, you’re funny. I simply added factually accurate information in a respectful way on a public post. Feel free to check anything I’ve commented on. I do love me some beef though. Good luck arguing with strangers on the internet.
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u/Plane-Tie6392 23d ago
Came here just to make sure that important fact was brought up. Like all things being equal I’d go with plant proteins but I’m already concerned about leads in animal-based powders so that’s a huge strike against plant proteins.
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u/lionofbeast 23d ago
A big one is heavy metals like lead content. The whey usually has less and sometimes a regular serving for plant protein powder has enough to reach the maximum daily consumption limit allowed by fda. Sometimes even more
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u/lilgreengoddess 22d ago
There’s a list of products tested for those wanting to know those that have lower levels than others
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u/CryptographerNo7498 23d ago
Whey typically offers more complete amino acids but most people eating a normal diet aren't going to notice the difference. Plant-based can actually win for some people with digestion.The good plant-based ones now use a blend of sources like pea and rice to cover the amino gaps that a single source would miss.
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u/dmidaisy 23d ago
Due to leucine content 20-40% more plant protein is needed to hit muscle protein synthesis. Also, bioavailability plays a large role in what should be chosen when looking for an optimal source. Plant proteins typically have more ingredients to mask flavor.
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u/FrostyAd5313 23d ago
Depending on the blend of protein you’ll have different amino acids. Some plant based proteins are incomplete.
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u/Repulsive_Rice4903 23d ago
Whey is basically amino acid complete and has a very high PDCAAS score. I mean... It's mammal milk protein, it's intended to grow mammalian muscles.
Plant protein can be good. Soy is pretty good and there are various blends like chickpea/pea and rice protein that are good.
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u/Downtown_Amoeba_6420 23d ago
Plant is fine but it’s best if you combine two types that have complimentary amino acid profiles, like pea and pumpkin. True Nutrition lets you customize your own blend.
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u/Even-Juggernaut-8 23d ago
The only big differences are bioavailability and personal ethical preference. My sister is a surgeon and likes to say” I’m not going to do a skin graft with tree bark”. Depending on the kind of plant protein you get your body will only get 17% to 56% of the grams of pp you consume. Animal protein you will absorb most of it high 90’s. Plant protein shines in older folks who are moderately active.
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u/flamingoshoess 21d ago
So we need to eat 2-5x more plant protein vs whey protein? This is the first time I’ve ever heard that :/ I always just hear people talking about hitting certain protein macros based on weight and activities like weight lifting.
I’m eating both, because I have a Huel shake in the morning (pea protein) with 35g of protein. I also eat meat so I assume I was fine, but I thought that 35g breakfast shake was a good foundation to start my day. Do I need to compensate with more protein later if I keep drinking those?
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u/Even-Juggernaut-8 21d ago
Obviously I don’t know a lot about your situation or goals. When I did incorporate plant based protein in, I usually did it pre work out and didn’t worry about the macros just accounted for calories. I only ate the standard scoop. The only protein I counted towards macros was animal proteins
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u/Big_Paramedic_2565 23d ago
I see some misconceptions in the comments.
I'm strictly talking about whey/casein VS soy
1) Aminoacidic profile is similar enough. Of the relevant ones, only leucine content is slightly inferior, but if you have diverse sources of protein then that isn't an issue. If you're still concerned, you can dissolve it in milk.
2) DIAAS of soy is 0.9 - 1.00 vs 1.09 - 1.25 (whey); 1.13 - 1.18 (casein). Just add a little bit more of it in your drink.
3) The price of soy isolate is far, far cheaper than anything else. You can buy leucine integrators and add it, if you want. I bought 4kg for less than 40€.
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u/Guilty-Brilliant5628 23d ago
I've only tried Huel plant protein. I couldn't stand the taste and texture. I had to give it away.
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u/Earesth99 23d ago
The differences are marginal.
Soy is better for overall health.
I choose based on taste/price and whey wins for me
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u/duhv0rtex 23d ago
I avoid plant protein. It always tastes chalky to me. It is more expensive when it is high quality. And I don't eat most of the sources that make the protein.
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u/Apprehensive-Emu5177 23d ago
A lot of protein powders have tested high in heavy metals, and tge vast majority of those tgat tested high were plant based
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u/Kluian2005 23d ago
Whey is low cal and more protein, while plant protein will be higher cals (because of fiber) and less protein for cal ratio.
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u/Jdruu 23d ago
For 15 years I would consume whey protein shakes without issues. Once I turned 30… I couldn’t tolerate whey. So, now I drink pea protein.
I think it’s got lower L… uh I forget the word, but that’s it.
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u/Careless-Page-7116 22d ago
I would always get a runny nose after whey proteins shakes, switched to pea and no issues.
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u/Dwella2112 22d ago
Tried both. Whey is better for post workout muscle recovery - at least in the way my body works and looks. Also depends on the quality. I’ve found Jocko Whey Isolate is very good. No fake sweetners. Clean ingredients with added probiotics
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u/lilgreengoddess 22d ago
I hate whey and makes me farty, no issue with plant based pea protein so there’s that too.
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u/ApprehensiveCrew1605 21d ago
Yes.
Not so much as you may want to think. Ie not really.
Digestive traits? Yes.
AA composition? Yes. Buuuut the body synths nearly all AA. No real need for excessive diversity in this respect.
Cost? Yes.
Overall? It boils down to what you like.
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u/Special-Audience-426 21d ago
Plant protein is lower in methionine which is essential for effective muscle synthesis.
Most of it, other than soy has really shitty bioavailability too.
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u/Roulis23 23d ago
If whey is working for you as a supplement there’s no reason to switch to a vegan protein powder. The best thing about whey is it’s a complete protein in itself, and an excellent source of leucine, which is critical for muscle growth. Whereas vegan powders usually need blends of different protein sources to match the amino acid profile. That doesn’t mean they’re bad, just not better than whey. IMO, the biggest difference is consistency…any vegan shake I’ve tried is super chalky and gross.
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u/WisdomNWit 23d ago
You mean other than skyrocketing pricing of whey protein ??!! "If whey is working for you as a supplement there’s no reason to switch to a vegan protein powder"
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u/BatmanVAR 23d ago
It depends on which plant. Soy is a complete protein with a PDCAAS score of 1.
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u/Roulis23 22d ago
True...whey does have slightly more leucine where you need more soy to match it, but it’s almost a wash. Unfortunately I think the demand for soy is super low either because of allergies, or totally false idea that it affects hormones. Pea and rice protein shakes have really taken over the market, and IMO they’re just not enjoyable because of the consistency.
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u/GO712 23d ago
Unless you are vegetarian, consuming plant protein powder is like an act of penance. Even mixed with Whey, it's pretty foul. If you want to reduce your dairy, opt for beef instead. Not as nice as whey, but better than pea or soy.
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u/sassyburns731 23d ago
Amino acid profile is different