The Worlds First Soy Lecithin Free Whey Protein.

Here at Bodybuilding Provision Technologies we are always looking for ways to make things better, invent new products, and find better ways to grow muscle. We are about to introduce to you a new era in protein supplementation, a new concept really, something that has never been addressed before. So let us start from the beginning. (By the way this is pretty controversial, so if you don’t want to be shocked, stunned, disappointed, and outraged all at the same time please do not read, we don’t want to be responsible for anyone’s suicide!)

In order for a powder to be soluble in a liquid it must be instantized. You won't find instantized in the dictionary, it's an industry term. Technically “instantized” means improving dispersion. But to us bodybuilders it means making a powder mix easily with a spoon so it quickly converts to a complete liquid and no lumps or clumps of powder are showing. Nobody likes lumpy or clumpy protein drinks. Ninety-nine point nine percent of whey protein powders or protein blends are instantized. Instantizing a powder is a great thing. Without instantizing we would not be able to mix protein shakes with a spoon or shaker cup. It would always require a blender and even so, you would still get clumps and lumps of powder and if you ran the blender too fast it would foam. Yes, INSTANTIZING IS A GREAT THING!!! Three cheers for instantizing, HIP, HIP, HOOOORAY!!!

How it's done

Supplement company’s don’t make their own whey protein powders. Larger dairy and cheese companies make these products. Whey protein comes from milk and cheese thus whey protein manufacturing is done by these companies. These dairy and cheese companies take the liquid stream of whey and use filters to get the non-protein material separated. The finished product can be whey protein concentrate or whey protein isolate. After that it is made into a powder, usually through spray drying. Each one is a great protein to use. But the manufacturing process is not completed yet. Next the whey protein concentrate or whey protein isolate powder has to be INSTANTIZED. Because consumers like yourself are no way in hell going to drink a powder that is NOT instantized. Thus the whey protein manufacturers usually send the NON-Instant whey powder to be INSTANTIZED at a facility that specializes in instantizing protein powders. After it's instantized it is sent to a contract packager where they flavor it and put it in containers and then send it to distributors who then find a way to get it into your hands for consumption!

Switching Gears

About 10 years ago soy protein was pretty popular. It was being marketed (of course by the soy protein manufacturers) as having a great biological value and PDCAA, it was high in glutamine, no fat, no lactose and no carbs. It was less expensive than whey and was poised to be the king of protein. But then something was discovered about soy that was very, very disturbing. Research was coming in that soy protein contained these “things” called isoflavones. Isoflavones are phytoestrogens that act like hormones, the most common you might have heard of are genistein and daidzein. These isoflavones can exert estrogenic effects on the body. And estrogen, if you don’t know, is the female hormone. The last thing a bodybuilder would want is to increase their estrogen. Soy protein is very high in isoflavones (phytoestrogens). After it was discovered that soy protein could raise estrogen in the body, soy protein was to bodybuilders as kryptonite is to Super-man. Because who the hell would willingly subject themselves to an intake of phytoestrogens?!?

Not only that but soy contains other natural antinutrients and toxins: allergens, goitrogens, lectins, oxalates, phytates, protease inhibitors, and saponins.

Back to Instantizing

So as I was saying, the whey protein concentrate or the whey isolate must be instantized next before it is put into containers and sold to you. Instantizing is not really a complex process but it involves a product called “soy lecithin” that is bonded to the powder to decrease the surface area and therefore increasing dispersion. Whey protein manufactures use about ½ to 1.5% of soy lecithin to make their powders “instantized”. Therefore every time you buy a whey protein concentrate or whey protein isolate that is instantized (which pretty much means all of them) you are technically buying whey protein and soy lecithin. (Side note, it is now required by the FDA that all whey protein powders that are instantized list soy lecithin in the ingredient deck, not doing so is against FDA regulations.)

What is Soy Lecithin?

Soy lecithin comes from soy oil. After the soybeans are pressed and the oil is extracted the sludge left over is made into soy lecithin. It's a disgusting looking product that requires a harsh chemical process to make. Other chemicals are added to kill off the putrid smell. Soy companies then decided this product could be used as an emulsifier (soy lecithin) and marketed it that way. Thus it found its way into our protein powders. Remember you really didn't have instantized powders I think until the late 80's maybe even early 90's. (Hmmmm....how convenient, isn't that when the soy craze just started to be born). So right now you're probably praying that I am not going to relate soy protein powder to soy lecithin. You're probably shaking in your boots right now thinking that all this time you have been drinking whey protein powder laced with phytoestrogens. That all along you have been slowly and methodically dosing yourself with estrogenic compounds, well my friend this is not a nightmare, it’s the god’s to honest truth. Read on if you haven’t hung yourself by now…..

Why oh Why Do They Use Soy Lecithin?

So why do the dairy and cheese manufacturers use soy lecithin to instantize their protein powders. Cash is king my friends. Soy lecithin is cheap, cheaper than any other form of lecithin. It's as simple as that.

How do you know if your whey protein contains soy lecithin?

As far as we know, Embryologic Whey Protein is the ONLY whey protein NOT to contain soy lecithin. We have a patent pending. 99.9% of the whey protein powders on the market that are instantized (mix very easily with a spoon into water) will contain soy lecithin!