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Does Whey Have Casein? | Ask The Fitness Nerd

Does Whey Protein Also Contain Casein? We Sort Out The Milk Protein Mystery Once and For All.

Dear Fitness Nerd,

I’m a little confused about whey and casein protein. Does whey also contain casein? And vice versa?  All I know is that both whey and casein are in milk.  Can you help me sort this out? — Janine (Dunwoody, GA)

You’re right that both whey and casein are proteins in milk.

But the important thing to grasp is that they are two totally different kinds of protein.

So in their purest form – isolated from the milk itself (for example in protein powder supplements) — whey typically doesn’t contain meaningful amounts of casein. Same goes for casein in regards to whey content.

Understanding Milk Proteins: Whey vs. Casein

The easist way to think about this is in the context of milk.

Milk contains about 80 percent casein protein, and 20 percent whey. Under normal conditions, you would never be able to differentiate between the whey and casein in milk visually. It just looks … well … liquid and “milky.”

However, when you add an acid or enzyme like rennet (which is used in cheese production), the milk will curdle. This literally separates the whey from the casein proteins.

The result is that the whey — which is a semi-clear liquid — will rise to the top, while the casein (which is heavier and coagulates in the presence of an acid or enzyme) will usually sink to the bottom.

In cheesemaking, the whey is siphoned off from the casein, and the solids are then drained through a cheese cloth, further extracting any residual whey or water and leaving the firm casein solids, which are then shaped into blocks of cheese (there are more steps, but I won’t get into them here.) 

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How To Sleep Better: Advice On How To Get Better Sleep | Health & Wellness

Peak Performance Requires Optimal Sleep & Alertness. Learn How To Get A Better Night’s Sleep.

Dragging at the gym? Finding yourself less alert in meetings at the office? Are you grumpy, cloudy-headed and distracted when 2 pm rolls around?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you might be sleep deprivated.

Peak performance, whether in your workout and fitness regimen or in your career, requires giving your body adequate “down time” to rest and recover. Just like your muscles, the brain isn’t immune to over-training. It needs a break.

And getting better sleep also lets your muscles recover, so it’s not just about being able to quote Shakespeare more quickly, or add up that P&L sheet in your head when the CEO asks for it.

Sleep is good. Period. Mind and body.

Check out these tips on how to get a better night’s sleep from Regis Hadiaris over at The Dot Connector Blog.

Continue reading How To Sleep Better: Advice On How To Get Better Sleep | Health & Wellness…

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