NOW Sports Nutrition Whey Protein Isolate Review

NOW Foods Whey Protein has 25 grams of protein per serving, less than 1 gram of carbohydrates, 0.5 gram of fat, and just 110 calories, making it lower in carbs and higher in protein than Quest Nutrition’s protein powder.

You get a good dosage of BCAAs and non-essential amino acids, without the glutamine or creatine, and it acts as a middle-ground between pure protein supplements and full-stack muscle builders like Six Star Whey. So, how does it stack up against other top-rated protein powders in terms of cost-effectiveness and value?

In this study, we’ll compare NOW Foods Whey Protein against Six Star Whey and Optimum Nutrition Whey Gold, two of the most popular protein powders on the market, each with hundreds of positive ratings. Ingredients, dose, pricing, and customer feedback are all taken into consideration to ensure you get the greatest protein for your fitness objectives.

To help you get the most out of your NOW Foods protein, we’ve provided supplement stacks that mix it with creatine, pre-workout, and glutamine supplements.

About Now Foods?

Since 1968, NOW Meals has focused on the creation of nutritious foods and natural supplements with the objective of enabling people to live better lives.

Men’s Fitness, Prevention, Health Magazine, and Better Nutrition Magazine, among others, have featured their supplements. They’ve also had international success because to the establishment of NOW® International in 2000, which expanded the distribution of their natural health products to over 70 countries.

Their current product line consists of a variety of popular dietary supplements. These are meant to help with certain health issues including digestive support, joint support, heart health, and cognitive health. Natural Foods, Essential Oils, Sports Nutrition, and Beauty & Health are just a few of the categories.

It’s not always simple to know what’s in each supplement, which is why we produced the NOW Foods supplement guide. It’s basically a rundown of each product’s most important health advantages, doses, and major components.

We’ve also included in-depth evaluations and comparisons to other top-rated nutrition providers, so you can be sure you’re getting the finest supplement for your fitness objectives.

Ingredients & Nutrition Facts Of NOW Foods Whey Isolate

• Serving Size: 1/3 Cup
• Servings Per Container: About 162
• Calories 110
• Calories From Fat 5
• Total Fat 0.5g
• Saturated Fat 0g
• Trans Fat 0g
• Cholesterol 10mg
• Sodium 45mg
• Potassium 155mg
• Total Carbohydrate Less than 1g
• Dietary Fiber 0g
• Sugars Less than 0g
• Protein 25g

Whey isolate is the best protein powder to use if you want a high-quality protein powder with almost no carbohydrates or fat. Fortunately, with 25 grams of protein per serving, NOW Foods has one of the most inexpensive Whey Protein Isolate powders on the market.

For example, a scoop of MusclePharm Combat protein, Isopure Whey Protein Isolate, and Cellucor Cor-Performance provide the same amount of protein, and Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Whey provides 1 g more.

The micronutrient (vitamins and minerals) profile is likewise outstanding, with very low cholesterol (5 mg, 2% DV) and salt (45 mg, 2% DV), but very high calcium (15%) and amino acid levels.

Branched chain amino acid concentration in each serving:

Essential Amino Acids

• L-Histidine 420 mg
• L-Isoleucine 1568 mg
• L-Leucine 2716 mg
• L-Lysine 2716 mg
• L-Methionine 560 mg
• L-Phenylalanine 812 mg
• L-Threonine 1708 mg
• L-Tryptophan 448 mg
• L-Valine 1288 mg

Non-Essential Amino Acids

• L-Alanine 1288 mg
• L-Arginine 588 mg
• L-Aspartic Acid 2716 mg
• L-Cysteine 728 mg
• L-Glutamic Acid 4788 mg
• Glycine 448 mg
• L-Proline 1540 mg
• L-Serine 1036 mg
• L-Tyrosine 756 mg

Whey Protein Isolate (Microfiltered)

Lactoglobulin, lacralbumin, immunoglobulins, and glycomacro peptides make up the whey protein isolate chosen by NOW Foods. However, what does this signify in terms of muscle development and recovery?

Lactoglobulin: It is the most abundant whey protein found in cow and sheep milk.
Alpha-lactalbumin: It is a whey protein that is high in essential and conditionally necessary amino acids.
Immunoglobulins are important components of the immune system that attach to bacteria and viruses and help them die.
Glycomacro peptides (GMP): Depending on the manner of production, GMP can be found in certain whey proteins. Inhibits the development of germs by working with immunoglobulins.
In conclusion, immunoglobulins and GMP are linked to whey’s antibacterial and antiviral properties, as well as its ability to boost your immune system. Lactalbumin contains amino acids that have been linked to muscle development and recuperation.

Soy lecithin, which is included in nearly all protein powders and is used to increase mixability when the powder is mixed with water or milk, is also stated on the ingredient label (less than 1%). Whey Protein Isolate from NOW Foods comes in three sizes: 1.2 pound (19 servings), 5 pound (81 servings), and 10 pound (162 servings).

Ingredients

Each 32-gram serving of Now Sports Whey Protein Isolate contains 25 grams of protein, 0.5 grams of fat, and 0.5 grams of net carbohydrates. For a low-cost protein, that’s quite a feat. Its primary source is pure Whey Protein Isolate, with very minimal other ingredients.

They utilized Organic Stevia Leaf Extract and Xylitol as a sweetener. Xylitol is a sugar alcohol that is totally harmless for people, however it is extremely dangerous for dogs.

In the case of our product, natural vanilla flavoring was employed. A thickening agent, Xanthan Gum, is incorporated. In the absence of any fat content, this creates a slightly creamy texture. Finally, Sunflower Lecithin is used to aid in the rapid incorporation of this product into your preferred beverage.

That’s it, surprisingly! We expected a lower-cost product to contain a variety of artificial ingredients, but not this one, which is far more natural than we anticipated. One thing we’d like to see is digestive enzymes, but that would obviously increase the cost.

Features And Benefits Of Now Foods Whey Protein

Supplement fraud was once widespread, but the US government has made significant progress to address the issue in the last 10 to 15 years. The FDA took about ten years to establish Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) for the nutritional supplement industry. The FDA began implementing regulatory oversight in 2006, but only to a limited extent. Third-party organizations such as the NSF, the National Nutritional Food Association (NNFA), and the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) do not enforce the standards.

NOW was one of the first companies to embrace standards on its own initiative. Their products are made with extreme care and attention to detail.

Whey protein powder supplement products are meant to supplement the diet by providing assimilable protein (and, by extension, amino acids) to give the body the fuel it needs to build muscle. This requires scientific analysis and combination of the ingredient and nutrient profiles.

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Xylitol and BetterStevia are two noteworthy ingredients that are not commonly found in whey protein blends. Natural sweetener xylitol While those ingredients are unique and help to naturally sweeten the product, milk protein isolate is missing (ideally the inclusion of micellar protein isolate would be helpful to as it is slowly digested). There’s only one isolate that’s a no.

Effectiveness

This is a good protein isolate for building lean muscle because it contains almost no net carbs or fat. Our only wish is for digestive enzymes to be included, but they aren’t required.

Mixability, Taste, Texture

Unflavored, Creamy Chocolate, or Creamy Vanilla flavors are available. Buyers have consistently praised both flavors, and we can see why. We tried both flavors, and while they aren’t particularly memorable, they are the type of flavor that keeps you wanting more. It’s a mild milk chocolate with no bitterness or aftertaste. The vanilla flavor is pleasant and slightly sweet, making it ideal for use as a base for adding your own flavor.

Without much effort, this product blended quickly into both milk and water.

Value

This product is undeniably inexpensive! It is, in fact, one of the most affordable protein isolates we have ever tested. It is, however, not only low-cost, but also high-quality. We’d expect a lower-quality concentrate with artificial additives for the price of this protein, but that’s not the case here.

Flavors

Dutch chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry are just a few of the flavors available in this whey protein supplement. Those who want to add fruit or other ingredients to their blender also have an unflavored option.

The 10 pound, 5 pound, 1.8 pound, and 1.2 pound size options are also unique. They provide a nice range of options for the customer or prospect to consider, which I appreciate. That is not something that all businesses do.

Side Effects

There haven’t been any negative side effects reported. Although some people object to its “artificial flavor,” it poses no health risks. Flatulence may occur, as it does with all whey protein powders, until your digestive system adjusts. However, this product is extremely safe thanks to NOW Foods’ stringent quality control standards.

Advantages Of Now Foods Whey Protein

• All NOW Foods products are made to strict specifications, including cGMP compliance.
• NOW Foods is a supplement company that has won numerous awards.
• It doesn’t contain aspartame, sucralose (Splenda), or acesulfame potassium, which are artificial sweeteners.
• It contains no wheat, gluten, egg, fish, hellfish, or tree nut ingredients.
• There is no sucrose or table sugar in it.
• It’s an excellent whey protein supplement.
• It doesn’t contain any unnecessary or undesirable ingredients. There aren’t many brands that offer a protein that isn’t sweetened or flavored.

Disadvantages Of Now Foods Whey Protein

• One of the most common criticisms is that it has a bad taste.
• It lacks some of the more well-known protein isolates found in whey protein blends, such as milk protein isolate and possibly micellar protein isolate.
• The label claims that it is “cross-filtered,” but this is no longer true.
• According to some, it doesn’t mix well, but it’s highly gelatinous regardless of what it’s mixed with.

Guarantee

When purchased straight from NOW, their items come with an excellent guarantee. If you return the goods within the “best by” date stated on the label, they will refund your money.

One of the reasons I recommend purchasing from Amazon is that they offer a warranty as well as excellent customer service. Amazon not only offers a fantastic warranty, but they’ve also received the ForeSee Experience Index award for outstanding customer service for the past nine years. Amazon has earned the ForeSee Experience Index for top customer service for the ninth year in a row.

Overall Review Rating

Each 28 g portion of NOW Sports Whey Protein Isolate was $0.70 at the time of writing this review, based on purchasing a 5 pound box of the Dutch Chocolate flavor. This was significantly less expensive ($0.78 per serving) than Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Whey.

Although both protein powders contain 25 grams of protein, NOW Sports Whey does not contain whey peptides or whey concentrate. This implies that each serving includes fewer calories, fat, and carbohydrates.

Organic stevia has also been used in place of the artificial sweeteners sucralose and acesulfame potassium present in Gold Standard 100 percent Whey. Overall, the clean components, low pricing, high protein, and low calorie recipe impressed us.

Thousands of consumers have left 4 or 5 star reviews on Amazon, which contributes to the average review rating. Most people compliment the powder’s great quality, clear flavor, low price, and how rapidly it dissolves in water or milk. The unflavored protein powder has the extra benefit of being able to be used in culinary dishes without affecting the final taste.

If you want to save even more money, there are 10 pound packages of NOW Whey Protein Isolate available on Amazon for approximately $110 ($0.67 per serving).

Conclusion

Now Sports Whey Protein Isolate proves that you don’t have to spend a lot of money to have amazing results. It’s simple to understand why this is a favorite of so many people, with reliable tastes and a high protein content. Now Sports is a fantastic choice to explore if you don’t want anything too extravagant. Is it the most cost-effective option? There are other cheaper options with artificial components, but this is the best natural alternative we know of when writing this review.

Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs)

Is Whey Protein Safe?

Whey protein can be deemed safe if eaten in the correct amounts, at the right intervals, and at the right frequencies.

Does Whey Protein Cause Hair Loss?

No, one of the adverse effects of whey protein is hair loss.

When Should One Take Whey Protein?

Whey protein, in theory, may be an excellent post-workout meal. Consuming whey protein around 15 minutes after your workout is over might help you recover faster. Whey protein also aids in the development of athletic talents.

What Are The Side Effects Of Whey Protein?

Excessive whey protein consumption can cause a variety of negative effects. Some of these adverse effects include putting too much strain on the kidneys and liver, causing damage to these organs.

While consuming whey protein, one must remember to stay hydrated. a result, make sure to drink lots of water when consuming whey protein.

Can Whey Cause Liver Damage?

Whey protein intake can put an undue strain on the liver, resulting in liver damage. If you are consuming water, it is recommended that you consume plenty of it.