We recently decided to test one of the most popular protein isolates on the market ever. Up until now, we have tended to avoid whey isolates because they are unnecessarily expensive for the average exerciser, so they are not as popular. Most people are happy with whey concentrate, which is not inferior to isolates. But for more advanced exercisers or competitors, whey isolate may be a better choice for their results.
We'll explain the basic differences between isolate and concentrate later in the review, now we'll focus specifically on Biotech's Iso Whey Zero. Is it really as good as most people say it is? Can we find any flaws in it? Which flavour did we like the most? Did it meet our expectations or was it more of a disappointment? That, and much more, is what you'll find out in this review.
Content of the review
- A quality formula with a minor flaw
- Nutritional values
- Nut liqueur or Tiramisu? All flavours are absolutely perfect.
- Unmatched protein digestibility and solubility
- When is the best time to use protein?
- The price will pleasantly surprise you
- Iso Whey Zero vs 100% Pure Whey
- Is it worth buying whey isolate or is concentrate enough?
- Final evaluation
Biotech USA is a very popular and well-known brand among athletes, there are countless of their products on the market and they are still growing. Iso Whey Zero is one of the older products of this brand, but its popularity is still growing. We can get it in a whopping 20 flavors, which can be a big plus for a lot of people. Let's take a look at how the protein stood up in our individual tests.
A quality formula with a minor flaw
At first glance, there really are a lot of ingredients in the protein's composition, which doesn't look great. However, after a more thorough analysis, we found that there is basically nothing wrong (but that depends on the flavour you choose).
The main and only protein source here is native whey isolate, which is processed using the CFM method and thus retains all the bioactive fractions.
Biotech USA is a brand known for not being afraid to use sometimes controversial dyes such as Tartrazine, Indigotin or Allura Worm. However, the manufacturer states on the packaging that the protein is not suitable for children because of these dyes, it could affect their attention and hyperactivity.
For the adult population , they can also have negative effects, but you would have to consume unknowinglyan incredible amount of protein, which at the recommended dosage is certainly not an option. However, this is still one big minus for us, after all, why in this day and age the manufacturer could not use natural dyes, as it is customary with our Czech brands.
The manufacturer also adds the free amino acid L-glutamine to the protein , which should help the healing process.pe to regenerate strained muscles after a workout, but whether it has a real effect is hard to judge. I'm more of an advocate that it's unnecessary to add free amino acids to protein. The built-in amino acids in the protein are amply sufficient, and if someone wants to add amino acids to the protein, they can do so of their own volition, according to their own needs.
We can also find here added free amino acids L-leucine, L-isoleucine, L-valine, but they are contained in such small quantities that it is not even necessary to mention it. They are found after the added sweetener in the ingredients, which means that there is really minimal amount added.
Furthermore, the protein contains the emulsifier soy lecithin, various anti-caking agents (varying according to flavour), thickening agents xanthan gum, which is a natural stabilizer that is safely used in many foods. There is also carrageenan gum, another controversial thickener that studies have shown can have various negative effects on human health. However, this only applies to excessive consumption; if you follow the recommended dosage, you have nothing to worry about.
The isolate is sweetened with sucralose. We were pleasantly surprised by this, as we were worried that there would be other controversial sweeteners like acesulfame potassium or sodium cyclamate, which I would recommend avoiding.
Nutritional values
At first glance, I was impressed by the fact that the nutritional values are practically the same for all the flavours chosen. The amount of protein per 100 grams is always a beautiful 84%, which is a huge plus and a makeover.so that a person doesn't have to think about which flavour to choose in order to get the most protein in the product.
When we compare it to competing isolates, the protein content is the same or very similar. 84% protein is such a gold standard. On the market we can find isolates with lower protein content, but also with higher.
Small plus points I see in the fact that we can read the specific amino acid spectrum of the protein, which confirms the quality Biotech USA boasts.
| 100 g | 25 g | |
|---|---|---|
| energy value | 1599 kJ/377 kcal | 400 kJ/93 kcal |
| Protein | 84 g | 21 g |
| carbohydrates | 5,2 g | 1,3 g |
| - of which sugars | 0,8 g | 0,5 g |
| Fats | 1,6 g | 0,5 g |
| - of which saturates | 1 g | 0,3 g |
| Salt | 0,71 g | 0,18 g |
Nut liqueur or Tiramisu? All flavours are absolutely perfect.
If you're most interested in the protein flavour, look out. As far as whey isolates go, this one is clearly the best tasting. I'd even dare say it tastes much better than most whey concentrates, which is absolutely amazing.
I have tried the protein in several flavours, namely nut liqueur, coconut, yoghurt-apricot, chocolate, blackberry, and blackberry.caramel, tiramisu, pistachio, cookies and cream, white chocolate, cinnamon roll, hazelnut and berry brownie.
When mixing the protein in water, I followed the manufacturer's instructions, mixing 25 grams of protein in 200-350 ml of water. Let's review each flavor:
- Chocolate-Caramel (9/10) was absolutely perfect. The first time I tasted it, I couldn't believe how it could taste so great. Both chocolate and caramel were beautifully distinct here. I didn't get tired of the flavour even after a long consumption. This is exactly how I imagine the perfect chocolate and caramel flavour. I definitely rank it among the absolute top.
- Coconut (10/10) was the biggest surprise for me. As the biggest coconut lover, I'm really strict about this flavor and I rarely like coconut protein, but this was an absolute dream. I've probably never had a better coconut protein, it smelled beautifully of fresh coconut as soon as it was opened and didn't fall short in taste, quite the opposite. If you also love coconut, go for it.
- The nut liqueur (9/10) was very believable and I can say that I really enjoyed it. When you first taste it, you first smell the chocolate, which after a while is replaced by a nutty tail with alcohol undertones. It sounds very strange, but it's true. I wasn't expecting it, but I also loved this flavour and would definitely get it again.
- Yoghurt-apricot (9/10), here I didn't know how to rate the flavour at first. I liked it a lot when I first tasted it, but it seemed very over-sweetened. But this feeling faded after a while and by the second, third taste I liked the protein more and more. As the name of the flavour suggests, it is most suited to yoghurt.
- Tiramisu (9/10), to be honest I didn't like this flavour very much, but that was because I don't like tiramisu. But to be objective, I have to say that the flavor is 100% authentic and tastes exactly the same as the tiramisu we know from the store. So if you love tiramisu, this flavor will be an absolute treasure for you and you definitely won't want to miss it.
- I didn't find the chocolate (6/10) to be very pronounced and rather I didn't taste it, the protein was sweet, good but not chocolatey.
- Pistachio (8/10) was very good, the flavour was not artificial or overly intense. It wasn't something that made me sit on my butt, but it certainly didn't offend. Personally, I like the pistachio flavor a lot and I was definitely not disappointed.
- Cookies and Cream (9/10), the flavor was very authentic, the protein contained bits of realThe flavour was a nice, pleasant, creamy taste.
- White Chocolate (7/10) was not very strong, the taste was fine, just sweet enough. For white chocolate lovers I definitely recommend it.
- The cinnamon roll (7/10) was again not strong enough for me, but since I like cinnamon very much, I liked it. It reminded me a bit of Cini Minis.
- The hazelnut (6/10) was the worst of the bunch for me. In fact, hazelnut really reminded me of hazelnut, so if you like that flavourdi, you'll probably be happy, but for me, this is one of the worse flavours.
- Berry Brownie (7/10) was such a strange flavour, I've never tasted a flavour like that before. I would compare it to a chocolate brownie with baked blueberries and currants. The flavour wasn't bad, I'm sure some people will like it, but I wasn't too impressed.
- Salted Caramel (10/10) is probably the flavour that grabbed me the most. I've tried many proteins with the Salted Caramel flavour, but I can say for sure that this one tasted the best. The hint of salted caramel is as intense on the first sip as it is on the last, not to mention the smell. For me, absolutely perfect.
- The banana (5/10) on the other hand disappointed me greatly, it was probably the worst banana protein ever I've ever tasted, the chemistry was very strong and I didn't feel comfortable finishing the final protein drink.
- Lemon cheesecake (7/10) is another unique flavour, which was the first time I've ever tasted it in a protein. I quite liked the final flavour, it reminded me of the lemon wafers I used to have as a kid.
- Raspberry (8/10) didn't impress me too much, but to remain objective I have to say that the flavour is very similar to real raspberries, so I definitely recommend this flavour to raspberry lovers, they will definitely enjoy it.
Unmatched protein digestibility and solubility
There are no digestive enzymes added to the protein to aid in protein utilization, but that's okay. Since it is an isolate, digestibility is absolutely luxurious and there is no need to add any enzymes.
I mixed 25 grams of protein in 200 ml of water and the consistency was surprisingly nice and creamy, which is not usual for isolates. Most whey isolates are rather watery and not the best choice for porridges, but here it's the exact opposite. Once added to the porridge, everything thickened up beautifully. I also tried the protein in yogurt or cottage cheese and everything was absolutely no problem.
The protein didn't foam, didn't form lumps and was fully instant. Only when I stirred the protein in the yoghurt did I find that it remained intact in places powder, but after a more thorough mixing everything was fine.
When is the best time to use protein?
Iso Whey Zero contains very easily and quickly absorbed protein, making it best suited for use after a workout.You can also use it at any time of the day for example in porridges, yoghurt or other sweet recipes.
Since it is a very high quality native whey isolate, I do not recommend the protein to be cooked in any wayThis will destroy all the bioactive fractions that are so important for human immunity and overall health.
The price will pleasantly surprise you
The price absolutely matches the quality of the product. You can get the protein isolate in its largest package of 2.27 kg for a very nice price of . I know that for many of you this seems like a lot, but for whey isolate this is a really wonderful price, which I praise. However, if you wait for the right moment, you can get the product even much cheaperIt all depends on the current promotions that the manufacturer is offering.
This protein can really be purchased by everyone. If you do the math, the price of a single dose for the largest pack of 2.27kg will cost you about which is often much lower than the price of any "inferior" whey concentrates. If you have never tried isolate, this is the right time. Believe me, you will not regret it.
Iso Whey Zero vs 100% Pure Whey
Two proteins, both from the same brand. But how do they differ? When we compare these two proteins, we have two very similar products. Both can be used for the same purposes and are perfectly digestible.
Biotech USA Iso Whey Zero is better suited for people who like a very high protein content and the purest protein on the market. It's more suitable for those of you who are on strict diets and I would also choose it as a much better post-workout option as it gets into your bloodstream much faster.
Biotech USA 100% Pure Whey is a whey concentrate that contains a small addition of isolate. The protein content here is around 78%, which is very high for a concentrate. This is a top quality protein that I recommend for the casual exerciser, you can use itin all kinds of recipes and I guarantee you'll enjoy it. This protein has one big plus and that is the price, one dose will cost you about .
Taste-wise, both proteins are absolutely perfect, it 's up to your preference which one you choose. The quality of both are at a very high level.
Is it worth buying whey isolate or is concentrate enough?
To be honest, for regular exercisers, buying whey isolate is practically not worth it. I doubt they would feel any difference compared to a regular concentrate. As a regular exerciser, you can certainly get by with concentrate, which is of the same quality as isolate, exceptt usually has a bit more fat and carbs, but at the same time can provide your body with a lot more health benefits.
If you want to at least try an isolate, I definitely recommend this one, for relatively little moneyYou'll get a delicious, clean, flavorful whey isolate that won't disappoint.
But it's important to mention that whey isolate is more for advancedmore advanced exercisers who just want the highest quality and purity of product.
Final evaluation
So is Iso Whey Zero worth investing in? Definitely yes. I have to say that I was very pleasantly surprised by the protein, to be honest, I didn't expect it to be so good.I didn't expect any great miracles, but after today I definitely rank this protein among the absolute top. Few proteins can match Iso Whey Zero.
As for the taste, you definitely have nothing to worry about. If you love chocolate, I recommend the chocolate-caramel or nut liqueur flavor, if you love coconut like me, you'll be in seventh heaven with the coconut flavor. None of the flavours are downright bad and I was able to enjoy each one.
The overall feeling I get from the protein is very positive. The digestibility, taste, solubility, composition, everything is at a very good level, making the protein one of the absolute best. The only minor minus is the use of artificial colours and emulsifiers, but even this is only a small thing and for most people it is almost irrelevant information.
If you're looking for a whey isolate that comes out very well in terms of value for money, Iso Whey Zero is the one for you.
Comparison with competitors
Other expert reviews
- GymBeam [review]: low quality protein True Whey, Just Whey
- Scitec 100% Whey Professional [review]: one of the most popular proteins
- Nutrend Protein [review]: just another lure for money?
- Vilgain Grass Fed Whey Protein: Can it compete with the best isolates? [review]
- Optimum Nutrition Whey Gold Standard [review]: the gold standard among whey proteins