Smartlabs Hydro Traditional - One of the first hydrolysates on the market, yet still among the top (Review)

Hydro Traditional by Smartlabs is the very first hydrolyzed protein, which appeared on the Czech market in 2007. Since then, it has managed to win many fans and opponents. Hydrolysates are definitely not for everyone, but if you give them a chance, you might not want to change.

A very unconventional protein pack

At first glance, I was struck by the fact that the protein comes in very unconventional packaging. Specifically, my protein arrived in a plastic bucket that wasn't exactly the ideal size for storage, so on the first day I shoved it in the basement, the only place it would fit. On the other hand, this style of packaging is handy because even if you have a few leftover scoops of protein, you don't have to hunt for them at the bottom of the pixel with your long arm.

However, I was bothered that the protein powdered a lot after opening the lid, as the lid was quite sturdy and there was protein spilled on the bottom, so when I opened it, I had a lot of protein smoke in the kitchen. There wasn't even a paper spill guard under the lid to prevent this problem.

I therefore had to start cleaning up before tasting, but that's just a detail. After this first negative experience, things only continued to get better.

Absolutely flawless composition

The main raw material used in the product is the protein source and it is enzymatically digested (hydrolyzed) whey concentrateThis protein is found in 76% of the iced coffee flavour and 70% of the dark chocolate flavour.

The degree of hydrolysis of the protein is 32, which simply means that the protein particles are broken down into very small pieces (moleculesmass is below 1000 daltons), which results in extremely fast absorption and maximum absorption of nutrients into the body. It is truly the fastest available protein source we can use after a workout.

In the dark chocolate flavour, the protein also contains cocoa from unroasted cocoa beans (originally from Ecuador). This is an absolutely excellent choice in every way, this quality cocoa gives the protein an absolutely superior taste of real chocolate.and at the same time provides the body with high quality nutrients in the form of various antioxidants, minerals and vitamins.

The protein also includes naturally identical flavours and natural colours, which we consider to be the best choice. With a lot of competing companies nowadays, we still see different chemical flavourings or colourings that are often harmful to health, which is why we commend the choice of Smartlabs.

Last but not least, the protein is sweetened with sucralose, which is considered the second healthiest sweetener. As the best sweetener here, the manufacturer could have used stevia, but it is usually less potent.and it's hard to say whether it would overpower the bitter hydrolysed protein. Therefore, we completely understand that the manufacturer has preferred to use sucralose, which we think is a great choice.

Nutritional values

For the iced coffee flavor, the nutritional values of the protein performed well above average among the DH32 hydrolysates. The protein content here is a nice 76%, which is unusual for this type of protein and we were very pleased with it.

In the dark chocolate flavour, the nutritional values are a little worse in the sense thatthere is only 70% protein, which is rather below average. However, this is only a small detail that the average or advanced exerciser does not need to address in any way.

Unless you are on a very strict diet and have to carefully watch every gram of protein in your diet.protein, carbohydrate and fat intake, then choose the flavor of your preference and don't limit yourself in any way.

A big plus is that the manufacturer fully discloses on its official websiteThe amino acid spectrum of protein is always a sovereign step that we appreciate.

According to the amino acid spectrum we can see that the protein contains up to 24% branched chain amino acids (BCAA) and up to 18.78% of L-Glutamic Acid, which will be greatly appreciated by advanced athletes and people who want maximum protein quality after training.

Nutritional values (coffee)

You will really enjoy the flavours

Right from the start, I must tell you that the taste of hydrolyzed proteins is diametrically opposed to the taste of ordinary concentrates. Generally speaking, the higher the degree of hydrolysis, the more bitter the protein is. And since Hydro Traditional uses the highest degree of hydrolysis (32), the bitterness is really noticeable. However, I have to say that the manufacturer managed to deal with the bitterness very well and we still enjoyed the flavours very much.

Still, if you don't like the bitter taste, you probably won't like the hydrolysates too much, but since I love the bitter taste, I loved the taste of these proteins as well. We tried the Hydro Traditional in two flavours, iced coffee and dark chocolate. When mixing the protein in water I followed the manufacturer's instructions, 45g of protein per 200-300ml of water. Here is an evaluation of each flavour:

• Iced coffee (9/10), this flavour surprised me a lot. I have personally tried several coffee flavoured proteins, but this one came out on top. The protein is pleasantly sweet when first ingested, but after a while you can feel the bitter undertone, which I personally loved. I don't think there is a better alternative for lovers of real coffee.
• Dark Chocolate (9/10), this is really about the true taste of dark chocolate. Since the manufacturer also adds real cocoa beans to the protein, the taste really stands out. When mixing the protein in the recommended amount of water, I found the protein extremely bitter, one could even compare it to eating the cocoa beans themselves. However, with more water, the bitterness disappeared a bit and I really enjoyed the protein. If you love the sweet chocolate taste reminiscent of granola, you won't like this protein. In that case, I would rather recommend Hydro Whey Zero from BiotechUSA, which is significantly sweeter. However, if you love real dark chocolate, this flavor will be an absolute treasure for you.

Seamless digestibility, but less soluble

Since this is an enzymatically digested (hydrolyzed) whey concentrate the digestibility and usability of the protein is top notch. You will not experience any intestinal upset after consumption, no bloating, nothing like that.

After mixing in water, lumps remained in the protein (but this happens with hydrolysates), so I had to use a spoon to stir it or I recommend preparing the protein in a blender.

The consistency of the protein is watery and you will soon feel hungry after eating it. That's right though, the hydrolysate gets into your bloodstream as quickly as possible, allowing you to consume a full meal within an hour of your workout.

When is the best time to take protein?

Hydro Traditional contains the fastest absorbing protein you can get into your body. It begins to be absorbed into the bloodstream within 20 minutes of consumption, so it is best suited for post-workout use .

The second alternative I would see for using hydrolysate is immediately upon waking in the morning when your body is hungry after a night of fasting. At other times during the day I would not use hydrolysate precisely because of its extremely fast absorption, which is very specific and during the day (e.g. It would not be entirely appropriate in place of a snack.

An acceptable price that surprised us

Usually hydrolysates tend to be priced very high, but with Hydro Traditional we were surprised that this was not the case. The hydrolysate in its largest pack of 2 kg comes out to . At first glance this might seem like a lot, but you have to remember that this is the most advanced form of protein processing.

The price of one dose comes out to , but this is due to the fact that the manufacturer statesthe amount of one dose is 45g, which is much larger than competing brands. If you convert the dose to 30g (which is the most common recommended daily dose), Hydro Tratitional will cost you per dose. This price already works much better on people and we can only recommend this hydrolysate. Moreover, if you wait for the right moment, you can get Hydro Traditional on sale for a beautiful or even less.

The main difference between whey hydrolysate and concentrate

With whey hydrolysate, a lot of people think it will give them extreme muscle growth, which isn't exactly true. Muscle growth will be virtually the same after consuming hydrolysate, isolate and concentrate, but what is hydrolysatethat makes it so great is that it ensures the fastest possible muscle recovery after your workout. Very simply put, you'll be able to train the same part again much sooner than you used to, which canindirectly lead to more muscle volume (this is where the misconception of hydrolysate = more muscle comes in).

Another huge plus of hydrolysate is that it requires almost no protein to digest, therefore it won't put any strain on your digestion. This is very useful for people who are in a bulking episode, for exampleand need to supply the body with protein without unnecessarily burdening the digestion.

I might also mention that after consuming hydrolysate you will have the biggest insulin response, which will also be reflected in the volume of your muscles, but this is only true if you consume the protein itself. So if you're more used to having some form of carbohydrate (fruit, porridge...) and protein after your workout, the insulin response will be exactly the same with both hydrolysate and concentrate.

Hydrolyzed proteins are for a very small group of athletes, they are mostly popular with endurance athletes who need to train long and often.

I, as a bodybuilder, have tried hydrolyzed proteins many times, but practically I didn't feel many changes compared to a classic concentrate. The big advantage for me was the relief of digestion, but on the other hand, when I used whey isolate, I also had no problem with digestion. So for me, hydrolyzed protein is pretty useless for bodybuilding and gym workouts, but somethingeveryone may have a different opinion and it depends on you and your preferences.

Final evaluation

So is it worth investing in Hydro Traditional from Smartlabs? If you're a casual exerciser, unfortunately probably not. If you're an advanced and professional athlete, it's up to you to decide if the benefits of using hydrolysate are right for you.

I have to say that overall, I was very pleasantly surprised by the protein. For being the first hydrolysate in the country, it still holds up to a very high standard and as far as the quality of the protein is concerned, there is nothing to complain about.

The taste is very specific, bitter. If you have never had hydrolysate before, prepare yourself for a completely different taste than you have been used to. Some may like the protein, some may not, there is nothing to do but to try it for yourself.

The overall feeling of the protein is definitely very positive and I can only recommend it. The only thing that spoils my impression is the way the protein was packaged, Smartlabs should work on that.

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