Whey protein one of the most popular dietary supplements ever. For this reason, we have written countless protein reviews for you from all sorts of manufacturers. And since whey protein is an absolute staple, we're going to keep doing this for a long time to come. Today, we're going to take a look at an isolate from the brand Vilgain. The latter prides itself on the fact that its proteins are made from whey from free-range cows, which makes them better formulated than the competition. Is this really the case? And how does Vilgain Grass Fed Whey Protein Isolate compare to the best products on the market? In today's review, you'll find out everything important.
Content of the review
A composition that has its flaws
Instantized whey protein isolate makes up 90.5% of the product's content. The Vilgain brand likes to stress that the whey used comes from free-range cows. This is undoubtedly a big plus, not only from a nutritional point of view, but also from an ethical point of view, as for many people theFor many people, food water is absolutely essential and they care about the respectful treatment of animals. Whey contains valuable protein fractions such as ß-Lactoglobulin, α-Lactoglobulin, Immunoglobulin G n or Lactoferrin. There is therefore nothing to complain about in this respect. In addition to the whey isolate, there are freeze-dried strawberries in the formula (total 6 % of the composition), natural flavouring, which is not specified, guar gum and steviol glycosides as a sweetener. Personally, I very much appreciate the presence of dried strawberries, as they contribute to a much better taste in addition to the natural colour.
At first glance, therefore, there is almost no room for criticism in the composition. However, when looking at the nutritional table, the enthusiasm fades quite quickly. Protein makes up only 79% of the product's content, which in truth is not much at all for isolate proportions. If it were a concentrate, such a value would be really decent, but among isolates it is a disappointment. For example, Amix Isoprime CFM contains a full 90 g of protein per 100 g of dry matter, and even Prom-in CFM Pure Performance, which ranked firstm place in our ranking of the best whey concentrates, contains only 1 gram less protein. Another problem I see is the high carbohydrate content. There are 4.2 grams of these in 100 grams of the product, which is quite a lot for a whey isolate. However, the high carbohydrate content is nothing new in Vilgain proteins - we have already pointed it out in our review of Vilgain Whey Protein. On the other hand, the fat content is 1.1 grams per 100 grams of product, which is a pretty solid number compared to the competition.
In addition to the macronutrient values, we must also appreciate the purity of the product as such - the aforementioned steviol glycosides are the only sweetener used, which is certainly a nice changechange, as most competitors use them at most as a supplement to sucraloseand the aroma has been enhanced only by natural flavouring, which is also a big plus for us.
Ultimately, Vilgain Grass Fed Whey Protein Isolate didn't make any great impression with its composition. We can't say that it was outright bad, but with products on the leading rungs of ourof our best whey isolates, it simply can't compare.
Hassle-free use
One serving of this protein is 30 grams. In one half-pound packet there are therefore a total of 16 doses. Unfortunately, there are currently no larger packs available, so if you use the protein regularly, you will have to buy it quite often. At the same time, prepare a measure of another protein, because you won't find any in the pack. I don't consider this to be a major problem, as most people can find a scoop at home. After mixing in water, the protein does not foam at all and dissolves without any problem. This is extremely important for me personally, because I hate proteins that clump and dissolve badly.
Vilgain brand isolate contains only 0.5% lactose, so it shouldn't be a problem even for people who suffer from lactose digestion problems. In terms of digestibility, I didn't notice any problem no matter what time of day I took the protein.
Smooth and natural taste
Currently, the manufacturer offers a total of three flavours: chocolate, vanilla and strawberry. Since the first two are the so-called safe bets on which you usually can't go wrong, we decided to try the strawberry flavour. It's quite common that strawberry proteins taste quite artificial, they are over-sweetened and you get full of them quite quickly. But I have to admit that although I was quite skeptical before the first taste, because I'm not a fanof fruity protein flavours, in this case I was pleasantly surprised. It is typical of Vilgain proteins that they are not overly expressive or overly sweet. Grass Fed Whey Protein Isolate is no exception. Its taste is very mild and not at all over-sweetened. The natural taste is greatly helped by the ubiquitous pieces of dried strawberries, which also make the colour of the protein completely natural.
If you prefer strong flavours, you might find this a slight disappointment. But I have to admit that I was completely satisfied. The milder flavours have a big advantage in that you don't overeat them so quickly. At the same time, this has allowed the manufacturer to avoid using artificial sweeteners, which could result in an overly sweet taste. I must therefore rate the taste very positively.
The price is exorbitant
If you're intrigued by Vilgain Grass Fed Whey Protein Isolate, I don't have good news for you. In fact, compared to other isolates on the market, this is a rather expensive product. If it outperformed the competition in terms of its composition, the high price would be understandable and well justified. However, this is not the case. On the contrary, given its weaker composition, it would be logical for Vilgain's isolate to be one of the cheaper products. The resulting price/quality ratio is therefore not the best.
Summary in conclusion
The main advantage of Vilgain Grass Fed Whey Protein Isolate is its taste. So if you are looking for a reliable isolate that you will enjoy and that you won't get tired of after the first week, it is worth giving it a chance. Just be prepared to pay a little extra for it. If, on the other hand, you're looking for an isolate with a top-notch formula or the best price/performance ratio, try another product instead. You can find inspiration in our comparison of the best isolates.
If you have any questions about the review, feel free to contact us in the comments.
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