It is not news that whey protein can also be used for baking. They can easily increase the protein content of pancakes, muffins or even homemade bread. The Vilgain brand has come up with a special baking protein for this purpose, which that's made to be used in all kinds of recipes. In today's review, we'll take a look at its ingredients, but we'll also focus on how well it bakes and whether you even need to buy a special protein for baking.
Content of the review
A promising composition, about which we don't have enough information
Baking protein is unflavoured and does not contain any protein fractions, as these would be lost under the influence of high temperature anyway. We are therefore dealing with pure protein only. However, it is made up of several components. The first is whey isolate. Isolates are typically higher in protein and more digestible than whey concentrates. They also have a lower lactose content, which for many means significantly better digestibility. In this respect, therefore, we have nothing to criticise the manufacturer. The other ingredients are a little worse. We do not know much about them. The manufacturer only states that in addition to whey isolate, the composition also includes a mixture of milk proteins. However, it does not provide any information about which proteins are involved.
We already pointed out this problem in our review of the Vilgain Protein Bar. For its protein bars, the Vilgain brand also lists only unspecified milk protein as the protein source. However, the milk protein may be hiding high-quality micellar casein, but it could just as easily beit could equally well be low-quality calcium caseinate, which is poorly utilised by the human body. For this reason, it is difficult to evaluate the composition in any detail, as the manufacturer simply does not provide us with enough information.
Versatile use
Vilgain Baking Protein can be used as part of both sweet and savoury recipes. The manufacturer states that the protein can replace up to 30% of the flour in recipes. It is therefore up to your imagination how you decide to use it. The protein is flavourless, so you don't have to worry about it affecting the taste of the recipe you add it to in any way. In addition to classic dishes such as pancakes, muffins, banana bread and the like, to which it is common to add protein, you canVilgain Baking Protein can also be used for example in pizza, homemade bread or Christmas cookies.
What is our experience with it?
If you've ever used protein in baking, you've probably noticed that runningThe protein tends to clump up and the resulting dough can be quite dry. Luckily, with Vilgain's baking protein, you don't have to worry about anything like that. As a dough ingredient, it works absolutely great in baking with no problems at all. The resulting dough is beautifully fluffy and definitely not overly dry (this is of course not just down to the baking protein). The difference compared to a regular protein in terms of baking properties is therefore obvious. The digestibility of the protein is also worth mentioning. Since it is largely made up of whey isolate, it contains a minimum of lactose, so it is not a problem even for people who are lactose intolerant.
The high price is a big negative
If Vilgain Baking Protein has a downside, it is definitely the price. In terms of price per gram, it's even more expensive than the top-ranked products on our list of the best whey proteins. But unlike it, these also contain various protein fractions, digestive enzymes and are also flavoured. From a purely financial point of view, it is therefore more worthwhile to use a good quality regular protein for baking than to buy a special protein for baking. Of course, it could be argued that Vilgain Baking Protein has better properties in terms of baking, but the question is whether it is so great advantage that it makes it worth buying a special protein at a higher price than the best proteins on the market.
Need a special protein for baking?
We have already touched on this question in previous paragraphs. And the answer is, at its core, very simple. You really don't need a special protein for baking. In our article, Does Protein Degrade in Cooking and Baking? you'll learn why there's no need to worry about protein degrading in baking to the point where it ceases to be a complete protein source. The only negative is that any protein fractions and other substances will lose their effect. However, if you're only concerned about adding protein to your recipe, any whey protein will do.
On the other hand, it cannot be said that a special protein for baking does not have some advantages. As already written above, in terms of consistency it is a much better choice compared to regular proteins. At the same time, however, it is necessary to draw attention again to its high price. In the end, therefore, it depends primarily on your financial possibilities. If you don't mind spending some extra money on a special protein, you certainly won't go wrong. However, it is definitely not a necessity and you can easily do without it.
Summary at the end
Compared to regular proteins, Vilgain baking protein has a much better consistency as part of the dough and the resulting dough is also much more fluffy. As a protein source, however, it works exactly the same as regular proteins. In addition, the manufacturer does not provide all the information about the protein sources. From a price point of view, it is definitely not the cheapest product and in terms of price per gram it comes out even more money than the best whey concentrates. Whether this protein is worth it ultimately depends on what your expectations are of it. If you're looking for a protein source for your favorite recipe, you'll make do with regular protein. But if you want to achieve the best dough consistency in addition to protein replenishment and don't mind paying extra for it, Vilgain Baking Protein makes sense for you.
Comparison with competitors
Other expert reviews
- GymBeam [review]: low quality protein True Whey, Just Whey
- Biotech Iso Whey Zero [review]: the best isolate on the market?
- 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]