The 4 best whey isolates, according to a dietitian (2025)

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Summary of my selection

# Best whey isolate 🥇
> Whey Isolate Native – Nutripure

# Best value for money
> PURE Whey Isolate Native – PURE AM Nutrition

# Best alternative
> Whey Isolate Native – Nutri&Co

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Like whey, whey isolate is produced from milk whey, but it has the particularity of having undergone an additional filtration and purification process that allows it to have a higher protein content.

As a result, it contains almost no fat or lactose. It is therefore particularly suitable for people who have difficulty tolerating lactose or who want rapid protein absorption. 

Among the multitude of options on the market, it is not always easy to know which one to choose. 

To help you, I tested and analyzed 10 of the best-selling whey isolates on the Internet. I then rated them according to 5 criteria and selected the 4 best.

Brands tested: Bulk, Eafit, Eiyolab, Eric Fabre, Nutri&Co, Nutrimuscle, Optimum Nutrition, Pure AM Nutrition, Scitec Nutrition.

We evaluate all dietary supplements independently. If you click on one of the provided links, a commission may be paid to us, without affecting the price.

📚 Read also | Our buying guide dedicated to the best whey proteins

Methodology

To carry out this comparison, I defined 5 qualitative criteria based on the features and on my testing of each of the 10 whey isolates.

Each criterion is rated out of 5, and the average of the 5 criteria determined my final selection.

→ Access my full comparison table here (Google Sheet)

1. Nutritional value 

To assess the quality of whey isolate, I in particular relied on the amount of protein. The more protein a whey contains, the purer it is and the faster it is absorbed.

I also took into account the amount of BCAAs, amino acids essential for muscle growth that indicate good milk quality when present in significant amounts.

Finally, I based my assessment on the presence of carbohydrates, and in particular sugar. In whey isolate there is never any added sugar, so the presence of sugar in the nutritional values table therefore indicates the presence of lactose. The higher the amount of lactose, the less pure the whey isolate is. 

2. Safety 

For safety, I considered several characteristics: 

• The geographical origin of the milk

It’s always important to know where what we consume comes from, so I favored French milk over European or non-EU milk.

• Native quality or not

When whey is native, the isolate comes directly from milk and is not a by-product of the cheese industry. The proteins are extracted cold and are not denatured by heat treatment. They are often easier to digest and of better quality.

• The number of food additives and texture agents

The presence of controversial additives is unacceptable in 2023. Texture agents are not controversial, but the fewer there are, the more natural the product will be. 

• The sweeteners used

To improve the taste of whey isolates, sweeteners are used. Natural, non-controversial sweeteners, such as steviol glycoside, are preferred over chemical sweeteners that may impact the microbiome, like sucralose and acesulfame K.

3. Brand reputation

To evaluate the brand’s reputation, I relied on the following data: 

• The brand’s founding date, because longevity is often a sign of quality. 
• The number of Instagram followers which demonstrates its popularity. 
• Reviews on review sites like Trustpilot, as well as Amazon reviews.
• The French companies were prioritized.

4. Taste and texture

The taste of a protein supplement is essential so that its intake is regular and effective. I therefore rated the different isolates based on their taste, the balance of sweetness, and their texture.

A large number of flavor choices was a plus.

In the interest of fairness, I mixed each whey according to the proportions given on the packaging in tap water, then I vigorously shook each shaker for 20 seconds.

Because taste is very subjective, I favored natural, lightly sweet flavors and frothy textures and without clumps.

5. Packaging

Because reducing waste and plastic use is important, the environmental impact of packaging is paramount.

I therefore favored products containing as little plastic as possible and/or made from recycled materials.

The aesthetics and practicality of the packaging were also taken into account.

Best whey isolates: my review

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# BEST WHEY ISOLATE 🥇

Nutripure is a French brand founded in 2017 by two elite athlete brothers, Florian and Christophe Carrio. 

The Native Nutripure cocoa-flavored whey isolate contains 81 g of protein per 100 g with 17.9 g of BCAAs per 100 g. It contains only 3.8 g of carbohydrates, of which only 0.5 g is lactose. The other carbohydrates are likely provided by the cocoa.

The whey isolate is native and comes from fresh milk from French pastures. The proteins are isolated by cold microfiltration. Since they do not undergo heat treatment, they remain intact and are not denatured. 

The Nutripure isolate mixes very well with water, and its texture is liquid and smooth.

The cocoa flavor is very pleasant, natural and mildly sweet. The sweetness comes from a sweetener, the steviol glycoside derived from stevia: this natural sweetener is safe and not controversial.

I really appreciate the clean, plastic-free packaging of Nutripure’s whey isolate. The brand uses an aluminum pouch covered with craft paper. It is one of the few brands to limit plastic in its whey packaging.

This whey is among the most expensive in our comparison (€53.2/kg). Its price is justified by an optimal quality and almost no drawbacks.

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# BEST ALTERNATIVE

Nutri&co is a French brand founded in 2017. It specializes in selling dietary supplements aimed at improving health, beauty and athletic performance. 

Nutri&co’s native chocolate-flavored whey isolate contains 84.7 g of protein per 100 g with 24.8 g of BCAAs. This composition is exceptional for a whey; it indicates very good milk quality. Furthermore, this isolate is among the purest in our comparison. It contains no lactose.

The Nutri&co whey isolate is native, so it does not come from the cheese industry’s whey but directly from milk. The proteins are cold-extracted by microfiltration, which preserves their full quality.

The milk from which the whey originates comes from French pasture-raised cows; it’s the best possible quality for a whey isolate. It is produced by Lactalis, a French company.

What I appreciate about Nutri&co is the transparency; everything is clear. The origin of each ingredient is clearly detailed. All analyses are available online (heavy metals and other contaminants, microbiological quality).

Nutri&co whey contains only 2 additives: xanthan gum and sunflower lecithin. These additives are considered “acceptable” according to the 2023 ranking by the magazine “Que Choisir”. They are not controversial and do not pose a risk to consumers.

The brand has chosen not to use chemical sweeteners. For sweetness, only the steviol glycoside derived from stevia is used. It is currently the best alternative for a sweet taste without adding calories. 

For taste and enjoyment, the Nutri&co whey isolate is well positioned. The powder mixes well and doesn’t clump, its texture is a bit too runny and lacks creaminess.

Its chocolate taste is pleasant and without a chemical aftertaste. 

One small drawback: I think it’s a shame that the packaging is plastic rather than paper.

The price of this whey isolate is among the highest on the market at €49.90 per kilo but this price is, in my opinion, largely justified.

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# BEST VALUE FOR MONEY

Pure AM Nutrition is a French brand created in 2017, it is specialized in dietary supplements aimed at athletes. 

AM Nutrition’s whey isolate contains 85 g of protein per 100 g with 18.4 g of BCAA. This whey is of excellent quality. 

It contains little fat (0.9 g/100 g) and 10.4 g/100 g of carbohydrates. This is uncommon for an isolate. This indicates a higher amount of lactose than some isolates. Be careful, this can be problematic for people who are sensitive or intolerant. 

AM Nutrition’s whey is native, it does not come from a by-product of the cheese industry but directly from milk, so it is of superior quality because no heat treatment is used for protein extraction. The milk used is French. 

AM Nutrition’s whey isolate is the only whey in our test that contains no additives or texturizing agents, aside from sweeteners. That’s a very good thing!

Its sweet taste is provided by a blend of sweeteners: steviol glycoside and sucralose. Sucralose is a sweetener classified as not very recommendable in the 2023 food additives ranking by the magazine “Que Choisir”. 

The taste of AM Nutrition’s whey is one of my favorites. I loved its non-chemical, indulgent vanilla taste. Its sweet flavor is well balanced, just right.

Its texture is unusual with a foamy phase on the surface and a rather liquid phase. This must stem from the absence of texturizing agents.

The AM Nutrition whey isolate is sold at a reasonable price for its quality, the origin of its milk and its formulation without texturizing agents. Its price is €42.71 per kg.

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# BEST CONCENTRATION

Nutrimuscle is a French brand created in 1993; it claims to be the first French brand of supplements for bodybuilding. 

The Nutrimuscle whey isolate contains 85.3 g of protein with 25.5 g of BCAAs; it is the isolate in our test that contains the most. This reflects excellent milk quality. In addition, it contains 4.8 g of carbohydrates with only 0.6 g of lactose.

The Nutrimuscle whey isolate is native, so the protein quality is therefore optimal. Unfortunately, I was unable to find where the milk used to make it comes from.

However, the brand demonstrates transparency and provides the certificates proving a safe product on its website (milk testing, absence of toxins, absence of GMP…) 

The Nutrimuscle whey isolate has the particularity of containing prebiotic fibers such as inulin, probiotic bacteria, and lactase, promoting its digestion and allowing for better digestive comfort.

The flavor of this isolate is pleasant thanks to a balanced taste and a good cocoa flavor.

Its solubility is good and results in a smooth, liquid texture.

One drawback is that the sweet taste comes from sucralose, a controversial artificial sweetener. A study highlights that it may be harmful to our gut microbiota and could play a negative role in long-term weight management. 

At a price of €43.3 per kg, the Nutrimuscle whey isolate is one of the cheapest in our comparison. Despite the presence of sucralose, it offers very good value for money given its protein content.

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Complete comparison

	Note	Nutrition	Sécurité	Marque	Plaisir	Pack
Nutripure	4.6	4	5	5	4	5
Nutri&Co	4.6	5	5	5	4	4
Pure AM Nutrition	4.4	4	4	5	5	4
Nutrimuscle	4.4	5	4	5	5	3
Bulk	4.4	4	4	5	4	5
Optimum Nutrition	4.0	4	4	4	5	3
Eric Fabre	3.6	4	3	4	4	3
Eiyolab	3.6	5	4	3	3	3
Eafit	3.4	4	2	4	4	3
Scitec Nutrition	3.2	4	3	3	3	3

→ Access my full comparison table here (Google Sheet)

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

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Sources and scientific studies

Assessment of food additives “Que Choisir” 2023 – https://www.quechoisir.org/comparatif-additifs-alimentaires-n56877/

Sucralose, A Synthetic Organochlorine Sweetener: Overview of Biological Issues. Sept 2023 – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3856475/

The influence of carbohydrate and protein ingestion during recovery from prolonged exercise on subsequent endurance performance. Nov 2007 – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17852694/

Exercising before protein intake allows for greater use of dietary protein–derived amino acids for de novo muscle protein synthesis in both young and elderly men. Feb 2011 – https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002916523020828 

The influence of  whey protein and glycomacropeptide on satiety in adult humans. Oct 2009 – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18948128/

A randomized crossover, pilot study examining the effects of a normal protein vs. high protein breakfast on food cravings and reward signals in overweight/obese “breakfast skipping”, late-adolescent girls . Aug 2014 – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25098557/