Clear protein and whey protein are two popular protein powders. They’re both high in protein, easy to digest, and come in multiple (delicious) flavors.
But, is one better than the other?
As with many things in fitness (and life, in general), determining which is “better” depends on a variety of factors, including your goals and personal preferences.
Today, we’ll take a look at clear protein vs whey regarding which is better for weight loss, digestion, and muscle building.
Let’s start with the basics.
Clear Protein vs Whey Protein
Clear protein and whey protein are both derived from cow’s milk. Whey is a by-product of the cheese-making process. It’s then passed through progressively smaller filters to remove extraneous fats, carbohydrates (lactose) and calories. Then, it’s dried to create the high-protein powder we all know and love.
Clear protein undergoes an additional, specialized refinement to create a light, juice-like drink without the rich, creamy taste of traditional whey protein powders. Both deliver high-quality, complete protein packed with all the essential amino acids your body needs to fuel protein synthesis and muscle recovery.
Still, there are slight differences between the two.
Regular whey protein powders are made using whey protein concentrate, which contains ~80% protein. Clear protein and isolate protein are made using whey protein isolate which contains a minimum of 90% protein by law. So, from a pure protein content standpoint, clear protein and isolate are higher in protein than whey protein concentrate. Still, that’s not all there is to consider when deciding which is the right one for you.
Clear Protein vs Whey For Weight Loss
Research is clear that higher protein diets are better for weight loss compared to lower protein diets. This is due to the fact that consuming enough protein can help curb hunger, boost metabolism (since our bodies burn more calories digesting protein than carbs or fats), and protect lean muscle from breakdown.
With that in mind, both clear protein and whey can be effective for weight loss.
However, you need to be in a calorie deficit in order to lose body fat. Clear protein has a slight edge on whey protein since clear protein usually has fewer calories per serving than traditional whey protein concentrate.
Clear protein is whey isolate which has more protein and less carbohydrates and fat per serving. 1UP Clear Protein, for example, contains a mere 80 calories per scoop with ZERO calories from fat or carbohydrates. Whey protein powder varies from 110-160 calories per serving depending on which grade whey protein is used as well as what other flavorings, sweeteners, and add-ins (creamers, cookie pieces, cereal pieces, etc.).
Let’s be clear that you can still lose weight using “regular” whey protein powders, and many of our transformation challenge winners have had great success with 1UP Whey Protein. But, if you are really cutting calories and need to make the most of every gram of food you put in your body, then 1UP Clear Protein has the advantage.
Clear Protein vs Whey for Digestion
Whey has established itself as the “gold standard” protein source for post-workout recovery shakes for two key reasons -- its high leucine/EAA content and its fast digestion rate. In fact, whey’s absorption rate has been estimated at ~10 grams per hour.[1] This means a 20-gram protein shake is digested and absorbed within two hours. Compare this with casein that can take up to 7-8 hours to digest, and you can easily see why whey protein is the ideal post-workout protein.
Since clear protein is whey protein, it is naturally fast-digesting. However, clear protein has a slight edge in both speed of digestion and ease of digestion due to the fact that it is whey isolate.
Whey concentrate, while also fast-digesting, contains various amounts of fat and carbohydrates which results in slower digestion compared to a clear protein that has ZERO fat or carbs. It may also have an increased chance of causing some GI distress (gassiness, bloating, etc.) for individuals that are very sensitive to lactose, since whey concentrate contains a small amount of lactose.
In this case, both whey and clear protein are great options if you’re looking for a fast-digesting protein. However, if you are lactose sensitive, then you’re better off using clear protein which contains NO lactose.
Clear Protein vs Whey for Muscle Building
When it comes to choosing a protein powder to support muscle building, whey is the gold standard. It is backed by decades of research demonstrating its ability to quickly spike muscle protein synthesis (MPS) rates, halt muscle protein breakdown (MPB), and flood your muscles with critical essential amino acids, including the all-important leucine (the amino acid that ignites mTOR -- the process that kickstarts MPS).
In this situation, there really is no “better” option. Both clear protein and whey deliver what you want, when you need it.
Sure, clear protein may digest ever so slightly faster than regular whey protein, but that difference is insignificant in the larger context of hard training, proper nutrition, and quality sleep.
It really depends on what you’re craving after a hard workout. Do you want a rich, creamy, dessert-like drink, or do you want something that is light, refreshing, and juice-like?
Both can, and will, work for muscle building.
The Bottom Line
Clear Protein and Whey Protein are both derived from cow’s milk. As such, they’re both excellent quality protein powders that digest quickly and can support both muscle building and fat loss.
If you’re sensitive to lactose, opt for clear protein or whey isolate which contains virtually no lactose.
And, if you’re looking for the best tasting protein powders money can buy, you don’t need to look very far.
1UP Nutrition has got you covered with a wide variety of high-quality, delicious protein powders, including Whey Protein, Whey Isolate, and Clear Protein. Our protein powders, as are all of our supplements, are manufactured under strict quality standards in an NSF/ANSI cGMP 455-2 Certified and FDA-Registered and Inspected Facility in Miami FL, USA. Every batch undergoes rigorous lab testing for formula accuracy, potency, purity, and safety to ensure we deliver the highest standards of quality.
References
- Schoenfeld BJ, Aragon AA. How much protein can the body use in a single meal for muscle-building? Implications for daily protein distribution. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2018 Feb 27;15:10. doi: 10.1186/s12970-018-0215-1. PMID: 29497353; PMCID: PMC5828430.
