Most "lactose-free" wheys you see on the market are isolates. I pay a premium for that. But maybe you don't need it. I'll explain what's really behind it.
What is lactose and why it appears in whey.
Lactose is the natural sugar in milk. When cheese is made, the solid part (the curd) retains most of the fat and protein, and the liquid whey carries a fraction of lactose with it. When this whey is dried to make protein powder, the lactose remains in small quantities.
Specifically:
- Whey Concentrate 80%: contains an average of 4 to 6 g of lactose per 100 g of product. In our Whey Protein Crema Catalana, a 30 g serving provides 1.7 g of total sugars (mostly natural lactose).
- Whey Isolate 90%+: lactose has been filtered out, usually to less than 1 g per 100 g. A 30 g serving contains about 0.3 g.
What "lactose intolerance" really means.
It's important to separate two cases that are often confused:
Diagnosed intolerance. The intestine does not produce enough lactase, the enzyme that digests lactose. Undigested lactose reaches the colon and causes fermentation, gas, bloating, and diarrhea. It is diagnosed with a medical test (hydrogen breath test or genetic analysis). It affects between 30% and 35% of adults in Spain, with much regional variation.
Sensitivity or occasional discomfort. You might get an upset stomach after a cream soup or a latte, but you tolerate yogurt or aged cheese well. This usually indicates a reduced but not null capacity to digest lactose, not strict intolerance.
For those with diagnosed intolerance, isolate is worth it. For those with occasional sensitivity, concentrate is often well-tolerated, especially if consumed with other foods.
The practical test.
If you don't have a clear diagnosis and want to know how concentrate affects you:
- Buy a sample (at Quota Vita, we have 30g, one serving).
- Take it alone, with water, after you've eaten something.
- Observe your body for the next 4 hours.
If there's no reaction, concentrate is your option and you save 30-50% compared to an isolate. If you react badly, you know you need an isolate or another type of protein.
What we do at Quota Vita.
Our protein is an 80% concentrate. We don't sell it as "lactose-free" because it isn't. The amount of lactose per serving is modest (1.7 g, comparable to a quarter glass of milk), and most of our customers tolerate it without problems.
If you have diagnosed intolerance, our protein is not for you and I would not recommend it. There are isolates on the market with low lactose profiles that will suit you better.
If you have doubts, start with a sample before buying a large format. It's how you taste any new food.
Frequently asked question: what about digestive enzymes?
Some brands add lactase (the enzyme that digests lactose) to the product. It's an intermediate solution: the concentrate retains its flavor and price, but the lactose is broken down at the moment of digestion.
At Quota Vita, we don't add enzymes. The reason is the same as our entire formulation: five ingredients and that's it. If we added lactase, it would have to justify the extra cost and label complexity. For now, I haven't found the demand to justify it.
Gerard, founder.