You know that saying, “It’s a woman’s prerogative to change her mind”? Well, guess what: That’s exactly what I’m doing right now. 

Why? Because I’m open-minded, and sometimes I discover that a food I’ve put on my “no” list deserves to move over to the “yes” list. That’s always cause for celebration, because who doesn’t want more “yes” foods to choose from?

Today, the food that’s going from the naughty list to the nice list is WHEY PROTEIN—but only the right form of this protein. Here’s the story.

Why WHEY PROTEIN ISOLATE is a “yes” food

If you know me, you know that I’m not a fan of dairy. I can’t tolerate most dairy foods, and neither can my patients. I estimate that about 80 percent of people have issues with dairy, and most of them don’t even know it. That blotchy skin? That bloating, gas, or diarrhea? It could be dairy sensitivity. I see it all the time.

So why am I moving whey isolate to my “yes” list? After all, it’s definitely a dairy product, because it’s a combination of proteins isolated from whey—the liquid part of milk that separates during cheese production.

Well, here’s the story. When it comes to dairy sensitivity, whey typically isn’t the issue. Instead, it’s lactose. Whey protein isolate is lactose-free, because unlike whey protein concentrate (another common form of whey protein), it undergoes extra purification to remove this trouble-maker. Look for the word isolate on the label, and you’re good to go.

What’s more, whey protein isolate is a nutritional powerhouse. After an intense workout, the amino acids in this superfood can help you build muscle fast—and as you age, they can fight sarcopenia, or age-related muscle wasting. And that’s just the beginning, because whey is packed with other health-promoting nutrients.

Bottom line…

After doing a deep dive into the latest research, my new take is that whey protein isolate gives you all the advantages of whey without the disadvantages. I’m especially impressed by the benefits it offers if you’re trying to slim down or heal your gut.

That’s why today, I’m officially reversing my position and giving whey protein isolate a thumbs-up. I even added whey to my Chocolate and Vanilla Collagen Super Smoothies.

As they say… live and learn!