The ingredients list found on the back or side panel of every commercially available food product - with few exceptions - serves as the consumer’s best starting point for understanding the real contents of every product. It discloses the ingredients that make up the product, sorted in order from most abundant to least abundant. It actually avoids telling you how much of every ingredient is present inside the product. As such, more individuals than ever before are reading the Nutrition Facts panel on product labels to truly understand what’s in their food [i]. It is overall helpful for consumers to know what their food contains and what kinds of vitamins and nutrients they’re consuming. While it’s beneficial for individuals to know that their food contains a specific amount of nutrients and/or vitamins, there are variations within these elements that are not captured by a typical food label. We’ll illustrate this by taking a look at protein. Most people understand protein’s importance to any diet. Protein constitutes the very building blocks that sustain life, from digestion to muscle upkeep [ii]. However, eating the Recommended Daily Intake (RDI) of 50 grams of protein may not be as healthy as it should be, because of the differences in protein sources and protein qualities. The variation of protein used in products is almost as vast as the variation of products themselves. Manufacturers may use whey, soy, caseinate, and other protein types to fortify their products with protein. “Protein grades” such as whey concentrate, whey hydrolysate, and whey isolate are also used to help refine these proteins. These types and grades of protein are not seen on the labels of many products. The grade and kind of product is going to determine how easily you’ll be able to digest and assimilate the food. Foods such as caseinates are great for sustaining energy and preventing catabolism where the body breaks down the body’s muscles for energy. One special grade of proteins - hydrolyzed proteins - is used in a very small percentage of products due to its high cost to manufacture. It is often present in infant formula because it is easy on the stomach and easy to assimilate. They are derived from complete proteins typically through an enzymatic process that breaks proteins into smaller peptides. The process divides the long protein molecules into shorter molecules known as peptides. The smaller these peptides are, the easier the protein will be absorbed and digested. Hydrolyzed proteins also owe their popularity to the fact that, as in comparison with normal proteins, they are less susceptible to denaturing- a process by which the proteins are broken into structures that the body cannot easily digest. Hydrolyzed protein is a superb and natural form of protein. However, this is where the challenge occurs. This is because your product label’s Nutrition Facts will not tell you what kind of grade or type of protein is used. Consumers have to turn to the ingredient list. The FDA requires all food products to disclose the source of all proteins (eg. whey, soy, egg), but not the grade (eg. concentrate, isolate, hydrolysate). Since all proteins aren’t the same, manufacturers employ various strategies for incorporating them into products. Caseinate and soy are best with “milky” flavors such as vanilla and chocolate on account of their alkaline-base. Another disadvantage to casienates and soy is their high viscosity (thickness). This limits the amount of caseinate or soy that can be used in a beverage. Whey is an acid-based protein and is less viscous. Whey can be used with fruity flavors due to its compatibility with acidulants such as citric acid and malic acid. A problem with all of these proteins is their heat instability – when they are heated, the proteins denature (break apart). These proteins which have then become denatured are difficult to metabolize and digest. Most proteins on the market fall into this category. The product Actinase® is a hydrolyzed protein blend that can help with these issues. Because of its molecular structure, Actinase is very dense. Forty grams of Actinase can be dispersed in less than three fluid ounces of water, with a viscosity no thicker than tomato juice. Any other protein at this concentration would become a solid mass. In other words, Actinase allows producers to add more protein to their product without adding the thickness (or, viscosity) normally associated with protein fortification. It is also heat stable and can be used in several ways in contrast to its other protein source counterparts. Yet Actinase’s attraction goes beyond its heat-resistance and low viscosity. It is all natural, hypoallergenic, both acid and alkaline stable, and complete (i.e. Actinase contains all essential amino acids). Actinase helps stimulate thermogenesis which permits the body to maintain a high metabolism. This is great news for dieters and weight-loss seekers. It can be excellent news for consumers who need to ingest a good source of protein, but not necessarily taste it, since Actinase has a neutral taste and aroma. Food labels can only do so much in helping you understand what you eat. They are nonetheless missing a protein part that might be extremely helpful in letting you understand what you’re putting into your body. Consumers now understand that it’s not sufficient to simply understand how much protein is in their food. They ought to concentrate on the source and quality of the protein, as well. REFERENCES [i] Source: “Understanding Labels”. Supermarketguru.com. www.supermarketguru.com/page.cfm/261 [ii] Source: “The Importance of Protein”. 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