{"id":21392,"date":"2022-12-02T10:00:49","date_gmt":"2022-12-02T10:00:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bulk.com\/uk\/the-core\/?p=21392"},"modified":"2024-11-26T15:33:38","modified_gmt":"2024-11-26T15:33:38","slug":"whey-protein-vs-mass-gainer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bulk.com\/uk\/the-core\/whey-protein-vs-mass-gainer\/","title":{"rendered":"Whey Protein vs Mass Gainer: Which is better?"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019re new to the world of <\/span>protein supplements<\/a><\/strong> or you\u2019re simply looking for a little more clarity on what certain products do, you\u2019ve come to the right place. <\/span>Whey protein<\/a><\/strong> and weight gainers<\/a><\/strong><\/span>. As two of our most popular protein powders, it makes sense to clarify how they differ. Here we tell you what they are, which one suits your goals and what makes them different to each other. Let’s dive in.<\/span><\/p>\n

What is whey protein?<\/b><\/h2>\n

Whey protein<\/b> is the most common and popular type of protein powder in sports nutrition. It\u2019s a dairy-based protein derived from milk and a by-product of cheese or yoghurt.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Whey mostly comes in the form of creamy, milkshake-like protein shakes. But due to its increasing popularity, other varieties are now available, such as <\/span>Clear Whey Isolate<\/b><\/a> (a fruity, squash-like protein shake) and convenient <\/span>protein bars<\/b><\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

To make things more confusing, we also have <\/span>Pure Whey Isolate\u2122<\/b><\/a>– very similar to <\/span>Pure Whey Protein\u2122<\/b><\/a>, but with fewer carbs and slightly more protein. If you want to learn more about whey, check out our blog which talks about the <\/span>difference between whey and isolate<\/b><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\t\n\t
Per 100g<\/th><\/td><\/td><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Protein<\/td>Carbs<\/td>Fat<\/td>Calories<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
77g<\/td>4g<\/td>7g<\/td>387<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

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Pure Whey Protein\u2122 - Chocolate 500g<\/a><\/h2>
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\n \n \"Pure\n <\/a>

Pure Whey Isolate\u2122 - Chocolate Cookies 500g<\/a><\/h2>
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Pure Whey Isolate\u2122 - Salted Caramel 500g<\/a><\/h2>
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What is mass gainer?<\/b><\/h2>\n

Mass gainer<\/span> shakes are high-calorie supplements that contain significant amounts of both protein and carbs. They\u2019re an easy and convenient way to load on the calories with a simple shake, without having to worry about cooking a large meal or stuffing in unhealthy foods with low nutritional value.<\/span><\/p>\n

Most people know that you need protein to build muscle, but carbohydrates should not be overlooked in this process. Despite the common conception around carbs, they are essential for sustained energy, athletic performance and muscle building in general. They help to both prevent muscle loss and promote muscle repair. As any regular gym go-er knows, recovery is vital to progression.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\t\n\t
Per 135g<\/th><\/td><\/td><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Protein<\/td>Carbs<\/td>Fat<\/td>Calories<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
40g<\/td>66g<\/td>8.9g<\/td>520<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

Related Products<\/h4>
\n \n \"Essential\n <\/a>

Essential Mass Gainer - Strawberry 1kg<\/a><\/h2>
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Essential Mass Gainer - Vanilla 1kg<\/a><\/h2>
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What is the difference between whey protein and mass gainer?<\/b><\/h2>\n
    \n
  1. The biggest difference between whey protein and mass gainer is that whey protein is made up of just whey protein and mass gainer is high in protein and carbohydrates.<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Mass gainer is for those looking to be in a calorie surplus (bulk), whereas whey protein is more suited for those in calorie maintenance or even calorie deficit.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Mass gainer tends to be a big, thick shake, whereas whey protein shakes are smaller and lighter on the stomach.<\/span><\/li>\n
  4. Mass gainer is more suited to those looking to increase their muscle mass and gain weight, whereas whey protein is better suited to people looking for controlled muscle growth and maintenance without weight gain.<\/span><\/li>\n
  5. Mass gainer is for people on a bulking programme who do intense and long training sessions where the need for recovery is high. In contrast, whey protein is better for regular gym go-ers looking to add extra protein into their diet to help with muscle growth and maintenance.<\/span><\/li>\n
  6. If you\u2019re looking to bake or add in fruit to make a smoothie, whey protein is a better choice as it’s more flavour neutral.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    When to take whey protein<\/b><\/h2>\n

    Whey protein is suitable to enjoy any time of day. As we explore in our article about having a <\/span>protein shake before or after workout<\/b><\/a>, the \u2018best time\u2019 to take protein is entirely dependent on your personal preferences, lifestyle and goals. The overall amount, quality and frequency of protein consumption are generally more important than the time of day it is taken.<\/span><\/p>\n

    You can even take whey protein before bed. Mix it with milk and it will slow down the absorption, so you receive the benefits throughout the night.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    When to take mass gainer<\/b><\/h2>\n

    Similar to whey protein, mass gainer shakes can be used at any time of day, although we would recommend them as a post-workout shake. After a high-intensity training session, mass gainers are an ideal supplement to help your muscles recover and grow. They are both high protein and high carb – a winning combo for recovery.<\/span><\/p>\n

    If you\u2019re considering a mass gainer purely to gain weight, you can take them in between meals to boost your calorie intake in a convenient and inexpensive manner. This will help you maintain a calorie surplus with relative ease.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Should you use whey protein or mass gainer?<\/b><\/h2>\n

    Put simply, the choice between whether to take whey protein or mass gainer depends on your personal goals. Whether you\u2019re training to look good, feel great or get stronger, the choice between whey protein or mass gainer will be different for each person and what those things mean to you.<\/span><\/p>\n

    If your goal is weight gain, rapid muscle growth or to speed up recovery time, then a <\/span>mass gainer<\/span><\/i> is a great option.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    If your goal is muscle growth and maintenance, general health and well-being, calorie maintenance or deficit, then <\/span>whey protein<\/span><\/i> is perhaps the better choice.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Here at <\/span>Bulk\u2122,<\/b> we have just about everything you could need to get the most out of your training and we pride ourselves on launching formulations that work, so with a bit of searching hopefully you can find that supplement that is perfect for you. So all that’s left to say is happy supplementing and more importantly, happy training.<\/span><\/p>\n

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    Looking to learn more? We believe that every person, with support, has the right to transform their lives through fitness. That’s why we’ve put together hundreds of articles with expert advice, all to help you on your fitness journey.<\/p>\n

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     <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    If you’re new to the world of protein supplements or you’re simply looking for a little more clarity on what certain products do, you’ve come to the right place. Whey…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":93,"featured_media":21393,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[352],"tags":[59,1144],"class_list":["post-21392","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nutrition","tag-whey-protein","tag-mass-gainer"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bulk.com\/uk\/the-core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21392","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bulk.com\/uk\/the-core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bulk.com\/uk\/the-core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bulk.com\/uk\/the-core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/93"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bulk.com\/uk\/the-core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21392"}],"version-history":[{"count":17,"href":"https:\/\/www.bulk.com\/uk\/the-core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21392\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24682,"href":"https:\/\/www.bulk.com\/uk\/the-core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21392\/revisions\/24682"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bulk.com\/uk\/the-core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21393"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bulk.com\/uk\/the-core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21392"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bulk.com\/uk\/the-core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21392"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bulk.com\/uk\/the-core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21392"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}