Health Benefits of Whey Protein: A Review

Whey, a component of milk, is co-product of cheese-making and casein manufacture in the dairy industry. Nowadays, whey is recognized as a value-added ingredient in many food products. Whey and whey components are viewed as value-added ingredients in infant formulas, sports nutrition foods and beverages, and other food products. Recognition of whey as a source of diverse biologically active compounds with unique physiological and functional attributes provides opportunities for the food industry to develop functional foods or foods that have potential health benefits. Whey-derived bioactive components have antimicrobial and antiviral properties, and enhance immune defense and bone health, and improve antioxidative activity, and help protect against cancer and cardiovascular disease, and enhance the performance of physically active individuals, among other benefits. The present review is an attempt to cover scientific aspects of whey proteins' health benefits and critique some of the important research findings associated with them to date.