What Is the Difference Between Caseinate and Casein?

When browsing food labels at the store, you’ll likely come across a number of unknown ingredients — including casein and caseinate. As unfamiliar as their names may seem, though, they’re actually very common food additives. In fact, casein is the most common natural protein in cow’s milk. The food industry uses casein extracts to create similar products — caseinates.   

Read on to learn more.

Casein is a naturally occurring protein that’s found in milk. In fact, 80% of the protein in cow’s milk is casein. The other 20% is whey protein. 

Casein is used to make a wide range of products, not all of which are edible. They include: 

• Imitation cheese
• Cheese substitutes
• Natural and artificial cheese products
• Paint
• Cosmetics
• Plastic products, like buttons and knitting needles

You consume casein every time you drink milk, but you can also get casein in the form of pure protein powder. It can be separated from pasteurized skim milk via a number of different methods, like: 

• Microfiltration 
• Ultracentrifugation 
• Coagulation with rennet
• Acid precipitation — the most common method

The end result of these methods is a white or yellow granular product that should be pure casein. The FDA manually inspects batches of casein protein powder, searching for contaminants like: 

• Manure
• Plant fragments
• Insect debris
• Rodent debris
• Feathers 

That being said, the FDA doesn’t regulate supplements the same way that they do prescription medications, so there’s always a chance that your protein powder also contains nitrogen-rich contaminants, like urea. Talk to your doctor or a nutritionist about potential sources of pure casein and their safety.  

Caseinates are products that are made from casein — mostly resulting from large-scale commercial processes. They’re created by dissolving casein in a basic (i.e., alkaline) solution that’s made with something like calcium or sodium. For example, sodium caseinate is made by neutralizing acid casein with NaOH. 

Caseinates that you could encounter on a nutrition label include: 

• Sodium caseinate — the most commonly used
• Calcium caseinate
• Ammonium caseinate
• Potassium caseinate
• Magnesium caseinate

In the food industry, you can find pure sources of each of these caseinates. Pure sodium caseinate, for example, is a white powder. 

Pure caseinates are a lot more water-soluble than casein. They also have fantastic foaming, emulsifying, and gelling properties. This means that they have a lot more uses in the food processing industry than casein. 

People use caseinates to help prepare: 

• Non-dairy creamers
• Cured meats
• Pastries and other baked goods 
• Dairy products

Protein powders are very popular products for people who are trying to build muscle or lose weight. These products typically contain one particular type of protein. Milk proteins — like casein — are a common choice because they’re relatively inexpensive. Caseinates are also incorporated into pre-mixed protein drinks. 

These powders and drinks can be made from proteins that come from: 

• Soy 
• Pea 
• Hemp
• Rice
• Potatoes

Not all of these proteins have the same effects on your body, though. Check out your product’s nutrition label to figure out the exact source of the protein in your drink.

People with lactose intolerance don’t produce enough of an enzyme called lactase to break down a particular carbohydrate in milk: lactose. If you have lactose intolerance, you shouldn’t consume casein in the form of pure milk because the milk also contains lactose. You also shouldn’t eat or drink anything that contains a complete source of dairy — like milk or cream. These products also contain lactose. 

Still, there are plenty of products that only contain pure casein and caseinates — like protein powder. These products are safe for people with lactose intolerance.  

You likely can’t consume casein if you have a milk allergy. Milk allergies are one of the most common food allergies in children. Upwards of 4.9% of children under the age of three have a milk allergy. 

These allergies are caused by your immune system overreacting to one of the two proteins in milk. This means that everyone with a milk allergy is allergic to either casein, whey, or both. If you’re allergic to casein, then you also shouldn’t consume caseinates.  

Milk allergies are often difficult to diagnose, but symptoms of a milk allergy may include: 

• Wheezing and difficulty breathing
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Runny nose
• Hives

These symptoms can begin anywhere from minutes to hours after your child drinks milk. Since most children under three can’t clearly communicate health problems, you’ll need to carefully observe them for symptoms. 

You’ll also have to pay very close attention to nutrition labels if your child is diagnosed with a milk allergy. Plenty of unexpected products contain casein and caseinates — like hot dogs and deli meat. A label may list the type of caseinate or use a phrase like “acid casein” or “rennet casein” — labels that describe how the casein was made. 

Milk proteins are easy for our bodies to digest. This means that we can get their nutritional benefits without needing to put in a lot of energy to break them down. This is one of the reasons that they make such efficient protein powders. 

Studies have shown that supplementing your diet with milk protein before and after exercising is a great way to build or maintain muscle mass. This is because faster digestion of protein leads to more amino acids appearing in your bloodstream within a shorter period. Your body can then use these to create muscle proteins. 

When it comes to milk proteins, though, your body can digest whey much faster than all types of casein and caseinates. Meanwhile, it can also digest certain caseinates more quickly. For example, one study found that your body can digest sodium caseinate faster than it can calcium caseinate or regular casein.   

Regardless, casein is a great source of essential amino acids. These are building blocks that your body can’t make on its own. Instead, you need to get them from your diet. Drinking a glass of milk, then, is an efficient way to get a big boost of essential amino acids in your diet. 

The proteins in milk also promote bone growth and help maintain bone mass. It’s particularly beneficial to get milk proteins when your body is still growing. Casein and caseinate-based drinks can typically provide these benefits. 

Talk to your doctor if you believe that you’re lactose intolerant or if your child has shown signs of a milk allergy. You can also discuss the benefits of protein powders with your doctor and ask for recommendations on the purest sources. 

Everyone’s body is different, so your own doctor is the best person to help you navigate difficult nutrition-related decisions.