Is Whey Protein paleo friendly?

The quick answer is no, whey protein is not paleo as it’s an isolated fraction of whole cows milk. Whey protein powder is a processed product, so if you seek to avoid all processed products on a strict paleo diet, then whey protein is probably going to be off your list.

For everyday humans and athletes with moderate activity there are many protein rich meals you can consume to meet your needs. The exception is elite athletes where nutrient timing matters and its simply not plausible to eat and digest enough protein to coincide with your training routine. In this case those athletes which are otherwise keeping to a strict paleo diet may require whey protein to meet with muscle synthesis needs.

While whey protein is considered a bit of a grey area, you can consider sources of protein such as eggs, fish and meat for increase protein intake on a paleo diet. These can be used to great advantage and eggs alone have been used for centuries prior to protein powder to enhance muscle protein synthesis.