You probably remember from your high school biology class that protein is pretty important to the human body. In fact, protein is widely considered to be the fundamental building blocks of the human body, and plays an essential role in helping us to build and maintain healthy the muscles, bones, cartilage, skin, blood, hair, fingernails, serum albumin, keratin and collagen in our bodies. Organic whey protein is one healthy alternative to help you get the right amount of healthy protein that your body needs.
Most Americans (and people in developed countries around the world) actually eat more protein than what their bodies need. Unfortunately, much of that protein comes from unhealthy sources, such as fast food and junk food. Furthermore, vegetarianism (and veganism) has grown 500% since 2014 and is only expected to continue growing in the coming years. Because meat is one of the primary sources of proteins that our bodies need, many vegetarians run the risk of becoming protein deficient if they do not carefully plan their diet, and organic whey protein is a meat-free alternative to help them get the protein they need.
Below, we will look at why it is important to opt for organic why protein products as an alternative or supplement to other sources of protein. We then turn our attention to the top 17 organic whey protein products on the market today.
Why It Is Important to Choose Organic Whey Protein
Organic whey protein is a non-meat alternative that can help people get the protein their bodies need in a healthy, and organic manner. Organic whey protein has several beneficial properties and ingredients including cysteine, lactoferrin, and higher immunoglobins. Furthermore, unlike other vegetable-based proteins, organic whey protein is a natural protein source that maintains the integrity of the amino acids.
Furthermore, organic whey protein also has a higher micronutrient activity and is high in antioxidants, which brings added health benefits. Because of the composition of this form of protein, organic whey protein is a fantastic product to help people grow lean muscle mass. This makes organic whey protein one of the most trusted and important products for body builders and weightlifters.
Besides growing more muscle mass, organic whey protein also has the ability to help you lower your overall cholesterol levels.
Among some of the other added health benefits, it is worth mentioning the following:
Helps with Weight Loss: Studies have repeatedly shown that regular use of organic whey protein can help with weight loss as it forces you to build lean muscle mass instead of unhealthy proteins that lead to fat.
Help with Asthma: For people who suffer from asthma, organic whey protein also has the ability to boost our immune response in order to better deal with this serious respiratory condition.
Lowers Blood Pressure: As another added benefit, beverages supplemented with organic whey protein has been shown to help lower and reduce blood pressure in patients who hypertension. This in turn lowers the risk for heart disease and stroke.
It is also worth noting that organic whey protein products are healthy options because of how they are sourced. While much of the dairy industry is dominated by large factory farms where cows are kept in small pens, given antibiotics to protect from disease and hormones to artificially increase milk production, products that are labeled as organic whey protein has dairy that is sourced from grass fed cows.
Studies show that milk sourced from grass-fed cows is high in conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) which is an important nutrient our bodies need. Furthermore, grass fed milk is also a major, healthy source of several vitamins and minerals such as vitamin B12, iodine, vitamin B2, vitamin D and phosphorus as well as a good source of calcium, pantothenic acid, selenium, biotin, protein and vitamin A.
The best organic whey products (reviewed below) will not even contain trace amounts of antibiotics, hormones, pesticides, or other contaminants associated with industrial farming and the industrialized dairy industry.
On an ecological level, grass fed cows have a much lower carbon footprint than cows (both beef and dairy) that are raised in factory farming settings. Organic whey protein products, then, help to limit our collective carbon emissions that are leading to global climate change.
Top 17 Best Organic Whey Protein Products
Now that we have seen some of the most obvious and important benefits of organic whey protein for our overall healthy, it is important to discover how to find the top products currently on the market. While you certainly could make your own organic whey protein at home, this is a time consuming process, and you will most likely ruin several batches before learning the art. Below, we offer a quick review of the top 17 best organic whey protein products on the market today.
1. Natural Force® Organic Whey Protein Powder: This product is certified organic by the USDA and is sourced from family-owned farms in California. It is also bottled in the USA. Furthermore, this product is sourced from 100% grass fed cows and contains absolutely no GMOs. No acids or bleaches were used in the processing of the product. It is also completely free of any types of hormones traditionally used in factory dairy cows and is also naturally cold-pressed during the minimal processing. This limited processing allows the co-nutrients present in the milk such as healthy fats, calcium, and potassium to truly emerge in this product.
2. Less Naked Whey Chocolate Protein: Simplicity is the key for this product as it only uses three ingredients: 100% grass fed pure whey protein, organic chocolate, and organic coconut sugar. You will find no artificial sweeteners, antibiotics, or traces of hormones in this great product. Sourced from US farms, the organic whey in this product is full of amino acids, clean protein and detergents, synthetic additives, heavy metals, or other potentially dangerous contaminants. The rich chocolate taste is an added benefit.
3. Levels 5LB Pure Chocolate 100% Grass Fed Whey Protein: While certified organic dairy can still come from cows fed soy and corn, this product sources they whey from cows raised on a wide variety of pastures to maximize the amount of healthy protein. Each scoop of the whey in this product adds 24 grams of Protein and 5.4 BCAAs (branched-chain amino acids), all without any added sugars. It is also completely GMO free.
4. Natural Force® Undenatured Organic Whey Protein Powder: This is another quality organic whey protein product from Natural Force. The minimal processing with this product makes for an undenatured protein source. As a bulk option, you can also get an extremely low price per ounce.
5. Garden of Life Protein Powder: This product is specifically designed for athletes and fitness gurus. A small dose of this after each workout will help you to refuel and repair your muscles. Furthermore, this product comes with the added benefit of probiotics as it includes over 2 billion CFU probiotics and 4.7 grams of branched-chain amino acids. This will give you the protein you need while also offering benefits for a healthy digestion.
6. Raw Grass Fed Whey: If you are looking for one of the most pure organic whey protein products on the market, here you have it. Raw Grass Fed Whey is exactly what the name implies. It has only ingredient, which is 100% Pure Grass Fed whey protein from the milk of Jersey cows. Besides having no GMOs, no antibiotics or hormones, and being naturally gluten free, this product also can claim to be 100% free of soy lecithin. They source their milk from cows whose diet consists of a variety of wild grasses and clover, thus producing milk rich in omega-3s and CLAs.
7. Pure Label Nutrition Grass Fed Whey Protein: Another product that sources organic whey protein from grass fed cows on dairy farms in the state of California is offered by Pure Label Nutrition. This two-pound jug has absolutely no sweeteners, artificial colors or preservatives. It is unflavored so you can know you are getting the real thing. Each serving of this product contains 24 grams of Protein, 2.5 grams of Fat, 1 gram of carbs and only 122 Calories, making it a great option for people looking to use organic whey protein to lose weight. A unique money-back guarantee is another added benefit of this product.
8. NorCal Organic Whey Protein: California dairy cows seem to be monopolizing the organic whey protein industry, because this is yet another company that sources their whey protein from cows raised on cattle farms in northern California. With this product, you get 21 grams of protein, 4.9 grams of branched-chain amino acids, and 150mg glutathione with each serving.
9. NOW Sports Organic Whey Protein: This one-pound bottle of organic whey protein is marketed towards athletes and sports fanatics. Because it is natural and unflavored, you can rest assured that it contains absolutely no aspartame, no sucralose, no acesulfame-k, or other artificial sweeteners. It is also certified organic.
10. Tera´s Organic, Low-Carb Whey Protein: Not everyone likes the natural taste of organic whey protein. This product from Tera´s offers a flavored option that actually tastes great while also delivering a number of important health benefits. This product is made with real Bourbon vanilla and packs in up to 20 grams of protein per serving. The low glycemic stevia sweetener is great for diabetics as it means your blood sugar will not spike when taking this product.
11. Organic Valley Organic Fuel Whey Protein: This chocolate flavored organic whey protein is a favorite among chocolate lovers looking to get the boost of organic whey protein with a great taste as well. With only three grams of sugar per serving, this product is also soy free and has absolutely no artificial sweeteners. You can also find this product with a vanilla flavor.
12. The Organic Whey Protein Powder: A company simply called “The Organic Whey” knows the business of organic whey protein. The product they offer is sourced from grass fed cows. At 80% protein, this is one of the most concentrated protein products on the market and is a perfect choice for fitness experts and weightlifters to help you meet your daily protein goals. The cold-processing manufacturing process also assures a balanced amino acid profile to keep intact immunoglobin.
13. Orgain Grass Fed Whey Protein Powder: Another great organic whey protein product is offered by Orgain. This whey in this product is sourced from New Zealand, known for their rich pastures. Furthermore, each serving of this product delivers one gram of grass fed whey protein, three grams of organic fiber, and 140 calories with absolutely no added sugars or artificial sweeteners.
14. Protein 17 Organic Grass Fed Whey Protein: This great product promises to deliver 100% organic, grass fed whey protein from the farm to the table. You can find this product in both natural, chocolate, or peanut butter flavors. Even the bottling process is certified organic with the Protein 17 organic why protein.
15. Ascent Native Fuel Whey Protein Powder: This two-pound product contains absolutely no artificial ingredients. Additionally, it is made with native whey, which claims to be one of the least processed whey proteins on the market. With each scoop of this product you can expect to get 25 grams of protein, 5.7 grams of naturally occurring BCAAs, and a clean, minimal ingredient panel.
16. Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey Protein Powder: This 100% whey protein product delivers a surprising 24 grams of whey protein, along with 5.5 grams of naturally occurring BCAAs, and 4 grams of naturally occurring glutamine per serving. You can choose from a wide range of flavors and sizes, and even enable “Optimum Nutrition Workout Recipes” on your Alexa to find the best (and tastiest) ways to use this product.
17. BodyLogix Natural Grass Fed Whey Protein: Lastly, we come to a fantastic product offered by the company BodyLogix. This chocolate flavored whey protein product is sweetened with Stevia and contains no artificial colors or flavors. Furthermore, it is cold-processed, with cross-flow micro and ultra-filtered non-denatured whey proteins to assure that you get the maximum amount of protein with each serving.