Bulking up the Natural Way: A Massive Guide on Grass Fed Whey Protein Brands

When looking for the best grassfed whey protein, you’ll notice a wide variety of available options. While this is great for the consumer, it’s also easy to become overwhelmed. However, just because there are a lot of choices doesn’t mean you should just pick the first product that you see and call it a day.

There are different factors that you first need to consider in order to pick the right product for you.

Should you get whey protein concentrate or isolate? Does organic matter? What about non-GMO?

With so many terms and factors to think about, you might not even know where or how to start. Luckily, we’ve made it easy by doing all of the research for you. So continue reading and we’ll walk you through the best grass-fed whey protein products on the market today!

Grass-Fed Whey Vs. Traditional Whey

So why care if whey protein comes from grass-fed cows in the first place? Is there even a real difference?

Well, yes. There are actually several big differences.

First off, grass fed cows are known to produce milk that has a higher value of minerals, such as manganese, phosphorus, iron, and calcium. These minerals are necessary to help keep you healthy and strong.

Grass fed organic dairy is also higher in Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) and α-tocopherol. CLA is a fatty acid that can be found in dairy and meat products. It offers a variety of benefits, such as controlling type II diabetes and assisting with weight loss while maintaining lean muscle mass.

Authentic Grassfed whey protein from countries like Ireland and New Zealand contains up to 100 times less heavy metals than whey derived from cows living in confinement on concentrated animal feeding operations known as CAFOs.

Grass fed whey also contains greater concentrations of whey protein macro-nutrients per volume.  Whey protein macro-nutrients include branched-chain amino acids, lactoferrin, and glutathione.

Grass fed dairy also has higher amounts of unsaturated fats like MUFA (monounsaturated fatty acids) and PUFA (polyunsaturated fatty acids). These unsaturated fats have been shown to be helpful to the human body in several ways. They can improve blood lipid levels, improving blood pressure, and reduce your risk of heart disease.

So now that we’ve got a good understanding of why grass fed why is preferred, let’s go over the best brands and products below.

1. AGN Roots Grassfed Whey

The cows of AGN Roots Grassfed Whey spend their days enjoying the fresh and clean gulf stream Irish air. The temperate weather allows them to stay outdoors for most of the year, which helps them avoid stress and infectious diseases.

The whey from AGN is 100% natural, non-GMO, cold processed, unflavored, and free of soy. The only other ingredient in this protein powder is non-GMO sunflower lecithin, which helps for smooth and easy mixing without denaturing mechanically. Also, this whey is the only brand on the ASPCA’s Shop-with-Your-Heart registered brand list.  In the world of unregulated grassfed whey products, this is one brand that’s very legitimate when it comes to source of origin, AGN Roots is also certified with both Informed Sport and Informed Choice.

With this product, you’ll be avoiding all artificial sweeteners and flavors. That means you’re getting an undiluted and pure product without the harsh flavor systems that many other brands in this market tend to use.  For the price this protein is incredible. The flexible packaging is also a positive benefit for the environment.

AGN Roots Grassfed Whey is the top-ranked grassfed whey in the concentration of nutrients which include the greatest naturally occurring BCAAs, Glutathione & Lactoferrin density.  AGN Roots also contains the least amount of heavy metals relative to peers which serve as a testament to the superior grassfed environment of Ireland (not requiring soil rebalancing or chemical intervention after rains).

2. SFH RECOVER Whey Protein

This whey protein powder contains leucine, d-ribose, FruiteeX-B, Co Q-10, and creatine. It’s one of the most powerful post-workout shakes you can get your hands. The whey comes fully flavored and tends to receive above-average reviews.

SFH grass fed Whey is sourced from New Zealand. Beyond that sourcing declaration, there isn’t much transparency in terms of origin. New Zealand dairy export is more concerned about stability than quality so ultra-pasteurization may lend itself to rendering many of the macro-nutrients of this whey denatured and non-bioavailable.

This powder mixes easily with water and tastes great. The creatine and leucine assist with muscle recovery while the L-Carnitine and d-ribose help to restore lost ATP in the muscles. FruiteX-B is a vegan mineral complex that relieves joint pain and the Co Q-10 helps your cells to recover quickly, especially the cells in your heart.

3. Propello Life Non-GMO Whey Protein

This grass fed whey protein powder from Propello includes the ingredient MCT oil which makes it great for stabilizing blood sugar in between workouts. Propello is a small, family-run business that supports and partners with the Special Olympics. And did we mention the protein powder tastes great and easily mixes with water?

Along with MCT, there are also small amounts of larch arabinogalctan, tapiaco matlodextrin, and guar gum to improve mixing and add some thickness.

4. Garden of Life SPORT Certified Grass Fed Whey

If you’re a serious athlete and want to perform at peak strength, look no further than Garden of Life SPORT Grass Fed Whey. This whey protein is Sport certified so it’s good to have for athletes who get drug tested. The whey itself is certified USDA organic and non-GMO.

It also includes 6 grams of BCAAS, which is higher than the standard of around 4.7 grams. This powder also includes the probiotic B.lactis BL-04 which has been shown to boost immune health during heavy workouts. In the ingredients list, you’ll also find stevia, erythritol, and “Organic Creamer Flavor.”

Glutamic acid and glutamine have also been added.

5. Garden of Life Organic Grass Fed Whey Protein Powder, Chocolate Peanut Butter

If you love peanut butter, then you’ll love this chocolate peanut butter flavored organic grass fed whey protein powder from Garden of Life. It’s certified by the American Humane Society and certified organic by the USDA. It’s also the only grass fed whey protein to be verified by the Non-GMO Project.

According to their website, their cows graze on grass for at least 300 days out of the year. There are also added enzymes and probiotics in this mix to help promote digestion.

Another big plus is that Garden of Life only uses renewable energy on their farms. Plus, this company is a Certified B Corporation that seeks to balance profit and purpose.

This protein powder is also Kosher. And instead of being sourced from Ireland like their SPORT version, this one is sourced from sunny California. And if chocolate peanut butter isn’t for you, you can get this protein in strawberry, lightly sweet, and vanilla flavors.

6. Built By Strength Grass Fed Whey

Built By Strength is very big on customer outreach. Their website offers a “Learn” section where customers can check out recipes and join the company’s rewards programs. In fact, you can earn rewards from Built By Strength just by interacting with them on social media.

Their grassfed whey protein is NSF Certified for Sport and you can get this powder in a delicious Belgian chocolate flavor. They use organic cocoa and offer a money-back guarantee on all of their items.

7. NAKED Nutrition Whey (Unflavored)

Products from NAKED Nutrition are clean, simple, and healthy. Also, there’s only one ingredient in this product, and that’s grassfed whey protein. That’s right, there are no artificial flavors, added substances, binding agents, or even stevia.  The only concern is that in mechanical denaturing is required to drink whey protein isn’t mixed with an emulsifier like soy or sunflower lecithin.

This protein powder is also certified with Informed Choice which means it’s a great choice for athletes who have to undergo drug tests. This is protein in its most pure and uncontaminated form from a reputable cheese manufacture in Northern California.  The reviews are very mixed with many customer service complaints.

8. Opportuniteas Grass-Fed Whey Protein Isolate & Concentrate

Opportunitieas is a fabulous company that delivers quality whey protein products. They’re also completely transparent about their processes, products, and are quick to answer any questions that their customers have.

Are you curious if they make any products that don’t contain lactose? Ask them and they’ll direct you to a whey protein isolate that has the lactose removed. This product is easy to digest by even those who are extremely sensitive to dairy.

Looking for just pure whey and nothing else? They’ve got that too!

This company’s grassfed whey protein concentrate and isolate come unflavored and you won’t even taste them when you mix them in your shaker bottle. The biggest factor for this brand not making the top 5 is the price.   To purchase 3 lbs of this whey would cost you about $90, which is almost twice the price of our number one this list.

Opportunities uses cold processing right after they collect the raw milk from their Wisconsin cows (which are free of hormones by the way). They don’t use any GMOs, sweeteners, or artificial flavorings, and they only pasteurize their whey once.

And another great benefit of order from this company is that they’re part of the “1% for the Planet” campaign. This means that 1% of all of their sales will be donated to nonprofits. It’s little things like this that can make a company really stand out in a competitive market.

9. Mattole Valley Naturals, Matcha

Mattole Valley Naturals, like many of the other companies on this list, strives to be a sustainable and environmentally friendly business. In fact, they could be one of, if not the most, environmentally conscious businesses out there. All of their products are made by hand in Santa Barbara, CA.

They don’t use any fillers and only use wildcrafted or organic ingredients to make their products as clean and pure as possible. Even more, they ensure that their products are completely free of antibiotics, pesticides, growth hormones, gluten, and herbicides. And finally, by way of their Mattole Valley Naturals Sustainable Living Project, they’re making sure that their facilities are utilizing compostable toilets, solar panels, and a rainwater cistern to limit waste.

This company’s grassfed whey protein can be unflavored or you can get it in raw cacao, matcha, and vanilla forms. Matcha flavors for grass fed whey proteins are extremely rare so if you’re craving some, this is the company to order from. Their whey is sourced from cows in South Australia which graze year-round on pastures that are free of any pesticides.

This company is also family-owned and all of their packagings is 100% recyclable.

10. Opportuniteas Grass-Fed Whey Protein Isolate, Iced Coffee

Do you want a high-quality, grass fed whey protein isolate that also bursts with tasty flavors but without any additives or artificial sweeteners? Are you tired of the standard chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla flavors? If so, then you should consider Opportuniteas Iced Coffee Grass-Fed Whey Protein Isolate.

This product contains only three ingredients: whey protein isolate, non-GMO sunflower lecithin, and coffee extract. It tastes and mixes great with water, but you can get an even tastier flavor if you use vanilla oat milk instead.

This product also comes in portable and convenient packaging. It’s the perfect protein powder for coffee lovers who are trying to bulk up.

11. Tera’s Organic Grass Fed Fair Trade Certified Dark Chocolate Cocoa

Looking for a small and responsible company that really cares about what they produce? Tera’s is basically the craft brewery version of grassfed whey protein, and they put their heart into everything they make.

With their chocolate whey protein powder, they only use Organic Fair Trade Certified Dark Chocolate. And the powder’s ingredients list is thankfully very small.

Other than the dark chocolate, you can expect it to contain organic whey concentrate, sunflower lecithin, and organic stevia. Chocolate lovers everywhere can rejoice with this healthy and tasty protein powder.

But what if you’re not big fan of chocolate? Well, Tera’s offers a vanilla flavor but without any of the gum acacia, erythritol, tapioca fiber, stevia extract, or xantham gum.

Consider getting Tera’s Organic Bourbon Vanilla Grass Fed Whey. Inspired by pastry chefs, this protein powder is made with organic vanilla that comes from Madagascar.

And if you’re Kosher, you don’t need to worry. All of Tera’s whey products are certified Kosher!

12. Amazon Elements Grass-Fed Whey Protein Isolate

If you’re bulking up on a budget, then you should consider this grassfed whey protein isolate from Amazon. It’s very affordable and includes whey that is sourced from Ireland.

You can get this whey protein in chocolate or vanilla flavor. Along with the whey protein, this product also contains stevia and nonorganic xanthan gum. A cool thing about this protein powder is that it’s been tested by a third-party lab to validate its purity.

What Grass Fed Whey Protein Brand is Best?

As we can see, there are a wide variety of grassfed whey protein products out there. And while there are many great options, they all have different aspects that make them unique.  In our review of many popular and niche brands, the best grassfed whey protein powder for bulking up as well as general health and wellness is obvious, AGN Roots Grassfed Whey.

When you’re looking for the best whey protein, there are several things that you should first consider. If you’re an athlete, you should definitely think about getting one of the NSF Sport Certified or Informed Sport proteins so that you are given assurances that your protein doesn’t contain banned substances. And if you’re lactose intolerant, you should choose an isolate instead of a concentrate.  If you are taking whey protein for the immune benefits endemic to the fragile macro-nutrients, be sure you find a whey with sunflower lecithin so that mixing it is easy and does not cause denaturing.  On the same token, remember that New Zealand whey derived from ultra-pasteurized milk for export by definition is not cold processed and most likely severely denatured.

But no matter what, by going with a grass fed whey protein instead of a traditional one, you’re already making a healthy, sustainable, and smart decision.

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