The fitness industry has sold protein supplements for years to boost protein intake and increase muscle mass.
But what if we told you there was another side to whey protein? One that can help you repair damaged cells, improve gut health and support your immune system?
Introducing Grass-Fed, Undenatured Whey Protein
To experience the benefits we're going to discuss today, you need to move away from traditional protein supplements. Because — if you're interested in more than macronutrients — the type of whey you use matters.
Here's why:
Most supplements manufacturers use the whey that gets left behind during the cheese-making process.
This requires a lot of processing to get the products you see on the shelves. The whey gets heated, ingredients are added (e.g. enzymes and acids) and it undergoes filtration.
As a result, the structure of the proteins in the whey change. This is called denaturation — a process that diminishes the quality of the whey.
But there's an alternative: grass-fed, undenatured whey protein.
This is made directly from the milk of grass-fed cows — not as a by-product of cheese making. It undergoes minimal processing, ensuring the proteins stay intact.
The Health Benefits of Grass-Fed, Undenatured Whey Protein
So why does any of this matter?
When you switch to an undenatured whey protein, you don't just get a protein boost. You get a supplement that can enrich your health in a multitude of ways.
Here are some of the science-backed benefits you can expect:
A Better Nutrient Profile
Cows, like us, thrive when they consume an optimal diet. For them, this means eating grass — not grains. And healthier cows make healthier milk, which ultimately leads to healthier whey.
But don't take our word for it. Researchers in Poland (1) studied the composition of whey protein from different types of milk. They found organic milk from grass-fed cows contain higher concentrations of beneficial proteins, such as lactoglobulin and lactoferrin. [Could include a link to the Lactoferrin post here]
Milk from grass-fed cows also has a lower omega-6 to omega-3 ratio (2). This may help reduce the risk of many common health conditions, from heart disease to cancer (3).
Increased Bioavailability
The intact protein structures mean undenatured whey is more bioavailable than the alternatives. This means your body can absorb, use, and benefit from more of the nutrients than it can from denatured whey.
For example, one study found the consumption of undenatured whey leads to higher blood concentrations of amino acids, compared to milk or other types of whey protein (4).
Restoration of Damaged Cells
Modern life takes its toll on our bodies at a cellular level. Lifestyle factors — such as poor diet, lack of sleep, inactivity, and environmental toxins — increase oxidative stress within the body (5,6).
This happens when the number of free radicals remains unchecked. Over time, this may lead to oxidative damage, which can have a lasting impact on our health.
Damage to our cells has been linked to a variety of chronic health conditions, including diabetes and heart disease(7).
Undenatured whey can help mitigate these effects. It helps us produce glutathione — a powerful antioxidant — to combat the excess free radicals in the body. Unlike other antioxidants, glutathione works inside the cells to provide maximum protection.
Decreased Inflammation
As well as reducing the risk of chronic disease, research shows glutathione can influence the immune system to control inflammation(8).
This has important implications for autoimmune conditions. It's thought glutathione can help combat them by either stimulating or reducing the immune response, depending upon what the body needs.
Better Athletic Performance
We already know whey protein can benefit athletic performance. But undenatured whey can extend these benefits even further.
Scientists have uncovered a couple of reasons for this:
- Glutathione reduces muscle fatigue, helping you train harder and perform stronger (9).
- Undenatured whey contains a higher concentration of BCAAs, which contributes to muscle growth and increased endurance(10).
Improved Gut Health
We've already mentioned undenatured whey contains more lactoferrin than heat-processed alternatives.
Lactoferrin is thought to improve gut health by attaching itself to iron molecules. This reduces the number of harmful bacteria, viruses, and fungi in the gut, which all depend on iron to survive.
It also acts as a prebiotic, which encourages the growth of friendly bacteria — another essential component of a healthy gut.
Stronger Immune System
The link between a healthy gut and a strong immune system is well established within the scientific community (11).
But this isn't the only way undenatured whey contributes to immune function.
Beta-lactoglobulin, a type of protein found in whey, has also been found to improve the immune response — but only when it comes from an undenatured source (12)
Conclusion
If you're serious about enhancing your health and performance, it's clear whey can deliver more than a protein boost.
But not just any whey.
To experience the benefits — whether you're looking for increased longevity, reduced risk of disease or improved athletic performance — it's vital to consider undenatured, grass-fed whey protein.
References
- Kuczyńska, B., Puppel, K., Gołȩbiewski, M., Metera, E., Sakowski, T., & Słoniewski, K. (2012). Differences in whey protein content between cow's milk collected in late pasture and early indoor feeding season from conventional and organic farms in Poland. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 92(14), 2899-2904.
- Benbrook, C. M., Davis, D. R., Heins, B. J., Latif, M. A., Leifert, C., Peterman, L., ... & Baranski, M. (2018). Enhancing the fatty acid profile of milk through forage‐based rations, with nutrition modeling of diet outcomes. Food science & nutrition, 6(3), 681-700.
- Simopoulos, A. P. (2002). The importance of the ratio of omega-6/omega-3 essential fatty acids. Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy, 56(8), 365-379.
- Hamarsland, H., Laahne, J. A. L., Paulsen, G., Cotter, M., Børsheim, E., & Raastad, T. (2017). Native whey induces higher and faster leucinemia than other whey protein supplements and milk: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Nutrition, 3(1), 10.
- Krolow, R., Arcego, D.M., Noschang, C., Weis, S.N. and Dalmaz, C., 2014. Oxidative imbalance and anxiety disorders. Current neuropharmacology, 12(2), pp.193-204.
- Singh, T.D., Patial, K., Vijayan, V.K. and Ravi, K., 2009. Oxidative stress and obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome. Indian J Chest Dis Allied Sci, 51(4), pp.217-24.
- Machlin, L. J., & Bendich, A. (1987). Free radical tissue damage: protective role of antioxidant nutrients. The FASEB Journal, 1(6), 441-445.
- Perricone, C., De Carolis, C., & Perricone, R. (2009). Glutathione: a key player in autoimmunity. Autoimmunity reviews, 8(8), 697-701.
- Aoi, W., Ogaya, Y., Takami, M., Konishi, T., Sauchi, Y., Park, E. Y., … Higashi, A. (2015). Glutathione supplementation suppresses muscle fatigue induced by prolonged exercise via improved aerobic metabolism. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 12, 7.
- Gualano, A.B., Bozza, T., Lopes De Campos, P., Roschel, H., Dos Santos Costa, A., Luiz Marquezi, M., Benatti, F. and Herbert Lancha Junior, A., 2011. Branched-chain amino acids supplementation enhances exercise capacity and lipid oxidation during endurance exercise after muscle glycogen depletion. J Sports Med Phys Fitness, 51(1), pp.82-8.
- Vighi, G., Marcucci, F., Sensi, L., Di Cara, G. and Frati, F., 2008. Allergy and the gastrointestinal system. Clinical & Experimental Immunology, 153, pp.3-6.
- Bounous, G. and Gold, P., 1991. The biological activity of undenatured dietary whey proteins: role of glutathione. Clin Invest Med, 14(4), pp.296-309.
