Few nutrients prove as essential as protein. If you don’t consume enough of it, your body composition and health will suffer. Yet, most official nutritional organizations recommend a modest protein intake of around 0.36 grams per pound.
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It equates to about 56 to 91 grams per day for the average man and 46 to 75 grams for the average woman.
This recommendation (known as dietary reference intake or DRI) barely prevents deficiency, especially for athletes and bodybuilders.
Fortunately, consuming grass-fed whey protein powders can help you reach your daily target. The health benefits don’t stop there, though. Keep reading to learn more about grass-fed whey and five compelling reasons to incorporate it into your diet.
1. Your Body on Grass-Fed Whey Protein Powders
Whether you’re a casual weekend warrior or an extreme athlete, getting enough protein in your diet is vital to supporting muscle repair and growth. It also assists in keeping your body in tip-top shape, regulating hormone levels, and a variety of other critical functions.
After all, protein is not only foundational to building muscle. It’s also boasts anti-aging and immune-boosting properties for your body. A powerful macronutrient, it will fuel your workouts and rebuild your muscles afterward.
There’s a caveat, however. Not all whey protein powder provides the same benefits and results.
Sourcing has a significant impact on the overall nutritional value of the powder you put in your smoothies, oatmeal, and other food items. You must understand these differences if you want to maintain optimal health. With that in mind, here are five fantastic reasons to consume whey protein powder from grass-fed cows.
Ramp Up Weight Loss
Grass-fed whey protein powders can help you lose weight when consumed appropriately following physical activity. Why? Because they boast three to five times the conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) of commercial whey products.
CLA is a powerful fatty acid that enhances muscle growth and metabolism. It also helps the body burn fat while satisfying your appetite. There’s no better way to get a jumpstart on your weight loss efforts than by making the simple yet effective switch to grass-fed whey supplements.
Studies have also demonstrated that conjugated linoleic acid increases fat oxidation and energy expenditure during workouts. It also aids in protein synthesis, which equates with reduced fat mass and body weight.
2. Get a Nutritional Boost
When you consume a diet rich in grass-fed whey and grass-fed meat, you get a distinct nutritional boost. One that will keep you healthy for many years to come.
Grass-fed cow products have greater nutrient availability. This proves true not only when it comes to higher CLA but also omega-3 fatty acids. You’ve likely heard health professionals tout the advantages of omega-3 fatty acids over the years. Let’s take a closer look at various fatty acids and why balance proves critical.
Omega-3 vs. Omega-6 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 fatty acids are vital to the health of your body and mind. They can help fight anxiety and depression and may improve eye health. A type of omega-3, known as DHA, is a major structural component of your retinas.
Omega-3s also improve risk factors for heart disease and reduce the symptoms of metabolic syndrome. These symptoms include belly fat, insulin resistance, and high blood pressure. Omega-3s can also help your body fend off autoimmune diseases and reduce inflammation.
While grass-fed whey contains an abundance of healthy omega-3 fatty acids, whey protein from grain-fed cows is higher in omega-6 fatty acids. What’s the difference?
Diets containing lots of omega-6 fatty acids are associated with degenerative and chronic diseases. They’re also linked to an increased risk of heart disease.
Since the typical American diet tends to be heavy in these dangerous fats, a hefty dose of commercial whey protein powder just makes matters worse. The appropriate ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids should be 1:4 or less. Most Americans have a ratio of 1:10 to 1:50.
Fortunately, consuming whey protein can help you get back on track when it comes to aligning the fatty acid ratio found in your current diet. Find the healthiest grass-fed whey to supplement your weight loss or strength-training journey now.
3. Optimize Post-Workout Recovery
When it comes to nutrition, making healthy food choices isn’t enough. You must also “time” when you eat certain foods for optimal performance. For example, consume a grass-fed whey protein powder smoothie within a half-hour of working out to minimize muscle damage and soreness.
What should such a smoothie contain? Combine high-quality grass-fed whey protein powder with fruit and organic milk to create an ideal ratio of carbohydrates to protein. This ratio should equal 2:1 to 3:1.
Remember that timing is vital. You must replenish your system within 30 minutes for the best results. Otherwise, you’ll rob your body of the chance to optimize recovery and pave the way for maximizing your next workout.
4. Keep Your Immune System in Tip-Top Shape
Guaranteeing your immune system is in full working order remains a top priority. Especially if you want to continue to make fitness gains. While I’ve already alluded to the fact that grass-fed whey supports your immunity in essential ways, we have yet to explore the science behind the claim.
Grass-fed whey contains higher levels of these immune-boosting substances than commercial whey products:
- Lactoferrin
- Lysozyme
- Beta-lactoglobulin
Lactoferrin boosts immune cells, helping them fight off bacteria and viruses in your body.
Lysozyme aids in the fight against foreign microbes that could make you sick. As for beta-lactoglobulin, it comprises more than 50 percent of grass-fed whey’s structure. It boasts anti-inflammatory properties as well as the ability to lower cholesterol and blood pressure.
Lysozymes and beta-lactoglobulin have even demonstrated anti-cancer properties in some studies.
5. Go GMO and Antibiotics-Free
If you’ve ever purchased “organic” whey protein powder at the store, you might think this next section doesn’t apply to you. This assumption couldn’t be further from the truth. In recent years, clever marketing has tried to assure consumers that “organic” whey is a superior product.
Here’s the sad and sneaky truth, though. The term “organic” refers to the elimination of pesticides and herbicides during plant production. This approach may be fantastic for plant-based nutrients and proteins, but when it comes to whey protein powders, it doesn’t cut it.
Organic whey simply refers to cattle fed a grain-based diet free from herbicides and pesticides. The quality of the milk, however, remains inferior.
Why? Because it’s still ultimately derived from grain-fed animals. And cows were never designed to eat grain.
As a result, when they get forced to eat this inferior food, it wreaks havoc on their digestive tracts. From ulcers to diarrhea and immunity issues, this diet diminishes their health.
To fight these infections and ensure the cows continue to produce large amounts of milk, they’re kept on a steady diet of grain supplemented with rBST and rBGH growth hormones as well as sub-therapeutic antibiotics. Yuck!
At this point, the answer should be crystal clear. Go GMO and antibiotic-free with grass-fed whey protein instead of unnatural and dangerous alternatives.
The Many Grass-Fed Whey Protein Benefits
As you can see, there are plenty of compelling reasons to make the switch to grass-fed whey protein powder. From boosting your health to improving your post-workout recovery, you’ll be impressed by its many and mighty benefits.
By nixing commercial whey protein powders that perpetuate inhumane farming practices, you also avoid the pesticides, herbicides, chemicals, hormones, and antibiotics that keep corporate farming going. And you can feel good about supporting sustainable farming practices.
What’s more, many consumers report that they prefer the taste of grass-fed whey protein powder to “organic” and regular whey. It tastes cleaner, more natural, and downright delicious.
Whey Protein Powder from Grass-Fed Cows
Up until the 1940s, dairy cows generally ate grass. Unfortunately, as the world’s small farmers gave way to large corporate brands, many basic agricultural practices changed. These changes included putting cows on grain diets despite adverse side effects.
Is the whey protein that you’re drinking from cows that consumed genetically-modified, insecticide-treated grains? If so, then pesticides from the grain the cows ate will transmit to you via their whey protein.
The same goes for other harmful substances such as hormones and antibiotics. While these chemicals increase beef and milk yield, they represent the perfect dietary storm for unhealthy consumers.
Once additional preservatives and sweeteners get added, you end up with a veritable “milkshake cocktail” of substances that are bad for your body. There go your well-laid intentions! Instead, it’s time to take control of your health and your nutrition by choosing the far healthier alternative.
Grass-Fed Whey vs. Regular Whey
Unlike grain-fed cows, their grass-fed counterparts consume the diet nature intended for them. These pasture-raised cows are not pumped full of antibiotics, hormones, and chemicals. Nor are they confined to feedlots.
When you opt for grass-fed whey protein powders, you also support eco-friendly and sustainable farming practices. Organic farming continues to move towards the least intrusive methods for cultivating livestock and crops.
The result? Less negative impact on the environment, and a brighter future for everyone we share this planet with. Now, how’s that for a win-win?
Learn more about grass-fed whey protein products and how they can improve your health and well-being.
