An organic whey protein isolate powder would probably be a hit on today’s market, but it simply does not exist. There are organic whey protein powders, but they source their protein from whey concentrate.
There are pure whey protein isolate powders, but they are not guaranteed organic. It may seem like you have to choose between organic protein powder and whey isolate protein powder.
However, there is a third option that comes very close to the ideal: organic whey protein powders that source their protein from whey concentrates but still focus on clean, high-quality ingredients.
You will notice that these protein powders are marketed as organic whey supplements but have a host of packaging labels that tell you the manufacturers focused on clean, high-quality ingredients when creating their product. Some of the labels you may see include the following:
- All-Natural
- Hormone-Free
- No Artificial Sweeteners
- No Artificial Flavors
- Grass-Fed
- Non-GMO
Many organic products stay away from artificial ingredients and hormones and favor all-natural ingredients, so it is not shocking to see these labels on an organic product. Even though the protein powders featuring these labels are made with concentrated whey rather than isolated whey, they offer high-quality, clean protein that will deliver the same health benefits you would expect from isolated whey protein.
Isolated vs. Concentrated Whey Protein
The main difference between isolated and concentrated whey protein is the amount of protein and other natural dairy components in the powder. Isolated whey protein is at least 90% pure protein, so it has very little glucose, fat and other components that naturally occur in dairy products. Concentrated whey protein contains more glucose and fat and contains variable amounts of protein depending on how it was processed.
Since the protein is isolated from fat, glucose and other components of milk, many consider whey protein isolate a superior protein source to concentrated whey protein. Yet, many others argue that whey concentrates are more natural, receive less processing, and provide added nutritional benefit since the whey is not stripped of glucose, fat and other nutritional content.
A high-quality organic whey protein concentrate powder is a good alternative to pure organic whey protein isolate if you cannot find organic isolate on the market at a reasonable price. While it is available to some extent, it is not convenient for consistent use today. Going organic with high-quality whey concentrates is a second-best option that satisfies many consumers.
Recommended Organic Whey Protein Powders
All of the organic whey protein powders featured below source their protein from concentrated whey rather than isolated whey. They still focus on high-quality, natural ingredients so that the final powder is as clean and pure as possible. The only difference is that concentrated protein has not been stripped of glucose, fat and other natural milk components before being dried into powder form for consumption.
Raw Organic Whey
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If your goal is to eat as clean as possible, this is a great alternative to the organic whey protein isolate you would love to find. High-quality whey is made from milk harvested from hormone-free cows raised on small farms in the United States. The cows are guaranteed to be raised in healthy pastures, and their food does not contain hormones, antibiotics, steroids or genetically-modified food sources. The protein concentrates are created at low temperatures, and acid treatment is not used in processing. The end result is an extremely high-quality whey concentrate that may even rival whey isolates in terms of purity.
One 5-tablespoon serving of this powder will deliver 20 grams of protein with 97.5 calories, 1 gram of fat and 2 grams of carbohydrates. This is highly competitive with the nutritional profiles seen on most whey protein isolates today.
The Organic Whey
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This is an all-natural whey protein created from hormone-free cattle. It is certified USDA organic, soy free and gluten free. The cows that produce the milk for this powder are raised on small, family-owned sustainable farms and are not fed any hormones. Each 4-tablespoon serving contains 16 grams of protein, 80 calories, 1.5 grams of fat and 2 grams of carbohydrates. This is comparable to the nutritional profile of many pure protein isolate powders, making this an excellent secondary option if organic whey protein isolate powder is not readily available to you.
Now Sports Certified Organic Whey Protein
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You have to read labels carefully when shopping for Now Sports whey protein powders. This is a leading brand in the market, and they offer multiple types of protein powder all sold in the same yellow containers with similar labels. The certified-organic whey protein is made from organic whey protein concentrate and is free of antibiotics and rBGH. Each serving contains 19 grams of protein, 100 calories, 1 gram of fat and 2 grams of carbohydrates.
You may also want to consider Now Sports Whey Protein Isolate. It is a pure whey isolate powder that contains 25 grams of protein, 110 calories and less than 1 gram of fat and carbohydrate. While the protein is not organic, the powder does not contain any artificial ingredients. This is a clean whey protein isolate even though it is not organic.
Source Organic Whey Protein
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This is a USDA-certified organic whey protein powder that is created from the milk of grass-fed cows. A two-scoop serving contains 21 grams of protein, 100 calories, 1.5 grams of fat and 2 grams of carbohydrate. This is comparable with other products featured on this page and most high-quality pure whey isolate powders, and it delivers more than 20 grams of protein per serving. This is one of the purest whey supplements you are going to find on the market today, with just two ingredients on the label. Less than 1% of the powder is organic sunflower lecithin, and the rest of the powder is organic whey protein concentrate.
If your goal is to eat clean, organic products with high-quality protein sources, this product is one of the best on the market today. It is not the cheapest protein powder out there, but it is a great replacement if you cannot find organic whey protein isolate.