Whey protein isolate from grass-fed cows – is it worth the hype?

As you level up your lifestyle, protein supplementation is an excellent way of providing the building blocks needed for general health, body toning, and muscle growth.

Given the vast number of products available in the market it is important to arm yourself with knowledge before you start supplementing.

In this article, we will guide you through four key points and explain why StayAbove Nutrition™ uses high-quality milk proteins from grass-fed cows in our products.

Take-home messages:

• Milk proteins, such as whey and casein, are of higher quality than plant proteins.
• Whey is of higher quality than casein, however both are excellent sources of protein.
• Whey isolate has a higher purity and less lactose than a whey concentrate.
• Animal welfare and sustainability may affect protein quality.

1. Protein source: Animal or plant-based?

One of your first choices will be the source of protein, specifically animal- or plant-based. Animal proteins, such as whey and casein from milk, provide all of the building blocks necessary for muscle growth, are easily digestible, and more readily absorbed than plant-based proteins. Thus, milk proteins are of higher quality and likely give you more ‘bang for the buck’ in terms of gaining lean mass.

StayAbove Nutrition™ uses milk proteins from grass-fed cows in our multi-nutrient formulations, such as whey (WPI 895) and milk (MPI 4900) protein isolates in ‘Muscle 5’. These are high-quality protein products made by the New Zealand dairy co-operative, Fonterra.

2. Protein quality and purity: Whey concentrate, isolate, or hydrolysate?

Next, you’ll want to consider the type and purity of milk proteins in the supplement. Research has shown that whey protein is of higher quality and provides a stronger growth signal to your muscle vs casein and soy. In terms of purity, whey protein isolate (WPI; > 90%) surpasses whey protein concentrate (34-89%) and is also lower in lactose levels (0.5%) (click here for a review). Finally, hydrolyzed forms of whey are said to be more easily digested, however there is insufficient evidence to support claims of superior muscle gains over other whey proteins. So, whey protein isolates are the superior protein type.

3. Grass-fed cows and animal welfare: Does it make a difference?

The next point to consider is often overlooked but pertains to the well-being of dairy cattle.

StayAbove Nutrition™ only uses protein powders made from the milk of grass-fed cows. These cows consume on average 96% of their diet as nutrient-rich grass and spend 97% of their time in a pasture. Fonterra is implementing  several practices related to nutrition, environment, and health to ensure the wellbeing of their cows. For example, they don’t use growth hormones and avoid close confinement (e.g. pasture-based farming).

So, does it make a real difference in the quality of the product? Research indicates that pasture feeding increases the purity of the protein, while also providing more antioxidants, higher levels of conjugated linoleic acid, and higher ratio of good fats vs bad fats (omega-3 vs. omega-6 fatty acids). In short, YES! – these practices do have an impact on the quality of the product and your health.

4. Sustainability and environmental factors

The last point is the impact of the manufacturing process on the environment and how it relates to product quality.

StayAbove Nutrition™ is an environmentally conscious company and supports Fonterra in their efforts to reduce their carbon footprint, protect soil health, improve water quality, and reduce waste (click here to read Fonterra’s Sustainability Report 2021).

Animal proteins are believed to have a higher environmental impact than plant proteins, however a recent study demonstrated that animal proteins, especially whey, may be better ranked than plant-based proteins in terms of the amount, quality and impact of the protein on your health versus the greenhouse emissions produced to create it. Through this lens, it gives us a better sense of the environmental impact.

Why Muscle 5?

One scoop of StayAbove Nutrition™’s multi-nutrient product Muscle 5 contains 40 grams of high-quality whey and casein proteins from New Zealand and additional ingredients for optimized muscle growth (vitamin D, calcium, and creatine). It is currently being used by professional athletes in the CFL, elite runners with Olympic experience, and is research proven in a randomized clinical trial to enhance muscle strength, performance, and lean mass in elderly.