Naked Whey is a brand of protein powder that utilizes the milk of dairy cows raised on a 100% Grass-Fed diet. The milk used to create the Naked Whey protein powder is also non-GMO, and non-denatured…so, it’s perfect, right?
Not quite. The whey protein in use may be grass-fed, which is good, but it’s still a very low quality protein source…in fact, it’s the worst type of whey on the market: whey protein concentrate. Keep reading this Naked Whey review to learn more.
Due to Naked Whey’s use of a 100% whey protein concentrate blend, I do NOT recommend this product. However, you can instead check out my top 10 rated best Protein Powder supplements.
Pro Tip: I’ve been reviewing and supplementing with protein powders for over 10 years, and I consider myself a pro at this point…In short, the reason I don’t recommend Naked Whey is because I only recommend protein powders that are based on the purest form of protein available: whey protein hydrolysate. I highly recommend avoiding whey protein concentrate…try out a 100% hydrolysate powder such as my #1 ranked protein supp.
Naked Whey Benefits
Here are the key benefits of Naked Whey:
- Promotes muscle growth
- Increases muscle recovery rate
- Enhances endurance and performance
What Is Naked Whey?
Naked Whey is a protein supplement that is made up from the milk of cows raised on 100% grass. This brand prides themselves on the fact that they are soy free, gluten free, growth hormone free, and acid and bleach-free processing. The ingredients are also kept to a minimum in order to keep the protein as pure as possible.
How Does Naked Whey Work?
Naked Whey works by utilizing easy to digest protein that your body can break down directly after a workout. Protein powders are much easier to digest than regular food sources and allow your body to absorb protein at a much quicker rate. This will give your muscles the opportunity to get the nutrients they need to grow and recover at an optimum rate.
Naked Whey Ingredients
The primary Naked Whey ingredients are:
- Grass fed whey protein concentrate
- Branched chain amino acids
- L-Valine
- L-Leucine
- L-Isoleucine
Protein Blend
The protein blend is the most important part of a protein powder, and our favorite sources of protein are derived from whey. Whey protein isolate and whey protein hydrolysate are the two highest quality protein sources you can buy today. These protein sources are high quality because they are extremely nutritious and are very easily digested and absorbed by your body.
It is important to make sure that your protein blend is only comprised of whey proteins because adding any other ingredients just dirties your blend. Adding lower quality proteins to a blend will decrease the overall quality and efficacy level.
Naked Whey has a protein blend that is made up of only Grass-Fed Whey Protein Concentrate, which sounds attractive to the average consumer, but here’s why it’s not…
Let’s be clear…”100% Grass Fed” is definitely a good thing, BUT, whey protein concentrate is definitely a bad thing…but why? Whey protein concentrate is the most basic, least advanced, impure form of whey protein available. Companies only use concentrate because it’s cheap, so it saves them money. Let me explain just how much better protein can get…
If you want to step up to the next level of quality, we’d be talking about whey protein isolate. In order to create isolate, whey protein concentrate goes through the process of cross-flow micro-filtration, which boosts the protein purity level all the way up to 90%…
This process removes all of the fat, cholesterol, and lactose that whey protein concentrate contains. Yes, you did read that right. Whey protein concentrate (which is the protein source of Naked Whey) contains copious amounts of fat, lactose, and cholesterol that wreak havoc on your gastrointestinal system and can ultimately lead to improper digestion and absorption of the protein particles…
So, essentially, if you’re using concentrate, chances are you’re just wasting your money because your probably not absorbing very much of the protein you’re consuming…this is why whey protein isolate is much better.
However, if you really want top-shelf, next-level protein powder, you should be using whey protein hydrolysate. In order to get hydrolysate, whey protein isolate goes through the process of enzymatic hydrolysis, which breaks down the protein particles and shortens the amino acid chains for optimal digestion and absorption.
I know that was a lot of boring science talk, but basically, any protein source other than whey protein hydrolysate can not be properly digested, absorbed, and utilized because hydrolysate is the only protein source that has undergone both processes: cross flow micro filtration, AND enzymatic hydrolysis.
Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs)
Branched Chained Amino Acids are an extremely important part of any protein powder and play an extremely imperative role in the building of lean muscle, as well as recovery after a workout. Although protein naturally contains branched chained amino acids, higher quality protein sources contain much higher BCAA counts than lower quality protein sources.
Whey protein concentrate has a much lower BCAA count than whey protein isolate or hydrolysate, which is another reason I don’t recommend Naked Whey…basically, all of my issues with naked whey come from the fact that it uses a 100% whey protein concentrate blend.
If your favorite protein drink does not have a naturally high BCAA count, you can supplement with additional BCAAs by buying a separate supplement, but why would you want to spend the extra money? If you know you can buy a protein powder with a higher BCAA count, then what’s the point of buying a low quality protein powder and a BCAA supplement?
High quality protein powders are basically two-in-one supplements…my #1 ranked protein powder has 6 grams of BCAAs in every serving and 25 grams of protein, all of which is pure hydrolysate.
The practice of supplementing with a high-BCAA protein powder has been shown to help reduce the effects of DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) because it gives your muscles the chance to start repairing and recovering immediately after your workout is complete…that is, as long as you’re consuming your protein shake right after your workout, which you should be.
Nutrition Facts
In one serving of Naked Whey, you can expect to find:
- Calories: 120
- Total Fat: 2g
- Cholesterol: 50mg
- Potassium: 90mg
- Sodium: 45mg
- Total Carbohydrates: 3g
- Protein: 25g
There are a couple of positive aspects to point out here, and a couple negative aspects as well. The first thing I like about the nutrition facts is the super low sodium count. Sodium can cause weight gain, and many protein powders use way too much sodium to make the shake taste good…this practice can cause the users of the protein powder to gain unwanted fat, which is why I’m happy about this low sodium count.
Another positive thing to note is the very low calorie count. Typically, a protein shake contains about 150-200 calories, but with Naked Whey, you’re only consuming 120 calories with every shake. That’s one of the most impressive attributes of this nutrition label. Now for the negative aspects…
2 grams of fat per serving is very excessive and unnecessary. Two may not seem like a big number to you, but my top ranked protein powders all have 0 grams of fat per serving for a reason…2 grams of fat can really add up over time if you’re drinking the shake every single day.
Another nutrition fact I dislike is 3 grams of carbs per serving. Carbs are bad in the case of a protein shake…you want zero carbs, and zero fat. Unfortunately, Naked Whey contains fat and carbs, and that’s an issue for me.
Naked Whey Reviews From REAL Users
I would never personally use this product due to the fact that it contains whey protein concentrate, which at this point in the review, you know I despise. With that being said, I do believe it’s valuable to provide my readers with customer feedback…so, I went on Amazon to take a look at some customer reviews for you guys to take a look at, and here’s what I found…
When I originally wrote this section, there were approximately 1,400 Naked Whey reviews on Amazon, and the average rating it achieved was 4.5 out of 5 stars. Since then, the data has changed, and the overall consensus has gotten worse…
There are a total of 2,400 Naked Whey reviews on amazon, which means the total amount of reviews has increased by 1,000, and yet, the average rating has gone down to 4.3 stars. 4.3 is still a very solid mark, but it’s simply worth noting the fact that this number is down from when I originally wrote this review.
Additionally, at the original time of writing, 79% of the Naked Whey users had rated it 5 stars…now, that number is down to 72%. This means that 5-star reviews for Naked Whey have decreased by 7% over the past 2.5 years.
With all that being said, the overall sentiment about Naked Whey is still very positive. The vast majority of people are still giving it positive reviews. However, the fact that the number of positive ratings is going down could be an indication of people becoming more educated with regard to protein blends…maybe more people are starting to realize that whey protein concentrate (its main protein source) is inferior.
At least for me, knowing what I know about whey protein concentrate as a Certified Nutrition Coach, I just can’t recommend a protein powder with a 100% whey protein concentrate blend. So, despite the positive user reviews, it’s still a no from me dawg (American Idol reference for those of you who don’t watch TV).
The Pros
- Helps build lean muscle
- Promotes fat burning
- 100% grass fed
- Low sodium and calories
- Non GMO
The Cons
- Very expensive
- Uses whey protein concentrate
- Contains fat and carbs
Is Naked Whey Worth It? Our Conclusion
Naked Whey has a lot going for it in its 100% grass-fed, non GMO protein source…plus, it’s low calorie and low sodium. However, it is comprised entirely of whey protein concentrate, which is a huge issue in my opinion as a Certified Nutrition Coach. Additionally, it contains fat and carbs, which are both things I always recommend avoiding when it comes to protein shakes. If you want to learn about several better protein powders, check out my list of the Best Protein Protein Powders.
Order Naked Whey From Official Website
I’m not just a supplement analyst. I’m an extremely qualified one! I am a Certified Nutrition Coach (CNC) and actually received my certification directly from the National Academy of Sports Medicine. I am also a Nutrition & Wellness Consultant, certified by the American Fitness Professionals Association (AFPA).