Native Whey Protein: Top 4 Benefits (& Uses) for Functional Food

Native whey protein is getting more popular among consumers. That means it’s time to consider adding it into your food production recipes. In this blog, we’ll cover some of the best functional foods for native whey protein and how using it can set your products apart.

Native whey protein (NWP) is quickly climbing the list of consumer protein preferences. Its pure, minimally processed nature makes it a more attractive option for people who care about protein quality.

But the good news for functional food brands is that this ‘purer, less processed’ nature means NWP can be easily incorporated into a wide range of recipes. In a market focused on health and wellness, that trait can set your products apart.

Top 4 Benefits of NWP in Functional Foods

Supplement and functional food manufacturers are turning to native whey for a variety of reasons. Here are a few of the biggest.

Benefit #1: Better Differentiation

NWP allows a measure of instant differentiation for functional food products.

With native whey, you can create a unique, premium product that you can be transparent about. And with the market still maturing, those manufacturers that are currently exploring how to innovate with NWP will wield a strong advantage over late adopters.

Benefit #2: Better Protein

NWP is a complete protein that is naturally rich in essential amino acids that the body cannot synthesize. This includes Leucine, which is vital in muscle synthesis and up to 17% higher in NWP versus a traditional whey protein.

Studies have shown that 15g of NWP activates the same level of muscle protein synthesis as 30g of other proteins. Because of this, the calorie count in a serving of NWP is only 65 calories, significantly lower than the 210 calories found in most servings of traditional whey protein.

This represents a fundamental shift in the way customers think about consuming protein. While traditional protein sources rely on quantity and price, NWP represents a shift towards quality and effectiveness.

Benefit #3: Better Process

Traditional whey protein is the most common ingredient in protein powders because of its high-quality amino acid profile. But traditional whey protein is produced as a byproduct of cheese manufacturing and undergoes extensive processing.

This heavy processing might alter the quality and chemistry of the protein. The result is a powder containing protein, but one likely to contain production residues, sugar, fats, bacteria and residual chemicals, changing the original nutritional form and benefits of the whey protein.

Native whey manufacturing is far more minimal, and it’s not a by-product of any other manufacturing processes like traditional whey protein powder. In fact, it only requires 3 steps.

1. Milk preparation pasteurization
2. Cold membrane filtration
3. Drying

This process is gentle, and you can take it a step further by using only locally sourced from farms near the manufacturing plant.

Benefit #4: Better Taste

Since it’s only made of milk, native whey has a clean, unoffensive taste. It does not have the aftertaste a lot of consumers associate with protein supplement products. With no additives, no chemicals, no processing ingredients, that taste means it’s also great for consumers. And it allows NWP to fit seamlessly into any recipe or formula.

Obviously, NWP offers a range of benefits for manufacturers. But what can you add it to?

Conclusion

Native whey is a unique ingredient with several characteristics to keep in mind during the formulation process. It’s pure and has a clean, natural and white coloration. Its higher efficacy means it requires less product to achieve the same effect as other proteins. For these reasons alone, NWP would be an ideal choice for powder, bar and shake manufacturers. Indeed, manufacturers everywhere, especially in Europe, are steadily adopting NWP to their functional food recipes. They’re building sustainable and successful businesses in a crowded and competitive market.

But the biggest and most critical reason you should consider NWP is that more and more consumers demand it. A growing number of new consumers are entering the protein supplement market. You can offer them something new that they can appreciate thanks to native whey’s naturality and efficacy.