What Is Organic Protein Powder?

Just walking down the isle at your local supermarket will reveal the abundance of organic products, including organic protein powder. However, most people don’t understand what it means when a food is labeled “organic”. If you want to know more about organic protein powders, keep reading and we’ll reveal how they measure when stacked up against traditional protein powders.

When a food is labeled organic, it means it was grown as naturally as possible, without the use of pesticides, insecticides, fertilizers or growth hormones. The fact is that no one probably wants to be consuming those things, but food companies use them to increase their production and lower their cost. For example, some farmers spray pesticide on their crops to fend off pests. Sure, it may save some of their crops, but it also adds toxins that we consume.

Because protein powder is a supplement that’s taken regularly, it’s important to choose organic. If you don’t, you could be putting your health at risk by consuming various toxins on a regular basis. In fact, a recent study was done that showed four extremely high levels of the toxins cadmium, arsenic, lead and mercury in non-organic protein powder. The levels were just slightly higher than the legal limit, and while they probably wont cause any major problems at first, prolonged exposure can lead to serious complications.

Most protein powders, whether it’s organic or not, come from whey, pea, hemp, soy or rice. The most popular and widely-known, whey, is a milk by-product that is broken down into protein isolates. These isolates are fine crystal-like proteins that are easily absorbed when ingested. If you see a whey protein powder that’s labeled organic, it typically means the cow that produced the milk was fed organically and not enhanced through the use of medicine or chemicals.

It’s important to be cautious when shopping for organic food products. Any company can slap an organic label on their product and hope customers believe it. Remember, you have to be pro-active in researching the food you’re putting into your body. If you’re thinking about trying out a new protein powder or other type of supplement, do a quick search to see if there are any bad consumer reviews. See how other peoples experience was and it could save you a lot of time, money and even your health in the long run.

One organic seal you can trust is the USDA. This seal comes from the United States Department of Agriculture and is only given to foods who follow their strict guidelines. This includes being grown by an approved method, not using growth hormones and no sewage sludge. To recognize their seal, look for the circle with a brown outline that says “USDA ORGANIC” on the inside.

Choosing organic foods and supplements is ultimately a personal decision. For some, that small increase in price is enough to turn them away. However, organic foods offer you a better level of nutrition and overall health, and that’s something no one can put a price on.