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All the whey

Ascent Protein’s native whey offers quality and value to your workout routine

by Katie Coleman

Active people of all kinds consider whey protein a crucial element in their workout recovery. Why? “Whey contains all nine essential amino acids,” explains registered dietitian Danette Wickman. “This is important, because amino acids help repair skin and tissue from wounds and surgery. It can also help with weight loss and muscle building.” She also recommends it to clients who don’t get enough protein in their regular diet.

Whey is one of the two main proteins in milk, and a natural byproduct from the production of dairy items such as cheese. Whey, once it’s been pasteurized and dried, has become a popular complete protein supplement known for its multitude of benefits.

courtesy of ascent protein

A simple process

Costco supplier Ascent Protein has taken what it feels is a better approach to whey production. “Ascent’s native whey is different from traditional whey because it’s created from a simpler process and comes straight from Grade A milk instead of cheese,” explains B.T. Nauslar, general manager of Ascent Protein, and vice president of nutrition commercial development and new business ventures at Leprino Foods, Ascent’s parent company. “There are no chemicals or bleaching. We basically take milk, filter it, dry it and put it in a bag.”

“Our native whey chocolate flavor is made of only eight ingredients,” says Kirsten Karlsson, Ascent Protein’s associate director of marketing.

Dietitians like Wickman say this is a plus. “Native whey is not as processed, and so it’s quickly absorbed and utilized in the body.”

From mile-high to the masses

Ascent Protein started out as a research and development project at the company’s Denver headquarters in 2011. From there, it quickly evolved into a subsidiary that benefits from Leprino’s decades of protein-making experience.

“One of the reasons we ended up launching our own brand was that we felt native whey was scientifically better for the consumer, and we didn’t see a better brand in the marketplace, so we wanted to give consumers a better solution,” Nauslar explains.

From the milk that’s sourced at local Colorado dairy farms to production in its own Greeley, Colorado, facilities, Karlsson says Ascent Protein is one of a handful of brands that produces native whey protein and controls the process end to end.

Nauslar says native whey also offers 17% higher levels of naturally occurring leucine—the key amino acid responsible for muscle recovery and repair—compared to traditional whey protein isolate. “Leucine is great,” Wickman agrees. “I call it the powerhouse for protein synthesis.”

Whey to go

To ensure the integrity of its product line, Ascent Protein is supported by a board of Ph.D. advisers. Made up of professors and dietitians, this board evaluates the company’s innovations, current trends and the science behind certain active ingredients in their products. In accordance with the company’s mission of “quality, service, competitive price and ethics,” Nauslar says, “we’re not going to launch something unless we know it’s cleaner, better and has an actual efficacy benefit to it.

“Our tagline is that we are the ‘Official Sponsor of Hard Work’ and Ascent Protein is proof that hard work really matters.”