Transparent Labs Whey Protein Review (2022 Update)

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We tried Transparent Labs’ Grass-Fed Whey Protein Concentrate for ourselves, but we wanted to bring you along on the journey. Based in Utah, Transparent Labs makes a wide variety of sports nutrition supplements, all of which are totally free from artificial ingredients. Of course, the company’s biggest strength may be their transparency: Not only are all their products third party tested, but Transparent Labs also provides certificates of analysis on composition for further peace of mind.

This grass-fed whey concentrate is a great option for those who are focused on clean ingredients and grass-fed dairy. It’s got 24g of protein per serving, 130 calories, and no artificial colors or sweeteners. While it’s a little high in cholesterol, if that’s not an ingredient you’re acutely aware of, this is a solid protein powder for anyone on the hunt for a leaner whey concentrate formula.

Main Takeaways

This protein is made from 100 percent grass-fed whey protein concentrate, which means it didn’t go through the additional filtration process allowing it to keep its immune boosting Immunoglobulins, cysteine, and prebiotic Lactoferrin.
The macros are ideal for anyone who wants a lean whey concentrate — 24g of protein with only 2.5g of fat and 2g of carbs.
Transparent Labs contains no artificial flavorings or sweeteners, and comes in Milk Chocolate, Mocha, Salted Caramel, and French Vanilla.

Transparent Labs Grass-Fed Whey Concentrate

An extremely transparent ingredient list from a company that goes out of its way to provide clear sourcing. This supp packs 24g of protein, and just 2.5g of fat and 2g of carbs per serving.

Transparent Labs Whey Protein Highlights

Transparent Labs Grass-Fed Whey Concentrate is made from 100 percent grass-fed whey protein, which means it didn’t go through the isolation process that whey isolates do — this way, the formula keeps its Immunoglobulins, cysteine, and prebiotic Lactoferrin. This formula is also fairly lean, containing only 2.5g of fat, 2g of carbs, and no sugar. Plus, you’ll find added micronutrients like iron, potassium, and calcium.

However, this blend is a little high in cholesterol, containing 23 percent of your recommended daily intake (RDI). You may also find even leaner blends in whey isolates or whey hydrolysates, if that’s something you’re interested in for a cut or weight loss journey.

Who Should Buy Transparent Labs Whey Protein

Folks who are specifically looking for a whey protein concentrate — this product is made from 100 percent grass-fed whey concentrate.
If you’re looking for a lean whey concentrate, you’ll like the macros here: 24g of protein, 2.5g of fat, and 2g of carbs.
Anyone who wants micronutrients included in their protein powder will like the iron, potassium, and calcium here.

Who Shouldn’t Buy Transparent Labs Whey Protein

Those who want no carbs or fat in a protein powder can find alternative blends that meet those needs.
Folks looking for a whey isolate or casein protein will want to look elsewhere as this is a whey concentrate.
Anyone who is trying to watch their cholesterol intake will likely want to avoid this formula.

Price

You can pick up one tub for just under $50. With 30 servings per tub, this comes out to around $1.67 per serving. That’s pricier than conventional whey concentrate, but it’s about what we’d expect to pay for an all-natural, grass-fed whey concentrate.

Formulation

Transparent Labs offers a clean whey concentrate formula with 24g of protein and 130 calories per serving. It also offers a dose of micronutrients and comes in four different flavors. It’s a little high in cholesterol, but otherwise, it’s leaner than many whey concentrates you’ll find across the market. Here’s a deeper breakdown of all the ingredients in this formula.

Macros

Whey concentrate is the simplest and cheapest kind of whey protein. A lot of times, this means it has a much higher carb and fat content when compared to the pricier whey protein isolate that goes through filtration to reduce these macros. However, Transparent Labs is actually quite low in carbs and fat at just 2g and 2.5g of each, respectively, and it still contains a solid 24g of protein.

Micronutrients

As far as micronutrients go, there ‘s 12 percent of the recommended daily intake of calcium, 23 percent of your daily cholesterol, seven percent of your daily sodium, two percent of your daily iron, and two percent of your daily potassium. While there are formulas that contain more added vitamins and minerals, having a dose of calcium, potassium, and iron is a respectable addition. This blend is a bit high in cholesterol though, which is worth noting if that’s an ingredient you need to keep track of for your health.

Sweetener

This product goes out of its way to ensure it’s free of artificial flavors and sweeteners. It’s sweetened with stevia, made from the stevia leaf, and of course, it’s pricier than your artificial sweeteners.

Flavor

This blend comes in Milk Chocolate, Mocha, Salted Caramel, and French Vanilla. We tried the Milk Chocolate flavor, and it wasn’t our favorite. Like a lot of naturally flavored chocolate protein powders, this wound up tasting a lot like very dark chocolate. To that end, it didn’t taste quite right when mixed with milk — it’s not a creamy enough flavor. With water it was fine, but more bitter than I’d have liked. It did mix very well, though.

What to Consider Before Buying Transparent Labs Whey Protein

Transparent Labs is a very clean grass-fed whey protein concentrate. However, before you decide this is the formula you want to buy, here are a few things you should consider.

Macros

If you’re looking for a lean, whey protein concentrate, this blend is for you. This whey protein concentrate contains 2.5g of fat and 2g of carbs per serving, but still boasts 24 grams of protein per serving. However, if you’re looking for a whey isolate that may be even leaner, or a casein that may help you bulk, Transparent Labs may not be the best option for you.

Micronutrients

Many protein powders contain additional micronutrients that may help fill nutritional gaps. This formula contains a few vitamins and minerals, but not the most we’ve seen. It has iron, potassium, and calcium, but you won’t find vitamins A, C, or D, like some other blends have. This formula also doesn’t have any helpful digestive enzymes or probiotics.

Since there are no digestive enzymes (like lactase), the lactose here may cause issues for those who are intolerant. And since this was made on equipment that processes products containing eggs, soybeans, wheat, shellfish, tree nuts, and peanut oil, athletes with particularly sensitive allergies may want to steer clear.

Mixability

We found Transparent Labs to have pretty solid mixability in both water and milk. This is something you want to consider if you don’t want any powder left in the bottom of your cup, or you’d rather not feel any powder particles in your mouth. Many protein powders can leave something to be desired in this department, but TL is not one of those powders.

Flavor

Many brands offer over 10 flavor options, but Transparent Labs only has four — Milk Chocolate, Mocha, Salted Caramel, and French Vanilla. If it’s flavor variety you’re after, you can definitely find other brands that provide more flavors to choose from.

Transparent Labs Grass Fed Whey Concentrate Review

As for the flavor itself, we only tried the Milk Chocolate flavor, and it wasn’t our favorite. It’s all-natural, and had a strong dark chocolate flavor, which we didn’t find to be super creamy. However, if you like dark chocolate, this flavor may be appealing to you. Just be sure to consider your options and read others’ reviews before settling on one of these flavors.

Final Word

We always appreciate when companies put out naturally flavored protein powder, and Transparent Labs’ commitment to transparency is commendable. When a company puts so much effort into keeping everything “natural,” it’s understandable that the final product may not have the perfect taste or an abundance of additional benefits.

This blend is a straightforward whey concentrate: 24g of protein, 2.5g of fat, 2g of carbs, and zero sugar. You’ll find a few vitamins and minerals, but not as many as some other brands offer. This is a lean whey concentrate, but what makes it stand out is its natural ingredients — like grass-fed dairy. Transparent Labs Whey Protein is not the tastiest or the most effective whey protein, but if you like your supplements clean and transparent, you could do worse than this formula.

FAQs

Is Transparent Labs Whey Protein better than a whey isolate?

It depends on your personal goals. A whey concentrate is generally higher in carbs and fat, while a whey isolate is filtered to have little to no carbs or fat. If you’re trying to lose weight, an isolate may be better, but as far as concentrates go, this particular blend is fairly lean itself.

Is Transparent Labs Whey Protein expensive?

This is a pretty expensive whey concentrate. Whey concentrates are generally a cheaper whey option than isolates, but because this blend is natural and transparent, it’s a little pricier than its whey concentrate competitors.

Does Transparent Labs Whey Protein taste good?

We tried the Milk Chocolate, and it wasn’t our favorite flavor. However, if you like dark chocolate, this flavor may actually be great for you, as that is what the Milk Chocolate actually tasted like to us. Plus, it does mix really well, which is a huge plus when it comes to taste.