Naked Whey Review: Is This Minimalist Protein Powder Worth It?

Hi, I’m Corey 👋🏽

As an ex-NFL/CFL athlete and current personal trainer, I’ve put countless supplements to the test. I have a degree in Sports Administration and a passion for the science behind sports nutrition.

Plus, I’m backed by a wonderful team of doctors, dietitians, and athletes.

You can read more about our testing process here.

Prepping for the taste test!

Naked Whey Protein Overview:

*Cost and ingredients may vary depending on the tub size, retailer, and flavor.

What Makes Naked Whey Different?

Naked Whey stands out from other protein powders by prioritizing transparency and simplicity. Founded in 2014 by former All-American athlete Stephen Zieminski, Naked Nutrition aims to provide supplements with minimal, high-quality ingredients.

Naked Whey is sourced from grass-fed cows in Northern California and Idaho, ensuring a premium product. The company focuses on using as few ingredients as possible, with no artificial flavors, colors, or sweeteners.

By offering a clean, simple product, Naked Nutrition empowers you to control your nutrition and tailor it to your specific health and fitness goals. With a commitment to transparency and quality, Naked Whey is a protein powder you can trust.

Putting Naked Whey Protein to the Test:

As usual, we tested 8 factors in total. To learn more about our testing process, see here.

*Note: Averages are calculated using our proprietary database of 350+ protein powders.

Looking forward to trying these out!

Taste Test (6.25)

I tried both the Chocolate and Vanilla flavors of Naked Whey. Overall, the Vanilla flavor took the W scoring a 6.5 out of 10, with the Chocolate flavor scoring a 6 out of 10.

Honestly, I wasn’t expecting the taste of Naked Whey to blow me away. It’s hard to get a great tasting protein with only three ingredients.

A lot of the best tasting protein powders out there—like Boba Tea, Ghost Whey, Isopure, and Dymatize ISO 100—have a lot more ingredients and therefore more taste levers to pull. Put another way: imagine the Oakland A’s trying to compete with the Yankees with the 1/5th of the salary cap. It’s not easy!

Overall, despite a decent taste score, Naked Whey isn’t a protein you buy for the taste. It’s one you buy for its clean, simple, and all natural ingredients.

Taste testing the vanilla flavor

Taste testing the chocolate flavor

Nutritional Value (9.5)

I gave it a solid 9.5 out of 10. Each serving packs 25 grams of high-quality protein from grass-fed cows, and it’s cold-processed to keep all the good stuff like amino acids, omega-3s, and immunoglobulins intact.

Now, when you compare Naked Whey to something like Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey Protein, with 24 grams of protein per serving, Naked Whey comes out on top with its commitment to minimal processing. But keep in mind, Naked Whey is a concentrate, not an isolate like Isopure, so it has more lactose and fat.

Naked Nutrition’s focus on quality, simple ingredients and high protein content makes it a top pick for nutrition. Just remember, if you’re sensitive to lactose or watching your calories like a hawk, you may want to go with an isolate instead.

Close up of the ingredients label (vanilla)

Close up of the ingredients label (chocolate)

Cost (7.5)

As for cost, I gave Naked Whey a 7.5 out of 10. At around $1.25 per serving, it’s not the cheapest option out there, but it’s also not going to break the bank.

When you compare it to something like Six Star Whey Protein, which comes in at about $1.56 per serving, or Dymatize ISO100 at a mere $0.60 per serving, Naked Whey falls somewhere in the middle. But here’s the thing – you’re paying for quality, simple ingredients, and a brand that values transparency.

If you’re looking for a pure, minimally processed protein at an affordable price, and don’t care much about taste, Naked is a good choice. But if you’re big on taste and protein density, there are better options out there.

Third Party Testing (10)

Re third-party testing, it’s simple – either a protein powder is third-party tested, or it isn’t. Naked Whey nails it in this category, earning a perfect 10 out of 10.

The folks at Informed Choice have given Naked Whey their seal of approval, which means it’s been tested for any sketchy stuff like banned substances. This is a big deal, especially if you’re an athlete or just someone who cares about what they’re putting in their body.

At the end of the day, third-party testing is all about trust and transparency. And with Naked Whey, you can trust that you’re getting a clean, quality product without any nasty surprises. That’s the kind of peace of mind that’s worth its weight in gold, if you ask me.

Naked Nutrition Whey Protein VS The Market

Let’s see how Naked Whey compares to other proteins on the market in terms of price:

*You can read full reviews of each product by clicking on the product name.

**Prices will vary depending on tub size, time of purchase, and place of purchase.

As you can see, Naked Whey is more affordable than many whey proteins on the market. But this isn’t a comprehensive list.

There are certainly cheaper whey protein options out there like Quest, Dymatize, and Gold Standard at $1.25 per serving, $0.60 per serving, and $0.60 per serving respectively.

Let’s see how it compares in terms of protein per serving and calories per serving:

Here’s how it compares in terms of protein density, i.e. the % of calories from protein:

As you can see, Naked Whey is middle of the pack in terms of the percentage of calories from protein. If you prefer a denser powder, I would recommend something like Transparent Labs or Dymatize.

Keep in mind, the total caloric intake, and therefore protein density, may vary across flavors.

Naked Whey IS a Good Option if:

• You don’t care THAT much about taste
• You want a protein with minimal ingredients
• You value simplicity and transparency in your protein powder, with minimal ingredients and no artificial additives.

Naked Whey is NOT a Good Option if:

• You have a lactose intolerance or a milk allergy
• You’re looking for a 10 out of 10 tasting protein
• You can’t accord to pay more than $1 per serving

Final Thoughts:

Naked Whey is all about keeping things simple, honest, and as close to nature as possible. If that’s your vibe, then this is your whey.

At the end of the day, it’s about what works for you – your taste buds, your body, and your budget. Take a good, hard look at what matters most to you and what you’re trying to achieve. Weigh the good with the bad, and make the call that feels right for you.

Whether you decide to go Naked or not, just keep pushing forward on your fitness journey. That’s what it’s all about.

If you’re interested in trying Naked Whey, you can purchase it directly from the Naked Nutrition website or through Amazon.

Until next time,
Coach Big C✌🏽