Truly eating “clean” is a pretty big undertaking. While the exact definition is actually a fairly controversial point, clean eaters from all camps can generally agree on one, underlying principle: Clean eating is about picking whole, minimally-processed, nutrient-dense foods. Contrary to how it might sound, clean eating is not a highly-restrictive diet. In fact, working from that primary rule, clean eating allows you a wide variety of healthy, delicious choices. Or at least, it should. Too often, people assume that certain food are off-limits when they're endeavoring to clean up their diets and, as a result, they end up depriving themselves of necessary nutrients. In general, whey protein supplements are an extremely convenient dietary tool – allowable within many dietary styles. Because it is technically “processed,” though, some clean eaters hesitate to grab a tub of whey. But, in reality, not all whey is the problem. In fact many whey protein powders are stuffed with artificial ingredients and are heavily processed, destroying many of the beneficial substances that the supplement should offer. This isn't always the case, though. Specifically, grass fed whey protein could be a powerful tool in the clean eater’s dietary tool box. Why? Grass Fed and Clean It may sound like a minor detail but the fact that the cows that produced the milk that later become whey is actually extremely important – to everyone, not just clean eaters. Cows that are kept on a feed-lot are given grains and other cheap foods that are not their natural choice. But that mix of grains may also contain Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) which would definitely make anything produced by that cow a no-go in clean eating. Any meat or dairy derived from these cows would also have a much higher concentration of saturated fats. It should be noted, as well, that the feed-lot is a popular farming tool because it keeps the animals all in one small enclosure – which makes it easier for them to be treated with hormones and antibiotics. Grass fed whey protein, however, comes from cows that have been allowed to wander pastures and graze on their natural food: grass. Because of this, grass fed whey protein – and anything else made from that cow – is lower in saturated fat and higher in healthy omega-3 and conjugated linoleic fatty acids. Grass fed cows are also not treated with antibiotic or hormones and are not exposed to GMOs in their food or otherwise. A Few Considerations But it's also important for you to consider what happens to that grass fed whey protein powder before it reaches your tub. Even if the whey started out as a high-quality option, it's very possible that it is over-processed and generally mistreated. Clean-eaters, then, will want to make sure that their grass fed whey protein is minimally-processed using low temperature techniques and has not been bleached or acid-treated. These processes can greatly reduce the bioavailability of the nutrients that you should be getting from your whey and could even leave behind some decidedly unclean residue. Read More: Why Artificial Sweeteners are Bad for Protein Supplements Why Hydrogenated Ingredients in Protein Powders Are Bad Amazing Vegan Protein Smoothie Recipe for Flawless Skin