Rivalus Native Pro 100
Rivalus: A Brand and a Commitment
Rivalus—literally, “Rival” + “Us,” as in, “We dare you to compete with us,” “We challenge you to find a cleaner product,” “We want you to test our products in your labs for purity.” Rivalus is committed to bringing serious athletes (who undergo serious drug testing protocols) clean, pure, high-quality supplements. They cater to the elite group of competitive athletes—Olympic athletes, bodybuilders, and powerlifters—who care about what they put into their bodies. From the facility in which Rivalus products are processed to the fact that capsules, tablets, and powders are all free of banned substances and fillers, Rivalus remains steadfast to its promise to deliver nothing but the safest, cleanest products to its athletes.
Native Pro – What Is It?
Instead of “what is it?” let’s start with “Native Pro—how is it made?” Rivalus uses a revolutionary lower-temperature technology to extract pure whey protein from pasture-raised, grass-fed cow’s milk to preserve more of the integrity and benefits of whey. Rivalus is the first major manufacturer in Canada and the US to offer this type of whey in Native Pro; which is produced through its own innovative whey isolation technology. Whereas standard whey protein isolates start from fresh skim milk then go through enzyme treatment and then pasteurization and filtration processes before they get to your body, Native Pro is directly sourced from the pasture-raised cow and only undergoes low-temperature filtration. Simply put, this whey protein isolate formula is directly extracted from milk as opposed to being a by-product of cheese.
Native Pro Under the Microscope
Almost as important as what’s in Native Pro is what’s not in Native Pro. Rivalus has upheld its commitment to keep its products, clean, pure, and as natural as possible. With this in mind, Native Pro is free of filler ingredients, cheese remnants, and contaminants, such as added sugars, maltodextrin, synthetic rBST hormones, FD&C colours, antibiotics, artificial sweeteners, bleaching agents, banned substances, and other junk your body doesn’t need. Native Pro certainly lives up to its name in terms of how it’s processed and just how little extra ingredients it has in it; it’s just whey in its “native” state. In the words of Rivalus, the low-temperature filtration process results in “high protein content, more consistent flavour, better retention of native functionality and naturally richer concentrations of key amino acids.”
If you don’t know the benefits of whey, you’ve been living under a rock … not a microscope. Whey protein is one of the highest quality protein sources—if not the highest—that happens to contain very little fat and carbs. It’s useful for supporting your fat-loss goals, because the thermic effect of protein (how many calories your body burns by eating, digesting, and absorbing the nutrient) is higher than that of carbs and fats. In addition, research has shown that people who eat more protein burn more fat and calories throughout the day than those who eat less protein. There are seven ingredients in Native Pro (eight including the organic cocoa powder in the chocolate flavour). How many other brands and powders can claim that all eight ingredients are gluten-free, antibiotic-free, and artificial sweetener/colour-free? Right. Thought so.
How to Take Native Pro
One scoop/serving weighs a whopping 34.5 grams, and there are 35 servings per container. Each scoop has 130 calories, comprising 0.5 grams of fat, 2 grams of carbohydrates (one gram of which is fibre), and 30 grams of whey protein isolate. Depending on your goals—i.e., how many calories you eat every day—you could make a well-balanced snack with two scoops of Native Whey plus some rice cakes and almonds, or just take one scoop after your workout. Alternatively, if you don’t have time for breakfast, blend it along with some fruit and almond butter for an on-the-go meal!
Final Thoughts on Rivalus’ Native Pro
I’m an athlete. I’m a fan of anything that looks out for not only an athlete’s performance but also his or her internal health, and Rivalus’ Native Pro does just that. From the way the whey is extracted from skim milk to the few added ingredients, Native Pro is all about purity and an athlete’s lifestyle. Rivalus clearly cares about its label claims, and it’s reflected in the quality of its supplements; Native Pro is no exception. It’s currently only available in Chocolate and Vanilla, both of which go down so smoothly and mix incredibly well in both a shaker cup and a blender with ice (which again reinforces how pure this protein is). For a quality protein with 5-star taste that also has a 5-star ingredient list, check out Native Pro by Rivalus.