Ascent Protein Review – A Better Option

a woman outside trying to pull a lot of weight, ascent logo in the lower left corner

Ascent Protein Review

Editor’s Note: This review was updated on 9/21/22 to reflect changes to Ascent’s ingredients. 

Every day, it seems there’s another company making another unique version of the classic protein powder.

As it is, I’ve written about and reviewed countless brands that fit under numerous umbrellas designed to serve every type of athlete out there.

What I’ve gathered through this tenuous process is that, consistently, the most popular type of protein is whey protein.

Whey protein is widely regarded as the best type of protein available, ranking as superior to certain vegan options like hemp and bean protein. Whey protein is also regarded as better than its counterpart, casein.

Quickly, whey protein and casein protein are both derived from milk. The big difference is in how quickly the proteins are digested.

Whey protein is a quick-digesting protein, casein is a slow-digesting protein. Whether or not this matters will depend on the kind of athlete that you are.

Regardless, Whey contains all 9 essential amino acids, in addition to a high BCAA content. BCAAs (Branched Chain Amino Acids) are some of the most vital amino acids to the muscle-building proceeds.

One BCAA in particular, Leucine, kickstarts the biological pathway that begins the muscle regrowth process on a cellular level. 

Of the many Whey Protein powders out there, few are regarded as truly unique. One of these few companies is Ascent Protein.

They are fully backed by a whole retinue of professional athletes, including the running back Christian McCaffrey, CrossFit champ Katrin Davidsdottir, the (previously) second fittest man on earth, Brent Fikowksi, and the Spartan World Champ Robert Killian, among others.

By itself, even if those are highly decorated athletes, I don’t put much stock into their endorsements. After all, they are getting paid by the company to promote their products.

However, after looking into and using Ascent, I have to say I’m pretty impressed by their Native Fuel Whey. Let’s take a closer look in this Ascent protein review…

Ascent 100% Whey Protein Powder – Post Workout Whey Protein Isolate, Zero Artificial Flavors &…
  • Native Whey Protein Powder Isolate Blend – The least-processed unflavored whey protein available today, naturally higher in leucine for muscle…
  • 25g Protein Per Scoop – 5.5g Naturally Occurring BCAAs, and a clean, minimalist ingredient list. Certified Gluten Free and Informed Choice Certified….
  • Designed for Post Workout Recovery – Supports fitness goals with pure whey that rapidly digests to fuel muscle growth and recovery. A protein smoothie…
  • 0g of Added Sugar, Zero Artificial Flavors and Sweeteners – Clean, pure protein that easily fits low carb and keto diets. Perfect for recipes & baking…
  • 2 LB Whey Protein Powder with included scoop – Simple collapsible bag packaging for easier storage in small or irregular cabinets and drawers.

What Makes Ascent Native Fuel Whey Protein Special?

a bag of ascent protein
(image is clickable)

Ascent Native Fuel Whey’s biggest claim to fame revolves around their protein filtration method. They do not buy whey protein, they filter it themselves.

What they do buy is grade A milk from only the most trusted farmers, which they then filter in a unique process that keeps the protein in its native state. The result is something Ascent likes to call Native Whey Protein.

This might not sound all too special, but the chemical makeup of their Native Fuel Whey includes 17% higher levels of Leucine, which is absolutely imperative BCAA I mentioned earlier.

The purest form of Micellar Casein is also included in this resulting Native Whey, which helps to bring together the two different types of milk-derived protein.

And, in addition to this, Ascent Whey contains no artificial ingredients or additives – it is pure protein. 

Some More Info


a bag of ascent protein and a glass of protein shake being pouredA 2-pound package of Ascent’s Native Whey Protein
is a bit pricey, at least when compared to some bulk offerings you can buy.

As a general rule, though, you get what you pay for so let’s take a closer look. Ascent Whey contains 120 calories, 25 grams of protein, 3 grams of carbs, 1 gram of sugar, 1 gram of fat, and 5.75 grams of BCAAs, as well as 2.75 grams of Leucine per serving with 29 servings in each 2lb bag. 

This made-in-the-U.S.A protein powder is also gluten-free and soy-free, making it doubly advantageous to a wider range of athletes. Soy, as you may (or may not) know, is a cheap filler in many “healthy” products. The absence of it is generally a good thing. 

As I mentioned, it only has 1 gram of sugar which, along with the ingredients, makes it a great option for those on a keto or low-carb diet. 

Moving on, Native Fuel Whey comes in several flavors which include – but is not limited to – Chocolate, Vanilla Bean, Lemon Sorbet, and Unflavored. The latter of which caters to a wide variety of palettes as it can be blended into foods – such as pancakes – as well as smoothies. 

In terms of taste, this product has a surprisingly good chocolate flavor. I typically use milk instead of water and rather enjoyed the taste. While I haven’t tried other flavors, they tend to be rated well overall, even the unflavored variety. As most protein powders taste like liquified chalk mixed with sand, neutral-tasting protein powder is a good find.

That said, let’s take a quick look at the overall ingredients:

Ascent Protein Review - Ingredients

While I don’t like seeing “Natural Flavors” – as it can hide many somewhat nefarious compounds – overall the ingredients are pretty top notch. 

I personally tend to avoid artificial sweeteners and much prefer Stevia over the commonly used alternatives. So having it as the primary source of sweetness is great choice. 

On the plus side, soy lecithin (which was in earlier versions of the protein powder) has been replaced with sunflower lecithin. In general, lecithin helps with mixability and I didn’t notice any clumping or general mixing issues. 

Who’s it for?

a woman drinking form an ascent branded bottle

For starters, protein supplements are highly beneficial to those athletes who work out regularly at high intensities. If you don’t work out all the time, and if you don’t work out hard, you almost certainly do not need extra protein. In my opinon, you’d be much better off spending that money on high-quality foods. 

But if you are one of those athletes who grinds all the time, this product is for you. The only thing that would keep you from this unique, delicious whey protein is an allergy to tree nuts, peanuts, as this Ascent product may contain traces of all three. If that’s you, try Six Stars Protein instead.

Otherwise, Ascent protein might just be one of the best protein powders out there, owing to its unusual protein derivation processes, which result in more BCAAs and better, purer protein. 

If you’re interested, Amazon is still the best option with the fastest shipping available.

Ascent 100% Whey Protein Powder – Post Workout Whey Protein Isolate, Zero Artificial Flavors &…
  • Native Whey Protein Powder Isolate Blend – The least-processed unflavored whey protein available today, naturally higher in leucine for muscle…
  • 25g Protein Per Scoop – 5.5g Naturally Occurring BCAAs, and a clean, minimalist ingredient list. Certified Gluten Free and Informed Choice Certified….
  • Designed for Post Workout Recovery – Supports fitness goals with pure whey that rapidly digests to fuel muscle growth and recovery. A protein smoothie…
  • 0g of Added Sugar, Zero Artificial Flavors and Sweeteners – Clean, pure protein that easily fits low carb and keto diets. Perfect for recipes & baking…
  • 2 LB Whey Protein Powder with included scoop – Simple collapsible bag packaging for easier storage in small or irregular cabinets and drawers.

Final Verdict (TL, DR)

Ascent Native Fuel Whey is a great choice if you’re looking for a great tasting and “natural” protein powder. Not only is it free of artificial flavors and sweeteners, it’s low in sugar and incorporates a highly unprocessed form of whey protein. 

If you’re looking for pretty pure protein source and are good with the higher price, I’d definitely put it on the short list of powder options. Recommended!

  • PROs
  •  “Clean” protein source
  •  Free of artificial sweeteners
  •  Gluten-free, soy-free
  • Taste and mixability is great
  • Informed Choice tested – certified to be free of banned substances
 
CONs
  •  Fairly expensive
  • Made in a facility that processes egg, fish, tree nuts, and peanuts
 
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Article by:

Daniel DeMoss

I’m a personal trainer based in Denver (Matrix Gym) and a true fitness nerd. If I’m not training clients or working out at my home gym, I’m probably skiing, cycling or hiking with my dog Rufus.