Brave Ancestral Protein Origin Story

Join Dr Jenna Macciochi as she introduces Brave Ancestral Protein, our natural protein powder inspired by ancient wisdom and designed to support a busy modern lifestyle.

Strength looks different at every life stage, but it always serves the same purpose: supporting our capacity to adapt, recover and continue showing up for what matters.

We don’t build strength for mirrors.
We don’t nourish our bodies for numbers.
We don’t take care of ourselves for aesthetics alone.

We do it for what we lift. For what strength allows us to do: to show up, to recover, to endure, and to carry the responsibilities and relationships that shape our lives. 

Strength, in this sense, is not about aesthetics. It is about capacity and resilience. And that starts with the right protein.

The protein gap: The problem with modern diets

Our ancestors might not have counted grams or tracked macros, but when it comes to protein, they certainly understood function. 

They ate nose-to-tail, valuing organs such as liver and kidney for their nourishing depth. They recognised that strength was about endurance and recovery, not optimisation. Protein was a supportive daily nutrient that allowed life to be lived fully.

Fast forward to today, as a scientist working in the wellbeing industry, I still see that same principle again and again - that protein is foundational. Not just for muscle, but for every system that keeps us resilient. 

Protein forms the structure of our cells, the enzymes that drive metabolism, the antibodies that defend us, and the tissues that allow us to move and recover. Yet in modern life, protein has become strangely misunderstood. 

On one end of the spectrum, it has been reduced to a performance tool, engineered for extremes and wrapped in artificial sweetness and hyper-processed formulations. 

On the other hand, many people are simply not getting enough protein. Busy schedules, chronic stress, missed meals and shifting dietary patterns mean that protein is often under-consumed, of poor quality or not adequately distributed across the day. 

The result is a protein gap between what our bodies need and what modern diets reliably provide.

Introducing Brave Ancestral Protein: For what we lift

Brave Ancestral Protein began as a response to this gap. It all started with a question: “What if protein could return to its rightful place as a daily foundation for real life, rather than something reserved for workouts or goals?”

We set out with one aim: to create a top-up, not a takeover. A protein that belongs on kitchen worktops, to be taken in morning routines, between meetings, after movement, and before the next demand of the day, quietly restoring what modern life gradually takes. 

The result was a complete protein ritual inspired by ancestral diets and reimagined for everyday life. 

Key features + benefits 

• Protein + nutrition: With nutrient-dense organ meats for vitality and added collagen peptides and methylated vitamin B6 and B12, Brave Ancestral Protein is your all-in-one support.
  

• Gut-friendly protein: Grass-fed beef isolate provides a gentle, complete protein alternative to Whey protein, while Actazin® (Kiwi Fruit Extract) enhances digestion and absorption (37% report less bloating and gas).
  

• No artificial aftertaste: Cacao, beetroot, cinnamon, and carob create a rich, chocolatey taste. 

Beyond protein: The making of Brave Ancestral Protein

Not a gym shake, nor a meal replacement, Brave Ancestral Protein exists for what we lift and has been carefully crafted to carry you through your day with strength, focus, and energy.

Animal-based protein: This product is intentionally animal-based because bioavailability and nutrient density matter. From a physiology-first perspective, animal proteins naturally provide complete amino acid profiles and micronutrients in forms the body evolved to recognise and utilise efficiently. This is not about ideology, it’s about function, nourishment and long-term resilience.

Purity over processed: Protein quality matters as much as quantity. We use grass-fed beef protein isolate because it provides all essential amino acids in a highly bioavailable form, without lactose and without the digestive burden that many people experience with whey or heavily processed plant blends. This ensures that protein is not just consumed, but absorbed and used effectively by the body.

Enhanced with collagen peptides: We included our clinically tested, highly absorbable hydrolysed True Collagen peptides because strength is not just muscle. It is connective tissue, joints and the structural framework that supports movement, recovery and long-term resilience. 

Nutrient-dense: To this, we added freeze-dried liver and kidney, among the most nutrient-dense foods in nature, naturally rich in micronutrients that support energy metabolism, immune function and cellular repair. These are nutrients muscle meat alone cannot provide, yet they were once central to traditional diets.

Designed for digestive comfort: Digestive comfort is fundamental to nourishment, which is why we included Actazin® green kiwifruit, a food-based digestive enzyme that supports protein breakdown and comfortable digestion. 

With added B vitamins: From an immunology and gut-health perspective, absorption matters as much as intake. We also layered in methylated B vitamins to support normal energy-yielding metabolism and reduce fatigue, recognising that sustainable energy is about efficiency, not stimulation. 

And functional botanicals: Cacao, beetroot, carob and cinnamon bring antioxidant support, minerals and balance, while creating a naturally rich and grounded flavour without artificial additives.

Brave Ancestral Protein vs Whey vs Plant Protein

Is Brave Ancestral Protein right for you? To help you find the best protein powder for you, we’ve created this helpful protein comparison chart. 

Conclusion: 

At Ancient + Brave, we believe the future of health lies in integration. Ancestral intelligence refined with modern evidence. Ritual underpinned by physiology. Strength redefined not by appearance, but by capacity.

Brave Ancestral Protein exists for what we lift. To top up what the day takes, so we can keep lifting and living fully.

Get the answers you need at a glance.

What is the ‘protein gap’ and why does it matter?

The protein gap refers to the shortfall many of us experience between how much protein we need for optimal health and how much we actually get from food alone. Protein isn’t just about muscle. It’s a foundational macronutrient, essential for connective tissue, immune system function, gut integrity and metabolic health, especially as we get older or live fast, demanding lives. 

Brave Ancestral Protein is a nutrient-dense protein powder created to help bridge the protein gap and restore what modern living so often depletes. 

What is Brave Ancestral Protein? 

A functional, nutrient-dense protein powder, Brave Ancestral Protein replenishes what fast living takes, helping you meet your daily protein needs. It combines beef protein isolate with hydrolysed collagen, freeze-dried organ meats and functional botanicals to deliver a nutritious protein powder with a complete amino acid profile, supporting strength, muscle health, recovery and everyday energy. This is protein, re-imagined through an ancestral lens and refined for modern life.

Who is Brave Ancestral Protein for?

This is a versatile nourishment ritual designed for busy modern lives, not just a post-workout shake for muscle building, or protein for satiety. It’s for everyone, but can be especially useful for busy, active people who want to age well, move freely, and feel strong, whether that’s training hard, juggling full lives, or simply wanting to meet their body’s protein needs with ease.

Protein is essential, yet many of us struggle to get enough for optimal health and longevity.  Convenience, ethical choices, and busier lifestyles leave gaps that most powders fill with artificially flavoured or hard-to-digest products. Brave Ancestral Protein powder blends complete protein, nutrient-rich organs, and functional botanicals. Due to the animal-based ingredients, it is not suitable for vegans or vegetarians.

What are the key benefits of Brave Ancestral Protein?

Brave Ancestral Protein is not just protein; it's protein plus functional nutrition.

• Daily top-up of high-quality protein to support healthy ageing, strength/muscle mass, and recovery.

• True Collagen to help care for skin, joints, tendons and connective tissue
  

• Freeze-dried liver and kidney are nature’s nutrient-dense 

• Actazin® green kiwifruit to support comfortable digestion

• Delicious and nourishing with Cacao, beetroot, cinnamon, and carob create a rich, nourishing taste, nothing artificial.
  

Together, these elements help you meet your daily protein and nourishment needs, gently, effectively, and in a way that’s kind to sensitive stomachs.  

What makes Brave Ancestral Protein unique?

Carefully crafted to support active ageing, recovery, and busy lives, Brave Ancestral Protein differs from other proteins in that its gut-friendly formula goes above and beyond muscle building. 

Teaming nutrient-dense beef isolate with hydrolysed collagen peptides and digestion-aiding Actazin® green kiwi extract, this multisystem protein powder gently steps in to support recovery, resilience and freedom of movement on days when you need it most.