7 Best Vegan Protein Powders

If you’re a vegan, you’ll know that the subject of protein will almost always come up whenever someone learns about your dietary preferences for the first time. Granted, people are more aware of the existence of protein-rich plants these days, but vegan protein sources are still usually shrouded in a cloud of ambiguity.

Whey and other animal-based protein sources may have an edge in terms of popularity, but that doesn’t mean that vegans are left without a viable way to ramp up their protein intake. Visit any health food store and you’ll see that dozens of vegan protein powders have hit the shelves in recent years. And, as any vegan will passionately assert, they can be just as good as conventional protein supplements.

If you want to know more about vegan protein powders, you’ve come to the right place! We prepared this buying guide to give you helpful shopping tips, valuable info, and expert-backed advice on how to make the most out of this vegan-friendly treat. Let’s go!

Complete vs. Incomplete Protein

Amino acids are known as the building blocks of protein. The human body uses at least 20 different kinds of amino acids. However, 9 out of these 20 cannot be produced by the body on its own. As such, we largely rely on the food we consume to get our fair share of these essential amino acids.

Now, how does this figure in the topic of vegan protein powders?

Protein sources that contain all nine essential amino acids are called complete proteins. On the other hand, incomplete proteins contain some essential amino acids, but not all. Consuming complete proteins is generally regarded as a healthier practice than relying on incomplete proteins.

Different Protein Sources Used in Vegan Protein Powder

Here are some of the most common protein sources used in vegan-friendly protein powders.

Soy protein

From ready-to-drink milk to protein powders, soy is probably the most popular plant-based ingredient when we’re talking about alternatives to dairy. Since 1959, soy protein isolate has been used in food to help vegans achieve the recommended daily intake of protein.

Pros: Soy protein isolate is produced by processing defatted soy flour. In this process, non-protein components, fats, and carbohydrates are removed—resulting in a product that is 90% protein. The fact that it causes less gas compared to other sources, as well as its neutral flavor, are two pros that make soy protein isolate very popular.

Cons: Soy contains a good amount of protein for vegans, but it also contains phytoestrogens. Some believe that consuming lots of soy-based products can cause feminine characteristics in men, but experts maintain that in moderate amounts, soy is perfectly safe for everyone.

Brown Rice Protein

People are often surprised when they hear about brown rice protein. After all, we’ve all been conditioned to view rice as sort of a downright equivalent to carbs. However, brown rice protein does exist—and it’s just as low in carbohydrates as other plant-based proteins.

Pros: Rice protein is free of gluten, lactose, FODMAPs, and other ingredients that are linked to gastric disturbances. It is hypoallergenic, which makes it an ideal protein source for people with food allergies.

Cons: Rice is an incomplete protein source. While rice protein is high in the amino acids methionine and cysteine, it is low in lysine.

Pea Protein

Pea protein is obtained from field peas. As with soy and rice protein, starch and other fibrous contents are removed from peas—resulting to a product that is around 80% protein. That said, you don’t have to worry about consuming too many carbs with pea protein powder.

Pros: Pea protein is easily digested by the body. Because it is dairy-, egg-, and soy-free, it’s a great candidate protein source for those who have allergies and/or an intolerance to the said ingredients.

Cons: Pea protein cannot deliver all of the nine essential amino acids on its own. It is rich in lysine but falls short in methionine and cysteine content. However, note that pea protein is usually combined with other plant-based sources in order to produce a final product that contains all nine essential amino acids.

Hemp Protein

Hemp is a fairly-new plant-based source of protein. This type of protein is extracted from the seed of the cannabis plant. But don’t worry, it won’t make you high! The cannabis variety used in making hemp protein contains very small amounts of THC.

Pros: Hemp protein contains good levels of all nine essential amino acids. It also contains fiber and a good ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids, which help fight inflammation in the body. Compared to rice and pea protein, hemp is also a better source of minerals like iron, zinc, and magnesium.

Cons: Hemp is not the best when it comes to “protein density.” For example, a 30-gram serving of soy contains a comparable amount of protein to a similar serving of whey. However, a serving of protein powder derived from hemp contains as much as 44% less protein than soy. Both rice and pea protein powders also contain more protein than powder that’s made from hemp.

Calculating Your Recommended Daily Protein Allowance

There are many online resources that give out information on how much protein you need in a day. However, you have to discern whether or not these resources apply to you as a vegan.

Conventionally, the recommended daily allowance for protein sits at around 0.36 grams per pound of body weight. However, experts who have looked specifically at vegan diets recommend that you consume a bit more protein than that.

Ideally, you should go for around 0.45 grams of protein per pound of body weight. This increase accounts for the fact that plant-derived protein is less digestible than animal-based protein.

Pros of Vegan Protein Powder

• Vegan protein powder is free of animal by-products.
• It’s easy to prepare and just as convenient as whey protein.
• People with lactose intolerance and other dairy-related sensitivities will be able to consume extra protein without worries.
• Vegan proteins offer valuable nutrients that are not present in whey protein.

Cons of Vegan Protein Powder

• Not all plant-based protein sources are complete proteins. This means blending several sources is necessary if you can’t eat soy or hemp protein.
• It has a distinct aftertaste that may not be appealing to some people.
• Plant-derived protein is less digestible than animal protein.
• Vegan protein powder can be more expensive than animal-based protein powder.

What to Look Out for When Shopping for A Vegan Protein Powder

Serving size and price

Since vegan protein powders tend to be a bit pricier than their dairy-derived counterparts, you’ll want to exert a bit more effort to ensure you’re getting a good value. When comparing your options, looking at the price and size is undoubtedly important. However, don’t forget to also consider the recommended serving size to get an idea of the number of servings you can get per pack.

Protein content per serving

Checking the amount of protein you’ll get per serving is crucial to making a wise shopping decision. This becomes even more important if you’re an athlete or someone who’s trying to gain muscles.

Other included nutrients

If there’s one thing that the comparison above tells us, it’s that different vegan protein sources have their own pros and cons. Hemp may not have the highest level of protein, but it makes up for it in terms of added nutrients.

With that being said, you have to decide: Is having the maximum amount of protein per serving your sole basis? Or are you willing to compromise on protein content for additional minerals and essential fatty acids?

Protein source/s used

The whole point of protein powders—whether vegan or not—is to provide us with a way to meet our protein requirements easily. In this case, one basis of deciding if a vegan protein powder is well worth it is if it can deliver the same quality of protein as meat.

That said, it’s important that you find a vegan powder that can fill you up with all of the nine essential amino acids. When inspecting vegan powders, check the specific protein sources that were used in its production. This way, you’ll be able to tell whether or not you’re actually getting a complete protein.

Other ingredients

As mentioned above, plant-based protein is not as palatable as whey. This means that vegan protein powders are more likely to contain additives like flavor enhancers and sweeteners just so they can be more appealing in terms of taste.

If you’re on a strict diet, you might want to be extra careful when scrutinizing ingredients lists. Also, if you want more bang for your buck, you should choose vegan protein powders that contain as little non-protein ingredients as possible.

When’s The Best Time to Take Protein Powder?

As with whey protein, you should take your vegan protein powder after every training session. Your muscles are in dire need of amino acids at this time, and a protein shake will certainly give you what you need to jumpstart recovery and muscle building. Drink your protein shake within 30 minutes after your gym session to really get the most gains from your workout.

Using protein powder to make a pre-workout vegan shake is another great way to incorporate more protein into your diet. Make sure to consume the drink 45 minutes before exercise to enjoy higher energy levels and better performance.

Even during rest days, a dose of your favorite protein powder will be beneficial. Starting the day with a high-protein breakfast will help improve the results of your weight loss and muscle building efforts.