The 14 Best Vegan Protein Powders
Protein powder has become very trendy in the wellness world in recent years. If you're especially active, it is an easy, no-prep way to boost your protein content for the day. But, you might be wondering if you need to add a spoonful of the stuff to your morning smoothies and shakes to meet your daily requirement of protein.
The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA), which is the minimum amount you need to be healthy, is 0.8 grams per kilogram (0.36 grams per pound) of body weight per day—basically, 46 grams for an average woman. That said, "in general, people who eat a wide variety of foods are meeting their protein needs," Brooklyn-based registered dietitian nutritionist Maya Feller previously told Health. However, depending on your age and activity level, your protein intake may need to increase—which is something you should discuss with your doctor.
If you have been given the greenlight to up your protein, and if consuming plant-based products is important to you, you can opt for a vegan protein powder. Choosing a vegan brand simply means that the protein is coming from plants (think nuts, seeds, grains, legumes) rather than animal products (like dairy, meat, and eggs).
Soy, hemp, pea, rice, and peanut are all examples of vegan protein powders. However, it's important to keep in mind that soy is the only complete vegan protein, containing all nine essential amino acids, says Leslie Bonci, RD, a nutrition consultant for the Kansas City Chiefs. "The other plant-based proteins are missing at least one of the essential amino acids."
So if you're not using a soy product, look for a powder that combines protein sources, such as pea and rice, which builds the same degree of muscle-building as whey (or animal-based) protein powder. Or, you can combine the powder with another food, suggests Bonci. Mix hemp protein powder into oatmeal, for example, or put pea protein powder in a smoothie with nut butter.
It's also worth noting that not everyone loves the aftertaste of vegan protein powder. "But that can be improved by adding things like spices such as pumpkin pie spice, cocoa powder, some citrus such as grated orange peel, or extracts such as vanilla, almond, or lemon," Bonci says. Not to mention, many vegan protein powders come in tasty flavors like chocolate, vanilla, and peanut butter.
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