Best Vegan Protein Powders In 2022

Benefits of Vegan Protein Powders

If you are somebody who has never embraced a vegan diet before, you might be asking ‘So what are the benefits of vegan protein powder, anyway?’ and, even if someone had explained it to you in the past, there’s a chance you probably weren’t paying attention, such is the curse of vegan advice. But here’s an idea: hear them out, it might give you some useful information.

This Health Trends article on vegan protein powder goes into more informed detail than we ever could, but it is beneficial to understand that just because this protein comes from a plant doesn’t mean it is not effective.

Vegan protein powder is not just beneficial because it doesn't involve animal products, although that does help. In fact, it helps the body just as effectively as more popular and established whey protein that is found in other shakes - probably the ones you associate with the hulking masses at your gym.

Vegan protein powders mostly rely on plant based protein to supplement the absence of meat in your diet and these proteins have proven to be excellent appetite suppressors, which can help you to lose weight. Furthermore, vegan-friendly soy protein can help to build muscle as effectively as animal protein does.

But these ingredients will not only help you look good, they will help you feel good too. Plant protein helps reduce the risk of cancers (soy), heart disease (hemp) and it is also high in fiber which is highly beneficial for digestion and for lowering cholesterol levels. For these reasons alone vegan protein powder seems like a very attractive option, doesn’t it?

Types of Plant Based Protein

Plant based protein might sound a bit confusing to someone who has done absolutely zero research into it. Some plants contain the nine essential amino acids (which we’ll discuss below, patience) which qualify them as complete proteins. These include soy and quinoa and can help you get as much protein as you need, but this might get a tad monotonous if you are solely eating these every day.

There are some plant products that are missing some of these amino acids, though, so it is important to have a varied diet. To have a substantial idea of what plant products you can include in your diet to ensure that you get as much protein as possible without eating meat.

• Hemp seeds - complete protein 5g of protein per teaspoon
• Chia seeds - like Hemp seeds, rich in fiber and omega-3, 2g of protein per teaspoon
• Tofu, Tempeh or Edamame - Soy products, rich in protein, varies between these three products.
• Lentils - red or green, it doesn’t matter! 8.84g of protein per ½ a cup. Great for adding in curries, stews or salads
• Chickpeas - 7.25g / ½ cup, very versatile.
• Peanuts (unsalted) - protein and healthy fats, 20.5g / ½ cup and peanut butter is also rich in protein, containing about 8g per teaspoon
• Almonds - 16.5 g / ½ cup, also good for vitamin E
• Spirulina - a supplement to put into smoothies, water or fruit juice, it is a blue or green algae, but don’t let that put you off, it’s good for you we swear!
• Quinoa - 8g per cup, complete protein, Great in salads, soups and stews

When looking to increase your protein intake, any of these plant products are perfect for ensuring that you get the protein you need and you can find tons of recipes to help you mix it up.

Ingredients To Look For In Vegan Protein Powders

When choosing your vegan protein powder you need to look for ingredients that will help benefit you. There is a wide variety of ingredients in these powders and so you might find that some do not agree with you the way that you hope.

Depending on what your goals are, you need to find a powder that will help you achieve these goals. When wanting to build muscle mass, finding soy-rich powders are ideal. If you are looking to lose weight, then high-fiber ingredients such a berries will aid you in shedding those pounds. Other ingredients include pea protein, hemp, soy, chia and potato, which are typically found in the best vegan protein powder that you can purchase.

For people with dietary intolerances, vegan protein powders are excellent for maintaining a balanced diet. If you have issues with dairy, gluten or similar food allergies, the vegan option will probably seem like a lifesaver and prevent any uncomfortable stomach issues that might occur with other powders.

Depending on how vegan you are, some protein powders might contain traces of certain foods that do not fall under your definition of vegan, such as honey. This is similar to online recipes created by people who use vegan protein powder but aren’t strictly vegan themselves. As with all things online, make sure you read these recipes carefully to ensure that you don’t accidentally consume something that doesn’t align with your diet.

Important Amino Acids

Amino acids are something that you’ve probably heard a lot about as you have gone through school or seen on supposedly healthy food ads but aren’t all that sure what they are (don’t worry, a lot of us are the same). Amino acids are considered the building blocks of protein and muscle tissue and many plant based protein products contain at least a couple of these essential amino acids.

Products like quinoa are complete proteins, containing all essential (the key word here) amino acids, which are:

• Histidine
• Isoleucine
• Leucine
• Lysine
• Methionine
• Phenylalanine
• Tryptophan
• Valine
• Threonine

If you don’t understand what any of these words means, don’t worry about it, but just know that they are good for you in helping to provide you with the most sufficient protein intake. Some plant-based products do not contain all of these amino acids, so you will need to supplement other ingredients into your diet to achieve this.

If you are looking for a one-stop-shop for the most protein-packed foods, beans are an excellent choice for getting everything you need to be protein rich.

Vegan Protein Powder FAQs

Q: Is Vegan Protein Powder Better Than Whey?

A: The health industry has two primary protein supplements that are used by a wide variety of people who are focused on their health and nutrition. These products are whey protein powders and vegan protein powders.

Whey protein is the most popular in the industry and if you know someone who used protein powder, they are probably using whey as a pre and post workout boost. There is nothing wrong with that, whey has its benefits and for those who aren’t on a strict vegan diet, it is often all a matter of preference.

But whey is made with dairy products and this can cause issues with lactose intolerance sufferers or people who are allergic to dairy. There is also such a wide range of whey products that you might end up with a cheaper brand, which may not have been developed under FDA standards and could be hazardous to your overall health.

With vegan supplements, you avoid the risk of contracting high cholesterol, heart disease and will not suffer from inflammation which can happen with whey protein due to its animal-based ingredients. But there are benefits from either side. Whey will provide more complete proteins while vegan is better for digestion.

We’re not saying that one is better than the other. Some people just enjoy whey more than vegan and vice versa, but what we are saying is that the industry standards for vegan protein powders, as well as their all-natural ingredients, are something to consider if you are concerned about knowing exactly what put into your body.

Q: Will I Get Enough Protein From Vegan Protein Powder?

A: You probably won’t get all of your required protein from vegan protein powder, but you will get enough that it will be easier to make sure that the rest of your diet can fulfil these protein needs. Many people use protein powders to supplement parts of their diet that they know they cannot or are unwilling to sustain, whether it is due to laziness or dietary restrictions, so the powders that they choose are typically high in protein in order to alleviate this issue.

As with all diets, it is the types of food that you put into your body that will determine whether or not you will get enough protein. If your diet generally consists of foods with high salt, sugar and carb content, then you probably won’t get enough protein in your day-to-day so it would be wise to seek out foods that are high in protein to combine with your regular diet. Male vegans need an average of 63 grams of protein per day to adequately fulfil their protein requirements.

If you are unsure whether or not you will get enough protein from your powder alone and want to explore meal plans or recipes to help you achieve your protein needs, then consider checking out this page for some information on protein and possible meals that might be helpful.

Q: How Much Protein Do I Need Per Serving?

A: The protein powders that you purchase will have a spoon that comes with the tub which will give you a decent indication of how much protein you need per serving. One spoonful of this powder is considered a single serving but you can put as much or as little as you want it your shakes, smoothies or baking to suit your needs.

Typically, these vegan protein powders offer 20 grams of protein with each serving, but you can choose to double or half these servings if you want.

As mentioned above, the average vegan male requires 63 grams of protein per day. If you separate this into meals, that is 21 grams of protein per meal, assuming you eat three meals a day. With this, you can see that the amount of protein per powder serving is sufficient for proving as much protein as you need. You can also replace meals with protein shakes or smoothies while still remaining full until the next meal.

However, this is only really beneficial when you are looking to build muscle mass and does not provide you with as much of a balanced diet as need unless the protein supplement you are using is one of those 3-, 4-, 5- or whatever in-1 products that provide enough of everything else, as well.

You don’t have to stop at 21 grams, though. If you need to snack on protein rich foods throughout the day, then feel free. This is also helpful if you miss your protein intake for one meal and need to make it up before the next. It is important to remember that everybody is different, though so do not take everything said here as gospel. For the most comprehensive idea of what your needs are, consult a qualified nutritionist to get an idea of your protein needs as well as anything else you might be concerned about with your diet.

Sources:

1. Let’s Break the Vegan Stigma - Huffington Post
2. Vegan Protein Powder Benefits and Side Effects - Health Trends
3. 15 plant-based protein foods - Medical News Today
4. Protein in the Vegan Diet - Vegetarian Resource Group