Vegan Protein Powder: What to Look for and Avoid

Written By: Brandon Davies

Published on: April 27, 2023

Expert Review By: Steven Cleark&

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Are you vegan and looking to increase the amount of protein in your diet? You are in luck due to the formulation of vegan protein powder. Historically, protein powder has been extracted from animal products such as milk and eggs. Thus considered inappropriate for vegan lifestyles and people who are intolerant to animal proteins. Thanks, we now have vegan protein powder plant-based protein)to fill this glaring gap. As a result, numerous brands are now flooding both online and offline stores with this supplement. This has left many vegans confused about how to find the best protein powder to suit their vegan diet and help them achieve their fitness goals. Ripped.com the leading online store for health supplements shares what to look for and what to avoid while choosing your vegan protein powder. We also share the best of the lot for 2023.  

What is Vegan Protein Powder?

Increasing protein consumption in a daily diet can be difficult. It becomes even more grueling for vegans who cannot use popular protein powders such as whey. Vegan protein powder is a protein extracted from non-animal sources such as plants. Protein from plants such as soy, beans, and oats is a ready source that can be extracted and consumed without adding animal products. Vegan protein powders are just as effective as animal-based proteins, and one does not need to give up their dietary preferences or restrictions in order to consume more protein. 

Plant-Based Sources of Protein

Many plants can be used as plant-based sources of protein. These plants include soy, brown rice, hemp, peas, and oats. They offer a readily available protein source suitable for use by vegans and people with intolerances to animal products.

Benefits of Using Vegan Protein Powder

People often have a misconception that animal protein is better than plant protein. However, natural vegan protein powder contains all the essential amino acids crucial for muscle gain. If you decide to supplement your protein intake with vegan protein powder, just know that all your amino acid needs have been adequately met. 

Another benefit of using vegan protein powders is that they contain low-fat levels. More often than not, animal protein may contain more fat, depending on the brand, than vegan alternatives. Fat is detrimental to muscle gain; low fat concentrations are suitable for health-focused muscle development.

Popular Types of Vegan Protein Powder

Traditionally, soy has been the most used plant extract for vegan protein powder. However, peas, hemp, brown rice, and oats are also good protein sources. Using other plants to extract protein is essential because it offers a variety to the customer. Pea-based protein powder is not extracted from traditional peas but from split peas. These contain more protein than traditional green peas and are more suitable for packing loads of protein into a small scoop.

Nutritional Value of Vegan Protein Powder

Vegan protein powders has a lot of nutritional benefits. Soy is the most popular plant-based source of protein because it is a complete protein. Unlike some other plant-based proteins, soy contains all the 9 amino acids important in muscle development. Pea protein is not complete since it is rich in branched-chain amino acids but has a low methionine concentration.

Why Choose Vegan Protein Powder?

With so many protein powders available in the market, why should you choose vegan protein powder? You need to choose a protein powder compatible with your lifestyle and needs. The following are key reasons why you should choose vegan protein powders.

Ethical and Environmental Considerations

Vegan protein powders are ethical in their extraction. They do not involve the slaughter of animals or unsustainable protein extraction from animal products such as milk. In the long-term, vegan protein products are sustainable in their extraction and have a low environmental impact. Since food crop cultivation has a lower environmental impact than animal rearing, it is more sustainable to extract plant protein than animal protein.

Health Benefits For Vegans and Non-Vegans

Another reason you should choose vegan protein powders is that they are healthy compared to animal product-based protein powders. Plants generally have a low-fat content and are therefore healthier than products such as milk and egg whites. A lower fat content in your diet is beneficial to both vegans and non-vegans.

Availability and Affordability

It is important to note that vegan protein powders are affordable and readily available. It is easier to extract plant protein than animal protein, making vegan protein powders pocket-friendly compared to other protein powders.

Versatility in Cooking and Baking 

Another consideration you must make while choosing a protein powder is versatility in cooking and baking. If you want to increase your protein intake without drinking protein shakes, you can bake vegan protein powders in your food. Unlike whey, vegan protein powders are versatile and can be baked without becoming chewy and rubbery. 

What to Look For in Vegan Protein Powders

In your search for the best vegan protein powder, you need to consider your needs. Some of the things you should look at when buying a vegan protein powder include:

1. High-quality ingredients
2. Complete amino acid profile 
3. Flavor and texture
4. Nutritional value

While searching for the best vegan protein powder, you must ensure that the ingredients are organic, are of high quality, and do not contain harmful substances and allergens. This can be done by looking at the nutritional information of vegan protein powders. The protein powders should also contain balanced macronutrients with complete amino acid profiles. Their flavor and texture should be to your liking, and their nutritional value should provide you with the best possible outcome.

Ingredients to Avoid in Vegan Protein Powder

As you search for the best vegan protein powder for yourself, you should avoid some ingredients which may not be compatible with your lifestyle or your allergies. These ingredients include artificial sweeteners and flavorings such as aspartame, sucralose, acesulfame potassium (ACE-K), and synthetic flavors. These may affect the taste of your vegan protein powder. 

You should also avoid fillers and additives such as maltodextrin, guar gum, carrageenan, and artificial colors such as carmine which is extracted from insects. Allergens such as soy protein, gluten, nuts, and dairy should be avoided by people who are food sensitive.

Some protein sources could be low-quality owing to the incomplete nature of the protein sources. It is therefore important to avoid low-quality protein sources such as processed proteins, GMO ingredients, isolate, and concentrate protein sources. These low-quality sources hamper muscle development.

Best Vegan Protein Powder Brands for 2023

The best protein powder brands available in the market right now include:

1. Isopure: Natures Best Plant-Based Protein Strawberry 20 Servings
2. Isopure: Plant-Based Protein Vanilla 20 Serving
3. On: Gold Standard 100% Plant Plant-Based Protein Chocolate 19 Servings
4. Isopure: Natures Best Plant-Based Protein Chocolate 20 Servings

These brands are the best since they are vegan protein powders with no added sugars such as aspartame and sucralose.

Conclusion

Getting a supplement that meets your dietary requirements without compromising quality can be tough. However, with vegan protein powder, you will be set. Try out the options above and watch your health improve.