Dietitians Say These Are The Best-Tasting Vegan Protein Powders

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Even with more vegan protein sources available, some women still struggle to hit their daily protein goals when on a plant-based diet. What if we told you there's finally a light at the end of the tunnel? Vegan protein powder is the answer. Whether you want to build muscle, are an athlete, or are on a weight loss journey, protein powder is a quick way to hit your macros.

Plant-based protein doesn’t digest or absorb as well as animal protein due to fiber, so getting more in is key to reap the same benefits. You may be shocked, but many vegan protein powders can offer up to at least 30 grams of protein per serving; you just need to pick the right one. Many are made with clean ingredients, are low in carbs, and are fortified with extra vitamins. It can also turn a smoothie into an easy-to-sip meal when you’re in a time crunch, or if you're starving after a lifting session.

Best Vegan Protein Powders

What To Consider

When scouting out vegan protein powder, it’s essential to determine how much and what kind of protein source you want. Looking out for any allergens is also crucial given soy is often a main ingredient.

Protein source

Many vegan protein powers use soy, brown rice, peas, and hemp as plant-based protein sources. Finding a product combining these ingredients will create an ideal amino acid profile. What is that? In simplest terms, amino acids are the building blocks of protein to get a complete protein. Many plant-based ingredients lack nine essential amino acids the body can’t produce on its own, says registered dietitian Mary Milstead, RD, director of Scientific Content at GNC. An easier way to achieve a complete amino acid profile is by seeking out more than one plant protein source in the ingredient list.

Protein per serving

How much protein is needed for muscle growth and health will vary for everyone. Athletes will naturally need more protein compared to people with a sedentary lifestyle for efficient recovery and restoration. “I typically recommend that my vegan athletes eat 10 to 15 percent more protein than my omnivore athletes, and one easy way to do this is by using vegan protein powder,” says sports dietitian Amanda Wagner, RDN. Milstead also says each serving of vegan protein powder should have at least 15 grams, similar to other plant-protein sources.

Sweeteners

Vegan protein powders are typically low in added sugars, but may have added artificial sweeteners. While sugar alcohols may increase the flavor profile, Wagner advises avoiding or limiting intake given it can cause gas and bloating in excess. Ingredients to look out for are erythritol, maltitol, xylitol, sorbitol, stevia, monk fruit, and allulose. It all depends on preference and what your body can tolerate.

How We Chose

We consulted with registered dietitians who work with plant-based athletes to find the best vegan protein powders for women. Specifically, protein source, sweeteners added, protein amount, and other health benefits were all considered when deciding which ones were the best.

USDA Organic Vegan Protein Powder

We're wowed with this blend of peas, brown rice, and pumpkin seeds that have a whopping 38 grams of protein in two scoops—the highest amount we’ve seen in a vegan protein powder. It has five grams of essential amino acids for promoting muscle growth and aiding recovery, so you have no excuse to skip leg day.

It's a true triple threat, as it also acts as an electrolyte with added minerals and sea salt for replenishing post-workout, while a probiotic is included for gut health. The digestive enzymes amylase, protease, and lipase are also formulated into the powder, which helps assist nutrient absorption.

If you're not great at getting in your daily dose of greens, this formula has a blend blend of spinach, kale, broccoli, and alfalfa for an extra nutrition boost. Don’t worry, you won’t taste it—this protein comes in dessert-like flavors including cake batter, chocolate, vanilla, and chocolate peanut butter flavor to mask the vegetal flavor.

Read more: Best Protein Powders

Sport Premium Vegan Protein Powder

For athletes and gym-goers, both Milstead and Wagner recommend Vega Plant-Based Sport Protein for its 30 grams of protein in just one scoop. Similar to our top pick, the protein source has a combination of peas, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and alfalfa, making it a well-rounded amino acid profile with just one gram of sugar. On the go? No problem—it also comes in travel packets.

For any athletes who get drug tested, it's ideal to look for protein powders that have been tested for banned substances through programs such as Informed Sport, NSF Certified for Sport, and Banned Substance Control Group to avoid conflict, says Milstead. This one has our seal of approval!

We’re eyeing the mocha flavor, because who doesn't want protein and coffee? Just mix 12 ounces of cold water or non-dairy milk with a scoop, then you have yourself a pretend milkshake.

AMP Nature-Based Protein

GNC is a go-to for nutritional supplements, so we're not shocked the brand pulled through with a good vegan protein powder. Although the protein sources are known carbs—brown rice and fava beans—a scoop still only has two grams of carbs. Besides being a good tool if you're cutting carbs, Milstead likes it for its seven grams of essential amino acids, which make up a complete protein.

There are 25 grams of protein per serving with three mouth-watering flavors to pick from—vanilla cookie, strawberry banana, and chocolate hazelnut. It’s important to note it’s sweetened with sucralose, so if you’re sensitive to artificial sweeteners, it’s best to avoid it.

Organic Vegan Sport Protein Powder

Compared to other protein powders for athletes, like Vega Sport Protein, this has an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant-rich blend of apple, tart cherry, turmeric, blueberry, and goji berry, making this a total game changer.

The ingredients help aid muscle recovery after grueling workouts, while also providing a nice immunity boost to keep you at health queen status. Specifically, tart cherry is loved by athletes given studies show how it helps speed up the recovery process.

The protein is heavily sourced from legumes including peas, sprouted navy beans, lentils, and garbanzo beans with added cranberry seed. It’s an interesting blend that serves up to 30 grams of protein per two scoops, along with a probiotic that supports immunity and keeps your digestive system flowing. Flavor options are basic with the choice of chocolate and vanilla, but it must overpower the taste of legumes quite well given its high ratings from over 12,000 reviews on Amazon.

Pea Protein

If you're seeking a basic protein powder free of common allergens like soy, this one from Now Sports is your best bet. Its main ingredient is peas, which deliver a nice dose of 24 grams of protein (and veggies). It's technically not considered a complete protein given pea is the only source, but it still has an extensive list of amino acids that give it a star. One amino acid that sticks out to us is arginine, which some studies have found to improve aerobic and anaerobic performance.

Like Vega Plant-Based Sport Protein, you can put a scoop into water and shake it up for protein in a pinch. Don't go overboard with serving sizes given it's sweetened with xylitol, which can affect digestion if consumed in large doses.

What are the other benefits of vegan protein powder?

“Many vegan protein powders have a 'cleaner' formula with attributes like no artificial colors or sweeteners, gluten, or GMOs, but it’s important to read the product label for these callouts,” says Milstead. You may also want to try vegan protein powder if you have a dairy allergy, are sensitive to whey, or are lactose intolerant.

Meet the experts

• Mary Milstead, RD, is the director of Scientific Content at GNC.

• Amanda Wagner, RDN, is a sports dietitian and run coach.

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