Vegan Protein Powder
If you’ve read our post on “Where do Vegans get their protein” you’ll already know how the lack of protein that vegans suffer from is a myth, with so much of it readily available if you follow a sensible diet. However, if you feel you need more, whether that’s due to sport and exercise, dietary limitation or time constraints then an extra boost in the form of vegan protein powder could be what you need.
Protein Powder is a really simple, prep-free, way to boost your protein intake, so If you’re looking to build muscle on a plant-based diet, a vegan protein supplement could come in useful.
Most commonly protein powders are whey based and as whey is a derived from milk they can be unsuitable for those with allergies or, like me, are vegan.
Vegan proteins are derived from plants (think nuts, seeds, grains etc.) rather than milk, but, the big question is are they any good? How do they taste? What levels of protein are in them? And, most importantly, will they make me fart like a good protein powder should? (because we need the boost when squatting!).
The Review
We contacted a number of companies who provided us with products to review, some of the companies we contacted declined to be involved in this review, but we bought their products anyway to ensure that this review was fair, unbiased and included all of the major brands.
Wherever possible we have provided a link so you can buy the products directly, and in the interests of full disclosure, Some of the links are affiliate links, which pay us a small commission for our referral at no extra cost to you!
ALPHA FOODS – Vanilla Vegan Protein Powder
Coming soon to the UK, but already available via Amazon, we have tested Alpha Foods Vegan Protein Powder, Vanilla Flavour.
Alpha Foods actively work with non-profit organisations such as the International Animal Rescue Fund and with every pack sold. This attitude also includes the categorical avoidance of critical and destructive ingredients such as palm oil. And Alpha Foods membrane cans not only optimally protect the valuable ingredients: they are largely made of 100% recyclable materials. In this way, they also reduce the garbage that ends up in our environment.
So good for the Planet and good for you! But how does it taste and mix?
We used two scoops, mixed in a blender with oat milk and ice, it blended fantastically and produced a silky smooth, velvety shake, with no lumps or gritty bits at the bottom, even after we left it standing for a few mins. It wasn’t too sweet either, which is a good thing, with a great vanilla flavour coming through nicely.
One 15g serving delivered 11g of protein, so for a better comparison to those above we used two scoops, for a 22g hit of protein.
Overall a highly recommended product, however at over £20 for 600g its one of the more expensive products in our review, but, does represent a great quality product from a niche brand with great ethics. Definitely one to try !
Awesome Supplements – Chocolate Salted Caramel Vegan Protein Powder
When we originally published this review, one of our followers on Social Media told us that we really need to try this product, and very shortly afterwards Awesome Supplements contacted us to ask if they could be reviewed, and boy were we glad that they did!
Awesome Supplements say “With a methodically developed ratio of rice and pea protein to achieve a smooth texture, we believe we’ve developed the smoothest vegan protein powder on the market, that also tastes awesome, has a strong amino acid profile, and doesn’t break the bank”.
We were sent their “Chocolate Salted Caramel” flavour, they say “Strong in taste, relatively sweet, smooth in texture, good mixed with water as a shake or with a milk alternative for extra flavour (not that it needs help), epic in simple smoothies such as banana and coconut milk as it’s a cocoa dense flavour, and generally good in cooking where extra flavour is needed.”
Over the course of this review we have tried literally dozens of different brands and flavours, made in all sorts of ways, and we can quite honestly say this is best tasting of all we tried.
We made ours in a rush on a Saturday morning post leg-day, so no time for standing around, one scoop in a shaker, water straight from the tap and shake – wow, it blends so well to create a silky smooth drink, no grittyness whatsoever – even in the last swig, you could almost mistake it for a chocolate milkshake. The chocolate flavour is strong, not bitter and thankfully the salty flavour of the salted caramel is kept well under control as not to be too prominent, a perfect balance.
Nutritionally, this is made with a mix of rice and pea protein and has a good amino acid profile too. Its priced competitively too and well worth every penny in our opinion.
A 30g shot of their powder delivered 21.6g of protein for 109 calories which is extremely good!
Delivered to us in a great big plastic tub that is 100% recyclable too, much better than a foil lined pouch any-day!
We think this one is indeed an “Awesome Supplement” and would strongly urge you to check it out!
Bio Synergy – Butterscotch Vegan Protein Powder
Bio-Synergy has won numerous awards, accolades and most importantly many happy customers – over 4 million of them worldwide – who have integrated our products into their exercise regimes, helping them to get the most out of their bodies. What’s more, Bio-Synergy products have been used by many of the world’s most respected athletes and teams. In fact, it’s possible that Bio-Synergy has fuelled more gold medals, PBs and World Cup wins than any other brand.
Unlike most other vegan proteins on the market, Lean & Green® is entirely free from soya and hemp, with no gluten and dairy too. They have added L-glutamine for its ‘must-have’ amino acid profile, while pea, buckwheat and brown rice proteins are included for their unique flavour and quality protein content.
We tried ours mixed by hand in a shaker, using 250ml of ice cold water, it did mix well leaving no lumps and it wasn’t too sweet. The Butterscotch flavour is quite markedly different from the usual Chocolate or Peanut Butter that so many companies default to, so, if that flavour floats your boat, this is one we would recommend.
A 30g shot of their powder delivered 22g of protein for 107 calories which is extremely good!
Bulk Powders – Chocolate Peanut Vegan Protein Powder
Bulk Powders are one of market leaders in the Protein Powder industry and were one of the first to enter into the Vegan Protein Powder market. This is entirely free from soya; instead made with a blend of Pea Protein Isolate, Brown Rice Protein, Pumpkin Protein, Flaxseed Powder and Quinoa Flour. Besides being a fantastic source of protein for any time of day, This Vegan Protein Powder is high in fibre and provides a source of Magnesium, Copper and Manganese.
We tried it with water and a little ice, mixed by hand in a shaker. It did mix well and gave a smooth drink but did have a slightly “earthy” aftertaste, we also tried it in our Overnight Oats and it was great! Really livened up our breakfast with a great chocolate & peanut taste.
A 35g shot of their powder delivered 23g of protein for 130 calories which is a pretty good!
Form Nutrition – Performance Protein Vegan Protein Powder
Form’s Performance Vegan Protein Powder combines organic pea protein with brown rice, hemp and AlgaVia® whole algae protein to deliver 30g of complete amino acid profile protein per serving with no animal products. Combined with Curcumin C3 and 5g BCAA’s per serving, it is the perfect post workout or recovery drink complete with probiotics.
We tried it straight up, with water and a little ice, it has a smooth chocolaty coffee taste (well it was branded as tiramisu after all) and it mixed really well with no lumps or grittyness. We also tried dropping a scoop into overnight oats, it needed a little extra oat milk to compensate for the extra powder but made a wonderful breakfast with an extra protein kick!
A 40g shot of their powder delivered 30g of protein for 154 calories which is a fantastic result.
*Update 11th June 2019 – Form Nutrition will be introducing 100% compostable and biodegradable packaging and removing the plastic scoop (in favour of using your own teaspoon) across their range over the coming months! Great News!
Liberto – Organic Dark Chocolate Protein Shake with Sour Cherry Vegan Protein Powder
This Organic Dark Chocolate & Vegan Protein Powder with Sour Cherry Flavouring is not only a great way to increase your daily intake of protein, it is also a tasty, delicious option for those who are embracing a healthy, active lifestyle.
We tried it mixed with oat milk and ice which gave it a wonderful creamyness, the flavour combination of dark chocolate and sour cherry is delicious and so unusual, we’ve not found any others on the market with this combination.
A 40g shot of their powder delivered nearly 23g of protein for only 153 calories which is great value.
About Liberto
We spoke to Mairead, the one of the founders of Liberto, who told us “Liberto was created by two passionate foodies, Marek, the husband, cook and creator and myself, the chief bottle washer and life long coeliac!. Our business is grounded in integrity, passion and a huge love for life, We pour our heart and soul into everything we do and we never want to behave like a faceless corporation. These pea protein based shakes are jam-packed with lots of amazing nutritional extras, are not only a great way to increase your daily intake of protein but also a tasty , delicious option for those embracing a healthy, active lifestyle”
Macacha – Organic Peace Blend Vegan Protein Powder
Specifically designed for people who love yoga, this Vegan Protein Powder contains ingredients like Holy Basil & Lavender for their calming benefits. After all, keeping fit and healthy isn’t always about lifting heavy weights in the gym! Macacha’s blends are plant proteins with specifically chosen ingredients – botanicals, superfoods, adaptogens – to support each system in the body in balance. MACACHA‘s ingredients are organic, raw and vegan and free from GMO, soy, yeast, gluten and dairy.
We tried it with just a little coconut milk and some ice, blended together and it made a wonderful shake, not too sweet and deliciously tasty.
33g of their powder delivered 19g of protein and only 126 calories which is really good!
About Macacha
We spoke to Ines, the founder of Macacha, who told us “I started MACACHA after trying to find an organic protein shake to drink after my morning run before heading into the office. I was head of Health and Beauty at Whole Foods Market and couldn’t find a protein powder that met the strict quality standards. When I made smoothies at home I’d take plant proteins and add in my favourite superfoods and botanicals – and that’s exactly what MACACHA is! Our blends are delicious with coconut water, nut mylk or blended into your favourite smoothie! For creaminess we love to add avocado, nut butter or even tahini, or if you’re looking for a simple green smoothie just add spinach. Our customers love it in classic porridge for breakfast, but our blends are also perfect to use in baking such as cookies, granola bars and brownies. In the summer we love to blend it into nice cream or iced coffee for the perfect snack to help you cool down”
Motion Nutrition – Peanut Butter Vegan Protein Powder
£23.99 (12 x 17g Sachets) – Amazon
Inspired by their relentless love of peanut butter, this protein powder elevates your shakes, smoothies and pancake batter to nut-lover heaven. A complete vegan protein powder with a delicious roasted peanut flavour.
What we love: 100% Plastic Free Packaging! Now, this is a game changer that much of the retail industry needs to pay attention to! The sachets are compostable, which we think is really significant and the first company we are aware of doing this, the outer cardboard box is made of recycled materials and can be recycled, even the printing ink and wax waterproofing on the box are environmentally sound! Really impressive stuff!
We tried ours with 250ml of almond milk, a little ice and a shaker. It mixed really well, the peanut butter flavour definitely shone through, not too sweet at all.
We’re really looking forward to doing some baking with this stuff!
A 25g shot contain 17g of protein and only 97 calories!
About Motion Nutrition
We spoke to the team at Motion Nutrition, who told us “At Motion, we improve people’s emotional, mental and physical strength. We offer organic supplements for brain and body, packed in sustainable plastic free materials. We have a carefully curated and scientifically developed range of protein powders, nootropic supplements and workout boosters. We created Motion Nutrition to offer nutrition solutions for modern lifestyles. Products which make sense in today’s busy schedules, that benefit your mental and physical performance, and in which you can place your full, unequivocal trust.”
My Protein – MyVegan Vegan Protein Blend
Completely free from artificial sweeteners, MyProtein’s all-natural Vegan Protein Blend is packed with 24g protein and essential amino acids — perfect for anyone training on a plant-based diet. It’s a blend of pea and fava bean protein isolates to enhance your plant-powdered diet – it’s low in sugar and contains less than 2g of carbs per serving.
We tried ours with mixed just with water and ice, mixed by hand in a shaker, it didn’t mix as well as some of the brands we’ve tried, but the second one we mixed in our nutribullett and, as you’d expect, was smooth like silk. It did hugely benefit from being left in the fridge for a couple of hours too, but that could be because nutribullets have a tendancy to heat everything up due to their sheer power.
Our 30g serving delivered 24g of protein for 104 calories
Nutristrength – Classic Vanilla Vegan Protein Powder
Nutristrength Pea Protein Classic Vanilla is one of their bestselling products, made with natural ingredients and having undergone rigorous taste testing to ensure the perfect blend, their pea protein avoids that sandy, grainy texture so often associated with pea protein.
We tried ours with 250ml of almond milk and mixed by hand in a shaker, its mixed great with no lumps and a great smooth taste. What flavour to go for is always one of personal choice and for me classic vanilla is always going to be good! This one is not too sweet & just thick enough too!
Our 32g serving gave us just under 24g of protein for 102 calories, so thats pretty impressive too.
About Nutristrength
We spoke to the team at Nutristrength, who told us ” We were founded in 2016, by two brothers (Adam and Chris), Nutristrength is a British producer of natural, clean lifestyle nutrition. Its range includes a superior quality whey protein isolate as well as alternative protein powders including their bestselling vegan Pea Protein range and award-winning Goat and Sheep Whey Protein.
With Adam being vegetarian and Chris training hard to reach his fitness goals, both brothers supplemented their diet with protein. Most proteins are cheaply made, filled with sugars, artificial sweeteners, artificial flavours and a range of other ingredients that neither Adam nor Chris wanted as part of their diet. They decided to make a natural protein product of their own that would be great tasting, but free from artificial flavours, sweeteners, sugars and be of the highest quality. They also wanted to maintain a focus on using protein and other functional ingredients to create real, delicious foods that could be a part of a diet to support their healthy, active lifestyles.
All Nutristrength products are made in the UK in our dedicated manufacturing facility in Wiltshire where our independent, external laboratory testing ensures we create products of excellence.
We have a long-standing relationship with each of our approved suppliers who deliver us the raw materials, which we then process and manufacture here in the UK. We only work with approved suppliers that we trust and meet our strict standards to safeguard the quality of all of our products.
As all Nutristrength products are made with natural flavourings and ingredients, we carefully select the suppliers to deliver these raw ingredients so we can provide the very best products for our customers, including Ecuadorian banana flavoured whey protein isolate, flavoured with real banana powder from Ecuador.”
Nuzest – Vanilla Matcha “Clean Lean Protein” Vegan Protein Powder
Nuzest have recently extended their core range of standard flavours with 3 new flavours where the flavouring is there to deliver a functional health benefit as well as a hit of taste. You can choose from Chai, Turmeric and Maca; Coffee, Coconut & MCTs or the one we tried which was Vanilla Matcha. All of the flavours are added to their 100% vegan pea protein base which used a chemical free extraction process to create a protein isolate thats really high in protein and really low in all the pea fibres that some people find hard to digest. And of course you’re getting a great big daily dose of good stuff like matcha or turmeric to help you perform at your peak.
We tried ours with almond milk and ice, it mixed well but we did find it to be on the sweeter side, thats not a bad thing if you have a sweet tooth like me though and the sugar contents are still quite low with natural sweetness coming from the Vanilla and the Katemfe Fruit Extract.
Our 25g serving gave us 19g of protein for 91 calories.
Organic Sports Nutrition – Raw Cacao Vegan Protein Powder
Made with a blend of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants to improve recovery, enhanced with super foods and high in fibre and with added BCAAs, this Vegan Protein Powder ticks all the right boxes, and, all the ingredients are 100% natural and certified organic by organic farmers and growers control board, which is great to read!
This Vegan Protein Powder has the addition of superfoods (moringa, chlorella and turmeric) to help increase muscle recovery and repair working with the plant-based proteins. The addition of chlorella to the product is a great idea as in itself ifs a source of protein and contains magnesium which is essential in muscle function. Its also got a dose of Moringa which has antioxidant properties and includes turmeric too! Sounds like a powderful combination!
We tried ours with oat milk & ice, and mixed by hand in a shaker, it mixed great with no lumps and a really creamy chocolaty taste. We’re really looking forward to trying some baking with it over the coming months too!
Our 35g serving gave us 21g of protein for 133 calories, so thats a great post workout protein hit!
About Organic Sports Nutrition
We spoke to Paul from OSN who told us “Our mission is to formulate the cleanest, best performing and highest quality health and fitness supplements whilst being mindful of the well being of our planet. Fusing the ancient wisdom of powerful herbs and superfoods with modern day science to create products that are 100% natural and organically certified. We will never use anything artificial in our products – nutrition just as Mother Nature intended. Good for us and good for the planet.”
PhD Protein Superfood – Chocolate Vegan Protein Powder
PhD say that this Protein Superfood is an exceptional, highly nutritious blend of plant proteins, super fruits & berries, wholefoods & super greens & we don’t disagree! Boosted with extra super fruits and berries we found this to be great tasting Vegan Protein Powder, on the sweeter side of the ones we tried, so great if you’ve a sweet tooth!
We tried ours with water, mixed by hand in a shaker and it did mix well, a little gritty towards to the end of the drink but on the whole, not too bad!
Our 50g serving gave us 28g of protein for 195 calories, so thats a good protein hit but a little higher on calories than others.
Pulsin – Pea Protein
Pulsin’s goal is to create nutritionally balanced products to suit everyone’s needs; be that for health, dietary intolerance or lifestyle to help each person be their best self.
With 80% protein and a neutral flavour, Pea Protein is the most versatile powder in our range. It can easily be mixed with sweet or savoury dishes and is heat stable, making it ideal for adding a protein boost to hot soups and casseroles.
Now, this is not specifically designed to be simply mixed with water or milk, shaken and drunk, its much better consumed in something, like a smoothie etc. and as this is a heat stable product you can cook with it and be sure you’re not loosing any benefits!
We added ours to a smoothie, made with acai berry, blueberry, banana’s, almond milk and ice, all blitzed in a nutribullett and it was sensational, this really is a great way to add a protein boost to your day.
Our 10g serving gave us 8g of protein for only 41 calories, thats 80% protein folks!
Purition – Wholefood Plant Based Protein Powder – Trial Discovery Box
First of all, this is not your usual “protein shake” – it’s a natural alternative to meal replacements and protein shakes, if you’re looking for straight protein, it’s perhaps not for you, however, if you are looking for a great nutritious way to start your day off, this could well be the thing you are looking for. Its packed full of protein, fibre, natural, healthy fats, ans nutrition ingredients, and its clear from their website that they have a strong focus on quality.
There does seem to be a number of ways this product and be used, making it very versatile indeed, from pancakes to shakes, overnight oats, smoothie bowls and protein balls – we can see many ways to use Puritions range of products.
Purition is not just for gym bunnies or those looking to lose fat, it’s for anyone looking for a convenient nutritious and satisfying no-cook meal, they developed a natural, food based alternative to meal replacement and protein powders. The nutrient dense calories provided in Purition should keep you satisfied between meals, so you are less likely to snack and more likely to make healthy food choices throughout the day.
We followed the instruction Purition gave, and blended a 40g sachet (we opted for hemp chocolate) with 200ml of almond milk, ice, a banana and a handful of frozen berries. The resulting “smoothie” was suitably thick & not too sweet, I had this at just after 6am on a hectic workday morning and I didn’t get a hunger pang until around 10.30 which is quite normal for me, over 4 hours between breakfast and lunch is perfectly reasonable for most people.
Our 40g serving gave us 14.2g of protein for only 194 calories, thats one of the lowest in our review but, this is not your usual protein shake!
Revolution Foods – Toffee Fudge Vegan Protein Powder
Don’t be misled by the packaging or the name, you do not have to play sport or be an athlete to use raw sport! It is the same product as any protein powder on the world market and can be used by people of all ages who need to up their protein intake.
The owners of Revolution Foods, who developed the “Raw Sport” range have been able to use their extensive knowledge of nutritional science, herbs, and superfoods to deliver a range of supplements that deliver all the key components of health and performance. No stone has been left unturned in the quest to design products that taste great, use the finest ingredients available, contain zero additives and are affordable.
This is more than just a protein powder though, it also contains BCAA’s to support muscle mass, aside from being Vegan its also Soya free & gluten free, uses organically grown ingredients independently tested for pesticides and heavy metals. So, should be good quality stuff then!
We used one scoop, mixed in a blender with oat milk and ice, it blended fantastically and was as smooth as silk, it’s very sweet though, although that’s probably because of the toffee fudge flavor, so if you’ve a sweet tooth this certainly is the one for you!
Our 33g serving delivered 24g of protein for only 125 calories, so when you factor in all the other goodies in this Vegan Protein Powder it certainly packs a punch!
THE PROTEIN WORKS – Strawberries ‘n Cream Vegan Protein Powder
The Protein Works have a staggering range of products, and what sets them apart is the in-house, cutting edge facilities that they have. As they make everything themselves (rather than using third part manufacturers to make the product and then stick them in a pre-labeled bag) they have full control of the development and quality standards at every point in the process, and it shows!
We went for the “Strawberries ‘n Creme” flavour, although the number of flavours in the range is impressive (not to mention the range of vegan cookies and snacks they also sell) we were spoiled for choice, and we were not disappointed.
We mixed ours with plain old water and mixed by hand in our shaker, it mixed well and made a smooth drink, the taste was sensational with the flavour of strawberry coming through strongly.
Our 30g serving delivered 26g of protein for only 112 calories which is impressive. At the time of writing this post the price on Amazon is extremely competitive, £28 for 2kg!
TL;DR? (Too Long, Didn’t Read, for anyone over 25….)
Conclusion
One thing that really comes across is the fact that there a some fantastic companies out there, dedicated to bringing Vegan Protein Powders to market that are great tasting and nutritious. Some are all about being a dedicated Vegan brand (such as Form, Liberto, Macacha, NuZest, & Organic Sports Nutrition) and some serve both the vegan and non-vegan markets. So, that’s something to consider if an ethical purchase is on your mind.
All the Vegan Protein Powders we sampled were good, and we would happily use them every day, some were better with milk than water, some were much better mixed with a blender than by hand, some better as a food “addition” and some as a meal replacement.
Taste is always going to be subjective, personally I don’t like baked beans (you might think i’m weird), so I can’t tell you which one you’re going to enjoy. Some are sweeter than others and some are slightly more bitter.
But, I know that there will be will be one suitable for you, your lifestyle, tastebuds and, most importantly, your budget!
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