Protein Powder Reviews
I don’t use a lot of protein powder, but I do use it often.
Almost every morning begins with a smoothie, including half a scoop of protein powder. That extra little kick of protein keeps me full in the morning.
When I’m really in the mood for a protein packed lunch, I’ll go for some Greek yogurt with a scoop of protein powder stirred in. (That’s a double punch of protein!)
Since my vegan days (and now my vegetarian days) I’ve tried a lot of different kinds of protein powder. There are still tons more out there, but these are a few I wanted to share today:
1. About Time Whey– Is it fair to start off with my favorite? I absolutely love the Birthday Cake flavor. This is the only protein powder I’ve been able to drink with just water, although I still prefer it in a smoothie. It dissolves well, it has a great flavor, and it doesn’t have added sugars (it’s sweetened with stevia) so it packs 25g of protein in just 100 calories. When I first ordered it from Amazon, they accidentally shipped me the chocolate flavor, so I’ve tried that one as well. It’s good, but I do prefer Birthday Cake.
2. Designer Whey– This one is easy to find (it’s sold in most Trader Joe’s, grocery stores, etc.) and the overall taste isn’t bad. I’ve tried both chocolate and vanilla (I think I prefer the chocolate). These are reasonably priced, so I’d consider this a second place. I still have some on hand, which I’ve used in different recipes, and it seems to come out fine.
3. Vega– If you’re a vegan, you’ve probably come across this plant based protein. Honestly, the taste isn’t bad. I liked the berry flavor best (which is strange, since I don’t normally prefer the fruity ones) but my biggest complaint is how expensive it is. Plant based protein seems to be more expensive in general, but at almost $50 a tub, I can’t quite justify that.
4. Gen-Soy– I also tried soy protein back in my vegan days, and this was my least favorite. It had a bit of a funky flavor, and it didn’t seem to dissolve as well in my smoothies. I was also using soymilk at the time (I’ve since switched almost exclusively to almond milk) so I was also a little wary of adding even more soy to my diet. This one lost on taste, texture, and ingredients.
I’ve also tried hemp protein powder and rice protein powder but I didn’t like either one, and I couldn’t remember the brands, so I decided not to post a formal review. I’ll just say I didn’t like them and leave it at that ๐
If you’re not into shakes or smoothies, there are plenty of other things you can do with protein powder:
Try these banana bread protein muffins!
My roommates make fun of my when my giant 2lb tubs of protein come in from Amazon, but I always have to have some on hand! I think my next protein recipe will be some kind of homemade protein bar… lately I’ve been so on-the-go that I’ve needed some protein packed snacks! If you have a recipe to share, let me know!
I love my protein powders!! I can’t have Whey protein, so I stick to a Vegan powder. I love love love Sunwarrior Vanilla. Have you tried that? I want to try Plant Fusion as well.
I think I need to incorporate more protein into my diet!
thank you so much for this post! I have been debating about whether to buy some protein powder or not. I have tried some in the past and the only one I really liked was Jay Robb Chocolate whey but it’s just so expensive.I’ve heard a lot of good things about About Time….I might just order some! I would love if someone made a poll where all the bloggers could vote on their favorite protein powder! It would be nice to see what the top powders are in the healthy blog world!
That is SUCH a great idea!! Maybe I can create a big poll!!
๐ that would be awesome! I would do it myself but my blog doesn’t get to much traffic so the results wouldn’t be very helpful haha
I’d definitely go for some Birthday Cake protein powder! I like the texture of whey the most (one of my faves is Chocolate Shakeology). Brown rice protein tends to be a little chalky.
Oh I’ve heard great things about Shakeology!
Am I the only blogger who uses Garden of Life RAW? It’s not the tastiest but it does the trick!
This post couldn’t have come at a better time! I’ve been googling protien powder to find the best. It’s a bit overwhelming with all the choices out there so thanks for the info!
Girl, you KNOW I’m all about the protein powder! It’s funny, I’ve always added it to smoothies, but then slowly, I started experimenting…throwing it in oatmeal, adding it to my pancakes…now I’m an absolute fiend! Lol
Sadly, I didn’t really like the About Time powder. I was SO excited about the cake batter flavor so I order a sample pack of that and the peaches ‘n cream…both tasted a bit gritty to me. ๐
My absolute favorite protein is Syntrax Nectar…they make like a MILLION flavors ranging from the traditional creamy vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, to fruity ones like cherry and this really good one that reminds me of blue Kool Aid! 100 cals per serving and 24g of protein!
Haha it’s so funny the things people love and hate! Someone else said they hated Vega, but I know a lot of people love it! I’m definitely going to look for Syntrax Nectar! I assume I can order it online!!
I just bought Nature’s Way Efa Gold Hemp Protein & Fiber and found it delicious. I added a banana to it.
Like you I don’t use a lot of protein powder, but I do use it often. I use1 tbsp – half a scoop hear and there (smoothies, yoghurt, personal microwaved cakes ect). I find most protein powders too sweet, so I have two on the go: one unsweetened (new zealand whey brand), and one vanilla ( Genuine Health Proteins+). Those are my two favourite brands and protein powders! ๐
I have always wanted to try About Time, but they don’t have them here is Canada ๐
About Time is hard to find! I have to order it on Amazon!
This couldn’t have come at a better time. I was JUST pestering my vegan friend about protein powders. I’m starting to “lean” vegan with my diet (read: no cow’s milk and minimal cheese), so I’ve been a bit worried about my protein. I can’t wait to try one of these suckers out for my smoothies!
I’ve heard great things about Sun Warrior, which is a vegan protein powder (I think?) but I’ve never tried it!