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It’s one of the most common dietary supplements, so what should we know about it?
At the end of the day, the best protein powder for you is the one you’ll use and enjoy regularly. Importantly, though, it’s also one that is made up of good quality ingredients (not including additives, fillers, preservatives or artificial flavors), uses third party testing and adheres to manufacturing quality standards. While that might sound pretty standard, protein powder falls under the category of “dietary supplement,” which means that none of the aforementioned are legally required for it to get to market. It’s not FDA regulated and therefore left entirely to individual manufacturers to evaluate for safety, labeling and legitimacy claims.
So, without third-party testing, there’s no real way of knowing if the powder truly is what it (the manufacturer) says it is. For example, recently a non-profit group called the Clean Label Project released a report covering protein powder toxins and contaminants.
According to a post on Harvard Health, “Researchers screened 134 products for 130 types of toxins and found that many protein powders contained heavy metals (lead, arsenic, cadmium, and mercury), bisphenol-A (BPA, which is used to make plastic), pesticides, or other contaminants with links to cancer and other health conditions. Some toxins were present in significant quantities. One protein powder contained 25 times the allowed limit of BPA.”
BPA, by the way, stands for bisphenol A, which is an industrial chemical that has been used to make plastics and resins since the 1950s. To put it bluntly, it’s not anything anyone should be ingesting — even in small trace quantities.
Knowing this, it is abundantly clear that not all protein powders are created equal but we often speak about protein powder in such vague and general terms that the supplements themselves seem somewhat interchangeable; though that is obviously not the case. Each one is made up of many different ingredients, some more beneficial than others and some in my opinion, you should avoid all together.
So here’s what you need to look for:
- Good quality ingredients; no additives, fillers, preservatives, artificial or even get this, “natural” flavors
- Adheres to manufacturing quality standards
- Third party testing
- Minimal sugar content
Here are few of my favorite brands, all of which have been screened for the aforementioned criteria:
Garden of Life Sport Organic Plant-Based Protein Powder
- Fourteen quality ingredients, all USDA Certified Organic
- Free from gluten, dairy, soy, GMO, artificial sweeteners, fillers, additives, preservatives or anything artificial
- 30 grams of protein per serving
- 5.5g BCAAs and 5g glutamine, helping reduce recovery time
- Third-party tested for quality
- 80 cal per 1 scoop; 160 cal per 2 scoops
ORA Organic Vegan Protein Powder
- Fifteen quality ingredients, all USDA Certified Organic
- Free from gluten, dairy, soy, GMO, artificial sweeteners, fillers, additives, preservatives or anything artificial
- 21 grams of protein per serving
- Third-party tested for quality
- 60 cal per 1 scoop; 120 cal per 2 scoops
KOS Organic Vanilla Plant Protein
- Fifteen quality ingredients, all USDA Certified Organic
- Free from gluten, dairy, soy, GMO, artificial sweeteners, fillers, additives, preservatives or anything artificial
- 20 grams of protein per serving
- Third-party tested for quality
- 80 cal per 1 scoop; 160 cal per 2 scoops
Your Super Skinny Organic Superfood Protein Mix
- Five quality ingredients, all USDA Certified Organic
- Free from gluten, dairy, soy, GMO, artificial sweeteners, fillers, additives, preservatives or anything artificial
- 9 grams of protein per serving
- Third-party tested for quality
- 50 cal per 1 scoop; 100 cal per 2 scoops
Blueberry Vanilla Protein Smoothie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk, or unsweetened alternative milk of choice
- 1 serving vanilla protein powder, your choice but plant-based is recommended
- ½ frozen banana
- ½ cup frozen blueberries
- 1 tbsp almond butter
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
- 1 cup ice cubes
- Dash of vanilla extract
Method
- Starting with the liquids (and making your way up towards the tougher frozen items) add all ingredients to a Vitamix or high-speed blender and blend until smooth.
The days are getting chillier, which means you may be leaning less into your morning smoothie and craving something a bit warmer. If this is you right now, why not give protein oats a try? So easy to make and so easily adaptable to preferences as well as what you have on hand.
Organic oats are packed with important vitamins and minerals and are a great source of soluble fiber, which helps support digestion and feelings of fullness/satiety. They’re also a great foundation for other highly nutritious foods, like seeds, nuts, nut butters, fresh fruit — and even a pre-approved protein powder.
Generally speaking, a ratio of 1:2 (½ cup oats: 1 cup water/plant-based milk) works best. This recipe is a general base in terms of ingredients. Feel free to add or omit according to your preferences.
Ingredients
- ½ cup organic gluten-free oats
- 1 cup water or plant-based milk of choice
- 1 scoop protein powder of choice
- Pinch of sea salt
- Dash of vanilla
- Sprinkle of cinnamon
- ½ banana, sliced; optional
- Optional Toppings: berries, coconut flakes, chia seeds, flaxseeds, hemp seeds, chopped nuts, nut butter, maple syrup, cacao powder, chocolate chips, honey…
Method
- Add oats, banana slices, sea salt and water or plant-based milk to a saucepan and set over medium heat. Stir regularly and cook until all liquid has been absorbed and banana slices (if included) have been melted into a much. Once the oats start to bubble, reduce heat to a low simmer and continue cooking until oats are thick and fluffy.
- Then, remove oats from heat and mix in protein powder. Transfer to a bowl and continue adding any additional toppings you may enjoy or have on hand.
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Any health-related information published here is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
