There are many good reasons to seek out the best vegan protein powders if you’re an athlete, bodybuilder, or simply a conscious eater. Protein powders are especially important if you follow a plant-based / vegan diet and you’re an athlete or bodybuilder (it takes lots of protein to obtain/maintain a healthy physique)! We’ll talk about this more below.
In addition to smoothies, vegan protein powder can also be used in other recipes, too. The best vegan protein powders can be used for puddings, breads, cookies, and in protein bar recipes.
If you’re an athlete or body builder looking for the best vegan protein powders, here are a few things to consider to find the “best” one for you!
Types of Vegan Protein Powder
If you are looking for more ways to get vegan proteins into your diet, you obviously don’t want to choose protein powders with whey, egg, milk proteins, collagen, or other obvious animal proteins because, of course, those are not vegan.
Even for non-vegans though, dairy and whey can cause GI problems … especially for bodybuilders and athletes who tend to consume more protein than most folks.
Vegan proteins come from ingredients like brown rice protein, pea protein, hemp protein, pumpkin seed protein, and chia seed protein, which are completely plant-based and easy to digest. Pea and rice protein, in particular, are higher in essential amino acids than other plant-based proteins and are absorbed easily by the body, making them among the best vegan protein powder choices.
Who Needs Protein Powder?
If you’re an athlete or bodybuilder, it’s generally recommended to eat close to 1 gram of protein for every pound of body weight each day.
If you can get that much protein from eating whole, plant-based foods, then that’s great! But for 99% of people, that’s a very difficult thing to do.
Vegan protein powders are best for people who aren’t getting their daily protein requirements from whole foods.
Why Vegan Protein?
The best vegan protein powders contain only all-natural, plant-based ingredients that blend well into shakes, smoothies, and other recipes.
Watch out for hidden junk ingredients like gums, “natural flavors,” and sugars / sweeteners.
If you want to sweeten your vegan protein shake, add your own ingredients (like fruit)!
When figuring out the best vegan protein powders for you, it’s important to do your homework. Make sure you’re reading the ingredients lists and nutrition labels, researching the company you’re buying from, and looking beyond price (because you get what you pay for!).
So long story short, the best vegan protein powders are convenient, they’re “clean,” and they’re not made from ingredients that your body does not want. Read more about the ingredients in our vegan protein powders to see if they’re right for you.