Protein powders are everywhere these days. They’re made with a variety of ingredients, plant- and animal-based, and come in many different flavors. With so many to choose from, it can be hard to figure out which is the best womens protein powder.
In this article, you’ll learn what protein powders are most commonly used for and the criteria we use to evaluate the best protein powder for women.
What Exactly Are Protein Powders and What Are They Used For?
Protein powders are powdered versions of common food proteins (duh).
The most common type of protein powder is made from whey, which is a milk-based protein. The problem with whey protein is that many women and men are lactose intolerant (an estimated 65% of adults!). If you’re lactose intolerant, consuming dairy products can cause issues with inflammation, digestion, immunity, etc.
Collagen protein is a newer source of animal protein made from the hair, skin, and nails of animals like cows, chicken, and fish. The long-term benefits and risks of collagen protein have not been established just yet, but it appears to be safe based on the current data available.
The most popular vegan option is soy protein powder. Unless it’s organic, however, soy protein is made from genetically modified (GMO) soybeans. Other plant-based protein options include pea, rice, hemp, pumpkin, and chia.
But plant proteins can be lacking in certain amino acids and therefore are not synthesized/absorbed quite as well as dairy proteins in the body.
That’s why the consensus among health experts is that the best women’s protein powder is actually a blend of other plant proteins like pea, rice, hemp, pumpkin, and chia. If you blend the right ratio of vegan / vegetarian proteins together, it can result in a perfect PDCAAS (protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score) of 1.0, the same as whey but without the inflammation!
In other words, combining these plant-based protein powders supplies your body with a healthy source of “complete” protein.
Why Use Protein Powder?
People may want to increase their protein consumption with protein powders for a variety of reasons.
Many people use protein powders to help build muscle or improve body composition, while others use them to recover from sports injuries.
Women and men tend to lose muscle mass as they age, which is why eating a little more protein is recommended for most older adults.
What to Look in a Protein Powder
There are a few things that you should look for when you are shopping for the best women’s protein powder.
• Organic – The best protein powders for women and men should have organic ingredients. You don’t want to consume unnecessary chemicals and toxins along with your protein.
• Easily digestible – Some protein powders, especially whey protein, can be hard for many folks to digest. For most women, a plant-based protein blend with pea, rice, hemp, chia, and/or pumpkin seed protein will be easier on the stomach.
• Tastes good (but no sugar) – Choking down a glass of awful tasting protein powder each morning is not fun…but the best women’s protein powders taste good and are good for you … so avoid any protein shakes with added sugar, which is the biggest contributor to weight gain!
• Probiotics –The best women’s protein powders are more than just a source of clean protein. Look for products that also give you added benefits, like probiotics, fiber, and amino acids.
The Best Women’s Protein Powder
One of the best women’s protein powders on the market is Pure Food Plant Based Protein Powder.
It’s made of a blend of organic pea, organic brown rice, and organic hemp proteins, and it is sweetened with all-natural stevia leaf extract. No gums. No “flavors”. No junk.
Each serving of Pure Food Plant Based Protein Powder has 20 grams of protein per serving, 4 grams of branched chain amino acids, and 4 grams of fiber. It also contains 9 essential amino acids, 1 billion CFUs of probiotics, and zero grams of sugar per serving.
Pure Food Plant Based Protein Powder is available in vanilla and raw cacao flavors, and it blends smoothly for a delicious finish. Mix it with your favorite fruits, vegetables, plant milks, and/or nut or seed butter to make a satisfying shake. Try Pure Food Plant Based Protein Powder if you are looking for one of the best women’s protein powders. Click here to find out more.