reviews
Plant Head Protein Powder Reviews
Plant Head makes the bold claim of being “Nature’s Highest Quality Plant-Based Protein“:
If you’ve read any of my other plant protein powder reviews, you know my reviews are as unbiased as possible. I evaluate protein powders based on the nutrition, ingredients, and overall value for the money of each product (based on cost per gram).
I don’t review products based on taste. If you want to know what their powders taste like, read the Plant Head Protein reviews on Amazon (which have a pretty average 3.8 rating).
So back to Plant Head’s nutrition facts and ingredients …
Plant Head is definitely not the “highest quality” plant-based protein powder.
Not even close.
Here are the long and short versions of my Plant Head Protein Powder review:
Plant Head Protein Review (Short Version)
As mentioned, there are 3 factors I consider when I review protein powders:
1. Ingredients:
- Organic, real food ingredients you can pronounce
- No inflammation-causing soy, dairy, or gluten
- How about fillers, flavors, or gums?
2. Nutrition Facts:
- How much carbs/protein/fats per serving?
- How much fiber?
- Any added sugar?
3. Cost:
- What’s the cost per gram and overall value of the product given the other two pieces of information above? Note: cost per gram allows you to account for different serving sizes when comparing protein powders.
Here’s nutrition facts and ingredients for each of Plant Head’s protein powders:
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| Plant Head Protein Powder – Vanilla | Plant Head Protein Powder – Chocolate | Plant Head Protein Powder – Strawberry | Plant Head Protein Powder – Banana | Plant Head Protein Powder – Unflavored | |
| Calories | 110 | 110 | 110 | 110 | 90 |
| Grams of Protein | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 |
| Protein Source(s) | Pea protein isolate, brown rice protein, algalin protein, hemp protein, cranberry protein | Pea protein isolate, brown rice protein, algalin protein, hemp protein, cranberry protein | Pea protein isolate, brown rice protein, algalin protein, hemp protein, cranberry protein | Pea protein isolate, brown rice protein, algalin protein, hemp protein, cranberry protein | Pea protein isolate, brown rice protein, algalin protein, hemp protein, cranberry protein |
| Grams of Sugar | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 1 |
| Free of “Natural” Flavors | No | No | No | No | No |
| Free of Gums & Thickeners | No | No | No | No | No |
| 100% Organic | No | No | No | No | No |
| Vegan | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cost Per Gram | $.03 | $.03 | $.03 | $.03 | $.03 |
| Nutrition/Ingredients (click each image to enlarge) |  |
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Plant Head Protein Powder Review (Full Version)
There are four key issues with the ingredients in PlantHead’s protein powders:
1. None of Plant Head’s Protein Powder Ingredients Are Organic
This means their ingredients are contaminated with chemical pesticides and herbicides.
2. Plant Head Uses So-called “Natural” Flavors
“Natural” flavors are now the fourth most common ingredient in food. Problem is, food companies don’t have to tell you what’s in them. And researchers say those “natural” flavors–even the organic ones–often contain hundreds of chemical ingredients. Read my What Are Natural Flavors? if you want to learn more about this hidden junk ingredient.
3. Plant Head Protein Powders Are Loaded with Highly Processed “Gums”
Plant Head uses lots of cheap, processed fillers called gums in their protein powders. They dupe unknowing consumers into thinking these are healthy by calling them a “Healthy Gum Complex” on their ingredients panel.
Here’s the truth about each type of gum they use:
- Cellulose gum is an anti-baking agent that’s actually ground wood pulp. It has zero nutritional benefit for your body.
- Xanthan gum can be disruptive to your gut, and usually is produced with a GMO medium like corn.
- Carrageenan: a common food additive that caused harmful GI effects and insulin resistance in animal studies. It’s probably not cancer-causing, as some food bloggers have sensationalized. But if you have a history of digestive problems, it’s probably best to avoid it.
4. Plant Head Sweetens Its Powders With 5 Grams of Cane Sugar Per Serving
Sugar is sugar … “cane sugar” isn’t any better for you than other types.
5 grams in every serving of Plant Head Protein Powder is way too much.
It pretty much cancels out any benefit you get from a protein powder when you see a bunch of added sugar (Shakeology Protein Powder is guilty of this too).
Plant Head Protein Reviews Summary
I rate Plant Head’s protein powders a 2/10.
All Plant Head Protein Powders proteins are loaded with highly processed fillers. They’re not organic, which means they most likely have chemical pesticides. Their powders are cheap at $.03/gram … but are these junk ingredients worth it to you?
My biased advice: pay a few bucks more for real food, organic ingredients.
