reviews
Sun Warrior Protein Powder Nutrition Facts and Ingredients Review
After reviewing the ingredients and nutrition facts for Sun Warrior protein powder, let’s first talk about what I do like about Sun Warrior products:
- SunWarrior Classic Plus, Warrior Blend and Lean Meal Illumin8 all contain 100% organic ingredients. I give the unflavored “Natural” blends for Classic Plus and Warrior Blend a big thumbs up.
- SunWarrior reformulated their protein powders with added sugar and now none of their powders have added sugar or artificial sweeteners (they use organic stevia extract).
- I’m a fan of the organic, sprouted whole food ingredients they use.
- SunWarrior is privately-owned, which means they haven’t been bought by a mega-corporation that puts profits over health (like Vega and Garden of Life, for example).
- The price is right with Sun Warrior … their most expensive protein (Illumin8) costs around $.05/gram, which is less than other premium plant protein powders.
However …
There are also some red flag ingredients (cue dramatic music) in many of Sun Warrior’s powders you may want to think twice about if you have digestive issues or if nutrition/ingredients are your top priority when choosing a protein powder.
Find out more in this SunWarrior protein review …
SunWarrior Protein Powder Review
Like my other protein powder reviews (PlantFusion, Garden of Life, etc.), my analysis is based on the health and nutrition of Sun Warrior protein powder blends … NOT their taste.
I sell a protein powder so I am clearly biased … but this is a short checklist I use when buying most packaged products:
- Organic, clean, plant-based, real food ingredients
- No added sugars or other artificial sweeteners used
- None of these junk ingredients:
- Soy
- Corn
- Dairy
- Gluten
- Flavors
- Gums
SunWarrior meets most of these criteria …
Here’s a summary of what’s in each of their 7 protein powder products:
Classic Protein Nutrition Facts/Ingredients:
Classic Plus Protein Nutrition Facts/Ingredients:
Warrior Blend Protein Nutrition Facts/Ingredients:
Illumin8 Nutrition Facts/Ingredients:
Clean Greens & Protein Nutrition Facts/Ingredients:
Clean Keto Nutrition Facts/Ingredients:
Collagen Building Protein Peptides Nutrition Facts/Ingredients:
Ingredients I Don’t Like In SunWarrior Protein Powder Blends
On Sun Warrior’s website, they say:
We believe that plants provide the cleanest and most powerful foods, rich in antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and phytonutrients. Our bodies crave real food, especially in this age where we heavily process everything we eat, stripping out all the benefits and nutrition well before we have a chance to use them.
That’s something SunWarrior and I definitely agree on.
As I mentioned, SunWarrior has a lot of good things going for it: organic ingredients, no/low sugar, probiotics, quality protein sources.
I actually highly recommend all of their “natural” products for anyone looking for a cheap, organic, plant-based protein powder:
But …
There are some concerns I have with a few of SunWarrior protein powders (the flavored versions, at least).
Concern #1: Most SunWarrior Protein Powders Have “Natural” Flavors
David Andrews, Senior Scientist at the Environmental Working Group, says:
Natural and artificial flavors really aren’t that different. And those “natural flavors” can actually contain synthetic chemicals! You’re right to be skeptical of the word “natural” – it’s often thrown around loosely.
“Natural” flavors may contain 50 to 100 ingredients, many of which may be chemical solvents and preservatives.
Personally, I avoid products that have them because food manufacturers don’t have to disclose what’s actually in them. Read more about natural flavors here.
If you use Sun Warrior protein powder, I recommend checking with them to see what’s in their “flavor” compounds.
Concern #2: Gums in All Sun Warrior Protein Powders
Gums are common food additives used to stabilize, emulsify, and thicken the texture of processed foods.
The flavored versions of Illumin8, Classic, Classic Plus, and Warrior Blend all contain gums (either xanthan or guar … they refer to the latter as “guar fiber” in Illumin8).
Xanthan gum can cause gas, bloating, and diarrhea.
Guar gum may lead to digestive side effects like abdominal cramps and diarrhea too.
I recommend avoiding them whenever possible, especially if you suffer from GI issues.
Sun Warrior Protein Reviews Summed Up
I recommend the “natural” versions of the following SunWarrior protein powder blends:
- Classic Plus Natural Protein
- Warrior Blend Organic Natural Protein
- Collagen Building Protein Peptides
- Classic Protein
SunWarrior’s other protein powders all have a combination of flavors and gums/emulsifiers. If those types of ingredients don’t matter to you and you’re just looking for a cheap organic plant-based protein, Sun Warrior is a solid choice.
But if you have a sensitive gut or are looking for the cleanest/healthiest option, you may want to try something without those ingredients.
Thank you for doing so much research and posting it online. I appreciate being allowed access to reading it. My main concern for visiting your website was my quest for determining whether or not Hexane is used in the manufacturing process to extract the proteins from the plants in the making of plant protein powders. Your research has enlightened me to be a more informed label reader and also to know there are other things besides Hexane to watch out for.