How to Choose a Protein Powder
How To Choose A Protein Powder
Protein powder has become ubiquitous among kitchens that have a blender. But with so many different brands, flavors and types of protein powder on the market these days, how do you choose one? In this post we’re doing a deep dive into the factors you need to consider when buying a protein powder, so that you can feel confident your protein powder is improving the quality of your diet.
First, do you need protein powder in your life?
Not everyone “needs” protein powder. Wait, let me take that back. No one “needs” protein powder! Why? As a general rule, getting your protein from actual whole foods is a lot better for your health. No protein powder can compare with real food.
But due to our modern lifestyle, sometimes you’re pressed for time, or you need to get in a larger shot of protein in your meal. That’s where protein powder can serve a purpose (example- see this quick and easy pumpkin spice smoothie recipe).
The big question is: how do you choose which one to buy?
CRiteria for choosing a Protein Powder
Many of the protein powders on the market contain loads of sugar, unhealthy fillers, gluten, and even toxic heavy metals. And importantly, since protein powders are considered a dietary supplement, and supplements aren’t closely regulated by the government (at least here in the United States), its up to you to do the necessary research to figure out whether a particular protein powder is safe and high quality enough for you to consume.
Here are a few things to consider:
Heavy Metals and Other Contaminants
A 2018 study by the Clean Label Project found that the vast majority of protein powders on the market contained toxic heavy metals and BPA (bisphenol A), and that plant-based proteins were the worst offenders. Metals including lead, mercury, cadmium and arsenic naturally occur in the ground and therefore make their way into any plants grown in the earth, including those used as ingredients in plant-based protein powders. These metals are toxic and if consumed regularly, can lead to cancer.
What does this mean for you? First, you will not find these metals or BPA listed as ingredients on the supplement facts chart of a container of protein powder. But you can do your own research.
Choose a protein powder that submits itself to regular third party testing. That means that the company sends the powder to a laboratory that is not associated with the company, has scientists test the powder for contaminants, and reports the results of that testing (or at least summarizes the results) to you, the consumer. Look on the website of the brand you’re considering purchasing. Or just google the brand name and “third party testing” and you’ll probably find some answers quick. Bottom line: choose a brand that engages in third party testing and is transparent about the results, making them easy to find on their website.
Plant-Based vs Dairy-Based Protein Powders
Decide whether you want a plant-based protein powder or one based on whey and casein? Whey and casein are derived from dairy, so if you know that you cannot tolerate dairy, you’ve got your answer right there. Take note, however, that roughly 70% of people can’t tolerate dairy- even though many of them don’t know it. For example, if you’re lactose intolerant you probably know that about yourself and you should choose a plant-based protein powder. But a dairy intolerance can show up in other ways- such as eczema, acne, or asthma- so investigate that before you start adding large amounts of dairy to your daily diet.
Plant-based protein powders usually contain protein derived from a combination of plants such as rice, hemp, soy, pea, chia, pumpkin, coconut and others.
A third alternative is so-called “paleo” protein powders, derived from bone broth. A possible drawback to these types of powders is that they can be heavy on collagen and may not include a balanced profile of all 9 essential amino acids.
Ingredient Quality
Since we’re talking about getting your protein from a powder rather than whole foods here, you’ll want to look into the quality of the ingredients that go into a protein powder, and purchase one that is transparent about how and from where the ingredients are sourced. A company with integrity will be very transparent about this on their website. For example, when it comes to whey or bone broth powders, you’ll want to know if ingredients come from cows that were grass-fed.
Is the Protein Powder USDA certified organic?
In general, a high quality product will be certified organic. Especially if you are purchasing a plant-based protein powder, this ensures that the plants from which the protein was derived were not grown with any kinds of chemicals.
Are there any unnecessary Added ingredients in the protein powder?
A high quality protein powder should not have a long list of ingredients, and will usually advertise on the package that it is free from gums and fillers. Check the supplement label and avoid protein powders that list any of the following ingredients:
artificial or “natural” flavors
artificial sweeteners
xanthan gum and other gums
Does the protein powder contain gluten or soy?
First of all, there is no reason for a protein powder to contain gluten. If you see wheat or gluten on the label, that’s a red flag. More importantly, if you are sensitive to gluten or soy or need to avoid those foods in your life, be sure that the protein powder does not contain them. A product that’s free from gluten or soy will usually advertise it up front on the label.
Does the protein powder include added sugars?
Are there added sugars in the protein powder you’re looking for? If so, how much, and from what ingredients? Check the supplement label! Try to choose a product that has zero (or almost zero) added sugars. If there is added sugar, investigate where is the sugar coming? Is it a whole food sugar, like coconut sugar or date sugar, and only amounts a gram or two? That’s probably ok and will lend a little sweetness to the powder. By contrast, are stevia, artificial sweeteners, cane sugar or corn-derived sugar included among the ingredients? If the answer is yes, choose a different product.
Do you like the taste?
This step takes a little experimentation.
If you’ve found a powder that passes all the quality tests I listed, and then you try it out and you hate it, then it’s back to the drawing board unfortunately. In the end, you need a quality protein powder that you like, or you won’t eat it.
One thing to consider is what kind of recipe you’re going to use it in. If you’re making straight-up protein shakes, then the flavor will matter a great deal because you’re probably just mixing it with water or almond milk. But if you’re adding the protein powder to a smoothie that also has a variety of other ingredients (as I would recommend), or you plan to use it in baked goods, then the precise flavor may not be quite as important.
A couple recommendations
There is no one perfect protein powder that everyone will love. But I have a couple brands that pass my quality tests and are good enough to add to my smoothies.
One is Four Sigmatic. I’ve used the vanilla and the chocolate flavors. I add a scoop to many of my smoothies. And I like it. I also like that they add medicinal mushrooms and adaptogens to the product, so it’s even better than a protein powder. The chocolate is my everyday protein powder.
Another brand I trust is Truvani. I’ve tested their four flavors and I found them to be a little sweeter than Four Sigmatic. I actually preferred the Truvani over Four Sigmatic for the vanilla flavor. And I love that they use only seven ingredients in their product and are very transparent.