My Naturopath recently suggested that I increase my protein intake at breakfast after looking at my daily food log and finding that I was coming up short on occasion. Breakfast is usually my meal that’s lowest in protein (lunch and dinner are fine) and he thought that an increase in breakfast protein could help with my energy levels and workout recovery. Knowing that I’m a vegan, he suggested using protein powder as an easy way to sneak in more protein.
I’ve tried all kinds of protein powders and tend to go through phases with them. Sometimes I use them every day for a week and other times I fall off the wagon or just forget to buy it when I run out. I think part of the problem is that I’ve never been able to find one that meets all of my needs. I’m really picky with protein powders! Sometimes they have sneaky artificial sweeteners, too much sugar, taste like dirt, or they just don’t have as much protein per serving as I’m looking for. If I’m going to fork money over for powder, it better be high in protein!
I said I would give his protein-boosting breakfast challenge a try and set out to find the perfect protein powder once again. I remembered Ashley saying that she was really happy with the Garden of Life Raw Protein Powder, so I thought I would give it a try since she gave it rave reviews.
The specs of this protein powder:
- 17 grams of protein per serving (per 1/4 cup scoop)
- Only 80 calories per serving
- Less than 1 gram of sugar per serving
- No fillers, artificial flavours, or synthetics
- USDA Organic
- Probiotic and enzyme blend
- Recyclable container
That is a lot of protein per serving for very few calories!
Ingredient list:
The nutritional profile:
One thing I really like about this protein powder is that there’s no added sugar. I like to be able to control my own sweetener in my smoothies (hello, frozen bananas), so this is a nice change.
What about the taste?
Well, let me just say that it’s pretty earthy, but certainly not the worst protein powder I have tasted (hemp, I’m looking at you).
Don’t expect to add this protein powder into a smoothie without any fruit/sweetener and enjoy the taste. That’s to be expected because there’s no sugar to cover up the taste like in other powders. I would say it’s quite easy to mask the taste with a frozen banana or other fun ingredients. Once I added my normal smoothie ingredients, it was fine!
What I don’t like about this protein powder:
- I’m sure there is iron in this powder, but they don’t report it. As a vegan, this is crucial info for me to know.
- It’s expensive to buy from a natural food store ($40-45), but I found it online from Iherb for $27.97 and you can probably find it cheaper.
- Very slightly chalky and earthy tasting, but again, I don’t think this is a deal breaker for me. It’s much less chalky than some powders I have tried.
I also picked up this Heartland Gold Brown Rice Protein Powder to compare it to the Garden of Life Brand. Compared to Garden of Life, this gives me much more bang for my buck. It has 40 servings per container vs. Garden Of Life’s 28 servings. It’s also about $8 cheaper too.
At less than $1 per 16 grams of protein, I’d say this is a cheap source of protein!
This protein powder has just one ingredient: Organic Compliant, Sprouted, Non-GMO, Brown Rice Protein Concentrate! It’s vegan, gluten-free, and soy-free. I think this would be comparable to the popular Sun Warrior Protein Powder as it’s 100% sprouted brown rice.
It’s 80 calories per scoop and 16 grams of protein. It also has 40% of the RDA for iron which is good for me to know as a vegan.
I also love that it’s a Canadian company based out of Toronto. I was not able to find a website for them though! Suspicious…
The cons?
It’s a bit more chalky than the Garden of Life protein powder, but only slightly more chalky. This was me comparing them side by side, mind you. The flavour is still earthy (remember- it’s unsweetened), but it’s less earthy tasting than the Garden Of Life powder. Unlike GOL, it’s not a complete protein source, but as long as I get a balance of protein sources over the day, it shouldn’t be an issue.
I still have yet to find my perfect protein powder, but I think these are two decent options weighing the pros and cons. I will definitely buy them again.
With one scoop of powder you now have a high protein smoothie base of 17 grams of protein. Add some chia seeds and other smoothie ingredients and you have yourself a smoothie that’s 24-25 grams of protein per serving.
As for my energy levels? I’ve noticed that I don’t get as hungry before lunch as I used to and I seem to be more focused and alert in the morning. I think it’s probably a better balance of carbs/protein/fat for my body’s needs.
Are you a protein powder fan? Which ones have you tried and loved or tried and hated?
Great post!
I had a similar challenge finding a protein powder I liked and didn’t taste like sand. I haven’t tried the one in this review but had really good luck with Sun Warrior. It’s also quite expensive but similar in that it has high amounts of protein for low sugar and calories.
The one I found that tasted the best was a PC Soy based chocolate. It was so good with just water I loved to drink it. Unfortunately it was loaded with sugar and the soy upset my stomach.
I’m looking forward to a few protein powder recipes on OSG! I just made one the other day with blueberres:
http://alifewithouticecream.blogspot.com/2011/10/perfect-protein-smoothie.html
I used Sun Warrior but I’m sure it would work with any plain or vanilla powder.
Hey Steph! Thank you for that lovely blueberry protein shake recipe, loved it!
I’ve been doing a lot of weight training over the past couple months, so as a vegan I knew that I needed to increase my protein intake. I’ve been using Nitrofusion and Plantfusion- I think they are the same product- they are a blend of pea, rice, and artichoke protein I believe and are 21g protein per serving. But I like them, not bad tasting at all- would definitely recommend
Hi Angela,
Have you tried Vega? I adore their Whole Food Optimizer, and even some of the smoothie mixes.
The only downfall of your Brown Rice protein is that it doesn’t have a complete amino acid profile. Not all “protein” is created equal. Even hemp doesn’t have all of the essential amino acids, which is why a balance of brown rice, yellow pea and hemp protein is a great vegan source.
That’s true, but it’s not essential to get complete proteins at every meal, as long as you get them over the course of the day it balances out.
Vega upset my stomach unfortunately!
I was actually violently ill from Vega on more than one occasion. It seems to be the ‘perfect’ protein powder, but… I’d rather not be struck with what feels like the stomach flu or food poisoning every time! It was really awful.
I’ve been using the Sunwarrior raw vegan brand but I’m planning on trying the others you’ve posted here. One thing I like to do is find out the percentage of protein by dividing the protein by the serving size. Sunwarrior is 76% protein, The Heartland Gold is 80%, and the Garden of Life 77%. Considering the Heartland Gold is 80% AND Canadian (I’m in Ottawa), I think I’ll give that one a try next! Thanks for the info.
I also wanted to check out the Kaizen brand protein, but it’s only 63% protein (even though it’s 25g, it’s almost double the typical serving size at 40g).
Angela, I am making your sweet potato & black bean enchiladas tonight for dinner and I CANNOT WAIT. I love your cookbook and your blog.
Just wanted to let you know Heather, that Vega plus many others were making me violently ill and I found that Stevia was the offending ingredient!
I wanted to like Vega, but they use stevia and it gives it that nasty aftertaste that I just couldn’t cover up. If you like the taste of stevia, though, it’s a great option!
After doing a bunch of research I thought Vega would be the product for me, but the Stevia is way too sweet and leaves a horrible after taste in my mouth. I’m pretty disappointed in it actually. That was a whole lot of money wasted.
I too dislike the taste of stevia. I can tell it is in the product just by the taste- I have unfortunately overlooked it a couple of times when reading the ingredient label. The other sweetener I am finding in some vegan products is monk fruit, which I find gas that same “off” taste. My only problem with Garden of Life RAW Protein is the type of vitamin D it contains. The label does not indicate D2 or D3 (according to GOL website, their D3 is animal sourced).
I also struggle with getting enough protein, so I tend to rely on a protein smoothie in the afternoon as a snack. My favorite protein powder is Spirutein-tein (vanilla or strawberry), and while it does have some sugar, I believe it is vegan, and it’s really tasty! I mix it with almond or soy milk, frozen banana, cinnamon and almond butter. It’s also not very chalky at all, even without all the extra mix-ins.
Unfortunately Spirutein contains bee pollen so it’s not vegan :(
Whether bee pollen is vegan or not is a personal choice as there is NO clear cut way to determine whether the bees are exploited or not.
This article is very interesting in that aspect. Apparently, like religion and politics, being vegan and how you define it is strictly a PERSONAL choice made by examining many factors.
http://rawfoodsolution.com/is-bee-pollen-vegan-thats-a-tough-choice-1712.html
Just wanted to be clear that this was NOT a criticism of someone else’s choice. The fact is, it’s written very small on the packet and I bought some thinking it was vegan and was then really upset to discover I had had something with bee pollen in because my choice is to avoid it. Anyway from personal experience, I would have liked to have had it pointed out and that was my only intention.
Interesting article – thanks
x
A ‘personal choice’ is one that affects ONLY the person involved. Killing and exploiting over 150 billion animals for human consumption is the farthest thing from being a personal choice.
I don’t understand where people get the idea that beekeepers kill their bees. If it were not for the beekeepers there would be few to no bees left in a world full of pesticides. The wild population has decreased severely in our attempt for the perfect lawn and bug free farms. Watch Nicotine Bees and see keepers crying over losing hives. Surely a group of people who have enough of a relationship with these tiny beings to cry over losing them is deserving of a rethink! This anger makes no sense. What would a beekeeper profit by killing his/her bees? All beekeepers leave food for bees to survive the winter and some larger businesses travel around the country pollinating almonds, strawberries, etc. For vegans, a good 40% of your foods would not be available without the work of beekeepers.
Ryn, you’re an elitist idiot. And it is a personal choice whether or not to partake. Effect has nothing to do with choice. And bees are not massacred, just so you know.
Spirutein was my favorite too. But, I later realized that it contained bee pollen and I was not sure how it was sourced, so until I do I will stop.
I know some urban bee keepers who do not smoke their bees to sedate them as is sometimes done. I know that some larger corporations do not leave honey for their bees but instead use a sugar concoction. But, I don’t know how the pollen is harvested and I will read the link which Namma provided.
Thanks Angela for this review! I have not heard of this Brand, It sounds great to me and I know I could make it taste good, I have some tricks up my sleeve, (hehe).
I love Sun Warrior right now… have for years. I think back to college and I would just use powders that were cheap…with so many chemicals and awful ingredients, yikes! Glad I have it figured out now.
It is all about a thick, thick, thick shake for me, so whatever can do that… I love. :)
I think SunWarrior would be comparable to this Heartland Gold powder as it’s 100% brown rice protein right?
I love SunWarrior! I’ve been wanting to try that Raw Protein but don’t want to invest in a huge tub that I won’t like..maybe I’ll find some samples!
As far as protein goes, I’ve been doing a high protein breakfast for the past couple weeks and it truly helps, I even see more muscle tone. That protein, I tell ya, very important! I like to make blueberry protein pancakes with a lil maple agave nectar…mmmmmm
Just an FYI, I loved SunWarrior’s Warrior Blend too until I found out they added regular TABLE salt to their product and didn’t list it in the ingredients on the tub I had NOR did they report the sodium content (I had to dig online for it and it was over 300 mg/svg). Super shady. I returned it to Whole Foods and complained to both companies.
There’s a chocolate soy protein powder I like, ok. Otherwise, I’m not that big into them. I’m a big believer that people think they need to eat a whole lot more protein than necessary. Great post, though!
I don’t have any feedback on the protein powder, but you mentioned your Naturopath and it got me thinking. I remember reading a Part 1 that ended kind of abruptly. Did I miss a Part 2, or is that coming?
It’s coming, I’m waiting on tests :)
The word “earthy” never translates well to me. It’s like the kind way of saying “did you like mud pies as a child? Yes? Oh then you’ll love it!” :-)
lol, I could see that.
I have been using a great protein powder from (Billy’s Infinity Greens), it’s a sprouted Organic Brown Rice Protein. I love it. You can order it online.
I love Vega! Especially their Whole Food Health Optimizer powder, which has some other awesome things like Maca, Chlorella, EFAs, fibre, probiotics, digestive enzymes, a full day of vitamins and minerals, etc. It definitely tastes “green” and very healthy. Not chalky at all. The berry flavour is best. It’s a little more expensive, due to all the incredible ingredients, but it’s worth it.
http://myvega.com/products/whole-food-health-optimizer/features-benefits
Good to know about those two brands you reviewed. Thank you!
Have you tried vegasport? I am interested in trying this brand.
Yea I’ve tried it and I wasn’t a fan of the taste at all.
We just tried a Vega packet and we weren’t fans of the taste either. I blame it on the Stevia…not a fan.
I didn’t like the taste! Their performance drink (non-protein) is fine, but the protein = ick!
I’m a bit of a vega-fanatic. I swear by the pre-sport optimizer for all my marathons (add chia seeds 30 minutes prior to your run and you’ll be at the 15km mark before you even realize – natural high!). Also, their new protein bars are fabulous. I was a little skeptical of their “sugar” content, but reached out to them on twitter and it turns out that they use raw cane sugar and date syrup – since they switched to the new “Sports” marketing campaign, they’ve only now been getting the labeling correct. As for the protein, I find the wholefood optimizer contains 26 grams of protein, you save money from buying the natural version, and it mixes WAY better than it used to.
Honestly, try it!
Raw cane sugar is a farce, as far as everything I’ve read on it. Maybe Angela knows differently, but all cane sugar needs to be pasteurized to be legal, so it really is no different from a nutritional perspective than regular processed white sugar. In fact, sugar is sugar and even honey is the same thing, unless you believe some fringe doctors who will tout its questionable medicinal benefits. Same goes for maple sugar. Agave is reported to be lower on the glycemic index, but there is increasing controversy suggesting it is really only marginally better, at best.
You should look into Metagenics powders. This is the one my naturopath carries and it is vegan. it is probably the best one I have tasted out of MANY, believe me. Powders usually hurt my tummy but this one was perfect.
I agree, Metagenics tastes good – but don’t you find it has way too much added sugar? Do they make an unsweetened kind?
I feel your pain! Being both GF and veg makes it hard for me to get enough protein, and I’ve spent ages hunting for a good protein powder. Happily, I’m now basically in love with the Vega Shake & Go powders (especially Vanilla Almondilla). Two scoops of the powder has two servings of veggies, 12 g of protein, and 40% of your daily recommended iron. It also goes wonderfully with Green Monsters!
Another good option is Biochem’s vegan protein — it’s not as tasty as Vega, but it’s reasonably priced and not terribly chalky (and it doesn’t have that tastes-like-dirt motif going on, either). :)
I enjoy the shake & go powders too.
I find these taste terrible, I have been told it is probably the stevia in them I do not like.
Thank you for this!
If you can find Sun Warrior – it’s really great. Real Raw Nutrition sells it I think, and it’s a Canadian Company. It is $$ though, but it’s tasty!
Do you know if they make one without stevia?
Sun Warrior do make a ‘natural’ flavour that has no Stevia.
Just curious – why do you avoid Stevia? I use quite a lot of it so I’m a bit worried now!
I love the Chocolate Vega Shake & Go, and also both flavours of Brown Rice Sun Warrior (NOT a fan of the new SW Blend at all though).
I think Nutiva has a hemp shake that’s fruit sugar sweetened too?
xxx
I have the Sun Warrior Natural Raw Vegan protein powder. From my perspective if you want to use it in a savory dish (e.g., making a sauce for a “pasta”) you wouldn’t necessarily want the stevia. I had a different brand of Sun Warrior before that I could just mix with water and eat with a spoon (super good). This one is technically better for you, but requires more effort to have it taste good (i.e., you need fruit or something to modify the flavor). Lately I’ve been making oatmeal pudding using soaked steel cut oats, cinnamon, 1/2 a banana and a scoop of SW Natural protein powder and blending it up. It’s delicious. I also do an “apple pie” version (replace banana with apple).
Oh Angela, did both of the smoothies come out brown? (I’m used to Vega which comes out green, LOL). What all did you put in the smoothie?
It was pumpkin (only 1/4 cup or so as I was almost out), almond milk, chia seeds, ice, spices.
This will be a great post to read all the comments as I’m almost out of protein powder and want to try a new one. I always looks at that Raw one but assumed it tasted a little on the dirty side. The only thing in the ingredient list is Brewers Yeast…uck! I use protein powder as a sweetener in a lot of things so I want it to taste good. I LOVE the bio-chem Greens and Whey but it’s expensive. I haven’t been able to beat Irontek Essentially Natural for taste and value. I’ll probably keep coming back to it. Neither of those are vegan though.
I too thought that was strange about the yeast….why do you think that’s in there?
Brewer’s yeast might be there to boost the B vitamin content. It’s one of the best natural sources out there.
It just makes it looks like a packet of brewers yeast, and I don’t want that touching my blueberries! :)
How do you guys know you aren’t getting enough protein?
The naturopath looked at my weekly food log and found that my protein was coming up short some days, with lowest amounts during breakfast.
I just bought a tub of the Garden of Life Raw Protein a few weeks ago and have been adding it to various things, including smoothies and your pumpkin pie chia pudding! I find that I can taste it no matter what it’s in, but I still try to use it. I wanted to put it in my oatmeal this morning but was afraid to ruin the taste of the oatmeal. I’m still experimenting, but overall I think it’s a good idea to use. Sometimes I forget to eat enough protein.
I’d love to use protein powder but they’re all so expensive!