My favorite vegan protein powders on the market

By Gloria Stovall

When I first went vegan 15 years ago, vegan protein powder was not nearly as popular as it is today, not to mention the diverse variety of appealing flavors that are now available.  Back then you only had two flavors, chocolate, and vanilla, and that was about it!  Today, in addition to chocolate and vanilla flavored vegan protein powder, you can choose from cookies and cream, peanut butter, strawberry, fudge, vanilla chai and so many more!  One of the most beautiful aspects about being a vegan for an extended amount of time is the fact that you become an expert, if you will, about vegan products and not just any vegan products, but the greatest vegan products on the market.  Another advantage to being a vegan for a long time is people ask you for recommendations about which vegan products to buy, use and so forth.  A common question I am often asked by both vegan and non-vegans is about which vegan protein powders to buy, which ones not to buy, and so forth.  If I can be candid, first and foremost, I am guilty of not making my own vegan protein powder as I know it would save tons of my hard-earned money, but I do make my own vegan body butters, soaps, and desserts, and it feels amazing when you make your own products knowing you are saving a significant amount of money, not to mention, it boosts your self-confidence to the highest levels.  

I cannot emphasize enough, if you are on a budget, vegan protein powder can be taxing on your wallet, so please do not be lazy like me, and start making your own vegan protein powder instead of spending too much money on the overpriced vegan protein powders on the market. That is something I am seriously going to start doing myself, but until then, I will recommend my three favorite vegan protein powders that I buy on a regular basis.  

Garden of Life:  Organic Protein + Greens.  This vegan protein powder costs $19.99 per container without tax, tastes pretty good in water and or plant-based milk. My favorite flavor is chocolate, a serving size is only one scoop, it is packed with 20 grams of plant protein per serving, 150 calories, and has less than 1 gram of sugar, 4 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of soluble fiber, 2 grams of insoluble fiber, vital greens, probiotics, vitamins, and minerals.  It is organic, dairy free, gluten-free, soy free and non-GMO. There are 18 servings per container, so this vegan protein powder can last a decent amount of time if you are not using it as a main source of protein.  

Purely Inspired:  Organic Protein Plant-Based Nutritional Shake. This vegan protein powder costs about $17.97 per container on Amazon, super delicious in water or plant-based milk, and it has about 16 servings per container, 5 grams dietary fiber, 1 gram sugar, 9 grams carbohydrates, 22 grams of protein per serving and only 150 calories.  It is organic, dairy free, gluten-free, soy free, non-GMO.  This is one of my favorites as it tastes amazing, but the only downfall is that it only has 16 servings, so it will not last too long, but for the most part, overall, it is a pretty good buy for vegan protein powder!

Vegansmart All-In-One Nutritional Shake.  Up until about last December, this was my all-time-favorite protein powder as I bought it 63 times last year!  This tasty vegan protein powder once costed about $24.48 per container, but sadly, it is now a whopping $33.67 per container, which is the reason I ceased buying it.  It is super delicious in water or plant-based milk, and it can be used as a meal replacement, which is what I loved most about it, it has 20 grams of plant protein per serving, 180 calories, 15 servings per container, 6 grams of dietary fiber, 5 grams of sugar and 16 grams carbohydrates, probiotics, prebiotics, organic, dairy free, gluten-free, soy free and non-GMO.  This is by far my favorite vegan protein powder, but it is a bit too pricey for me now, and considering it only has 15 servings per container, I will have to wait for the price to drop before purchasing another container. 

A word of caution about protein powders, vegan or non-vegan, they can contain dangerous levels of toxins, metals, mercury, arsenic, lead and cadmium as a result of contamination from pesticides and contaminated ingredient sources, so PLEASE do as much research as possible on the protein powder you are considering buying, and if you can afford it, please make sure your protein powder is organic as it will reduce your chances of consuming toxins.  

The plethora of vegan protein powders on the market, make it easier for vegans to get the much-needed protein, vitamins, minerals, and probiotics our bodies need to thrive and survive.  Honestly speaking, I have probably tried out at least 10 different vegan protein powders since going vegan about 15 years ago, and it has been both fun and a learning experience, so I am always open to suggestions and recommendations from fellow vegans.  Thank you always for following my blog, and I pray you are well, thriving and having a fantastic year.  I know I do not write as often and I apologize for not being in touch; but please know, I am doing very well, thriving, and thankful to the Good Lord for all He has done in my life.  I always welcome your comments and or suggestions about future vegan topics to write about. I will be in touch soon!  Have a blessed week!