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Best Vegan Supplements
One of the easiest ways to get the necessary proteins and amino acids is through the use of a vegan supplement, such as protein powder. Not only are they convenient and versatile, they present just as much protein as non-vegan options, and sometimes even more. As time goes on, it’s no wonder why these powders are not only growing in popularity, but also in available brands. So if you’re searching for the best vegan supplements on the market today, don’t stress. We’ve got you covered with ten of our favorites right here.
Standout Picks
Criteria Used for Evaluation
Product Purity
Protein Type
Most people believe that proteins are simply that, proteins. That the type or kind, or what is derived from simply doesn’t matter all that much. However, the truth is that there are quite a few different sources out there, and some of them can be quite vegan-friendly.
In order to be effective at helping you build healthy muscles, and regulate body fat, a protein powder needs to contain a number of essential amino acids, vitamins, and minerals. Some vegan protein powders, simply put, contain more of these than others. Also, using different protein sources also allows the body to absorb what is needed more effectively and efficiently. So while no protein source or type is necessarily the best for everyone, there are some, such as soy or hemp that have been shown to not only have a significant amount of protein but also to be easily digested by the body.
BCAA vs Non-BCAA Proteins
The acronym “BCAA” in this case stands for Branch Chain Amino Acids. Common examples of these amino acids include valine, leucine, and isoleucine. Now while they may sound relatively unimportant, the truth is that these types of amino acids are what makeup about a third of the proteins that exist in your muscle. Taken as a supplement, they can help to reduce muscle fatigue, decrease recovery time, and even help the body absorb protein. So having a vegan protein powder that contains BCAA proteins can make things a lot easier.
Taste
Once we took into account the type of proteins that the best vegan protein powders and shakes were likely to have, we also took a closer look at the overall taste. While we do realize that good taste is subjective to the individual, there are a few criteria that most people would agree were important. The first, of course, was how close it was to the intended taste. A vanilla flavored protein powder, for example, probably should taste like vanilla. The next criteria we looked at was whether or not customers reported a strong aftertaste or “twinge” that made the powder alter the taste of the liquid that it was dissolved into. After all, if you’re expecting a creamy cherry milkshake and it tastes like someone splashed a mouthful of lime juice into the mix you’re less likely to drink it.
Ease of Use
No one likes a vegan protein powder that doesn’t mix easily and completely into their chosen drink. The ability of the powder to dissolve completely and easily into a liquid, and still provide the protein that is desired was another criteria that we closely considered when finding the best protein powders on the market today. Often the mixing ease of the powder depended not only on the ingredients but also on how they were processed. A vegan protein powder that feels chalky or gritty to the touch is likely to be difficult to dissolve completely, either by stirring or shaking the mixture.
Top 10 Picks
1. Ora Organic
One of the things many people who first start using vegan protein powders dislike is the fact that they sometimes can be hard to digest. Thankfully, this protein powder from Ora Organic helps out by adding a digestive enzyme to aid your body in the quick absorption of the protein.
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The protein found in this powder is derived from peas, and other highly protein enriched plants to provide over 20 grams of protein per serving.
In addition to having plant-based proteins in the mix, this powder also contains a number of BCAA proteins which help the body to more quickly digest, and use the food that it is given.
If stored properly, this organic powder can last at least six months to a year of normal use.
Taste
This particular version of the Ora Organic protein powder has a mild vanilla flavor, but it is also available in chocolate as well. Most customers found the taste to be realistic when mixed in their favorite beverage, but few found it to be a good addition to solid food.
Mixing Ease
Unfortunately, many customers found that this particular vegan protein powder didn’t mix well without a blender. If you’re looking for something that you can mix into a bottle and shake for a quick snack or meal, you may want to look elsewhere.
Summary
If you’re looking for a vegan protein powder that is relatively easy to digest, good tasting and provides a wealth of varied protein sources that are plant-based, this one from Ora Organic is one to consider. While the mixing ease could be improved, overall this is a great find.
2. Garden Of Life
If you’re looking for a vegan protein powder that is more than just straight protein, this one from the Garden of Life brand is certainly one to consider. While it doesn’t have as much protein as our top contender, it does offer a nice balance of nutrients and taste for a great after workout drink.
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Not surprisingly, the proteins contained in this powder are completely plant-based. Protein sources include peas, beans, and sprouts to name a few.
The proteins contained within this powder are BCAA in nature and are easily digested by the body.
If stored properly, this vegan protein powder can last up to two years if needed, but it is most effective if used within the first six months of opening.
Taste
This particular vegan protein powder comes in a wide range of flavors including apple, chocolate, and unsweetened original. It should be noted that sweeteners, natural or otherwise haven’t been added, so if you want something that is not overly sweet, this is a great choice. There were also some complaints of the taste being “very green”
Mixing Ease
Overall most people found the powder itself to be very easy to mix with juice, water, or even soy milk. Some even found it easy to incorporate into their cooking and meals as an added protein boost.
Summary
If you’re not a fan of sweet things, and you want a little extra nutritional value in your vegan protein powder, this choice from the Garden of Life brand is a great overall choice. While the taste certainly could be improved, and we would like to see more protein overall, this is one powder that can fit the bill for most people.
3. Vega Essentials
When it comes to nutritional value, the Vega brand of vegan protein powders has long been known for its digestibility and great sources of nutrients. This powder is no exception.
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This vegan protein powder features 20 grams of easily digestible plant-based protein powders including leafy greens, green algae, hemp and pea protein to name a few.
The proteins contained within this mixture are almost all BCAA proteins, which aid in the digestibility of the shake.
If kept correctly, this powder should last between six months to a year of normal use.
Taste
While this protein powder has a vanilla flavor, quite a few people found it to be too sweet for their liking. In addition, some found it to be too chalky or grainy for their taste.
Mixing Ease
The powder is relatively easy to mix into water or juice, but liquids with a creamer texture such as milk or nut milk proved to be a little more problematic. It’s recommended that a blender is used.
Summary
If you’re looking for a vegan protein powder that provides great nutrition from a wide range of sources and is easy to digest, this example from Vega Essentials may be worth a closer look. The taste and texture do need to be improved, but if that is something you can overlook, this vegan protein powder is a great choice for a meal replacement.
4. Vega Protein & Greens
If you’re concerned about making sure that your vegan protein powder is free from GMO and gluten, but you still want the powerful nutrients of plant-based protein, this entry from Vega may be a great choice. Similar to the third entry on this list, it is very easy to digest and offers great nutritional value.
Read moreProduct Purity
This powder offers nearly 20 grams of protein in each serving, coming from a variety of plant-based foods, such as spinach, kale, and broccoli.
The majority of the protein sources found in this powder are BCAA based, and can easily aid in the digestion.
With proper storage and handling, this product should last between one or two years.
Taste
Overall the taste of most people was okay, but nothing to write home about. Some even found it to be too sweet for their taste.
Mixing Ease
For the most part, this mix is well suited for a blender, and not very easy to mix with a spoon or shake in a bottle. It has been known to be a bit clumpy at times.
Summary
If you don’t mind using a blender, and a slightly sweet taste is what you’re looking for then this vegan protein powder is a great choice overall. It has a great variety of protein sources and is extremely easy to digest.
5. MRM Veggie
If you’re looking for a vegan protein powder that is fantastic for helping you lose weight and keep weight off, this one just may be what you’re looking for. The all natural ingredients provide a nice balance between protein and fiber to provide the nutrients you need in an easy to digest shake or smoothie.
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Unlike many of the other vegan protein powders on this list, this one has protein sources that include a fair amount of fruits as well as vegetables, including blueberry, cranberry, and tomato to name a few. It also includes nutrients from chia seeds and flax, both of which have been shown to be great sources of both fiber and protein.
According to the ingredient list provided, this powder doesn’t contain any sources that are known to be sources of BCAA protein.
If properly used and stored, this product should last between six months to a year.
Taste
For most customers, the taste of this particular product was a hit or miss. They either raved about it or threw it away after one use. Some found it to be overly sweet, while others found it to be just right, but a bit chalky.
Mixing Ease
The mixing ease of this shake leaves a bit to be desired, and using a blender is highly recommended.
Summary
This vegan protein powder from MRM provides a great way to help you manage your weight through the use of anti-oxidant rich food sources that provide great protein and fiber. While the taste and mixing ease can be a bit problematic for some, overall this is a good choice.
6. Manitoba Harvest Organic
If you want to keep your ingredient list small, but still provide yourself with a great source of protein, one option is to go with this vegan protein powder from Manitoba Harvest. Designed with a minimalist approach, it still packs a nice amount of protein with very few ingredients.
Read moreProduct Purity
Both the protein and fiber in this particular supplement come from hemp powder. This provides nearly 13 grams of fiber per serving and 11 grams of protein as well.
Because of the simple ingredients, this product does not contain any BCAA proteins.
This product should last about a year to a year and a half with proper storage and handling.
Taste
While most people found the taste of this product acceptable, quite a few found it to be too grainy to be appealing. Also, the amount needed to reach a serving (nearly 4 tablespoons) seemed to be a bit overwhelming to some.
Mixing Ease
Overall this product was fairly easy to mix using a blender. The grainy texture sometimes seen was likely due to not spending enough time mixing the product completely.
Summary
If you like to keep your ingredient list short and simple, and the idea of using hemp to meet your dietary and protein needs is a plus, this is a great product. While some found it a bit grainy at times, most found it to be a great source of both dietary fiber and protein.
7. Amazing Grass
This vegan protein shake from Amazing grass is a great source of overall protein, that is easily mixed with both drinks and foods to provide the extra boost when needed.
Read moreProduct Purity
The plant-based proteins, which total nearly 20 grams per serving, come from a wide range of sources, including peas, hemp, chia, and quinoa.
Based on the presence of pea derived proteins, this powder does contain some BCAAs.
In most cases, this product was shown to last about six months to a year.
Taste
For most people, the taste was acceptable if a bit chalky at times. Also, a few customers experienced bouts of gassiness due to some of the ingredients.
Mixing Ease
The majority of customers found this product to be easy to mix with their favorite juices, water, or vegan-friendly drinks, but found mixing it into food left a bad aftertaste.
Summary
If you’re looking for an easy to digest protein powder that gets most of its protein from a wide variety of sources, and don’t mind a slightly chalky taste, this one may fit the bill.
8. Nutribiotic Rice
This vegan protein powder makes our list not only because of the protein source it contains but also what it doesn’t. Made from whole grain rice, it is a natural way to get both the fiber and protein that your body needs.
Read moreProduct Purity
The protein in this particular vegan powder is derived from sprouted brown rice, and also contains a mixture of organic plant enzymes and fiber to help make the proteins easy to digest.
As the proteins in this vegan protein powder are made almost entirely from brown rice, they do not contain the most common sources of BCAA proteins on the market today.
Like many of the other powders detailed on this list, this particular one has a shelf life of about six months to a year under normal conditions.
Taste
Unfortunately, many people who bought this product had trouble getting past the taste overall. They found the taste to be gritty and a bit overpowering.
Mixing Ease
This mix was fairly easy to incorporate into various drinks and smoothies, but most people found that incorporating it into their cereals or meals somewhat problematic. The gritty texture made it hard to blend smoothly.
Summary
If you’re looking for a protein powder that gets it source from rice or brown rice, and you’re okay with a slightly less than appealing taste, this one might be a great choice.
9. Yuve Vegan
While the others on this list boast about great taste, this protein powder is one of the few that actually delivers. In fact, the natural taste is award-winning, including an award for the best tasting from Vegnews Magazine in 2015.
Read moreProduct Purity
The protein found in this powder is derived from chia seeds, peas, brown rice, and other green leafy vegetables as well as soybeans. It provides approximately 15 grams of protein per serving.
According to the ingredient list provided by the manufacturer, this vegan protein powder does contain substances that provide BCAA proteins.
Unlike most protein powders listed here, this one has a relatively short shelf life of about six months.
Taste
Most people found the taste of this powder to be good, with no chemical or chalky aftertaste or feel. Some, however, found the texture of the whole chia seeds less than desirable.
Mixing Ease
The majority of the customers found the powder easy to incorporate into their favorite juice or nut milk but found that it gave too strong a taste when mixed with food.
Summary
If you’re looking for a shake that is relatively good tasting, and you don’t mind the absence of BCAA proteins and a relatively short shelf life, this one from Yuve is a great overall choice.
10. Biochem Vanilla
This last entry on our list is a brand that is well known for their nutritional value, and have been in the business for over 15 years.
Read moreProduct Purity
The proteins found in this particular powder are made from pea, hemp seed, and cranberry proteins.
Based on the pea proteins included, this powder is actually rich is BCAA proteins, and the natural antioxidants found in cranberries and hemp seeds make for a more balanced approach to a nutritional drink.
This vegan protein powder has a relatively long shelf life, between one and two years.
Taste
Unfortunately, most people found the taste of this powder to be unbearably sweet and chalky. It was recommended that it be mixed with stronger flavored juices or nut milk instead of water. Most found that mixing it with food caused a significant sweet aftertaste to permeate the food.
Mixing Ease
Most people found mixing this powder with their favorite juice easy with a blender, but if a spoon or some other method was used, the mixture rarely dissolved completely. Most found the mixture to be too thick overall.
Summary
This protein powder provides a fantastic source of nutritional value and protein that rivals any whey based or non-vegan protein shake on the market today. While many found the taste to be overpowering in its sweetness, most found it to be a welcome addition to their nutrient-rich vegan diet.
Sources
- , Best Vegan Multivitamins To Supplement A Plant-Based Diet, Vegan Lifestyle Blog
- , What Supplements Do Vegan Athletes Need?, Buying Guide
