This post may contain affiliate links (disclosure policy).
Protein is an important part of any successful diet. But, you don’t need to get all of your protein from animal or dairy products.
Although you can choose many vegan protein powders — such as pea, soy, hemp, and rice — figuring out the best option can be confusing because not all plant proteins are equally beneficial. Here’s what you need to know.
Pea Protein: The King of Plant Proteins
Amino acids are the key to the power of protein. Each amino acid — or combinations of amino acids — unlock a variety of benefits ranging from recovery and muscle growth to younger-looking hair, skin, and nails. But, if you want to put the amino acids to use, your body needs complete proteins, which are proteins that contain all of the essential amino acids available (there are 9 of them).
Most plant proteins are incomplete and don’t contain all of the amino acids your body needs.
Pea Protein is a complete protein and contains all nine of the essential amino acids you must get from your diet—including the branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs).
If you compare pea protein to whey (the gold standard protein powder), it becomes very clear that pea is the king of plants.
| 25 Gramas Proteína da ervilha | 25 Gramas Whey | |
| Calorias | 162.5 | 157.4 |
| Carbo | 8.8 | 8.7 |
| Proteína | 25 | 25 |
| Gordura | 2.6 | 2.1 |
| BCAAs | 5.9 | 7.8 |
What About Rice, Hemp, and Soy?
Rice and hemp protein are not complete proteins. They are too low in a few important essential amino acids, such as lysine and leucine.
Rice and hemp can also cause digestive and gastrointestinal (GI) issues, and have a gritty taste that is hard to mask without using artificial sweeteners or lots of sugar.
Soy also have two problems:
- Soy contains “anti-nutrients” such as tannins, phytates, and trypsin inhibitors. These can cause issues with the absorption of vitamins and minerals and disrupt digestion.
- While small amounts of soy protein are not concerning, significant amounts of soy consumption — due to the phytoestrogens — has the potential to reduce testosterone levels and interfere with fertility. Note, this only appears to occur if you consume daily amounts of soy in excess of 50-60 grams (about 2 scoops of soy protein powder) but is still a risk.
How to choose the Best Vegan Protein
Here’s a checklist that will make it easier to scan through the ingredients and make the right selection for you:
1. High protein per serving: Most plant proteins are lower in protein. Don’t settle for less than 20 grams per serving. And, as we already mentioned, make sure you’re getting complete proteins with all the amino acids your body needs.
2. No artificial sweeteners or flavors: if you want your stomach to feel OK, opt for protein powders that use plant-based sweeteners (like stevia), or a little bit of sugar (3-4 grams max is fine).
3. No vegetable oils or creamers: you don’t need added fat for a protein powder.
4. Milk ingredients: If you’re searching for vegan or plant-based, dairy is off the list. So any whey or casein is derived from milk.
If you are looking for the best quality, clean and also with a great flavor, New Millen Suplementos will be the best choice for you
