Tried Tested and Recommended: Top 6 Plant Based Vegan Protein Powders

In all fairness, this very article has been a long time coming!! That said, the additional months I have had on my side has allowed me to really hone in on how my body feels and reacts to each product after consuming them. Of course everybody is different and may have a different experience, but the real reason behind the inspiration for this shortlist is YOU. Many readers and indeed fellow health and fitness bloggers have all at some point sought advice on Non Dairy Protein Powders to consume as part of their fitness and diet regime, so I took it upon myself to curate a Top 6 shortlist with the hope that it will act as a guide to help you make an informed decision when it comes to choosing the right plant based protein powder for your specific needs.

I was able to curate this shortlist by collaborating with a number of brands and PR companies behind the scenes which ultimately allowed me to sample the majority of Plant Based Protein Powders available here in the UK. This little experiment of mine has seen me evaluate and scrutinise the cost of each product, the ingredients used to formulate the powders, overall taste and how each powder reacted with my body.

Now before I begin, I must mention that the majority of plant based protein powders do not taste like whey protein or whey protein isolate! They are in fact quite earthy tasting and from my experience not as pallet-able as there dairy counterparts BUT at least one can take comfort from the fact the ingredients used are

• 100% natural
• refined / artificial sugar free
• dairy free and are either
• vegetarian or vegan friendly.

If you are the active type like myself, you would be familiar with the importance protein plays in building muscle (all will be explained in a separate upcoming article) but also quite often find it a struggle to eat my daily calorific intake of protein due to being a naturally small eater. By drinking two plant-based protein shakes a day made with store bought or homemade nut mylk allows me to successfully replace actually eating protein in the form of fish and poultry and still reach my required daily protein intake.

Now I by no means lead a 100% vegan lifestyle, but do find myself choosing plant based powders over whey protein isolate quite often as I personally find it much easier to digest and it does not leave one feeling heavily bloated.

With sooooo many plant based protein powders on the market to choose from, I have somehow managed to narrow it down and create my Top 6 Tried, Tested and Recommended Plant Based Vegan Protein Powders so read on as there may be some brands you might be unfamiliar with.

No.1 Sun Warrior Classic Blend

Sitting pretty at the top of my plant based protein short-list is American brand Sun Warrior. I had my first encounter with this brand back in 2012/13 [full review can be read HERE] and having tried at least a dozen different brands since then but for me, none tastes better and agrees with my body more than Sun Warrior Classic!

This Gluten Free brand made with NO artificial preservatives, flavorings or colourings. Such a product is bound to come with a hefty price tag and must admit is extremely expensive but nonetheless is worth the investment due to the sheer quality of product you are fuelling your body with.

Sun Warrior Classic is made with raw sprouted whole grain brown rice protein and comes in three flavours, trusted Vanilla, Scrumptious Chocolate and Natural (no flavour) in either 500 g (£24.95) or 1 kg pouches (£39.95) and can be purchased via the UK’s official distributor Xynergy.

No 2. Nature’s Plus Spiru-tein

In at number 2  is another American brand by the name of *Natures Plus Spiru-tein. Aside from the wonderful array of flavours Spiru-tein currently offer including Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl, Nutty Berry Blast, Vanilla Spice, Peaches and Cream and personal favourite Cherries Jubilee to name a few. All of their formulas are made with non-GMO rice protein, pea protein and both non-fermented and fermented soy. Tubs range from 480 g and start from a very reasonable £17.95 when purchased via The Nutri Centre.

No.3 Naturya Hemp Protein Powder

Edging into the Top 3 is UK Brand Naturya UK. I have taken a particular liking to their Hemp Protein Powder despite the somewhat pungent and acquired taste. This formula is extremely nutty and closely resembles drinking nut mylk and love to consume it mixed with nothing but purified H2O. Pouches are 300 g and can be bought from many leading health shops and retailers including Ocado.

No. 4 Sativa Shakes

Narrowly missing out on a Top 3 spot but in at number 4 is another UK Brand by the name of Sativa Shakes. The main thing that stood out apart from the exceptional taste and flavour combinations were the two different lines on offer making it easy for the consumer to choose the right formula based on their dietary needs.

Viva Sativa is made with nothing but hemp protein powder and contains a high source of fibre which keeps one fuller for longer together with the added benefits of Omega Oils 3,6 & 9.

Viva High Pro on the other hand is made using a combination of brown rice protein and hemp protein powder making it a higher protein content than its counterpart (70%) whilst being low on carbohydrates.

Both formulas are GM Free, Dairy Free, Artificial Sweetener Free and Vegan Friendly! Sample pouches can be purchased for £1.99 whilst the 900 g pouches start from £29.99 when purchased directly from Sativa Shakes website.

No 5. Sci-Mx Pro VX / V GAIN Protein

Breaking into the Top 5 is yet another UK brand known as Sci-MX. Despite the sudden influx of newly launched companies entering the sports supplement / nutrition world, Sci-MX is one of the longest serving sports nutrition brand having been established since …

Their Sci MX Pro VX (the one I was sent to try), recently reformulated and renamed as Sci MX Pro V-Gain Protein has made this short-list not only on its taste, but most importantly for its nutritional content. This particular blend has a whopping 34 grams per serving whilst the formula is made from soy protein isolate, pea protein and rice protein making it gluten free, dairy free and suitable for vegans and vegetarians alike. Sci MX Pro V-Gain can be purchased direct from the Sci MX website with prices starting from £27.99.

No.6 Reflex Vegan Protein

Completing my Top 6 list is yet another British Brand by the name of Reflex Nutrition and their enormous tub of Vegan Protein. The strawberry flavour I tried was pleasant tasting, easy to digest and surprisingly filling.  The price tag of £40.79, when purchased direct from Cardiff Sports Nutrition website does make it the most expensive of the 5 other brands previously mentioned, but one cannot look past the value for money should you decide to invest in this tub.

The recommended serving of 25 g (two scoops) gives the owner a whopping 84 servings and still have just over half a tub left having had this since the summer!  This formula is also free from Soya, Gluten, GMO and is allergen friendly, which is sure to be a hit amongst those with very specific dietary requirements without having to worry about the risk of any cross contamination.

Other brands tried and tested that unfortunately didn’t make my Top 6 Shortlist but are worth looking into were That Protein, Pulsin and Beyond, Life Food and Everything But The Cow. 

I hope you have found my Tried Tested and Recommended Top 6 Plant Based Protein Powders article useful whilst potentially making some new discoveries. I would love to know your thoughts on any other brands you recommend that has not been mentioned by simply leaving me a comment in the box below.

For those of you that are tolerant to Whey and Whey Protein Isolate, you can look forward to my Tried Tested and Recommended Top 6 Whey Protein Protein Powders next week please god 🙂