For a vegan who chooses not to eat dairy, meat and eggs, it is imperative to ensure that they get enough protein from their diet.

Protein as we know is building blocks of muscles, and our bones and blood. It is required to produce enzymes and hormones that play an essential role in various body functions.

It is challenging for a vegan to meet the recommended daily amount of protein through to their diet. This is why vegan protein powders are suggested for them.

There are several vegan protein powders available in the market. The quantity they come in is daunting, and it is quite a task to choose the one right for your body.

If you are vegan and looking for a vegan protein powder to fulfil the recommended daily intake of protein, read this article.

What Is Meant By Vegan Protein Powder?

As the name suggests, the vegan protein powder does not contain any animal-based ingredients and is derived from plants. The plant-based protein comes from different plant sources such as seeds, grains, nuts etc. such as hemp, pea, soy and peanuts. Most of them are blend of many plant-based proteins.

Why Does A Vegan Need to Include Protein Powder In Diet?

Protein is an essential component of a balanced and healthy diet. However, a vegan diet does not contain chicken, fish, egg, milk or any other animal-based product rich in protein. This is why it becomes essential for them to include protein powder in their diet.  Many vegan foods are good sources of protein such as nuts, beans and chia seeds, but most of them individually does not contain all the nine essential amino acids. It is challenging, for vegans to combine the food items to get all essential amino acids. For this reason, it is necessary to choose a protein supplement or a vegan protein powder that comprises a complete protein.

Points To Keep In Mind While Purchasing a Vegan Protein Powder 

1. Be sure it is a complete protein powder – Most significant thing you need to know about the vegan protein powder before purchasing is that it should be a whole protein source. A complete protein source contains all the essential amino acids that the body is not capable of producing itself. The nine essential proteins are leucine, lysine, tryptophan, valine, threonine, phenylalanine, methionine and histidine. Our body needs all essential amino acids to perform crucial functions such as growth and repairing the tissues. So choose the plant-based protein powder that provides you with all nine essential amino acids. 

2. Source of protein – The popular option for plant protein are brown rice protein, soy protein, pea protein, and hemp protein. Make sure the plant-based protein is non-GMO and organic. Also, look for the protein powder, which can also provide you with fibre, vitamin B12 and other essential minerals and vitamins. Adding a few grams of fibre to the protein keeps you full for long and maintains the gut health.

3. Grams of protein it provides – The daily intake of protein should be approximately 0.8 gram per kg body weight. It is essential to know how much protein you need to supplement after calculating the protein you are getting from your diet. The amount of protein intake also depends on your health goals and your activity. Better, consult your doctor or a nutritionist to know your protein needs, and which protein powder will best meet your goals.

4. Know if it has added sugar – Most of the food and even vegan protein powders contain sugar. Sugar is added to improve the natural flavour. If present in a minimal dose, sugar is not harmful and does not add additional calories. However, if you are looking for more healthy options, you can look for the protein powder that contains natural sugars.

5. Are there any adverse effects of the vegan protein powder you choose – Before purchasing vegan protein powder, better research the brand and its ingredients? Choose a brand that uses organic ingredients and work with medical professionals to create their product. Most important choose the brand you trust.

Top 5 Protein Powders To Purchase

• Naked Pea Protein Powder- The Naked company specialises in selling supplements. Naked Pea Protein powder only contains split yellow peas grown in the farms of Canada and North America. The processing is mechanical with no chemical to retain the superior amino acid profile. 

The pea protein is very easily absorbed in the body, making it an excellent alternative to whey protein. 

Per serving contains about 27 grams of protein. It is dairy-free, gluten-free, soy-free and is non-GMO. It is free from artificial sweeteners and additives. The product is an independent third party tested and available in a variety of flavours. 

• True Nutrition Whey Protein Isolate – There are about 20 different flavours of True Nutrition Protein powder. It contains non-GMO soybeans and is derived using cold water microfiltration process. It is gluten-free and lactose-free but not suitable for people who are allergic to soy. 

Per serving provides you with 27 gram of protein. The product is third-party tested.

• ALOHA organic chocolate protein powder: ALOHA company is specialised in the plant-based organic protein supplement. The protein powder is available in two flavours vanilla and chocolate.  

The ingredients of the product are hemp, pumpkin seed, brown rice and pea protein. 

The product also contains coconut, so if you are sensitive to coconut, it is not for you. 

One serving contains about 18 grams of protein, 130 Calories and 4 grams sugar. 

The product is gluten-free, soy-free, dairy-free and non-GMO.

• Organic Cold-Pressed Hemp Seed Protein Powder: The product contains hundred percent raw organic hemp seed protein powder. Hemp protein is ideal because it has 66% edestin that is a bioactive globulin protein and is easy to digest. 

One serving provides you with 11 grams of raw organic protein, 2-gram essential fatty acids and 12 grams of fibre. Hemp contains all nine essential amino acids and contains essential fatty acids. It is also rich in other minerals such as zinc iron and magnesium. 

• MyVega Sport Recovery -� MyVega company sells only vegan supplements. The protein powder also contains electrolytes and B vitamins. It is GMO-free and do not contain any artificial sweetener or artificial flavours. It comes in two flavours Apple berry and tropical.

Vegan protein powder is an excellent option to fulfil the recommended intake of protein for vegans and people with a different diet. It can also be a perfect option for people sensitive to dairy products or those who suffer from digestive issues.