Written By Melissa Avalos, PNW Intern, Summer 2021

Protein powders have been on the rise for quite some time now. When thinking of protein, many instantly think “the more the better”, but that isn’t always the case. Anything in excess can be harmful to our bodies, protein included. I’m sure many of us at the start of a new exercise regimen believe we need to start incorporating a protein powder daily or have that one friend who swears by it. Many people also believe you need it to meet your general protein needs on a vegan diet. Join along while we discuss the ins and outs of protein powders and whether or not you really need one.

The Role of Protein in our Bodies

Protein is one of the essential macronutrients our bodies require for multiple bodily functions. Protein is made from amino acids, which are often referred to as the ‘building blocks’ of protein. I’ll try not to bore you with too much science, but protein plays a bigger role than just building muscle. It’s also involved in cell metabolism, body fluid balance, acid-base balance in the blood, synthesis of hormones, our immune system, and more. Ideally, protein should be 10-25% of our total daily caloric intake. The recommended daily allowance (RDA) for protein is 0.8g/kg. If someone weighs 130lbs (59kg),  47g of protein would be the appropriate amount. Probably a lot less than you thought, right?

Protein needs increase during certain points in our life such as during pregnancy,and certain disease states. Highly trained athletes will often need a higher amount of protein of 1.0g/kg or more depending on the level of activity. For an average person though, this is beyond their needs.

Fun fact about our bodies, anything we consume in excess is essentially stored as energy or fat. Therefore, if you’re consuming more of a macronutrient (i.e. carbs, protein and fat) than your body requires, it will be stored to later be utilized as energy. In relation to protein, if an excessive amount is consumed frequently there is concern that it can put too much stress on our kidneys due to the excessive excretion of urea through urine (more science), and this may also have an effect on hydration levels.

Keep in mind, proteins are used most efficiently within our bodies when we consume enough carbohydrates and fat. The macronutrients we consume all have a purpose and work together within our metabolism. If you are increasing your protein and in return reducing or limiting the amount of carbohydrates and fat, your body will break down the protein and your cells will use this energy. Therefore, preventing it from further building body proteins.

Is Protein Powder Necessary?

Let’s lay out the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Is protein powder a necessary component of a healthy diet? The short answer: no, protein powder is not necessary in a healthy diet. 

It is possible to reach your body's daily requirement for protein without the supplementation of a protein powder. Yes, even when following a plant based diet (more on this below). 

The protein supplementation market is worth 18.91 billion dollars. These products are marketed as part of a health conscious movement and are often advertised as a meal replacement, a means to weight loss, and a huge convenience, so it's got a lot of fuel behind it. 

This doesn’t mean protein powders are all bad! Protein powders are convenient and useful especially when you are in a situation where you find yourself falling short on your protein intake, which is rare but not impossible.

Being that protein powders are a highly processed food, there are additives and preservatives that are not essential to our health that we should look out for, and some powders can lead to digestive issues. Not to mention, protein powders can be pretty pricey. The key is ensuring you purchase the right one. Quality of the protein consumed is more important than the quantity. 

Protein Powders + Digestive Issues

If you are considering protein powder, it’s important to note that they can, and often do, lead to digestive issues. These include: 

• Bloating

• Indigestion

• Discomfort

• Diarrhea 

This can be due to the additives and fillers some protein powders contain. The protein is also isolated and is not as easily digestible in this form, although some powders will contain digestive enzymes to ease the digestive process (more on this below). For some, a heaping scoop of pea protein powder, for example, along with it’s high fiber content, can lead to uncomfortable bloating and/or constipation. 

If you’ve recently started a protein powder and notice that you are having any of these digestive issues, check out the powder’s ingredients and remove it from your diet for a few days. If your symptoms improve, it’s definitely time for either eliminating the protein powder all together or finding a different kind. 

Best Ways to Increase Protein without Powders

Now, let's talk about some easy and efficient ways to increase protein in our everyday meals without the use of a powder! 

Seeds & nuts / nut butters - These little guys can be overlooked but definitely pack a punch in the protein department. If you’re a morning smoothie kind of person or even enjoy a nice warm bowl of oatmeal, adding some ground flaxseed or chia seed to your breakfast is one way to boost your intake, not to mention a great source of omega 3’s. 2 tablespoons of one of these seeds provides about 4 grams of protein. Hemp seeds provide a bit more, around 6 grams of protein per 2 tablespoons. Nut butters like peanut butter have 8g of protein per serving and are a great addition to your snacks, especially when combined with fruits like strawberries or bananas. Check out this previous post on seeds for more info!

Beans & legumes - Let us welcome the kings and queens of plant-based proteins! Soybeans, lentils, chickpeas, black beans, red beans, peas, and split peas are a few in this family of many. One cup of beans contains a whopping 15 grams of protein!

Grains - Often considered as just a source of carbohydrates, most grains have a significant amount of protein per serving. Quinoa has 8 grams of protein per serving while a serving of whole wheat pasta contains 7.5 grams of protein, and 2 slices of whole wheat bread (depending on the type) can have up to 10 grams of protein. Let’s not forget about oats! Per 1 cup of oats (dry) there are 10 grams of protein. 

There is so much protein variety within a plant based diet!

Here’s an example of a day full of plant based meals containing adequate (or more) amounts of protein: 

Breakfast: 29.5g

Latte with Soy Milk: 7g 

Mushroom Tofu Scramble: 14g 

1 slice of whole wheat toast with 1 tablespoon of peanut butter: 8.5

Snack: 30g

Steamed Edamame, with everything but the bagel seasoning

Watermelon

Lunch: 25g

Miso baked tofu & brown rice

Asparagus

Dinner: 21g

Roasted veggie chickpea pasta 

Dessert: 15g

Chocolate chip cookie dough (made with chickpeas)

Total grams of protein: 120.5!!!

What to Look For in a Plant-Based Protein Powder 

Ok, so if you’re still not convinced that you don’t need protein powder, what can I say? I tried! Just kidding - I understand that sometimes and for some people, protein powder has a place in the diet so we don’t want to leave you hanging. 

If you are going to purchase a protein powder, here’s what you should look for to ensure that it’s good quality.

Aim for:

• 15–20 grams of protein per serving 

• Plant based protein powders that have a pea, hemp, rice, or organic soy base 

• Third party tested products

Watch out for:

• Artificial flavorings, usually can be identified easily. E.g “artificial vanilla flavor”

• Chemical additives/ contaminants 

  • The clean label project did a study on a variety of protein powders and their findings showed that a majority of the powders contained different heavy metals and even BPA (used to make plastic). These will not be labeled so check for 3rd party testing to avoid this. 

  • Silica and carrageenan are other additives to look out for. 

• Added sugars 

Here are just a few that check off all the boxes:

Garden of Life has a variety of protein powders; this one in particular has probiotics and enzymes to aid in digestion and support gut health. It contains 22 grams of protein per serving and holds multiple 3rd party certifications, including the National Science Foundation (NSF). 

Ora Organic carries a quality protein powder that contains 21 grams of protein and they are  transparent about their third party testing by displaying their report directly on the site with no digging needed. Also, digestive enzymes are also included for digestion. 

Naked Nutrition carries a vegan protein that only has 1 ingredient, peas. It contains a total of 15 grams per serving and is third party tested/ certified by Informed Sport.

Often you will find third party testing information on the site of the product you are looking to buy. If you can not find it through the product link itself, look at the FAQ section or through the sections of the site that go more into detail about the brand. A great resource is NSF - through this site you can find a variety of third party tested products. 

Bottom Line

Protein powders are convenient and useful in our everyday busy lives, but we shouldn’t depend on them as our primary source of protein or as a meal replacement. Are protein powders the absolute worst? No, but they are not necessary. Remember that reaching our daily protein requirement is possible through the foods consumed in our daily diet and that most of us need a lot less than we think. If you are looking to increase your protein, check out the foods mentioned or you can also check out the plant based protein powder suggestions listed.