5 Best Plant-Based Protein Powders for Weight Loss
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If you’re looking for a good plant-based protein powder to help you achieve your weight loss goals, you should pay attention to:
- The amount of protein the powder contains
- The calorie content
- Whether it provides a complete source of protein
Protein helps with satiation, helping you feel fuller for longer. It also helps with building muscle, which can help improve your body composition.
Pea and rice proteins are the ideal source of protein for plant-based options. While pure pea proteins technically have all nine essential amino acids, they’re low in one of them—methionine.
Rice protein is a viable source of plant-based protein, especially popular in vegan and vegetarian diets. Although it does not have as complete an amino acid profile as animal-based proteins, it is relatively high in essential amino acids, particularly when combined with other protein sources like pea protein. Additionally, rice protein is hypoallergenic, making it suitable for people with allergies to dairy, soy, or gluten.
It’s advisable to look for a brand that balances all three of these—high protein content, optimal calorie content, and a complete source of protein—while also offering a high-quality product. While it can be easy to just focus on the lowest calories, sometimes this comes at the expense of unwanted additional ingredients, such as gums and artificial sweeteners, which we think are better to avoid.
To help you save time in your search, let’s look at four of the best plant-based protein powders for weight loss. We’ll start with our own at Momentous.
1. Momentous 100% Plant Protein
Key Things to Know About This Product
Protein Source: Plant-based protein (pea protein isolate and rice protein concentrate)
Artificial Sweeteners: No
Gluten Free: Yes
GMO Free: Yes
Certifications: NSF Certified for Sport and Informed Sport Certified
Free shipping: Yes (orders over $75)
Subscription: Yes - 25% discount on first order, 10% thereafter
Product Details:
Price: $49.95
Net Weight: 1.66 lbs
Number of Servings: 20
Serving Size: 1 scoops (37.7 grams)
Flavors: Two - Chocolate, Vanilla Chai
Protein per serving: 20g
Calories per serving: 140
Pros:
Third-party tested through NSF and Informed Sport
Trusted by professional and collegiate athletes
Purposely not organic, which means fewer heavy metals
Great taste and mixability
Complete amino acid profile
Also available in convenient travel packs
Cons:
Cost - it’s one of the more expensive options
Momentous 100% Plant Protein is one of my favorite tasting plant proteins. In my experience, many plant-based protein powders don’t mix well or taste good, so when you find one that does, you quickly appreciate it.
Available in both chocolate and vanilla chai flavors (the chocolate is my go-to), this protein powder is ideal for including in any post-workout smoothie, and I’ll often throw it into the blender together with water or almond milk, collagen, creatine, a banana, and a spoonful of almond butter.
It’s formulated with rice and pea protein, which means it delivers a complete amino acid profile, unlike other plant-based protein powders that fall down here.
The fact that it is purposely not organically sourced gives peace of mind about it containing higher levels of heavy metals (organic soil contains higher heavy metal content). This, combined with certifications from NSF Certified for Sport and Informed Sport, means it’s trusted by professional and collegiate athletes and hugely popular with fitness enthusiasts of all ages and abilities.
It’s also available in convenient travel packs, which are perfect for days when you’re on the go from gym to the office or when you’re traveling and want to stay consistent with your protein and supplement regime.
At 140 calories per serving—with 20 grams of protein—it packs a great punch that will help anyone looking to hit body composition goals. While it is one of the more expensive powders on the market, which means it might not be the right fit for someone on a tight budget, it is an ideal option for anyone wanting a premium plant-based protein powder.
2. Now Sports Nutrition Pea Protein Powder
Key Things to Know About This Product
Protein Source: Plant-based protein (pea protein isolate)
Artificial Sweeteners: No
Gluten Free: Yes
GMO Free: Yes
Certifications: Informed Sport
Free shipping: Yes - on orders $50+
Subscription: Subscribe & Save option available on Amazon; save up to 10% on orders of 5+ products
Product Details:
Price: $36.99
Net Weight: 2 lbs
Number of Servings: 21
Serving Size: 1 scoop ( 44 grams)
Flavors: Three - Creamy Chocolate, Vanilla Toffee, Unflavored
Protein per serving: 24 grams
Calories per serving: 160
Pros:
Cost-effective
Third-party certified
No artificial sweeteners
Cons:
Chalky taste
Includes xanthan gum and xylitol
Now Sports Nutrition Pea Protein Powder is a popular vegan protein powder for athletes and fitness enthusiasts looking for a complete protein. At 160 calories per serving, it has a slightly higher calorie content than the Momentous product, but it does deliver 24 grams of protein plus a blend that includes BCAAs (branch chain amino acids).
Sourced from yellow pea protein isolate, it is a complete source of all nine essential amino acids. But while it scores well here, it doesn’t do so well on taste and mixability. The chocolate flavor has a chalky taste and texture, which can make it hard to get down. But as far as plant-based protein powders are concerned, it’s certainly not the worst we’ve tasted!
Priced at $36.99 for a 2-lb tub, it’s one of the more cost effective options and will certainly suit those on leaner budgets. With an Informed Sport certification too, it gives the peace of mind that comes from reputable third-party testing. It’s definitely not our favorite option, but does deliver good-quality plant-based protein for a reasonable price.
3. Vega Essentials Plant-Based Protein Powder
Key Things to Know About This Product
Protein Source: Pea protein
Artificial Sweeteners: No
Gluten Free: Not stated
GMO Free: Yes
Certifications: No
Free shipping: Yes - on orders $50+
Subscription: Yes - save 20% on subscription
Product Details:
Price: $46.99
Net Weight: 1 lb 5.9 oz
Number of Servings: 18
Serving Size: 1 scoop (34 grams)
Flavors: Vanilla, Chocolate, Berry
Protein per serving: 20 grams
Calories per serving: 150
Pros:
Popular vegan option
Low sugar content and zero added sugar
Packed with vitamins and minerals
Cons:
Price
No third-party testing
Vega Essentials Plant-Based Protein Powder is a popular option among vegans looking to hit their optimal protein intake each day. Sourced from pea protein with zero added sugars, it provides 20 grams of protein per serving helping to keep you full and satiated. It’s available in three flavors—vanilla, chocolate, and berry—which don’t taste as good as the Momentous product (although that could come down to personal preferences), but they do mix reasonably easily.
At $46.99 for 18 servings, it’s one of the pricier options on the market, but this particular plant-based protein is also packed with a hefty number of vitamins and minerals, so it comes close to being a protein and greens formula in one.
Given there’s no third-party testing conducted on this product and it has a higher price tag, it’s hard to justify opting for this one over the Momentous 100% Plant Protein in my opinion.
4. Orgain Simple Organic Plant-Based Protein Powder
Key Things to Know About This Product
Protein Source: Plant protein - pea protein, pumpkin seed protein, almond protein
Artificial Sweeteners: No
Gluten Free: Yes
GMO Free: Yes
Certifications: No
Free shipping: Yes - on orders $75+
Subscription: Yes - save 15% on subscription
Product Details:
Price: $34.19
Net Weight: 1.25 lbs
Number of Servings: 15
Serving Size: 2 scoops (38 grams)
Flavors: Creamy Chocolate, Vanilla, Peanut Butter
Protein per serving: 20 grams
Calories per serving: 150
Pros:
Clean, simple ingredients
GMO and gluten free
Good taste and mixability
Cons:
Organic, which can mean higher heavy metal content
This plant-based protein powder from Orgain is popular for its great taste and mixability, which can be a rare find. The Creamy Chocolate flavor mixes well in post-workout smoothies with good texture and after-taste.
The formula is deliberately simple, as Orgain states on its website: “We put a lot of thought into our shake and not a lot of ingredients. Seriously—it’s as simple as that. This deliciously clean, plant-based protein powder is made from just a handful of high-quality ingredients with names you can pronounce.”
It delivers 20 grams of protein per serving and 150 calories, so it is comparable with other products and favorable for those looking to achieve weight loss goals and/or build muscle mass.
It is certified organic, which while ordinarily a good thing, in a plant-based protein powder it can lead to higher levels of heavy metals as organic soil typically contains higher levels of heavy metals.
5. Garden of Life Raw Organic Protein Powder
Key Things to Know About This Product
Protein Source: Peas, sprouted grains, seeds, and legumes
Artificial Sweeteners: No
Gluten Free: Yes
GMO Free: Yes
Certifications: NSF, Non GMO, USDA Organic
Free shipping: Yes - with subscriptions
Subscription: Yes - save 20% on subscription
Product Details:
Price: $40.79
Net Weight: 23.28 oz
Number of Servings: 20
Serving Size: 1 scoop (33 grams)
Flavors: Unflavored, Vanilla, Chocolate
Protein per serving: 22 grams
Calories per serving: 140
Pros:
NSF Certified
GMO and gluten free
Good taste and mixability
Competitively priced
Contains complete protein and 4 BCAAs
Cons:
Organic, which can mean higher heavy metal content
Garden of Life Raw Organic Protein Powder is one of the most competitively priced organic plant-based powders, especially considering the certifications it has. All three flavors taste good and mix easily into post-workout smoothies and deliver a solid 22 grams of protein per serving (plus BCAAs). This powder also contains vitamins A, D, E, and K, as well as probiotics and digestive enzymes. At 140 calories per serving it’s also good for those looking to hit body composition goals.
Emma-Kate Lidbury
Emma-Kate Lidbury is a freelance writer and editor with 20 years of experience working in the health and fitness world.
