10 Best Protein Powders in 2024, According to a Dietitian

Finding time to make and eat a meal can feel impossible when you have a packed schedule. That's why so many of us turn to snacks and fast food for quick eats to stop the tummy grumbling. But if you're looking for a more balanced way to boost your nutrition, supplements like protein powder can be a game-changer.

Not only are protein powders popular for building muscle and aiding in weight loss, but they also support general nutrition for those who need something quick and easy to fill the gaps between meals. Finding a protein powder that fits your tastes, goals, and budget can be daunting. Ultimately, the best protein powder for you is the one you use consistently.

To make your search easier, we've rounded up some of the best protein powders for general health to help you find one that meets your needs.

Benefits of Using Protein Powder

Protein powders are a convenient way to meet protein needs. Your body needs protein to make and repair cells, support immune health, and maintain muscle. Research suggests healthy adults need about 0.8 to 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight.

Using protein powders to support daily needs may:

• Support weight management: Protein is more satiating than carbs and fat, keeping you full longer. Adding protein powder to your morning coffee may stop you from hitting the vending machines when hunger strikes during your mid-morning break.
• Preserve lean muscle mass: Using protein powders may preserve and improve muscle mass, even if you don't work out. A 2023 study published in Translational and Clinical Pharmacology found a significant increase in muscle mass in sedentary people taking a protein supplement compared to those taking a placebo.
• Enhance energy: Protein powders may enhance energy and endurance by supporting muscle mass, making it easier to keep up with the day's demands.

Types of Protein

Protein powders come in many forms, each offering benefits. Understanding the different types of proteins used in the powders can help you decide what supplement works best for you.

• Whey protein: Whey protein is a milk protein and one of the most studied and popular protein powders.
• Casein protein: Casein protein is a milk protein that digests slowly and a popular pre-sleep supplement for supporting muscle repair.
• Collagen peptides: Though not a complete protein, collagen peptides are popular for skin and joint health.
• Pea protein: People who follow a vegan or vegetarian diet may prefer pea protein, a high-quality plant-based supplement that supplies all of the essential amino acids.
• Plant protein blends: Some plant-based protein powders use different plants, such as brown rice, pumpkin seed, and hemp seed, to create a powder with a more balanced amino acid profile.

How We Selected the Best Protein Powders

Protein powders are dietary supplements that don't require FDA approval before hitting the shelves. It's up to the manufacturer to ensure their supplement is safe and effective. We used the following criteria to select the best protein powders:

• Natural ingredients: Protein powders may contain a long list of ingredients, including artificial colors, flavors, and sweeteners. We looked for protein powders that featured more natural ingredients.
• Provides at least 20 grams of protein: A good protein powder should supply at least 20 grams of protein per serving. The International Society of Sports Nutrition suggests getting 20 to 40 grams of high-quality protein at regular intervals throughout the day is key to maintaining and promoting lean muscle mass.
• Third-party tested: Safety is a priority when it comes to recommending dietary supplements, and we looked for protein powders that were third-party tested. This means the powder was independently tested by a lab, ensuring the supplement contains only the ingredients listed on the label and in the reported amounts.

Transparent Labs 100% Grass-Fed Whey Protein Isolate Milk Chocolate

Protein Source: Grass-fed whey protein isolate
Sweetener: Stevia extract
Dietary Credentials: Gluten-free, soy-free

Transparent Labs 100% Grass-Fed Whey Protein Isolate is popular among athletes and bodybuilders. It contains high-quality whey protein isolate, which means it's been processed to remove most of the carbs and protein to create a highly concentrated source of protein. As you can see from the nutrition information, it packs a hefty dose of protein with little carbs or fat.

Though we used the nutrition information for the milk chocolate flavor, Transparent Labs offers multiple flavor options, such as French vanilla, chocolate peanut butter, cinnamon French toast, and blueberry pancakes.

This protein powder has been third-party tested and is Informed Choice and Informed Protein certified, which means it's been tested for sports-related banned substances.

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Truvani Plant-Based Protein Vanilla Chai

Protein sources: Organic pea protein, organic pumpkin seed protein, and organic chia seed protein
Sweetener: Organic monk fruit extract
Dietary Credentials: Vegan, gluten-free, keto-friendly

Truvani is a plant-based protein made with all-natural ingredients and is one of the best-tasting protein powders available. Though the Vanilla Chai flavor has a longer list of ingredients, it's mostly spices like ginger, nutmeg, and allspice. Many of the Truvani protein powders have only a handful of ingredients. How Truvani manages to make its protein powder so tasty is a mystery.

The plant protein is certified vegan and certified organic by the USDA. It provides 20 grams of protein per scoop and is low in carbs and fat, making it keto-friendly. Though all the Truvani protein powders offer 20 grams of protein, carbs, calories, and fat count vary by flavor.

The Vanilla Chai flavor is higher in sodium, meeting 14% of the daily value, and provides some fiber, meeting 7% of your daily needs.

Promix Whey Protein Powder Unflavored

Protein source: Grass-fed whey protein concentrate
Sweetener: None
Dietary credentials: Gluten-free, soy-free

Promix offers a number of protein powder options, including whey and pea protein, in flavors like vanilla and chocolate. However, we like the unflavored whey protein powder because of its simplicity. It has two ingredients: grass-fed whey protein concentrate and soy lecithin, an additive that helps with mixing and lengthens shelf life.

Grass-fed whey protein means the milk protein was obtained from free-roaming pasture-grazing cows. Dairy products from grass-fed cows are higher in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. Though protein supplement makers claim this improves muscle recovery, research fails to support these claims. But you can feel good about consuming grass-fed animal products since this way of farming means a better quality of life for the animal.

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Ascent Casein Protein Powder Chocolate

Protein source: Micellar casein
Sweeteners: Stevia leaf extract, monk fruit extract
Dietary credentials: Gluten-free

Casein is another milk protein rich in all of the essential amino acids needed to build muscle. It digests much slower than whey protein and may not produce the same muscle gains as the faster-digesting milk protein. However, people supplement with casein as a pre-sleep protein to support muscle recovery following workouts. It may also preserve muscle mass in older adults.

Ascent Casein Protein Powder is a good choice, packing in 25 grams of quality protein without added sugar and little carbs and fat. The protein powder is gluten-free and Informed Sport Certified.

We also like this protein powder because it meets 50% of the daily value for calcium in one serving.

Naked Shake Vegan Protein Powder Strawberry Banana

Protein source: Pea protein
Sweeteners: Coconut nut sugar, fermented cane sugar
Dietary credentials: Vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, dairy-free

Naked Shake Vegan Protein Powder contains pea protein, providing 20 grams of high-quality protein that supplies all of the essential amino acids. Though whey protein is the go-to supplement for many who want to build muscle, pea protein works just as well.

The protein powder is a source of added sugar (coconut sugar), meeting 6% of the daily value, but it may improve taste. Many protein powders use artificial sweeteners or nonnutritive natural sweeteners with an aftertaste that makes the shakes less desirable to drink. Though taste is subjective, many people like the taste of Naked's vegan protein powders.

The vegan protein powder has no artificial ingredients, a short list of ingredients, and is third-party tested.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

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KOS Organic Superfood Protein Chocolate Peanut Butter

Protein sources: Pea protein, flaxseed, quinoa, pumpkin seed, chia seed
Sweeteners: Coconut sugar, stevia leaf extract, monk fruit extract
Dietary credentials: Vegan, gluten-free, keto-friendly, soy-free

KOS Organic Superfood Protein powder uses a plant protein blend to provide 20 grams of protein in every serving and balance the amino acid profile.

This protein powder is more complete than other supplements on our list, meeting 20% or more of the daily value for essential vitamins and minerals such as vitamins E and B12, iron, zinc, and selenium. It's also higher in calories, carbs, and fat and meets 11% of the daily value for fiber. Though not a meal replacement shake, it's designed to support weight management by keeping you full (protein and fiber) and providing essential nutrients without many calories.

The vegan protein powder is keto-friendly and certified USDA organic. However, it's not third-party tested.

Huel Black Edition Salted Caramel

Protein sources: Pea protein, flaxseeds, brown rice protein
Sweeteners: Organic coconut sugar, steviol glycosides
Dietary credentials: Vegan, gluten-free, kosher

Eating more plant proteins is good for your health. It may help you age better and lower your risk of developing serious health issues like heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. Food-based plant proteins are the most nutritious choices, but plant-based protein powders can serve as a good source, too. That's why you see so many of these types of powders on our list.

Huel Black Edition is a plant-protein meal replacement shake boasting 40 grams of protein per serving, coming from a mix of pea protein, flaxseeds, and brown rice protein. It also meets more than 20% of the daily value for fiber and 20% or more of the daily value for many essential nutrients, including vitamins A, C, D, E, and K, vitamin B12, calcium, and iron.

However, the protein supplement is higher in fat (22% of the daily value) and saturated fat (13% of the daily value) than the other supplements on our list. The fat comes from sunflower oil and coconut-derived MCT oil. The protein powder also meets more than 20% of the daily value for sodium.

Huel Black Edition comes in many flavors, and nutrition information varies slightly, but all flavors provide 40 grams of protein and 400 calories.

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Ritual Essential Protein Daily Shake

Protein source: Organic pea protein
Sweeteners: Fermented sugarcane (Reb-M), monk fruit extract
Dietary credentials: Vegan, gluten-free

For those looking for a truly "clean" protein powder, Ritual Essential Protein Daily Shake is the way to go. The plant-based protein powder is Clean Label Project Certified and a winner of the Purity Award. This means the powder was tested for toxic substances such as heavy metals and pesticides and met the highest standards for consumer protection.

The protein powder provides 20 grams of protein from organic pea protein and meets 10% of the daily value for fiber. Ritual's protein powder is designed for muscle-building, providing 4 grams of branched-chain amino acids, the essential amino acids necessary for muscle protein synthesis. It also has added L-methionine to improve its amino acid profile so it more closely resembles whey protein.

Mikuna Vegan Protein Powder Vanilla

Protein source: Chocho powder
Sweeteners: Organic coconut blossom nectar, organic monk fruit extract
Dietary credentials: Vegan, gluten-free, keto

Mikuna Vegan Protein Powder uses chocho powder as a source of protein. Chocho is a legume native to South America that is naturally high in protein and fiber. The vegan protein powder provides 20 grams of protein rich in branched-chain amino acids. It also meets nearly 30% of the daily value for fiber.

The unflavored version of the protein powder has only one ingredient: chocho powder. The flavored versions—vanilla and chocolate—contain natural sweeteners and flavors but minimal ingredients. The vegan protein powder is also naturally rich in zinc, iron, and manganese.

Mikuna Vegan Protein Powder is one of our favorite finds. It has a nutty flavor and is a natural source of many essential nutrients. The protein powder is third-party tested for heavy metals, other contaminants, and ingredients.

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Vital Protein Collagen Peptides Powder

Protein source: Collagen peptides (from bovine)
Sweetener: none
Dietary credentials: Gluten-free, keto, paleo, kosher

Collagen peptides powder is a newer protein, but it is gaining in popularity because recent studies show it may help keep skin looking young and healthy. We like Vital Protein Collagen Peptides Powder because of its simplicity. It has only one ingredient—bovine collagen peptides from grass-fed cows—and provides 18 grams of protein without fat or carbs.

However, we want to point out that collagen isn't a complete protein and doesn't supply all of the essential amino acids. Despite not being a complete protein, early research suggests it may still support muscle building when combined with strength training, but more studies are needed.

The powder is gluten-free, keto-friendly, and suitable for paleo and kosher diets. It's also third-party tested. We like the unflavored version of the Vital collagen peptides powder because it mixes well with almost any liquid, including coffee.