Best Vegan Protein Powder UK

The best vegan protein powders are brands that can be more than just a vegan source of essential amino acids.

No, the best vegan protein powders are more than just good for vegans and offer more benefits than simply being a vegan protein supplement. They can help improve the immune system, improve muscle mass, and mimic the proteins found in plant-based foods.

They are also an intelligent mixture of amino acids, protein complexes, helps to build muscle, and includes plant based sources that complement a plant based diet.

In an industry where adding generic vegan protein powder sources is enough to be identified as suitable for a vegan diet, I gathered those that can be called “best vegan protein powder.” I then created a short list of the 5 best vegan protein powders for my audience.

5 of the Best Vegan Protein Powders to buy in the UK

Here’s my top list of the best vegan protein powders with the benefits and features of each one I think you’ll like.

Vegan Protein Extreme

Vegan Protein Extreme

Best features and benefits you’ll like

    • Contains digestive enzymes
    • High protein
    • A lot of flavours to choose from
    • Comes in four sizes of up to 4 kg.
    • Great value for money
    • Uses hemp protein in vegan powder blend
    • Low calorie
    • More than enough protein at 29 g protein per serving

I think Vegan Protein Extreme is the best vegan protein supplement on the market. It contains an amazing array of plant based protein sources, including hemp protein, organic sunflower protein, and brown rice protein.

It has fibre as well as DigeZyme, one of the leading ingredients for improved nutrient absorption and overall digestive health.

The value for money is also strong, which is also a factor in choosing it as the best vegan protein powder in this list.

The best part? Vegan Protein Extreme has 17 flavours to choose from.

Flavours available:

  • Apple Cinnamon Swirl
  • Banana Smooth
  • Birthday Cake
  • Choc Hazelnut Heaven
  • Choc Mint Brownie
  • Choc Peanut Cookie
  • Chocolate Silk
  • Cookie ‘n’ Cream
  • Dark Choc Raspberry
  • Millionaire’s Shortbread
  • Chocolate Digestive (New!)
  • Salted Caramel Bandit
  • Strawberries & Cream
  • Tiramisu Italiano
  • Vanilla Crème
  • White Choc Peanut Sundae
  • Unflavoured

How to take Vegan Protein Extreme:

  1. Use between 2-3 servings per day, or as required to meet your individual needs.
  2. Add 250-350ml of water or plant-based milk into your TPW™ shaker.
  3. Add one large heaped (grey) scoop (35g) to 250-350ml of water or plant-based milk, mix well and drink.
  4. The less water you use, the thicker your shake will be, so adjust to suit your own taste.”

MyProtein Vegan Protein Blend

Myprotein Vegan Protein Blend

Best features and benefits I think you’ll like

  • Great value for money
  • Low calorie
  • Newly reformulated
  • Lots of flavours
  • Complete protein source
  • Addresses amino acid balance
  • Only 110 calories per serving
  • 22 grams protein per serving

MyProtein Vegan Protein Blend makes use of pea protein isolate, and a rare fava bean isolate as their key protein sources.

They may not use hemp protein powder or other plant protein powders, but the addition of fava bean almost makes up for it.

Fava Beans are nutritious and an excellent source of protein, fibre, and several micronutrients such as folic acid, copper, and manganese.

It’s also a cost-effective vegan protein powder, with prices starting at £8.50 for 16 servings.

Flavours:

  • Banana
  • Blueberry and Cinnamon (my favourite!)
  • Cacao Orange
  • Carrot Cake
  • Chocolate
  • Chocolate Salted Caramel
  • Coffee & Walnut
  • Strawberry
  • Turmeric Latte
  • Unflavoured

How to take MyProtein Vegan Protein Blend:

Add ¾ of a large scoop (30g) to 250ml of water or almond milk in one of our shakers 30 minutes before and/or after your workout.

Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.”

Performance Lab SPORT Protein

Performance Lab Protein

Best features and benefits

  • Premium brown rice protein concentrate
  • Contains probiotics
  • Trusted brand known for quality and safety
  • Patented for improved athletic performance
  • Environmentally friendly
  • Gluten free

Performance Lab SPORT Protein is a brand of vegan protein powder designed for athletes on a plant based diet or vegan diet. Also, for those who want to have a plant-based protein shake.

The secret lies in their patented protein blend ingredient SPORT Protein Oryzatein. Oryzatein is organic brown rice produced with natural enzymes and low heat.

Research says Oryzatein is the only known kind of rice protein that has been shown to improve muscle growth and is known to be just as good as whey when it comes to building muscle.

The protein blend may not be as complex as other products in this list, but the fact that Performance Lab is the company behind Performance Lab SPORT Protein says a lot about the quality and safety of the vegan protein powder.

How to take Performance Lab SPORT Protein:

  • Mix 2 scoops of Protein (30 g) with 8 – 12 oz (about half a pint) of water in a Performance Lab® mixer bottle.
  • Take 2-3 hours before training to boost power and endurance. Or immediately after to promote healthy recovery and muscle gains.”

Transparent Labs Protein Series Organic Vegan

Transparent Lab Organic Vegan Protein

Best features and benefits

  • High in fibre
  • High in protein for those who want to build muscle
  • Source of iron
  • Well-rounded organic ingredients
  • Uses organic pea protein powder
  • Gluten free
  • 24 g protein per serving

Transparent Labs Protein Series Organic Vegan is one of the simplest and focused vegan protein powders on this list.

I think it’s one of the simplest because unlike many of the vegan protein shakes we featured, it only uses two sources of plant-based protein: brown rice protein and pea protein powder.

Pea protein powder in particular is getting some traction, with some studies supporting its benefits being similar to standard whey protein when it comes to resistance training and muscle building.

It’s a good fibre source, with each serving providing 14% of the daily requirement. It’s low in calories with just 130-150 per serving depending on what flavour you choose.

Transparent Labs also casts a wide net, describing their product as not just for those who follow any plant-based diet, but also for anyone who wants to optimize their health through their protein shake.

The value for money is also not bad, letting you save as much as 16% if you get at least 3 tubs or a 3-month supply per order.

Flavours:

  • French Vanilla
  • Chocolate

How to take Transparent Labs Protein Series Organic Vegan:

  1. Take 1-3 scoops a day, depending on your specific protein needs/goals.
  2. If you are unsure about how much protein you need – Recommended 1g per pound of body weight.

Bulk Vegan Protein Powder

Bulk Vegan Protein Powder

Best features and benefits

  • High fibre
  • 7 flavour choices
  • No added dairy
  • Combines pea and brown rice protein
  • Can maintain muscle mass and boost muscle growth
  • Uses a protein blend with pumpkin protein, pea protein, brown rice protein, flaxseed powder, and quinoa flour for essential amino acids.
  • Complete protein source and complete amino acid profile
  • Gluten free
  • Lactose free
  • Contains digestive enzymes
  • Attractive pricing

Bulk Vegan Protein Powder uses five plant protein sources in its V+TM Protein Blend. This is to make sure customers get the right ratio of essential amino acids in each serving.

In a sense, Bulk Vegan Protein Powder can potentially offer a complete protein source. It’s also one of the rare products that use pumpkin seed and brown rice protein as key ingredients in vegan protein shakes.

They also suggest Bulk Vegan Protein to be ideal during the day or night, as a pre workout or as a post workout protein shake.

They also recommend it to those who may not be on a plant-based diet, but want to see why vegan protein powders are trending, or if vegan protein sources are just as good.

If you go all in on Bulk powders, their products synergize well with Bulk Vegan Protein Powder.

One of their products contains DigeZyme, a patented ingredient that helps the body break down protein and make it easier to absorb.

Considering the different vegan protein powders used in this formula, a digestive enzyme will definitely help.

Flavours:

  • Chocolate Peanut
  • Apple Strudel
  • Banana Caramel
  • Chocolate Mint
  • Peanut Butter
  • Strawberry
  • Vanilla
  • White Chocolate Coconut
  • Unflavoured
  • 23 g protein per serving

How to take Bulk Vegan Protein Powder:

Mix 1 heaped scoop (approx. 35g) with 250ml water and shake well in a bulk™ shaker bottle. Use 1-3 servings per day.”

What to Look for in Vegan Protein Powder

When choosing the best vegan protein powder, you have to keep an eye out of three critical pieces of information.

1. Who makes it

The industry is filled with supplement companies that are just buying generic, low quality vegan protein powders and making them look premium. For this reason, it’s much safer to bet on an expensive product backed by a company that’s been in business for years or even decades.

Smaller companies may sell their products cheaper, but you can’t be too sure when it comes to supplements, especially as you are quite literally putting them inside your body.

If you really do know the small business that produces your favourite vegan protein powder, then buy from them. If you don’t, go for the pricier one.

At the very least, big companies are transparent enough to let you have a refund if you don’t like the item you bought.

2. How much protein it actually has

Lots of vegan protein powders pride themselves on the amount of protein they have per serving. Labels may declare anywhere from 20 to 35 grams of protein, some even more. However, it’s critical to read the fine print, and this is where you read the nutrition information.

Check whether the protein displayed is on a per serving or per 100 gram basis. Some companies do this shady practice of declaring the protein content per 100 grams, which is about five times more than the protein content per serving.

4. Allergens

One last thing you have to watch out for when choosing a vegan protein powder is whether it makes use of ingredients that you may be allergic to. The common ones are soy, dairy, nuts, and gluten.

It’s no longer enough to just read “vegan” and take it as the right product for you.

You have to check the declarations on ingredient safety or certificates that guarantee the product does not contain the allergens you are concerned with.

Is Vegan Protein Powder as Effective as Whey Protein Powder?

There have been lots of studies that compare vegan protein sources with whey protein, and the conclusion is that they have similar outcomes when discussing effects in resistance exercise.

In this 2019 study, researchers compared the effects of whey and pea protein when it came to eight weeks of intense workouts. They concluded:

“…our data suggest that whey and pea proteins promote similar strength, performance, body composition, and muscular adaptations following 8-weeks of High-Intensity Functional Training.

Do note that this study was done on just fifteen subjects.

Many studies would cite similar or different results, simply because the human body is complex, and it’s difficult to choose subjects that have the exact same body type and composition.

It does suggest that vegan protein doesn’t seem to lag that far behind traditional whey protein when it matters, and that should be the main takeaway.

Is Whey Protein Vegan?

Whey protein is not vegan because it’s sourced from cow milk.

To call something vegan means it has to be made 100% free from animal sources such as milk. It’s why vegan protein uses a mix of vegetable protein sources like hemp protein, pea protein, soy protein, brown rice protein, and quinoa flour.

Vegan products also consider the ethical part of sourcing the ingredients, especially when it comes to renewability or conservation. This is why being certified vegan can be a sign that the product was made in line with ethical standards.

My final thoughts

Plant proteins can be just as good as its whey counterparts when it comes to vegan protein supplements. However, knowing which ones are high quality and which ones are just out to make a quick buck can be difficult, especially when it’s your first time.

If you’re planning to get yourself a high quality vegan protein powder, the ones on my list are certified bangers and guaranteed to perform just as well if not better than any whey protein brand.

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I Recommend Vegan Protein ExtremeBuy Direct