Whether you dislike sweet protein powders or are cutting back on sugar, we have created a list of the perfect low-sugar vegan protein powders, just for you!
Protein powders are now more popular than ever before. And you should be familiar with them as well. It’s an affordable supplement that adds 20g of protein to your meals. You can add a little plant-based milk or water and drink it as a shake, use it in baking or add it to your smoothie. It’s super easy!
But if you’ve tried the shakes before, you probably noticed that there is a sweet, almost chemical taste to it. It’s full of sugar!
So there are a couple of reasons why you’d like some sugar-free options. You could be watching your sugar intake. A lot of vegans consume too much sugar. It’s caused by the fact that they simply don’t know what they eat. This is why we recommend to always tracking your food!
The second reason is that you’d love to use protein powder in baking, but you don’t want the chemical sugary flavoring. I don’t think anyone likes chocolate chip cookies with strawberry protein powder flavor.
Last but not least, you could just not like sugary things. A lot of people love the mellow taste of sugar-free products, instead of the added flavor.
This is why we have created a list of the best low-sugar vegan protein powders. As with all of our tests, we actually have tested them all ourselves and love them all! That’s why they made it onto the list.
However, since there are a lot of protein powders out there. We weren’t able to test them all.
So please let us know if you have more great vegan protein powders that are low in sugar!
Contents
1. Orgain Organic Protein Powder
Let’s start with our favorite! One of the most well-known and popular plant-based protein powder brands out there. It’s the Orgain Organic vegan protein powder. It contains 21 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber per serving. Each serving is USDA organic, gluten-free, kosher, vegan, non-GMO, soy-free.
And a big plus it doesn’t contain any artificial flavors, colors or preservatives. But after all you’re looking for a protein powder that’s low in sugar. Well, this protein has it! It’s not only low in sugar, but it actually has 0 grams of sugar in it.
It has some stevia in it, though. However, a lot of users find this protein powder ridiculously easy to mix. It blends really well with your smoothie, shakes or baking batter. The taste is amazing for a inorganic powder, the chocolate flavor is rich and creamy. It just tastes like chocolate milk! However, some people may find it chalky. We had no problem with it!
Available flavors:
- Peanut butter
- Chocolate
- Vanilla
2. Nature’s Best by Isopure
Another great contender! This brand may be less known than Orgain, but don’t let that fool you. Each serving of this plant-based protein contains 20 grams of organic pea and brown rice protein with no artificial colors, flavors or sweeteners. Not only that, each serving also has 0 cholesterol, 1.5 grams of fat and 0 grams of sugar. This one was recommended by a friend of ours, who is a personal trainer.
We chose the unflavored protein powder and when we ate a small spoon full of the unflavored flavor of this protein powder trying to see what it tastes like. You would be surprised. It tasted like nothing. That’s why it’s perfect for baking and cooking or to add to your smoothies, the protein powder flavor won’t overpower your other ingredients. This protein powder also doesn’t have any side effects, for instance gas, bloating or unease.
Available flavors:
- Unflavored
- Chocolate
3. Vega Sport Protein Powder
This vega sport low sugar protein powder is perfect for your post-workout shake. It contains 30 grams of protein of multi-source protein from pea, alfalfa, pumpkin seed, and organic sunflower seeds. And 0 grams of sugar. Vega Sport recommends adding a little coconut oil to your smoothies and shakes for some extra fat.
The powder of this low sugar vegan protein powder mixes well, unlike most protein powders. And also it tastes really good! It has a wide variety in flavors, but our favorite is peanut butter.
Available flavours:
- Berry
- Peanut butter
- Vanilla
- Mocha
- Chocolate
4. Vega Clean Protein Powder Vanilla
Another protein powder of the Vega brand! They are for sure doing something right. While our number 3 is more focused on a sport-heavy target audience, with bigger portions and more protein. This vega clean is perfect for people who are looking for more normal servings. Their protein powder is plant-based, gluten-free and NON-GMO Project verified. More important, there is also no sugar added.
Every serving contains 25 grams of complete protein to help build and repair muscle. The protein powder is made with pea, hemp, pumpkin and alfalfa. Make sure to drink them within an hour or so after making them. Just like many other protein powders, they tend to get a weird texture if they sit too long.
Available flavours:
- Vanilla
- Chocolate
5. Source Organic Premium Pea Protein Isolate
This protein powder isn’t like others. This is the cleanest one yet. It contains only one ingredient: Organic Yellow Pea Protein Isolate. That means that there is nothing added to it at all. This canadian brand taste like every other pea protein, however, it’s milled very finely. This means that is mixes really well with liquids. It contains 22 grams of protein, 4.7 grams of BCAAs and 2.18 grams of arginine.
And even more importantly, 0 grams of sugar. We love to read that Source Organic is committed to working with farmers who practice and support organic and sustainable farming and animal welfare. This protein powder consists only out of pea protein, so it is going to taste a little bit chalky on its own. That’s why we recommend using it exclusively in smoothies and other recipes. There are no different flavors available, only unflavored.
6. PROMIX Vegan Protein Powder
The sixth low sugar vegan protein powder on our list is the vegan protein powder from PROMIX. This vegan protein powder is made from Organic Canadian Peas, Organic Sprouted Brown Rice and 100% mechanical processing of proteins. You can benefit from all essential amino acids with only three ingredients: Organic pea protein, organic rice protein, and Non-GMO vitamin B-12.
Per serving this powder contains 25 grams of protein, 5.3 grams of BCAAs, and 3 grams of fiber per serving. It is free of artificial sweeteners and overpowering flavors. It also contains 0 grams of sugar. The texture is smooth and will blend well. We love everything about this product, since this product also contains no other ingredients, apart from B12. It only comes in one flavor: unflavored!
7. Nuzest Clean Lean Protein
This is probably the least well-known brand out of this list. Let me introduce you to Nuzest! The Clean Lean Protein is made out of the highest quality European golden peas grown in France. With 19 grams of protein and 0 grams of sugar and only 90 calories, it’s one of the leanest proteins on the market. It also has a complete amino acid profile!
The texture is not chalky, gritty or pea-y. It’s also vegan, soy and gluten-free. Plus it’s paleo if that’s your chosen diet. All raw ingredients should be delivered free from allergens. After blending, the finished product is tested again at an independent laboratory for gluten, soy, dairy and safe microbial levels. This way Nuzest can live up to it’s expectations to deliver one of the best lean protein powders in the market!
Available flavors:
- Smooth Vanilla
- Rich Chocolate
- Wild Strawberry
- Real Coffee
- Unflavored
If these weren’t enough, check out some other vegan protein powders from Amazon also:
Things You Need to Know Before Buying Low Sugar/Sugar-Free Vegan Protein Powders
When buying vegan protein powders, there are certain things you need to keep in mind to get the product that will suit you best. Here are some of the essential things you need to remember in order to buy protein powder that will suit your health and fitness goals.
Type of Protein
There is a total of three most common types of powder protein created specifically for vegans and vegetarians – pea protein, hemp protein, and soy protein.
- Pea Protein – These proteins contain all essential amino acids and are quickly digested proteins that come from yellow split beans. It is rich in crucial branched-chain amino acids that stimulate the body to create even more protein, which helps you recover from a workout and gain muscles at a faster pace.
- Hemp Protein – This is a type of protein sourced from hemp seeds which is an excellent protein source. It contains the complete essential amino acids, but it is low in lysine, so you might need to eat quinoa or legumes to fill the gap.
- Soy Protein – If you are not sensitive or allergic to soy, it can be an excellent source of vegan protein powder since it is one of the few plant sources with complete essential amino acids. In addition, it contains Omega-3 fatty acids, free from cholesterol, and is low in saturated fat.
Weight Loss
If your fitness goal is to lose weight, you should look for proteins that are high in fiber and protein and low in sugar. These proteins are known for helping curb hunger, keep you feeling fuller for a longer period, and minimize sugar spikes and crashes.
Muscle Building
In case your fitness goals are more pointed towards muscle building, you should choose the powder with a high amount of quality protein in each serving.
The higher the protein intake, the more stimulation of muscle protein synthesis is. It is also essential to check how digestible the powder is because the amount of protein your body can utilize entirely depends on how the body absorbs the protein.
Diabetes Management
Even though artificial sweeteners are considered safe for people diagnosed with diabetes, and they may even reduce calorie and carb consumption, it may be wiser to stay clear of protein shakes that have too much added sugar, such as cane sugar.
It is a smarter and healthier decision to go for a protein powder with natural sugars such as stevia and monk fruit, as they are a better alternative to traditional sweeteners like cane sugar. Some studies even show that monk fruit may prevent further diabetic complications.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Does whey protein contain sugar?
Yes, in fact, most whey proteins contain sugar. They are chalky and have a bitter taste, so many powders have some added sugar to make them a bit tastier. However, you can also find some sugar-free or naturally sweetened powders that have a lightly sweet taste.
2. Is protein powder safe for people diagnosed with diabetes?
Yes, protein powder is perfectly safe for people with diabetes, but this is the case as long as they consume it in recommended doses. Some studies have also shown that whey protein powder can help in managing type 2 diabetes.
3. Is vegan protein powder less effective?
No, it is not. In fact, studies have shown that whey and plant-based protein powders are equally effective at promoting muscle growth as long as they contain similar amounts of protein and amino acids per serving.
4. Does vegan protein powder contain amino acids?
Absolutely. That is, of course, the case if you decide to choose a vegan protein powder that is a complete source of protein. These proteins contain all nine essential amino acids and are very effective.
5. Do plant proteins come with some disadvantages?
Although plant proteins can be very beneficial, they do have certain disadvantages. For example, they are often incomplete proteins and, therefore, should be consumed in combination in order to serve as complete proteins.
6. Are there any side effects of protein powder consumption?
There are certain side effects, but they are usually connected with high dosage intake, which is why it is always best to consult your medical healthcare provider before you start using them.
Some of the side effects of high doses include increased bowel movements, acne, nausea, thirst, bloating, reduced appetite, tiredness, and headache.
7. Can vegan protein go bad?
Vegan proteins generally hold longer than whey proteins, with a shelf life of two years or 24 months. However, almost all protein powders, whether they are whey or pea, are low-moisture foods, so they are less prone to bacteria growth.
Final Words
When you are looking for low-sugar vegan protein powder, it is essential to look for natural ingredients while also keeping your specific dietary needs and goals in mind. Regardless of your fitness goals, there is certainly the right protein powder for you, and you just need to research it thoroughly.
We hope you liked our list and that you found our guide helpful in your pursuit of quality vegan protein powder. If you are still uncertain about which one you should buy, revisit our buying guide and check our top picks, as you will certainly find the right powder that will suit your needs.
References:
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/best-vegan-protein-powder-review
https://www.verywellfit.com/best-vegan-protein-powders-4159964
