How To Find The Right Vegan Alternative To Whey Protein
For anyone who works out on a 6 basis or who has adopted a vegan lifestyle, protein powder is going to be an incredibly important supplement to your diet. Committing to a vegan way of life will mean that you need to find vegan alternatives to whey protein, however. Whey would not be suitable for your diet.
Whey is a bi-product after the manufacturing of cheeses. It contains casein and is, therefore, used in protein powders as well as shakes. Casein are phosphoproteins making up a majority of the protein in the milk of a cow meaning that whey protein is absolutely not vegan. There is no whey protein in existence deemed for vegans. That doesn’t mean there isn’t a vegan alternative to whey protein.
What Does Being Vegan Mean
Leading a vegan life means that you choose to minimize the amount of animal-based products that you consume or use for ecological or dietary reasons. Its critical to define the particulars of the vegan lifestyle when opting for a specific protein supplement because each ingredient is going to matter.
A vegan develops their life in such a way that all forms of exploitation or cruelty to animals through the making of clothing or food or any type of lifestyle choices like cleaning products or makeup are excluded from their world. Something that all vegans share is that their diet is completely plant-based with no animal-base including fish, meat, insects, eggs, dairy, or honey. Vegetables and fruits are the staple of a vegan diet but that doesn’t mean that having a vegan protein powder to supplement is not a necessity.
Vegan Alternative To Whey Protein
Whey is the ultimate protein as it contains all nine amino acids with no alternative in a singular plant-based food. That is not saying that by following a vegan diet you aren’t able to obtain all of the energy that you will need out of a plant-based protein.
Plant-based proteins are the perfect alternative for those living vegan and anyone who is dairy intolerant in order to increase the amount of protein that you take for your well being. The obvious benefit of plant-based proteins are they are strictly derived from plants and don’t involve any type of animal by-products. It is also not likely that you will have any type of reaction to the plant-based proteins as they are hypoallergenic.
Plant-Based Protein Powders
There are a multitude of protein powders on the market making it difficult for someone following a vegan diet to know which is the best alternative to vegan whey protein. You want to make sure that you are getting the proper amount of amino acids and all of the nutrients that your body may be missing.
Pea Protein Powder
This is 100% plant-based and is generally made from yellow peas. It is high above other common protein powers in many ways. It is naturally fat-free and cholesterol-free and it isn’t derived from dairy making it not only good for vegans but also for anyone who may be lactose intolerant. It offers nearly the same level of protein for the same size serving as either whey or casein. It is also an affordable option for a plant-based protein.
Soy Protein Powder
Soybeans are another vegan alternative to whey protein that still offers all of the critical amino acids being referred to as a complete protein. It performs in comparison to whey protein as far as stimulating the growth of muscle if you choose to participate in strength training for exercise. The health benefits reach further than workouts, however, there have been studies that show the organic elements in soy could potentially reduce risks for cancer and cardiovascular diseases.
Hemp Protein Powder
Vegan alternatives for whey protein that are made from hemp seeds and are very safe to consume without any side effects as they contain very little THC which is the ingredient in marijuana that is said to make you feel high. Hemp protein is a derivative of cannabis and are considered to be a ‘superfood’ because of the high content of omega-3 as well as omega-6 fatty acids. This protein is also one that is 100% plant-based. It is a bit more costly than some of the other options as hemp products are generally imported from other countries.
Brown Rice Protein
Brown rice protein is still another vegan alternative to whey protein that is 100% plant-based and performs well against its competition. In studies up against whey, researchers came to the conclusion that both offered basically the same benefits. Rice protein is gluten-free, meaning that it is safe. A downside to this particular protein is that it is a bit low in some amino acids such as lysine. That means that you wouldn’t want to rely on strictly rice protein powder as your only supplement. You would want to use some other plant-based alternatives.
Vegan Protein Powder Blends
These blends combine hemp, rice, peas, quinoa, and more within the same bottle making for a dairy-free, soy-free, gluten-free supplement able to stand up against any type of animal based product without the users having to worry about amino acid deficiency or having any kind of upset to their stomach. While these can tend to be somewhat costly, the person living the vegan lifestyle doesn’t need to worry about any type of animal-based ingredients with the product.
Summary
Vegan alternatives to whey protein are vast meaning that you’re not limited in the choices that you have to supplement your diet. There are powders that come from nearly any kind of plant-based source imaginable with an array of price points. In the end you want to choose the powder that is going to be the most beneficial for your dietary needs and you also want to take into consideration how it tastes particularly if you’re going to be indulging each day. It may be a good idea to try it out with the single-serving sample to make sure it makes the cut. If you need assistance in finding the right product for your vegan lifestyle, speak to a nutritionist to help you through the process in reviewing your diet and helping you make the choice. The ultimate goal is to be sure that you maintain the right level of nutrients, proteins, amino acids in order to keep your body healthy, functional, in order to live your best life.
