Which protein powder is the best: whey or plant-based?

histotechrooted

My PT suggest that I increase my protein and with my busy schedule I need to make a protein shake. So I’m asking what’s the best is taste and price to go with?

sollyn23l2

You can do whichever you prefer. They all get the job done. However, I think whey is generally the preferred one.

tomcustombuilder

Whey

kshama2001

I've yet to find a plant-based one I can stand.

I need to avoid all protein powders that have fake sugar, which, for me, includes stevia. Since I also prefer to add my own flavorings, I get plain and unsweetened. My brand has some additional criteria that is important to me, so I'm sure there are other brands that have better price points.

Do people know if places like GNC have samples the OP can try?

neanderthin

Whatever suits your lifestyle and budget is probably the right one for you. As far a what's better there's so much noise in the general interwebs that have their own interests in mind, that it's hard to figure out, I no longer use powders but when I did it was whey, so there's my bias.

Here's a short video, around 8 minutes with Peter Attia talking with Don Layman PhD who is probably one of the leading authorities on the subject and it's informative and may help you make your decision.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=q6-l6Lk0fH8

This second video is for nerds and it's 2 hours long.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=BqmG2y4IeY8&t=6985s

ninerbuff

I've always preferred Optimum Nutrition's brand just because they are their own manufacturer and their shakes are decently affordable and they taste good. Whey for me because I haven't had a good plant based one ever.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 35+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

vtb4grgc9w

Currently I am using Orgain Sport chocolate protein powder. 2 scoops is 30 g of plant based protein. I mix it with 1 cup of milk(skim for me), one container of vanilla yogurt, 1/2 - 1 cup of blueberries and 2 cups of arugula/spinach mix. This smoothie is 51 G protein and under 500 calories. I like the taste as well.

EricExtreme

What's paramount is finding a product that you will stick with, preferably without added sugars that the human body does not require. For some people, it is whey isolate or whey concentrate. For someone like me who is allergic to dairy and egg, I use pea protein isolate, which has a similar amino acid profile to casein protein. Most plant proteins are lacking in one or a few amino acids, so they can't be considered as a "complete protein," However if it is just being used as supplemental protein, and you are ingesting other meat-based proteins that are complete, then it isn't anything to worry about. Some people don't enjoy the flavor of plant proteins, but being someone who prioritizes nutrition over taste, I don't care that my pea protein isolate isn't "delicious." It isn't bad and more than palatable, I enjoy having it, but it doesn't have the "yummier" sweet flavor many prefer.

Retroguy2000

Whey for me. Never tried the vegan stuff.

You don't need whey isolate, unless you're lactose intolerant and it helps you compared to whey, or money is not an issue and you're willing to pay a lot more for slightly better.

As for brands, Optimum Nutrition is good. Costco has that, and there was a 10-pound deal for I think $82 on Amazon this weekend, don't know if it's still going. I have slickdeals set up to send me email alerts for protein. I like the Muscle Milk brand too. Be sure to check the macros, you should want a good % of calories from protein, and not too many calories per 25g or so protein.

AnnPT77

EricExtreme wrote: »

What's paramount is finding a product that you will stick with, preferably without added sugars that the human body does not require. For some people, it is whey isolate or whey concentrate. For someone like me who is allergic to dairy and egg, I use pea protein isolate, which has a similar amino acid profile to casein protein. Most plant proteins are lacking in one or a few amino acids, so they can't be considered as a "complete protein," However if it is just being used as supplemental protein, and you are ingesting other meat-based proteins that are complete, then it isn't anything to worry about. Some people don't enjoy the flavor of plant proteins, but being someone who prioritizes nutrition over taste, I don't care that my pea protein isolate isn't "delicious." It isn't bad and more than palatable, I enjoy having it, but it doesn't have the "yummier" sweet flavor many prefer.

Minor quibble: When we're talking about protein powders, some plant-based protein powders contain more than one type of plant protein, in order to achieve a more balanced ("complete") profile of essential amino acids. (EAAs.)

Yes, individual plant protein sources are often lacking in some essential amino acids. Plant protein powders may be lacking, or not so much, depending on the formulation.

I think you, @EricExtreme, probably know this, but the phrasing may be confusing to some people who aren't as familiar with EAA completeness as a concern. If I were using a protein powder, I'd want it to be EAA complete and pretty bioavailable (another issue with some individual plant protein sources).

I don't have brands to recommend, because I find protein powder an unpleasant expenditure of calories, so never use it. (I don't think there's anything wrong with it, for those who do like it.) But, as a vegetarian, I do care about plant protein quality. I just prefer food to protein powder, have no problem getting adequate protein without supplementing.