You work hard to keep your body healthy, so why would you consume a protein powder filled with unnatural ingredients?
Most people wouldn’t knowingly do this, but they do it unknowingly when they purchase the cheapest protein powders they can find in local stores. If your goal is to eat clean and keep your body as natural as possible, you have to think a little deeper to find the best natural protein powder to supplement your diet.
What Does Natural Really Mean?
The first step is to identify clearly what makes some protein powders unnatural. In some cases, unnatural protein powders contain ingredients that are heavily processed. In other cases, ingredients are chemicals not intended for normal food consumption. Some protein powders are also considered unhealthy because of the way they are processed by manufacturers.
Some of the ingredients often found in unnatural protein powders include the following:
- GMO
- Pesticides
- Preservatives
- Artificial sweeteners
- Refined sugar
- Hormones
Some protein powders are considered unnatural because they are not processed in the cleanest way possible. This means some of the nutritional value of the protein is lost during processing, creating an inferior protein powder that doesn’t stack up well against higher-quality competitors.
Selecting Natural Protein Powder
The best natural protein powder is not likely to be found at the local discount store or supermarket. For natural products with minimal or high-quality processing, look at the ingredient label on each package. You should be able to determine what most ingredients are, and a quick Google search will tell you what some of the lesser known ingredients are and whether they are natural food products.
Natural protein powders will not feature mile-long ingredient lists with long words you don’t understand. They will feature ingredients that you have encountered in life before and which you can learn about without extensive research.
Recommended Natural Protein Powders
It is difficult to find the best natural protein powder on the market, so let us help you get a head start on the research. The following products are recommended for anyone who wants to consume natural, healthy protein supplements to reach their goals healthfully.
Nutiva Organic Hemp Protein
Click on image for Ratings, Reviews, and Pricing on Amazon.com
Organic hemp protein is the only ingredient in this natural protein powder. Some hemp products contain hexane and artificial sweeteners. This product does not include those ingredients, and it is also free of dairy and lactose. You get organic hemp with minimal processing without any preservatives or flavors. That means you need to mix it into something with flavor, but that gives you complete control over how you flavor your shakes or drinks.
Jarrow Formulas Natural Whey Protein
Click on image for Ratings, Reviews, and Pricing on Amazon.com
You won’t find artificial sweeteners or additives in this unflavored protein powder, but you will get much-needed branched chain amino acids (BCAA) which help with muscle recovery and building after intense workouts. The only ingredient in this natural powder is ultra-filtered whey protein. This protein is taken from milk and soy, so it is not a dairy-free protein powder. Since it is unflavored, you should mix it into your coffee or combine it with fruit and other ingredients that provide flavor for your protein shakes.
Now Sports Pea Protein Powder
Click on image for Ratings, Reviews, and Pricing on Amazon.com
This is a pure pea protein powder that doesn’t contain any artificial ingredients or unnecessary additives. Since the protein is derived from a natural plant product, this is also a product free of dairy and soy. If you suffer from uncomfortable stomach reactions to whey protein powders, this is a good natural protein powder to consider trying. It is easier on the stomach is made entirely from natural food sources that your body is already accustomed to processing.
Garden of Life Raw Organic Meal Nutritional Supplement
Click on image for Ratings, Reviews, and Pricing on Amazon.com
This is a meal replacement product rather than protein supplement, but it is often used as a protein supplement. It offers 34 grams of protein in every serving, so that is comparable to many of the best protein powder supplements currently on the market. The package does include a long list of ingredients, but they are all organic, natural food ingredients without any unnecessary additives or filler ingredients. This is a highly-nutritious option if you want to use your protein supplement as a meal replacement when you are unable to prepare something healthy for lunch or dinner.
Life’s Basic Plant Protein Powder
Click on image for Ratings, Reviews, and Pricing on Amazon.com
This is the best natural protein powder for anyone following a vegetarian or strict vegan diet. It contains three ingredients:
- Protein blend
- Natural vanilla flavor
- Sea salt
The protein blend is a combination of yellow pea isolate, hemp seed, chia seed and rice concentrate. These are all natural proteins that the human body is accustomed to processing without problem. Sea salt and natural vanilla flavoring make the powder more appetizing without adding extra ingredients, though you may still want to add ice and other ingredients to create a thicker, more satisfying protein shake. This is a gluten-free protein powder that is suitable for anyone with celiac disease or gluten intolerance. It is also free of GMO and other unnatural ingredients that are typically avoided by those following a natural, clean diet.
This protein powder may also fit a variety of other dietary restrictions because it doesn’t contain soy, corn, yeast, wheat, milk, egg or whey. It contains absolutely no artificial sweeteners or preservatives, so it is one of the cleanest protein powders offered on the market today. It is also easy to buy in bulk online, so stock off if it meets your strict dietary guidelines.