Best 9 Protein Powder Brands: Simple Buyer’s Guide
There are so many protein powders on the market that choosing one can easily give you decision paralysis. Regardless of the brand you choose, we made sure that each brand on this list contained all 9 essential amino acids in their protein blends so that you can get optimal strength gains while enjoying your protein powder. Each protein powder has something that makes it stand out, whether its taste, mixability, clean ingredients, or smoothest digestion. It’s difficult to pick an overall first choice, because they all have value in their own way. The following list breaks down the top 9 protein powders to help you find your perfect match.
Overview
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- Ghost– Best Flavor
- Dymatize ISO100– Best Digestion
- Naked Nutrition Whey– Best Simplicity
- Naked Nutrition Egg White Protein Powder– Best Lactose-Intolerance & Paleo
- Orgain Organic Protein Plant Based Protein Powder– Best Organic Vegan
- Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Whey– Best Value
- Ascent Native Fuel Whey Protein Powder– Best Absorption
- Boba Tea Protein– Best Novelty
- Chike High Protein Coffee– Best Caffeinated
The Best Protein Powders and Why
Ghost (Best Flavor)
Ghost’s protein powder ranks number one for best flavor. Ghost collaborates with a lot of popular brands to create unique flavors such as Oreo, Nutter Butter, Cinnabon, and Chips Ahoy. The flavors nearly resemble real taste, which is impressive for a protein powder. Not only does it taste good, but it mixes well with both milk and water giving it a creamy texture, unlike other protein powders that may taste chalky. Ghost also practices full transparency in labeling, listing specifically every ingredient used in their blend. They offers Vegan options too that are just as creative, smooth mixing, and delicious.
Dymatize ISO100 (Best Digestion)
Dymatize ISO100 protein powder is known for being easy to digest because of its fast absorption, which may also be good for mild (but not severe) lactose intolerance. Dymatize also mixes in well with water and milk, giving it a smooth texture. They have many fun and unique flavors like Ghost’s protein powder. They have partnered up with Dunkin Donuts to offer Dunkin’ Glazed Donut, Mocha Latte, and Cappuccino flavors, and also offer cereal flavors like fruity pebbles. Dymatize is banned substance tested, so you know it will be safe to take if you are competing in a competition that tests.
Naked Nutrition Whey (Best Simplicity)
Naked Whey is one of the most simple protein brands out there, which would appeal if you are a minimalist with foods and supplements. Most of their protein powder flavors only have 3 ingredients. Additionally, they have an unflavored protein powder with only 1 ingredient; whey protein concentrate. They also source dairy products from local farms, making them a socially sustainable brand. This may be one of the best options for people with sensitivities to additives and gluten, and people who don’t want to risk failing a banned substance test due to its plainness. However, it does come in at a higher price point.
Naked Nutrition Egg White Protein Powder (Best Lactose-Intolerant & Paleo)
Naked, the same brand that makes the Naked Whey protein powder, also makes an egg white powder in addition to their other interesting products like peanut butter powder, pea protein, and rolled oats. This egg white powder option is great for people who are lactose intolerant or following a paleo diet. The egg white protein powder is plain and doesn’t necessarily have the best taste on its own. However, when it’s mixed with a smoothie, it creates this foamy frothy texture that’s like drinking a liquid cloud.
Orgain Organic Protein: Plant Based Protein Powder (Best Flavor Organic Vegan)
Orgain’s organic plant-based protein powder has most of the benefits of other vegan protein powder, including being plant-based, organic, and including probiotics to help with digestion. Their labeling is mostly transparent, and they contain all essential amino acids, making it just as complete of a protein as dairy-based protein products. Due to the ingredients, it also has a thicker and more grainy texture than some protein powders. What sets Orgain apart in the organic vegan protein industry is that its protein powders are generally sweeter and tastier.
Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Whey (Best Value)
Optimum protein powders have the best value because of their low prices and big tubs. This is the most affordable on the list considering cost for serving, and you don’t sacrifice quality for a lower price. They include a protein blend including whey isolate, whey concentrate, and peptides which digest at various speeds. Optimum nutrition is widely available and found at most grocery stores or convenience stores if you prefer to shop in person. This brand also has some of the best-mixing protein powders. The only downside is that they lack creative flavors like Ghost.
Ascent Native Fuel Whey Protein Powder (Best Absorption)
Ascent Native Fuel whey protein powder is one of the best for fast absorption because it contains native whey which is the least processed type of whey. It doesn’t have artificial ingredients and it has no added sugar, using stevia as a sweetener in most of its blends. For example, the chocolate flavored protein powder uses cocoa, natural flavors, and stevia to create the flavor. It has a lighter texture and dissolves well into both milk and water. Ascent does not offer much of a variety of protein powder flavors, but the flavors they do have are clean.
Boba Tea Protein (Best Novelty)
Boba Tea Protein is probably the most fun and craveworthy protein powder on the market. If you have ever had bubble tea, you would be surprised at how closely this protein powder resembles real milk tea. You can buy bubbles (tapioca pearls) and straws to make bubble tea with it, or just use the protein powder for a milk tea. Boba Tea protein uses Whey and Casein, so it has all the amino acids and benefits of other protein powders, but doesn’t taste like you’re drinking a protein shake. It’s smooth and mixes well with milk and water, but it tastes the best with milk.
Chike High Protein Coffee (Best Caffeinated)
Chike High Protein Coffee is similar to Boba Tea Protein in that it has all of the benefits of a typical whey protein powder but tastes like it’s not even protein powder; in this case, it tastes like real iced coffee. They offer a variety of coffee flavors, including caramel iced coffee, sweet cream iced coffee, and sweet cream iced coffee. One serving has 20 grams of protein and 150 mg of caffeine. They do have decaf protein coffee too with no caffeine, like their decaf cappuccino.
Conclusion
Although there is no one-size-fits-all best protein powder flavor, hopefully this gave you a good overview of the best protein powder brands regarding flavor, digestion, simplicity, lactose-intolerance, paleo, organic vegan, value, absorption, novelty, and caffeinated. The top 9 protein powder brands include Ghost, Dymatize, Naked Nutrition Whey, Naked Nutrition Egg White, Orgain Organic Plant-Based, Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Whey, Ascent Native Fuel Whey, Boba Tea Protein, and Chike High-Protein Coffee.
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