My Fave Protein Powders
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Want to start using protein powder, but not sure which one to try? Here’s a guide for choosing the right protein powder for you, a list of my favorites and coupon codes.
One question I get asked all the time is what protein powder I use! I’m happy to share my favorites because I know how challenging it can be to find a good, high-quality protein powder that actually tastes great too.
It’s no fun to spend money on a huge tub of protein powder only to realize it has a chalky texture and has the flavor of wet cardboard. Been there, done that!
Whether you’re making protein shakes or making recipes with protein powder, the type and brand of protein powder you use will definitely affect the recipe’s outcome. For the recipes here on EBF, I always specify what type of protein powder to use because it does make a difference.
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How to Choose the Best Protein Powder?
There are so many protein powders on the market. From whey, soy, egg white, casein, collagen, hemp, rice, pea, etc. If you’re new to protein powder, learn more about the seven best types of protein powder. In general, it’s hard to know which protein powder is right for you. It really depends on your dietary needs and how well your body digests the different protein sources.
I personally like using plant-based protein powders, but I will occasionally use whey as well for certain recipes.
Besides good flavor (which is one of the biggest factors for me!), this is what I look for when choosing a protein powder:
- Complete protein with all nine essential amino acids.
- High in protein (obviously) – I look for powders with at least 15 grams of protein per serving.
- Low in sugar – I look for options with less than 5 grams of sugar per serving.
- No artificial sweeteners like sucralose or aspartame. I’m okay with natural sweeteners like stevia and monkfruit.
- Free of soy, milk, yeast, wheat, and other allergens that often cause allergic reactions.

Why Use Protein Powder?
Let me start by saying that I don’t think you need protein powder to eat healthfully or lose weight. In college, when I lost over 20 lbs, I didn’t use any supplements or protein powder (I just ate healthy real food). At this point in my healthy eating journey I try to get most of my daily protein intake from whole, minimally processed foods like fish, dairy products, eggs, beans, grains, nuts and seeds. But protein powder makes for quick protein-packed snacks and on-the-go meals when needed.
I personally love using protein powder to help make macro-balanced meals and snacks. If you’ve been a blog reader for a while, you know that I recommend having every meal consist of lean protein, fiber and healthy fats. I love adding protein powder to certain meals (especially snacks) to up the protein level, especially after a workout. The extra protein makes meals more satisfying and keeps you feeling full longer. Some examples?
My Favorite Protein Powders

Truvani
Why I like Truvani:
- Super short ingredient list (almost all of their flavors have less than 8 ingredients)
- Great nutrition facts
- No fillers, preservatives, artificial sweeteners or stevia
- Vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, lectin-free and non-GMO
- Easy to digest
- Both the vanilla and chocolate have a great flavor and aren’t gritty.
My picks: Vanilla + Chocolate
Coupon Code: use this link or the code EATINGBIRDFOOD for 10% off your oder

Clean Simple Eats
Why I like Clean Simple Eats:
- Great nutrition facts
- 100% grass-fed whey
- No artificial flavors or sweeteners
- Soy-free, made with all-natural ingredients and a digestive enzyme blend.
- One of the only whey protein powders that’s easy for me to digest
- Third party tested
My picks: Simply Vanilla + Chocolate Brownie Batter
Coupon Code: use this link or the code EBF for 10% off your oder

Nuzest Clean Lean Protein
Why I like Nuzest:
- Super short ingredient list (almost all of their flavors have less than 5 ingredients)
- Great nutrition facts
- Vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, lectin-free and non-GMO
- Easy to digest
- Both the vanilla and chocolate have a great flavor and aren’t chalky
My picks: Smooth Vanilla + Rich Chocolate
Coupon Code: use code eatingbirdfood for 15% off your order.

Sun Warrior
Why I like Sun Warrior:
- Great nutrition facts
- Vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, organic, synthetic free and non-GMO
- Easy to digest
- Complete amino acid profile with 6 grams of BCAA’S per serving
- No added sugar because it’s stevia sweetened
- Delicious flavor – not chalky at all
My pick: Vanilla Warrior Blend

Active Stacks
Why I like Active Stacks:
- Only four simple ingredients and no artificial sweeteners
- Keto and paleo friendly, easy to digest, and great for those avoiding dairy or whey
- Naturally high in collagen and BCAAs for muscle, skin, and joint support
- Smooth, dessert-like taste without chalkiness, with real flavor from cocoa or vanilla extract
My pick: Chocolate
Coupon Code: use code BRITTANYEBF for 10% off your order!

Equip Prime Protein
Why I like Prime Protein:
- 21 g of complete protein per scoop with added collagen for gut, skin, and joint health
- Made from grass fed beef with clean, real food ingredients and no fillers or artificial junk
- Third party tested for quality and purity
- Tastes creamy and blends well without a meat flavor
- Can be used for baking
My picks: Vanilla + Chocolate
Coupon Code: use code eatingbirdfood for 20% off your first order or 35% off a subscription.
Yes, absolutely! I wouldn’t recommend that you have protein powder with every single meal and snack. I like to get my protein from a variety of sources – chicken, fish, tofu, beans, legumes and yes, protein powder. When possible, I recommend incorporating real, whole food sources of protein and using protein powder as a supplement when needed.
Most protein powders say to consult your physician if you’re pregnant or nursing on the package, which I recommend as well. For me personally, I felt comfortable using organic, plant-based protein powders and collagen while pregnant, but to be honest it wasn’t something I craved so I didn’t have it very often. I also feel comfortable using protein powder and collagen while nursing. Since having Olivia I’ve been incorporating more protein-based snacks and using collagen to help with postpartum hair loss.
I get asked this question a lot, especially because some of my recipes like the protein balls and protein muffins are something kids would certainly enjoy the flavor of. For me personally, I don’t make things with protein powder for my kids (Olivia (4) and Tucker (2), but if I’m eating something like a protein smoothie or homemade protein bar and they want a bite, I will share some with them. So I feel comfortable to an extent but it’s not something I give them on the regular. Of course it’s best to always ask your pediatrician as they will have more knowledge about whether it’s safe for children to consume protein powder or not.
Protein Powder Recipes:
Sharing my top 6 favorite protein powder recipes below, but also be sure to check out the full collection of protein powder recipes on EBF!














I’ve been loving Plant Fusion, but I can’t find it here…I will have to try the Sun Warrior, since you are not the first person to tell me how great it is!
Hey! I live in Canada and haven’t been able to find a website that ships Sun Warrior “all the way up here” hah! Any suggestions of other brands of rice protein? Thanks! Great blog.. so many great tips and recipes 🙂
Perfect Fit ships to Canada! 🙂 http://www.perfectfitprotein.com
Congrats on the feature – that is so awesome! Tosca is such a role model.
I’m a huge fan of sunwarrior!
To anyone that has tried both these powders, is sunwarrior less sweet tasting than Perfect Fit??? I love PF for protein pancakes but find it much to sweet for smoothies and shakes! Thanks 🙂
Hi Erica – the natural Sunwarrior isn’t sweetened. You’d probably like that!
I haven’t tried those. I’m currently using a whey, but I’d like to switch to a vegan alternative that isn’t soy or hemp. (I’m not a fan of hemp taste, and the same reasons as you on soy.)
I have been researching plant-based options (http://hautepasture.com/2012/07/thoughts-on-protein-powders/), so thanks for this! I just ordered Lifetime Life’s Basics plant protein powder, and will try Sunwarrior next.
We love perfect fit too! Use it more than sunwarrior these days, but these two our favorites too. We do occasionally use cheaper brown rice for baking although still not as good. We are also huge fans of Vega.
For some reason I can’t do Vega unless I have a lot of fruit to cover up the taste. Maybe I’m buying the wrong flavors?!?
Thanks for the post! I’ve had protein powders before and the only one I’ve every really liked was a whey jay robb chocolate protein powder. I got it at a super low price……I’d consider buying it again but its 25 bucks for like 12 servings! I tried a sample of the sunwarrior warrior blend once and enjoyed it…..I’m debated about splurging on one of their powders just so I can make all the yummy recipes I see in the blog world! good idea on buying vanilla and just making it chocolate flavored with coco powder btw!