[Review] The Protein Powder Buyer’s Guide — 150 Popular Protein Powders Shaken Up And Graded

One-hundred and fifty – the protein powder market is overflowing with colorful options, yet 95% of the jugs aren’t worth your cash.

We sifted through the shelves – 150 powders deep – and held an unadulterated protein powder bonanza to cut through the noise, rank the prospects, and unearth the best bangs for your buck.

Outside of fish oil, probiotics, and maybe a multivitamin, protein powder is one of the few staple supplements that everyone should be taking on a regular basis. It’s the easiest way to ensure that you’re always getting regular infusions of HQ protein – a nutrient that forms the cornerstone of a lean diet, and by translation, helps cultivate a killer physique that’s LEAN, muscular, and stripped of blubbery fat mass.

Protein works hard for you, simultaneously, from two different angles:

• Builds Lean Muscle – a constant waterfall of protein is critical for the growth and development of lean muscle mass, and helps preserve existing muscle tissue (so that your muscles won’t deflate over-time, aka catabolism).12 It also helps increase strength gains.3456

• Supports Fat Loss – protein suppresses appetite and keeps hunger from flaring up;7 reduces the body’s propensity to store fat, by controlling blood sugar levels and insulin – a hormone that controls fat storage;8 and it torches major calories after consumption (via which promotes weight loss and prevents fat gain.91011

Protein incinerates upwards of 35% of its own calories during digestion and metabolism, whereas carbs & fat lie in the inefficient 5-15% range. Translated, a 100 calorie meal from protein burns up to 35 calories; that same meal from carbs or fat would only knock off 5-15.121314151617

Protein powder is the easiest way to perpetually sustain the superpowers above; in particularly if you’re on-the-go or constrained by a budget. But that leads to one MAJOR problem – mass hysteria. The 15,360-search-result variety. You need to make sure you do your research into the best ones and you’re find these protein powders are the best options for you.

The protein powder market is ENORMOUS; dominated by mainstream behemoths like Optimum Nutrition & CytoSport’s Muscle Milk, with a flood of ambiguous surplus to fill out the category. Beyond the big boys, there’s a seemingly infinite shelf of kaleidiscopic protein powders; each of which is shrouded by endless marketing gobbledygook, and padded with lexicon that merits its own language (hydrolyzed, multi-phase, ultra-microfiltered, Aminogen…wtf?).

Here’s the reality: natural tiers of quality exist – and, yes, some products are far superior to others – but for the most part protein powder is extremely redundant. A high number of brands are more-or-less the same product, wrapped in different packaging, with the only real differentiator being PRICE.

We dug into the long tail to uncover the gems hidden within a marketplace of juggernauts. The key word – value. Powders that squeezed out the best combo of quality AND price floated to the top; those that were extremely overpriced sank to the bottom.

The Criteria & What We Looked For

We sifted through the 150 most popular protein powders on Amazon and Bodybuilding.com – including whey protein blends, whey isolates, sustained-release blends, and plant-based varieties – crunched the numbers, parsed through the noise, and came up with a comprehensive rating system for the entire protein powder category.

Aggregate ratings were handed out based on a cornucopia of critical dimensions. Here’s what we really care about –

• Protein Type. Is a given powder made of whey concentrate? Whey isolate or hydrolyzed whey? Milk or casein? Soy? Plant protein? A blend? Type of protein is CRITICAL, as it impacts digestion rate, purity, amount of lactose, propensity to cause stomach issues, usability in the body, function (post-workout, meal replacement), and timing.181920
  Quantity also factors in.

• Ingredients. Is the ingredient profile clean and all-natural, or is it loaded with artificial sweeteners, fillers, colors, and other additives?
• Expiry date. It is important to look at the label/packaging, just like anyone would do for any product they intend on consuming. The question of does protein powder expire is possibly one that is most asked when people think about purchasing these sorts of products, so it is best to do some research beforehand.
• Sweeteners. Is it all natural (e.g. stevia, monk fruit), or is it gushing with artificial sweeteners (e.g. sucralose/Splenda, Ace-K)?
• Purity. What % of calories come from protein? Is it oozing with sugar, fat, sat. fat, and carbs?
• Key Differentiators. Does a brand have any beneficial additives? Probiotics, digestive enzymes,21 BCAA’s, creatine, glutamine, fiber, MCTs (medium-chain triglycerides), CLA, green blends, flax seed, and chia are all value-adds and a good proxy for quality products.
• Price. $/serving. The 5 dimensions above are fine-and-dandy, but deciphering relative value all funnels down to price.

*Flavor was NOT taken into account, given that we haven’t tried every product across-the-board.

Using the criteria above we aimed to rank each protein powder based purely on relative value, and ultimately dig up the brands that represent best-in-class.

Again, that’s QUALITY relative to PRICE. A number of extremely high quality products are exorbitantly priced (e.g. Jay Robb, Optimum Platinum Hydrobuilder, Vega) and not worth the cash; others are dirt cheap, but the poor quality doesn’t merit a purchase (e.g. Bioplex, Muscle Milk).

Protein Strategy – Which Type Of Protein Should I Take?

Looking at the composite protein powder universe, we stratified products into 4 distinct categories; each of which has unique qualities, varying price-points, and different uses for different people depending on individual goals and needs. Each category has its own dedicated ranking.

And just like fish, chicken, and cottage cheese – protein powder is GENDER NEUTRAL.

Upgrading from a whey blend to an isolate is like tossing your Prius for a Ferrari. Whey blends are cost effective, versatile, and get the job done, but isolates are faster and more powerful (in terms of digestion, absorption, and stimulating growth & recovery).

If you’re an athlete or serious about building muscle mass, isolates can provide a surge of high-octane fuel post-workout; if you’re training more casually – with general health and leanness, as well as budget, in mind – sticking with a whey blend probably makes more sense.

And if you’re going the isolate route, pair it with either a sustained release or plant-based protein blend. Isolates should be used exclusively post-workout – sustained release and plant-based blends can help fill the void for random shakes, snacks, or mini meals.

As a general rule of thumb, we recommend .75-1g of protein per LB of bodyweight to optimize a lean lifestyle. If you’re 150lbs, shoot for 112-150g/day.

Our Protein Powder Recommendations

Given the INSANE number of choices there’s absolutely zero reason to buy anything other than our 5-star rated protein powders. We recommend any of the following brands for each category –

• Best Whey Protein Blend – MRM 100% All-Natural Whey, Jarrow Formulas Whey Protein, SportPharma Just Whey
• Best Whey Isolate – ProSupps TC-F Isolate, NOW Foods Whey Protein Isolate, Dymatize ISO-100
• Best Sustained-Release Blend – Trunutrition Sciences Trutein, MusclePharm Combat
• Best Plant-Based Protein Blend – NutraFusion Nutritionals NitroFusion, S.A.N. rawfusion

ALWAYS buy your protein powder online from either Amazon or Bodybuilding.com (check both sites for prices/deals) – it’s marginally cheaper than the markup applied in stores like Vitamin Shoppe or GNC.

Lean It UP’s Protein Powder Rankings – Whey Blends

The Lean It UP Protein Powder Rankings is split into 4 dedicated parts, divvied up by type of powder. Access each through the links at the bottom.

You can also download the full rankings file here (there are 4 tabs at the bottom of the download file; each tab holds a different protein type).

*Click on each image to enlarge.

Pages: Intro, Whey Blends | Whey Isolate | Sustained Release | Plant-Based Protein

• Author
• Recent Posts

Bryan DiSanto

Founder & Editor-in-Chief at Lean It UP

ELLO ELLO I'm Bryan DiSanto. I'm the Founder & Editor-in-Chief of Lean It UP, a CPT/CSN/Fitness Coach, Chef trained at Le Cordon Bleu – Paris, NYU graduate, ex-fat kid, and all-around fitness junkie.

I also contribute to Men's Health Magazine.

When I'm not working on my abs (or somebody else’s), whipping up avocado roses and avocado toast, or running a Tough Mudder, I'm probably yelling at a Carolina Panthers game somewhere.

Come be friends with me on Instagram (@BRYDISANTO) & Snapchat (BRYDISANTO).

Latest posts by Bryan DiSanto (see all)

• [UPWOD Nº1] Get Your Daily Dose Of Sweat — Introducing The Lean It UP Workout Of The Day (UPWOD) - January 24, 2018
• Oh The Mistakes You’re Making — 14 Fitness Tips To Workout SMARTER And Maximize Your Results - January 20, 2018
• The Lean It UP Clean Eating Manifesto — 17 Nutrition Tactics To Eat Cleaner, Live Leaner, And Build The Ultimate Body - January 15, 2018

1. Farup J, Rahbek SK, Vendelbo MH, Matzon A, Hindhede J, Bejder A, Ringgard S, Vissing K. Whey protein hydrolysate augments tendon and muscle hypertrophy independent of resistance exercise contraction mode. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2013 May 7. [↩]
2. Joy JM, Lowery RP, Wilson JM, Purpura M, De Souza EO, Wilson SM, Kalman DS, Dudeck JE, Jäger R. The effects of 8 weeks of whey or rice protein supplementation on body composition and exercise performance. Nutr J. 2013 Jun 20;12(1):86. [↩]
3. Matthew B Cooke, Emma Rybalka, Christos G Stathis, Paul J Cribb and Alan Hayes. Whey protein isolate attenuates strength decline after eccentrically-induced muscle damage in healthy individuals. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 2010, 7:30 doi:10.1186/1550-2783-7-30 [↩]
4. Douglas Kalman, Samantha Feldman, Michele Martinez, Diane R Krieger and Mark J Tallon. Effect of protein source and resistance training on body composition and sex hormones. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 2007, 4:4 doi:10.1186/1550-2783-4-4 [↩]
5. Wilborn CD, Taylor LW, Outlaw J, Williams L, Campbell B, Foster CA, Smith-Ryan A, Urbina S, Hayward S. The Effects of Pre- and Post-Exercise Whey vs. Casein Protein Consumption on Body Composition and Performance Measures in Collegiate Female Athletes. J Sports Sci Med. 2013 Mar 1;12(1):74-9. [↩]
6. Walker TB, Smith J, Herrera M, Lebegue B, Pinchak A, Fischer J.The influence of 8 weeks of whey-protein and leucine supplementation on physical and cognitive performance. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2010 Oct;20(5):409-17. [↩]
7. Bendtsen LQ, Lorenzen JK, Bendsen NT, Rasmussen C, Astrup A. Effect of dairy proteins on appetite, energy expenditure, body weight, and composition: a review of the evidence from controlled clinical trials. Adv Nutr. 2013 Jul 1;4(4):418-38. doi: 10.3945/an.113.003723. [↩]
8. Zafar TA, Waslien C, AlRaefaei A, Alrashidi N, AlMahmoud E. Whey protein sweetened beverages reduce glycemic and appetite responses and food intake in young females. Nutr Res. 2013 Apr;33(4):303-10. [↩]
9. Madzima TA, Panton LB, Fretti SK, Kinsey AW, Ormsbee MJ. Night-time consumption of protein or carbohydrate results in increased morning resting energy expenditure in active college-aged men. Br J Nutr. 2013 Jun 17:1-7. [↩]
10. Halton T. The Effects of High Protein Diets on Thermogenesis, Satiety and Weight Loss: A Critical Review. J Am Coll Nutr October 2004 vol. 23 no. 5 373-385 [↩]
11. Welle S, Lilavivit U. Thermic effect of feeding in man: Increased plasma norepinephrine levels following glucose but not protein or fat consumption. Metabolism. 1981 Oct;30(10):953-8. [↩]
12. Johnston CS, Day CS, Swan PD: Postprandial thermogenesis is increased 100% on a high-protein, low-fat diet versus a high-carbohydrate, low-fat diet in healthy, young women. J Am Coll Nutr 2002, 21:55-61. [↩]
13. Bendtsen LQ, Lorenzen JK, Bendsen NT, Rasmussen C, Astrup A. Effect of dairy proteins on appetite, energy expenditure, body weight, and composition: a review of the evidence from controlled clinical trials. Adv Nutr. 2013 Jul 1;4(4):418-38. doi: 10.3945/an.113.003723. [↩]
14. Skov AR, Toubro S, Rønn B, Holm L, Astrup A. Randomized trial on protein vs carbohydrate in ad libitum fat reduced diet for the treatment of obesity. International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders : Journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity [1999, 23(5):528-536. [↩]
15. Layman D, Boileau R. A Reduced Ratio of Dietary Carbohydrate to Protein Improves Body Composition and Blood Lipid Profiles during Weight Loss in Adult Women. J. Nutr. February 1, 2003vol. 133 no. 2 411-417 [↩]
16. Belko A, Barbieri T. Effect of energy and protein intake and exercise intensity on the thermic effect of food. Am J Clin Nutr June 1986vol. 43 no. 6 863-869 [↩]
17. Martens E, Lemmens S. Protein leverage affects energy intake of high-protein diets in humans. Am J Clin Nutr January 2013 vol. 97 no. 1 86-93 [↩]
18. Boirie Y, Dangin M, Gachon P, Vasson MP, Maubois JL, Beaufrère B. Slow and fast dietary proteins differently modulate postprandial protein accretion. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 94:14930–14935. [↩]
19. Volek JS, Volk BM, Gómez AL, Kunces LJ, Kupchak BR, Freidenreich DJ, Aristizabal JC, Saenz C, Dunn-Lewis C, Ballard KD, Quann EE, Kawiecki DL,Flanagan SD, Comstock BA, Fragala MS, Earp JE, Fernandez ML, Bruno RS, Ptolemy AS, Kellogg MD, Maresh CM, Kraemer WJ. Whey protein supplementation during resistance training augments lean body mass. J Am Coll Nutr. 2013;32(2):122-35. [↩]
20. Burd NA, Yang Y, Moore DR, Tang JE, Tarnopolsky MA, Phillips SM. Greater stimulation of myofibrillar protein synthesis with ingestion of whey protein isolate v. micellar casein at rest and after resistance exercise in elderly men. Br J Nutr. 2012 Sep 28;108(6):958-62. [↩]
21. Julius Oben, Shil C Kothari and Mark L Anderson. An open label study to determine the effects of an oral proteolytic enzyme system on whey protein concentrate metabolism in healthy males. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 2008, 5:10 doi:10.1186/1550-2783-5-10 [↩]

Pages: 1 2 3 4