The Best Plant-Based Protein Powders For Females And Weight Loss (2022)

The best plant-based protein powders for females that help with weight loss. I almost always lean towards a plant-based protein powder mainly because I’m not convinced whey powders are best for weight loss. I’ve tried many whey protein powders, and I have never found one I can digest well, and that doesn’t cause an insulin spike for me. I also have extensive knowledge on plant-based protein powders. I am the founder and creator of Milk Dust, a protein powder company for prenatal and postpartum mamas. Milk Dust is a plant-based lactation protein powder that I still drink post-breastfeeding (because it is amazing for hormones and sugar cravings!). I’ve been in the protein powder business for over 4 years, and drinking protein shakes for much longer. I also have extensive knowledge in nutrition as a fitness professional, so quality blends are really important to me. That being said, I’ve reviewed what is available on the market now, and even though I still drink my own protein powder (I know how its made and love the formula), I have some other top, plant-based protein powders I like.

Why I stick to plant-based over whey protein powder:

Whey protein powder spikes my blood sugar, even though I’ve tried ones with no sugar or carbs. They are pure protein, and I still have issues. I have a special technique I use to see if something spikes my blood sugar, without actually having to test it. It’s called the night trick. Basically, before bed, if I have anything that spikes my blood sugar, I will either wake up sweating or have crazy dreams, or sometimes both. Ice cream for example, gaurantees this. I have to have it very early in the evening, or just a few bites late at night. Even a few bites will sometimes have me waking up thinking I’m being chased.

There are certain foods that seem to do this too me, and almost all dairy is one of them. There are a few cheeses, if I don’t each much that won’t. What this tells me is that dairy spikes my blood sugar and disrupts my sleep. Alcohol disrupts my sleep a lot too, which also has a huge impact on blood sugar (which is why I rarely ever drink alcohol). This is why I’m sticking to a full list of the best protein powders for weight loss that are all plant based. Just in case you are like me, and you are sensitive to dairy, I’m going to add a whey protein powder suggestion at the end, just in case you want an option to try, but overall these are going to plant-based protein powders that are the best for weight loss in women, specifically after 30s.

What makes a good protein powder for weight loss?

Some key elements to a good protein powder for losing weight is atleast 15 grams of protein per serving. This will help with feeling full. We also want a protein powder to have all the essential amino acids, which for plant-based proteins, that will most likely be a pea protein blend. The best protein powder is going to be low in sugar and carbs, low in fat, high in protein and high in additional nutrients. This is ideal for weight loss because there won’t be any extra calories from carbs or fat, so you are getting a lean protein source. A top protein powder is also going to be free of artificial sweeteners, have a few different protein sources, be non GMO, and third party tested for heavy metals. I don’t know if all of these options are tested for heavy metals, but many of them are now.

The top plant-based protein powders for weight loss in women in 2022:

I am going to skip my protein powder on this one because it is formulated for lactating women, BUT I will tell you I have a formula for moms coming out soon that is for post-breastfeeding and fueling your mom life after babies. It is going to be so amazing, and offer some anti-aging benefits that you will want!

Ora Organics:

I love this company, and I have been using their products prior to making my own protein powder. I know the CEO and other members of the company personally, and this is a brand with quality you can trust. They only put the best of the best in their products, and they have guided me a bit in my venture as well. I’ve tried both vanilla and chocolate, and both are really good. Their plant-based formula consists of 22 grams of protein per serving, along with 19 superfoods. They have the best ingredient list I’ve seen so far in a vegan protein powder, and here is their ingredient list:

Organic Pea Protein, Organic Rice Protein, Organic Cranberry, Organic Sacha Inchi, Organic Sprouted Quinoa, Organic Amaranth, Organic Acerola Extract, Organic Blackberry, Organic Blueberry, Organic Pomegranate, Organic Turmeric, Organic Strawberry, Organic Apple, Organic Acai, Organic Kale, Organic Broccoli, Organic Coconut Milk, Organic Jerusalem Artichoke Inulin, Amylase, Neutral Protease, Lactase, Lipase, Cellulase, Organic Cocoa, Natural Chocolate Flavor, Natural Vanilla Flavor, Organic Monk Fruit Extract, Organic Stevia Extract

They offer the digestive enzymes in their blend, which are really helpful for absorbing all the nutrients. The superfoods like apple, kale, broccoli and Jerusalem Artichoke make their formula extremely unique compared to so many on the market. The macro and micro nutrients really are amazing, so I have them as one of the best protein shakes for females to lose weight.

GRAB ORA ON AMAZON HERE

Free Soul Vegan Protein Blend:

This is a brand-new brand to me, and I haven’t gotten a chance to try them yet, but I really like what I see. They have an award-winning protein ratio of 20 grams per 30 gram serving, which is awesome for protein content. They also use a high-quality pea protein isolate, giving it a complete protein source, with some key vitamins for female hormone support. This is really helpful for weight loss after 35, and the B vitamin complex is really good for energy levels and iron levels. Not many protein supplements offer additional B vitamins (except for mine!) to support hormones and overall energy needs. The only thing I don’t know from the label is if the vitamin B 12 is methylated. This means that it is ready to absorb, which if it isn’t methylated, some women with the MTHFR gene mutation can not absorb the vitamin. They also can’t absorb folate unless it is L-methylfoate. It doesn’t say this on the label, so if you know you have MTHFR you might want a protein powder with methylated versions – like mine!! These small details are really important that you learn from being in the business for so long. This protein powder also has some extra herbs and flax seed powder too, making it really powerful for hormone healthy, which I LOVE for women who are post babies and getting into their 30s.

Ka’Chava Plant-Based Protein Shake:

This is a new brand to me, but I love that it offers over 85 superfoods and plant-based ingredients. That is awesome, but what I do know is that the more ingredients you have, usually the less of each ingredient per serving. Because I’ve made my own protien powder, in order to it everything into a bottle and a scoop, you don’t want to go too big on your ingredients because the overall amount of each one can get very small. This leaves a very small nutritional impact, despite having so many amazing superfoods. That being said, there are 25 grams of protein per serving, which is on the higher end. There are also 25 grams of carbs with that, making it more of a meal replacement shake. This is because the protein comes from whole grain brown rice protein and they have an additional blend for omegas consisting of some great ingredients like organic pure whole grain oat, chia seeds and flax seeds. There are very little added sugars, which is really important for weight loss and what is most unique is the adaptogen blend. This is something that I think can be super helpful in your 30s for hormonal health and overall fatigue. The 30s bring so much stress, lack of sleep and weight gain, having the adaptogen support is really important, and it can truly be a game changer. Here is the full list of ingredients for you:

GRAB IT ON AMAZON HERE

Tone It Up Plant-Based Protein Powder:

This is a great option gor your vegan diet protein powder. I can’t say its the absolute best vegan protein powder, but it is really close, especially for weight loss. The total calories are only 100 per serving, which is really helpful for weight loss. Sometimes drinking a lot of calories isn’t as helpful as you’d think. The Tone It Up powders still give you 15 grams of protein per serving, and 28 servings per container, which is really helpful. They don’t offer a whole lot of extra bells and whistles when it comes to superfoods and micronutrients like Ora and Ka’Chava, but the basics for a good, weight loss protein powder are there. They use organic pea and pumpkin seeds as their protein base, which I am a big fan of pumpkin seeds. I use them in my protein blend as well, and the zinc content in them is really helpful for many women, especially those that crave sugar. This powder will help you hit your protein intake, without loading on a lot of calories, so you can still achieve some muscle growth. I like that you can buy the TIU powders at many stores, and sometimes simple is better. Here is a full list of their ingredients:

Orgain Organic Plant-Based Protein Powder:

This is a very popular protein powder you can find in many stores. It has a great formula in terms of just a vegan protein powder. It has a great blend of various plant-based proteins like organic pea protein, organic brown rice protein and organic chia seed protein. Aside for the protein blend, and a creamer blend to help with texture, that’s about all your getting – and paying for too. The Orgain powder is simple. No bells and whistles in terms of nutrients, superfoods and adaptogens, which makes it one of the best for cost. You do have to use 2 scoops for a serving, which only gives you 10 servings per container. That can be a bit misleading when many of the powders give you over 20 servings per container. My protein powder is 22 servings per container, because my goal was to make it about a month supply (if you take it almost every day). This one has a specific blend just for a creamier texture, which I haven’t tested yet, but I think that makes it one of the top for overall taste and texture, and it is in many stores, so it must be well liked by many women. Here are their nutrition facts for you:

Naked Nutrition Vegan Protein Powder:

This is another very simple protein powder, focusing more on getting enough protein and amino acids. Pea protein is one of the few plant-based proteins that have a complete amino acid profile, which is what this brand is focusing on. It provides 20 grams of protein per serving, and only 8 grams of carbohydrates. This is actually very rare because the grams of fiber are 0. That means there is no net carbs, but the true carb count is only 8 grams, with just 3 of them sugar. This makes the Naked Nutrition Vegan Powder stand out because plant-based ingredients are higher in carbs, which is why many of the vegan protein powders usually have a higher carb count. Animal protein typically has no carbs, so that isn’t an issue, but because this protein stemps only from pea protein powder, and no other plant proteins, they are able to keep the carbohydrates very low. This makes for another great weight loss choice because you aren’t adding on the carbs with your protein shake. There isn’t much extra to the pea protein besides some MCT oil, but overall it is a great plant-based protein for female weight loss. Here are the full details for you:

You may notice I haven’t put a soy protein powder on the list yet. Soy protein is a bit different, and can be hormone disrupting for some. If you are high in estrogen already, or think you might be, it could be a good idea to stay away from soy protein options. The nice thing is they usually blend creamier, more like a why protein, but the research to me is confusing. Because I haven’t been able to make a decision based on research, I haven’t felt completely comfortable suggesting it as a protein source. If you find research suggesting otherwise, please let me know!

If you are really wanting a whey protein powder option, it is super important to choose a whey from grass-fed cows. This will eliminate any toxins and heavy metals from fertilizers that are found in their food. Whey protein powders do blend up much creamier and thicker than vegan protein powders. I still have never found a vegan protein powder with the same texture as whey. Whey protein powders give you more of the milk shake vibe, which can be much more appealing depending on what you are wanting. Make sure to thoroughly read the nutrition label, and look for a simple formula with organic ingredients.

Want a good recipe for an amazing, plant-based weight loss protein shake? Try this!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bliss

1 scoop of your favorite plant-based chocolate protein powder

2 tbsp peanut flour or 1 tbsp regular peanut butter

1 cup of frozen cauliflower (trust me!) full florets or rice work

1 cup of unsweetened chocolate almond milk (more or less depending on the amount of frozen cauliflower you have)

Blend together and enjoy your amazing, fat-burning protein shake!