Disadvantages of Plant-Based Protein Powder

There are a lot of plant-based protein powders flooding the market, and unfortunately, many of them have less than favorable ingredients or compounds. When you’re looking for a vegan protein powder, you want to find one that’s high-quality, non-GMO, third-party tested, pharmaceutical-grade, with no additives, gums, or sugar alcohols, and is sourced from high-quality farms. Looking at the disadvantages of some protein powders is an important part of finding the right one so you know exactly what to look for and what to avoid. 

What Are the Negatives of Plant Protein Powder?

Like any supplement, plant-based protein powders come with considerations depending on your health goals, dietary preferences, and overall lifestyle. While some people note differences compared to whey protein, choosing the right plant-based protein can eliminate these concerns entirely. 

The protein content of plant-based protein powder is quite comparable to whey protein—both typically provide 10-20+ grams of protein. It tends to depend on the type of protein! It also depends on the amino acid composition—many plant-based proteins are not complete proteins (meaning they do not contain all nine essential amino acids). Protein content tends to be lower in hemp, lupin, oat, and corn proteins, and higher in brown rice, pea, and potato proteins.

Ingredient Sourcing

Another factor of protein content and quality in plant-based protein is where the ingredients are sourced from. Unfortunately, many companies source the ingredients for their vegan protein powder from China, which does not have many safety regulations around food sourcing, especially in comparison to the U.S. The soil quality in China can also be poor, allowing for higher levels of heavy metals, contaminants, and other bacteria into the crops. When companies source from China, these contaminants end up in the protein powder at higher levels. Here at Previnex®, we source our yellow pea protein from an organic farm in Canada, and our brown rice protein from a high-quality farm in Southeast Asia—meaning, the ingredients in our Nourify® PLUS protein powders are high-quality and non-GMO!

Are There Any Side Effects of Plant-Based Protein? 

Plant-based protein powders are generally well-tolerated and an excellent choice for those seeking a clean, vegan protein source. Many plant-based protein powders are high in fiber, which can cause some digestion issues for those who are not used to a high-fiber diet. Finding a protein powder with a high-quality formula that actually supports healthy digestion is key here! Nourify® PLUS is formulated to give you probiotics and digestive enzymes in every serving. 

What to Avoid in Plant-Based Protein

Ingredients to avoid in plant-based protein powder are additives like gums and sugar alcohols, as well as contaminants and high heavy metals. Gums like xanthan gum, guar gum, and carrageenan can cause significant gastrointestinal issues. Most specifically, they can cause increased gas, abdominal pain, lethargy, and even a constant feeling of being full. Sugar alcohols like sorbitol, xylitol, erythritol, and maltitol are used as sugar replacements. While they have a lower glycemic index than traditional table sugar, they are not always good for you. Your body has a difficult time digesting most sugar alcohols, so they travel to the large intestine where the bacteria in your gut breaks them down. Some sugar alcohols are also considered fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols (FODMAPs)—to put simply, these are carbs your gut has a challenging time absorbing. 

The vegan protein powder you choose should contain no added emulsifiers, gums, or sugar alcohols, as it disrupts the benefits of the protein powder. 

As we’ve mentioned, heavy metals come from the integrity (or lack thereof) of the soil the ingredients are grown in—finding a plant-based protein powder with ingredients sourced from high-quality and/or organic farms is the best way to ensure a clean product. Additionally, ensuring the product you are purchasing has been third-party tested will help you know if what’s listed on the label is truly on the label. 

What Are the Weaknesses of Plant-Based Protein? 

One of the most common concerns about and weaknesses with plant-based protein powder is that it is not a complete protein. There are nine essential amino acids that protein powder needs to contain to be considered a complete protein, and when it is lacking even in one, it is no longer complete. These amino acids are crucial for your overall health because the body cannot produce them on its own! Soy protein, hemp protein, and pea protein are all considered complete proteins. 

There is also a common misconception that vegan protein powder is not good for building muscle. On the contrary, vegan protein powder is just as effective as whey protein for building muscle, as long as it’s a complete protein. In general, getting enough protein is imperative for building muscle mass, and for your overall health. 

Plant-based protein may also be less bioavailable than animal protein. Bioavailability just means how well the body absorbs and uses the nutrients it’s given. While lower bioavailability is an assumed weakness of plant-based protein powder, in reality, if you’re getting enough protein there is no notable difference.

Conclusion

Plant-based protein powder is just as effective as whey protein when it comes to supporting your overall health, losing weight, and even building muscle. While there are disadvantages to some plant-based protein powders, there are also disadvantages to whey protein—it comes down to the individual product and standards of the company you choose! Here at Previnex®, we take your health seriously. That means giving you the highest-quality, pharmaceutical-grade, non-GMO, gluten, dairy, and soy free vegan protein powder with ingredients that come from high-quality farms. Nourify® PLUS comes in vanilla and chocolate, is made of a pea and brown rice protein blend, and has probiotics and digestive enzymes in every serving. If you’re ready to take your health to the next level, grab a bottle of Nourify® PLUS today!