The Best Plant Proteins
Vegan blends have come a long way since the days of grassy-tasting shakes with poor macro counts. The best are as creamy as any dairy offering – with comparable quantities of protein, as well. Here are our testers’ winners.
BEST ALL-ROUNDER Ote Sports Chocolate Soya Protein Drink, £40 for 14 sachets
Score: 8.9/10 Ideal for refuelling on the move, these sachets can be slipped into your sports bag or coat pocket. Each serving provides 23g of protein from soya – which packs in all nine of the essential amino acids that your body needs after training – plus 19g of carbs, along with useful electrolyte minerals, such as magnesium and potassium. Our testers reported that it curbed their appetites, too, making it a strong stopgap between your afternoon workout
and evening meal.
BEST FOR VERSATILITY Huel Complete Protein, £25 for 754g
Score: 7.8/10
The clue’s in the name.
Not all plants offer a ‘complete’ protein source, but by mixing different types, you can tick all the nutritional boxes. This blends pea, hemp and broad bean for a shake with 20g of protein and 26 vitamins and minerals. It also works well in overnight oats, porridge or as part of a high-protein bake.
BEST LOW CALORIE PhD Diet Plant Salted Caramel, £18 for 500g
Score: 7.9/10
This pea and soya powder serves up some impressive numbers. Each 92-calorie serving has 18g of protein. And don’t be deceived by its caramel flavour; it’s sugar-free with only 2.3g of carbs per shake and little fat. If you’re looking to fuel repair and growth, without adding mass where you don’t want it, this will help transform you into a lean, green machine.