How to Find the Best AIP Protein Powder
📌 Overview and Key Takeaways
This is a Certified Nutrition Coach’s guide on how to find the best AIP protein powder.
Discover how to safely meet your protein needs on the Autoimmune Protocol Diet.
AIP Protein Powder
Can I Have Protein Powder on the AIP Diet?
Yes, you can have protein powder on the AIP diet, but your options are very limited during the elimination phase.
Autoimmune disease is a broad category of conditions in which the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s own healthy cells and tissues.
Common examples include rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis (MS), Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, celiac disease, psoriasis, and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
The Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) diet is a specialized diet designed to help individuals with autoimmune disease manage their symptoms and potentially reduce inflammation.
The goal of the AIP diet is to eliminate foods that can trigger or exacerbate inflammation, immune responses, and gut-related problems.
It typically involves a strict elimination phase followed by a gradual reintroduction of foods to identify potential triggers.
Generally speaking, the AIP diet avoids processed foods, food additives, alcohol, refined sugars, coffee, tea, oils, and certain medications.
During the elimination phase, foods such as grains, legumes, dairy, eggs, and nightshade vegetables are also avoided.
As you might imagine, very few protein powders are compliant with the elimination phase of the AIP diet.
In fact, your only options are beef protein isolate and collagen protein powder, which are basically the same thing.
Once you complete the elimination phase, however, the list of safe options grows to include most types of protein powder.
Are Plant-Based Protein Powders AIP-Compliant?
No, plant-based protein powders are not AIP-compliant during the elimination phase.
This is because they are made from protein sources like legumes, grains, nuts, and seeds, all of which are excluded during the initial phase of the AIP diet.
Keep in mind that most milks, including plant milks, are not AIP-compliant either.
The only plant-based milks that you can mix with protein powder are coconut milk and tiger nut milk.
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Why Should I Add Protein Powder on the AIP Diet?
The AIP diet can be restrictive and challenging to follow, particularly during the elimination phase.
Ensuring a balanced intake of nutrients can also be difficult, requiring careful planning and, in some cases, supplementation.
If you need help meeting your protein needs, protein powder can be a great addition to your diet.
Protein is essential for tissue repair, immune function, and maintaining muscle mass, all of which are important for people managing autoimmune conditions.
What Is the Best AIP-Compliant Protein Powder?
Finding an AIP-compliant protein powder is easier said than done.
Most protein powders contain emulsifiers, thickeners, and other ultra-processed food additives that are not allowed on the AIP diet.
These additives can not only upset your stomach, but also and alter the composition and function of your gut microbiome (North Clin Istanb, 2020).
These shifts, known as gut dysbiosis, have been linked to the development of autoimmune diseases (Clin Exp Immunol, 2019).
Gut dysbiosis is so problematic because it causes a cascade of problems, including intestinal permeability and systemic inflammation.
🚫 Avoid Food Additives
⚠️ Here is a list of the most common food additives in protein supplements:
- acacia fiber
- acacia gum
- acesulfame potassium
- artificial flavors
- ascorbic acid
- aspartame
- calcium carbonate
- carrageenan
- cellulose gum
- dextrin
- dicalcium phosphate
- dipotassium phosphate
- erythritol
- gellan gum
- guar gum
- gum arabic
- inulin
- locust bean gum
- maltitol
- maltodextrin
- mono- and diglycerides
- ‘natural’ flavors
- rice bran extract
- rice dextrin
- rice hulls
- rosemary extract
- silica
- silicon dioxide
- sodium alginate
- soluble corn fiber
- sorbitol
- soy lecithin
- sucralose
- sunflower lecithin
- tocopherols
- tricalcium phosphate
- xanthan gum
- xylitol
- zinc oxide
As a rule of thumb, if you could not find an ingredient in nature or make it at home, it is a food additive.
🚫 Avoid Protein Concentrates and Isolates
If you have a sensitive stomach, you might also want to avoid protein concentrates and isolates.
Most protein supplements are made from one or both of these ultra-processed protein sources, which have been mechanically and/or chemically stripped of everything but the protein.
This includes the enzymes, fiber, and other natural digestive aids that help you break them down.
You therefore do not digest them in the same way that you do whole foods, which could affect your gut health.
For example, one study shows that regularly consuming protein concentrates and isolates might disrupt your gut microbiome (Nutrients, 2018).
Another study shows that it could cause the formation of toxic byproducts in your gut (Mol Nutr Food Res, 2024).
Although further research is needed, individuals with sensitive stomachs can play it safe by choosing protein supplements made from minimally-processed protein sources like egg whites and almonds.
They are more gut-friendly.
Order Samples to see for yourself.
Sources
- Northern Clinics of Istanbul (North Clin Istanb). Food additives and microbiota. 2020.
- Clinical and Experimental Immunology (Clin Exp Immunol). The microbiome in autoimmune diseases. 2019.
- Nutrients (Nutrients). Effect of a Protein Supplement on the Gut Microbiota of Endurance Athletes: A Randomized, Controlled, Double-Blind Pilot Study. 2018.
- Molecular Nutrition & Food Research (Mol Nutr Food Res). In Vitro Fermentation of Animal and Plant Protein Isolates by the Human Gut Microbiota Under High and Low Carbohydrate Conditions. 2024.
Editorial Guidelines
This article was written by a Certified Nutrition Coach and reviewed by a Registered Dietitian. We rely on peer-reviewed research and trusted medical sources, and regularly update our content to ensure accuracy and clarity.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Drink Wholesome for?
Drink Wholesome makes minimally-processed protein powder for sensitive stomachs. Because our protein powder is additive, dairy, and gluten-free, it’s recommended for people with lactose intolerance, IBS, GERD, and SIBO.
Why is Drink Wholesome easy to digest?
No Dairy
Drink Wholesome is made without whey and casein, which often contain lactose, a sugar most people can’t fully digest. Some caseins also release a bioactive peptide during digestion that has been linked to digestive issues in some individuals.
No Additives
Drink Wholesome is made without food additives. Regularly eating certain emulsifiers, thickeners, and other ultra-processed additives can contribute to gut dysbiosis, which has been linked to chronic digestive issues.
Whole Food Protein
Other protein powders are made from ultra-processed protein concentrates and isolates, which have been mechanically and/or chemically stripped of non-protein components that promote digestion. Drink Wholesome, on the other hand, is made from whole food protein sources, which might be more gut-friendly.
Collagen vs egg white vs almond protein powder?
We make three types of minimally-processed Protein Powder for sensitive stomachs: Collagen Protein Powder, Egg White Protein Powder, and Vegan Almond Protein Powder. As long as you eat a balanced diet, any type of protein powder can help you meet your protein needs. So just pick the type that best suits your personal preferences.
Ask our dietitian.
If you’re wondering which of our products is best for you, ask our Registered Dietitian. They’ll reply via email within 24 hours.
High Protein Blueberry Pancakes
PREP TIME
5 min
COOK TIME
5 min
SERVES
2
Ingredients
- ¼ cup Drink Wholesome
- ⅓ cup flour
- 2 egg whites
- ¼ cup plant milk
- 1 tbsp nut butter
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 cup blueberries
Instructions
In a blender, combine the egg whites, milk, ¼ cup blueberries, and almond butter. Pour the mixture into a small mixing bowl and add the protein powder and flour. Whisk until smooth. Pour ⅓ cup batter onto a heated and greased (or non-stick) pan to form pancakes. Cook each side for 2-3 minutes. This recipe makes 4-5 pancakes. Then, in a small saucepan, heat ¾ cup blueberries and the maple syrup over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 8 minutes. Plate the pancakes and spoon blueberry jam on top.
Author(s)
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