What Is the Best Chemical-Free Protein Powder​? 

Are you looking for the best chemical-free protein powder​? Discover how to supplement your protein intake without chemicals.

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Protein Powder Without Chemicals

Why Are There Chemicals in Protein Powders? 

First of all, it is important to acknowledge that everything, including water, air, and your own body, is made of chemicals.

Chemicals are simply substances made up of matter with a specific composition and structure.

When people talk about chemicals in foods, beverages, and supplements, however, they are usually referring to added, often synthetic substances.

Most of the time, these substances are food additives used to improve characteristics like taste, texture, and shelf life, but with potential side effects.

Common types of food additives added to protein supplements include:

• emulsifiers
• flavors
• stabilizers
• sweeteners
• thickeners

As a rule of thumb, if you can’t find it in nature or make it at home, it is a chemical (food additive).

Why Should I Use a Chemical-Free Protein Powder? 

In the United States, food additives must be approved for human consumption by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which suggests they are safe.

But many of these same additives are banned or restricted in other parts of the world, such as the European Union, due to links to health concerns.

For example, more and more research suggests that regularly consuming certain food additives can cause side effects and even long-term health problems.

So, If I were you, I would think twice before consuming a protein powder without first reading the ingredient list.

There are many reasons why food additives are potentially problematic, but if you ask me, the main one is that they are ultra-processed.

For this reason, they are hard to digest (break down and absorb).

In the short-term, this can cause painful side effects like bloating and diarrhea.

In the long-term, it can alter the composition of your gut microbiome, which can lead to gut dysbiosis, or an imbalance in gut bacteria.

Gut dysbiosis, in turn, can contribute to chronic diseases like obesity, type 2 diabetes, and even certain cancers.

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

It is worth adding that some food additives, particularly flavors and artificial sweeteners, are often marketed as healthy.

A good example of this are natural flavors, which are considered by many to be a healthy ingredient.

But, natural flavors have little to no nutritional value, meaning you are not getting any nutrients, vitamins, or minerals when you consume them.

Natural flavors are also ultra-processed derivatives of real food, meaning they are not natural, or at least not in the conventional sense of the word. 

Just look at how the FDA defines a natural flavor:

…the essential oil, oleoresin, essence or extractive, protein hydrolysate, distillate, or any product of roasting, heating or enzymolysis, which contains the flavoring constituents derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or similar plant material, meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products thereof, whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional. 

Furthermore, did you know that whereas food manufacturers are required to disclose their ingredients, natural flavor manufacturers are not.

They can add solvents, preservatives, and carriers to a flavor that qualifies as “natural” under current regulations.

In other words, the term “natural flavor” could be a catch-all term for everything that a manufacturer would rather not spell out on the ingredient list!

Another example of a misleading food additive is artificial sweeteners.

Sweeteners like sucralose allow food manufacturers to reduce both the caloric and sugar content of their products, which to some might seem like a good thing.

But, several studies have shown that artificial sweeteners can increase cravings toward sugary and sweet foods, which can lead to binging and feelings of withdrawal.

Research has also associated artificial sweeteners with a higher risk of glucose intolerance, which is a precursor for pre-diabetes and diabetes. 

In short, if you are trying to lose weight, you are probably just better off just eating sugar.

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What Is the Best Chemical-Free Protein Powder​? 

Finding a protein powder free from chemicals (food additives) is hard.

In fact, 99% of protein supplements contain one or more of these problematic ingredients, which is why we created Drink Wholesome.

We make the best protein powder without chemicals not only because we use a short list of simple ingredients, but also because we use whole food protein sources.

Our Ingredients

egg whites

coconut

vanilla

monk fruit

NOT Our Ingredients

• acacia gum

• acesulfame potassium

• artificial flavors

• carrageenan

• erythritol

• guar gum

• inulin

• maltodextrin

• 'natural' flavors

• silica

• soy lecithin

• sucralose

• xanthan gum

• xylitol

Most protein supplements are made from protein concentrates or isolates, which have been stripped of everything but the protein, including the enzymes, fiber, and other natural digestive aids that help you break them down.

You therefore do not digest isolates and concentrates in the same way you do whole foods, which can affect everything from satiety to your gut health.

In fact, studies show that regularly eating protein concentrates and isolates can disrupt your gut microbiome and cause the formation of toxic byproducts in your gut.

So, because we use whole food protein sources like egg whites and almonds, our Protein Powders are easier to digest and absorb.

It follows that our customers experience fewer digestive issues with Drink Wholesome than with any other type of protein supplement.

Order samples to see for yourself.