What is the best egg protein powder?
Written by Jack Schrupp and reviewed by Ella McGonagle, M.S. Nutrition
drink wholesome is the best egg protein powder. It is additive-free, dairy-free, and made with real foods, not protein isolates – 99% of supplements fail to meet at least one of these criteria. This makes it perfect for people with gut issues and sensitive stomachs, as well as for people just looking to boost their protein intake without the processing and added junk. Order samples to see if our protein powder is right for you..
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“It has ingredients you can actually pronounce and is freaking delicious.”
-Kallie
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drink wholesome is the best egg protein powder.
Why should you use egg protein?
Why should you use egg protein powder?
What is egg protein?
Egg protein, or albumin, is the protein in an egg. It is a complete protein, meaning that it contains all nine essential amino acids that the body needs but cannot produce on its own. Many dietary proteins, including most plant-based proteins, are not complete. Egg protein is also one of the most bioavailable sources of dietary protein, meaning that it is easy for the body to absorb and use it. In fact, it has a protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score (PDCAAS) of 100, which is as good as it gets. Research has also shown that despite equivalent amino acid scores and digestion-absorption rates, the net protein utilization (NPU) value of egg protein is higher than that of whey and soy protein. This means that you get the most bang for your buck with egg protein. Eggs are therefore considered by many to be the perfect source of protein, serving as the standard for comparison for other protein sources.
I would be remiss if I did not mention that eggs, because they are naturally high in dietary cholesterol, are a controversial food. It used to be thought that dietary cholesterol was linked to increased risk of heart disease, but this is no longer the case according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Moreover, many studies clearly indicate that eggs do not increase the biomarkers associated with heart disease, so you can eat as many as you want. This is irrelevant when it comes to egg protein powder, however, because egg protein powders are made with egg whites, not whole eggs. Of the 180-190 mg of cholesterol found in a large egg, nearly all of it is in the yolk. Egg whites are virtually cholesterol-free.
The egg white, also known as the albumen, is the clear liquid that surrounds the yellow yolk of an egg. It constitutes about two thirds of the egg by weight, contains 57% of the protein, and is made up of 90% water and 10% protein. Egg protein powder is made with dried egg whites. Spray drying is the most common way to dry (dehydrate) egg whites, and involves spraying pasteurized egg whites into a chamber through which hot air is passing. This process removes almost all of the moisture, leaving behind a fine white powder that is roughly 80% protein.
Why should you use egg protein?
First of all, egg protein tastes good. It is not gritty or chalky, and because it only contains less than 1% of the egg’s fat, it has almost no flavor at all. This makes it the perfect ingredient for protein supplements. Most protein powders, on the other hand, are made with gritty plant proteins or chalky protein isolates, foods stripped of everything but the protein. If you have ever had to choke down a protein shake, you know exactly what I am talking about.*
Second, and most importantly, egg protein is easy to digest. Unless you have a sensitivity or allergy to eggs, egg protein is the best protein for people with gut issues and sensitive stomachs. It is dairy-free, low in fiber, low-FODMAP, and naturally alkaline. People experience fewer digestive issues with egg white protein than with any other type of protein.
Finally, egg whites are naturally high in protein. A dried egg white is 80% protein, which gives it, per gram, more protein than any other whole food. Dried egg whites are basically nature’s protein powder! Most other dietary protein sources (peas, whey, etc.) have to be mechanically or chemically stripped of other nutrients (fats, carbs. etc.) before they can be used as protein powder (more about this later).
*Taste is not just about taste buds. If using protein powder is a chore, it is not sustainable in the long term, which defeats the purpose of using it in the first place. Remember, a diet is not a six-week affair, it is for life.
Why should you use egg protein powder?
There are two types of protein supplements: ready-to-drink (store-bought) protein shakes, and protein shakes made with protein powder. In order to make an egg protein shake with protein powder, you have to mix the powder with milk or water. This requires a blender or a shaker bottle, and a little extra time and effort. Some people therefore prefer to buy ready-to-drink protein shakes, but if they knew what they were drinking, they would probably vomit.
Ready-to-drink protein shakes are full of emulsifiers, stabilizers, and thickeners. Ingredients like these improve characteristics like shelf stability, but can cause uncomfortable side effects and long-term gut damage (more about this soon). This is why I recommend that you make your own egg protein shakes with protein powder. That said, not all protein powders are created equal, and many contain the same additives found in ready-to-drink protein shakes!
Why drink wholesome?
drink wholesome is additive-free.
One of the reasons why we make the best egg protein powder is that we do not use food additives. Most protein powders, on the other hand, are full of food additives. Although not necessarily bad for you in small quantities, additives can add up quickly (especially if you drink a protein shake every day) and cause gastrointestinal (GI) side effects like bloating, constipation, diarrhea, gas, and stomach pain. This is because food additives are hard to digest, and sit in your gut for longer than food should, which gives your gut bacteria more time to eat. As they eat, these bacteria produce gas, which causes bloating and stomach pain. Gas also slows colonic transit (the amount of time it takes food to travel through the colon), and can lead to constipation. In the long term, food additives can disrupt regulatory pathways in the intestine, which can result in the development of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and systemic inflammatory disorders.
When buying egg protein powder, one ingredient to avoid in particular is artificial sweeteners. Artificial sweeteners are among the most harmful food additives in the long term as they alter the composition of your gut microbiota (the collection of microorganisms that help you digest food). This can lead to serious, chronic GI problems, widespread inflammation, and permanent damage to the gut microbiome. Some sweeteners, especially sugar alcohols like xylitol, are also poorly absorbed by the gut (meaning they feed those hungry gut bacteria), and cause diarrhea because they draw water into your intestine. Now you finally have something to blame for those post-protein shake trips to the bathroom!
Here is a list of the most common food additives in protein powder:
acacia gum, acesulfame potassium, artificial flavors, aspartame, carrageenan, cellulose gum, dextrin, dextrose, erythritol, gellan gum, guar gum, gum arabic, inulin, locust bean gum, “natural” flavors, maltodextrin, rice syrup solids, soy lecithin, silica, sucralose, sunflower lecithin, xanthan gum, xylitol
When it comes to identifying food additives, go with your gut. 😉 As a rule of thumb, they are the ingredients that you cannot pronounce. Food additives are not the only thing to look out for when buying egg protein powder, however. There are several other ingredients that can upset your stomach.
the alternative:
Protein Matrix Comprised of (Whey Protein Concentrate, Whey Protein Isolate, Calcium Caseinate, Micellar Casein, Milk Protein Isolate, Egg Albumen, Glutamine Peptides), Polydextrose, Sunflower Creamer (Sunflower Oil, Corn Syrup Solids, Sodium Caseinate, Mono- and Diglycerides, Dipotassium Phosphate, Tricalcium Phosphate, Soy Lecithin, Tocopherols), Natural and Artificial Flavor, MCT Powder (Medium Chain Triglycerides, Nonfat Dry Milk, Disodium Phosphate, Silicon Dioxide), Lecithin, Cellulose Gum, Salt, Yellow 5, Sucralose, Acesulfame Potassium, Papain, Bromelain.
*This is the actual ingredient list of one of the best-selling protein powders in the United States.
drink wholesome is dairy-free.
Another reason why we make the best egg-based protein powder is that we do not use dairy-based proteins. Many protein powders are made with whey and casein, which are byproducts of cheese and yogurt production, and known to cause digestive issues, especially for people with lactose intolerance and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Over one in three Americans are lactose intolerant, and the prevalence of IBS is somewhere between 10 and 15 percent in the United States. It follows that you may be lactose intolerant or have IBS and not even know it. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a poorly understood condition, and it is unclear why dairy triggers symptoms. Lactose intolerance, on the other hand, is clearly understood. People with lactose intolerance are unable to fully digest lactose, the sugar in dairy. As you just learned, partially digested food feeds the bacteria in your gut, which produce gas.
drink wholesome is made with real foods.
A final reason why we make the best egg protein powder is that we do not use protein isolates. Most protein powders, on the contrary, are made with protein concentrates and/or isolates, foods stripped of everything but the protein. They are listed on the ingredient list as “pea protein” and “whey protein” as opposed to “peas” and “whey.” I will not go into the details, but protein concentrates and isolates undergo heavy mechanical and chemical processing before becoming protein powder. Sometimes, manufacturers use chemical solvents like hexane to isolate (separate) the protein from the food. This means that what you end up putting into your body looks nothing like real food. This is a problem because the less an ingredient looks like real food, the harder it is to digest; your gut always prefers the real thing, not some heavily-processed imitation. Instead of protein concentrates or isolates, we make the best egg protein powder with whole egg whites. Egg whites are simply pasteurized and dried before becoming protein powder, making them a minimally-processed, gut-friendly alternative to protein concentrates and isolates.
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“I’ve had Crohn’s disease for 20+ years and it’s always been hard to find a protein powder my stomach can handle. I’ve had no problem digesting drink wholesome AND it tastes great. I highly recommend this protein powder if you have IBS or Crohn’s.” – Jesse
drink wholesome makes the best egg-based protein powder.
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This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. drink wholesome is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.