How to Find the Best Heart Healthy Protein Powder

📌 Overview and Key Takeaways

This is a Dietitian’s guide on how to find the best heart healthy protein powder.

Discover how to safely supplement your protein intake.

Last Updated
Feb 1, 2026

Author and Medical Reviewer

Written by Jack, Founder

Jack is the Founder of Drink Wholesome.

Medically reviewed by Brittany, MS, RD and Jenn, PA-C

Kayla is a Registered Dietitian with a MS in Nutrition.

Jennifer is a Physician Assistant with a BA in Nutritional Sciences.

Heart Healthy Protein Powder

Is Protein Powder Heart Healthy?

If something is heart healthy, it helps prevent or reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD), a group of disorders of the heart and blood vessels.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the leading risk factors for CVD include high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity.

As you might imagine, research has demonstrated an strong relationship between diet and CVD (Int J Mol Sci, 2018).

In fact, diet is the cornerstone of CVD prevention (Nutrients, 2023).

For this reason, everything you consume, including protein supplements, should be considered as part of overall heart health.

Protein powder is not typically discussed in the context of heart health, but it can be used to promote weight loss, which might lower your risk of developing CVD.

That said, not all protein powders are created equal.

Several common protein powder ingredients/nutrients may have adverse effects on heart health when consumed regularly or in excess.

• Added sugars: Excessive consumption of added sugars can contribute to weight gain, diabetes, and heart disease. Sugar-like additives like maltodextrin should be avoided as well.
• Artificial sweeteners: Some studies suggest that artificial sweeteners like acesulfame potassium and sucralose may have negative effects on cardiovascular health (BMJ, 2022).
• Trans fats: Trans fats can raise LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and lower HDL (good) cholesterol levels, increasing the risk of heart disease.
• Sodium: Excessive sodium intake can lead to high blood pressure.
• Caffeine: Some protein powders, such as metabolism-boosting or thermogenic products, contain added caffeine, which can have adverse effects on heart health.

On the other hand, certain protein powder ingredients are beneficial for heart health.

The ingredients that tend to have the most benefits are plant-based ones.

Plants contain fiber, which helps lower cholesterol levels and regulate blood sugar levels.

They are also rich in antioxidants, phytonutrients, and polyphenols that help reduce oxidative stress and inflammation, two risk factors for heart disease.

Some plants, like nuts and seeds, contain healthy fats too, which are associated with reduced inflammation and improved heart health.

In short, it is important to read the ingredient list and nutrition label carefully when choosing a protein powder, especially if you have a pre-existing heart condition.

You should avoid or limit consumption of added sugars and sugar-like additives, artificial sweeteners, trans fats, sodium and caffeine.

And you should prioritize plant-based ingredients high in fiber and healthy fats.

What Is the Best Heart Healthy Protein Powder?

The best heart healthy protein powder is made from a short list of simple ingredients, which means no food additives.

🚫 Avoid Food Additives

Regularly eating emulsifiers, thickeners, and other ultra-processed additives can not only upset your stomach, but also alter the composition and function of your gut microbiome (North Clin Istanb, 2019).

These shifts, known as gut dysbiosis, have been linked to pathologies such as atherosclerosis, hypertension, and heart failure (Circ Res, 2017).

Gut dysbiosis is so problematic because it causes a cascade of problems, including intestinal permeability, systemic inflammation, impaired nutrient absorption, and reduced short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production.

⚠️ 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

You should also consider avoiding protein concentrates and isolates.

Most protein powders are made from one or both of these 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 can affect 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 (Nutrients, 2018; Mol Nutr Food Res, 2024).

So instead of ultra-processed protein concentrates or isolates, look for whole food protein sources like egg whites and almonds.

They are easier to digest and absorb.

Order Samples to see for yourself.

Sources

1. International Journal of Molecular Sciences (Int J Mol Sci). Nutrition and Cardiovascular Health. 2018.
2. Nutrients (Nutrients). The Role of Nutrition in Cardiovascular Disease: Current Concepts and Trends. 2023.
3. BMJ (Clinical research ed.) (BMJ). Artificial sweeteners and risk of cardiovascular diseases: results from the prospective NutriNet-Santé cohort. 2022.
4. Northern Clinics of Istanbul (North Clin Istanb). Food additives and microbiota. 2019.
5. Circulation Research (Circ Res). Gut Microbiota in Cardiovascular Health and Disease. 2017.
6. Nutrients (Nutrients). Effect of a Protein Supplement on the Gut Microbiota of Endurance Athletes: A Randomized, Controlled, Double-Blind Pilot Study. 2018.
7. 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

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This article was written by a Registered Dietitian and reviewed by a Physician Assistant. We rely on peer-reviewed research and trusted medical sources, and regularly update our content to ensure accuracy and clarity.