How to Find the Best High Calorie Vegan Protein Powder
📌 Overview and Key Takeaways
This is a Certified Nutrition Coach’s guide on how to find the best high calorie vegan protein powder.
Discover how to meet your protein and calorie needs.
High Calorie Vegan Protein Powder
Which Vegan Protein Powders Are High Calorie?
A calorie is the unit of measurement that indicates the amount of energy in food.
High calorie means a food contains a large number of calories per serving.
Generally speaking, a food that contains more than 200 calories per serving is considered high calorie.
Very few (if any) protein powders contain this many calories per serving.
This is in part because protein powders are first and foremost protein shakes or powders, not meal replacements.
It is because protein powders are typically marketed as weight loss foods intended to help people eat fewer calories.
In other words, a protein powder with 200 calories per serving is almost unheard of.
With that in mind, a protein powder with over 150 calories per serving can be considered high calorie.
Keep in mind that what you mix protein powder with will affect the calorie count (unless you mix it with water).
Mixing protein powder with mix, for example, could easily add over 100 calories.
Vegan (plant-based) protein powders tend to have more calories per serving than animal-based protein powders.
And vegan protein powders made with protein concentrates and isolates tend to have fewer calories per serving than protein powders made with whole food protein sources.
Generally speaking, the highest calorie protein powders tend to be nut-based protein powders.
Our Vegan Almond Protein Powders, for example, contain 150+ calories per serving.
That said, the number of calories in a serving of vegan protein powder can vary considerably depending on the ingredients and formulation.
For this reason, you should always read the Nutrition or Supplement Facts before buying a protein powder.
You may also want to consider using a Vegan Meal Replacement Powder, which is essentially a high calorie protein powder with a balance of healthy fats, complex carbs, and protein.
Product Quiz
What Is the Best High Calorie Vegan Protein Powder?
As long as you are eating a balanced diet, the type of vegan protein powder you use does matter.
Ingredients to matter, however.
Many vegan protein powders contain ingredients that can cause painful side effects and long term health problems.
Among these ingredients are food additives, dairy-based proteins, and protein concentrates and isolates.
🚫 Avoid Food Additives
Regularly eating emulsifiers, thickeners, sugar substitutes, and other additives can not only upset your stomach, but also alter the composition of your gut microbiome (the collection of microorganisms living in your gut) (North Clin Istanb, 2019).
This can lead to gut dysbiosis, or an imbalance in gut microbiota, which contributes to a wide range of chronic diseases, including obesity, type 1 diabetes, and colorectal cancer (Microorganisms, 2022; J Exp Med, 2019).
Keep in mind that the gut microbiome affects various physiological processes, including immune function and inflammation, so when the balance of bacteria therein is disrupted, it can have a huge impact on your overall health.
⚠️ Here is a list of the most common food additives in protein shakes and powders:
- 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 cannot find it in nature or make it at home, it is probably a food additive.
🚫 Avoid Dairy-Based Proteins
Dairy-based proteins like whey and casein, although not an issue for everyone, can cause digestive issues.
This is usually because they contain lactose, a sugar many individuals with sensitive stomachs cannot fully digest.
But you might be sensitive to dairy-based proteins even if you are not lactose intolerant.
This is particularly true for casein protein, which forms a gel-like substance in your stomach that slows down digestion.
🚫 Avoid Protein Concentrates and Isolates
You might also want to avoid ultra-processed protein concentrates and isolates.
Most protein shakes and powders 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 your gut break them down.
You therefore do not digest them in the same way that you do whole foods, which could affect your gut health.
Studies show that regularly eating protein concentrates and isolates might disrupt your gut microbiome and cause the formation of toxic byproducts in your gut (Nutrients, 2018; Mol Nutr Food Res, 2024).
You should thus look for protein shakes and powders made from whole food protein sources like egg whites and almonds, which are easier to digest and absorb.
Order Samples to see for yourself.
Sources
- Northern Clinics of Istanbul (North Clin Istanb). Food additives and microbiota. 2019.
- Microorganisms (Microorganisms). Gut Microbiota Dysbiosis: Triggers, Consequences, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Options. 2022.
- The Journal of Experimental Medicine (J Exp Med). The gut microbiome: Relationships with disease and opportunities for therapy. 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 protein powder for sensitive stomachs, GERD, IBS, and other gut issues. It’s suitable for most food sensitivities, including lactose intolerance, and won’t cause side effects like bloating, constipation, and reflux.
Why Is Drink Wholesome Good for Sensitive Stomachs?
Drink Wholesome is the best protein powder for sensitive stomachs because it’s additive, dairy, and gluten-free. It’s also made from minimally-processed protein sources like egg whites and almonds. Other protein powders are made from ultra-processed protein concentrates and isolates, which look nothing like real food.
What’s the Difference Between Protein Powder and Meal Replacement Powder?
Drink Wholesome makes gut-friendly Protein Powders and Meal Replacement Powders. Protein powder is high in protein and low in everything else, whereas meal replacement powder contains fats, carbs, fiber, and protein because it’s intended to replace the nutritional value of a balanced meal.
What’s the Difference Between Almond, Collagen, and Egg White Protein?
We make three types of stomach-friendly Protein Powder: Collagen Protein Powder, Egg White Protein Powder, and Vegan Almond Protein Powder. As long as you get protein from a variety of sources, any type of protein can help you meet your total daily protein needs. In other words, for someone with a balanced diet, there is no advantage to consuming one type of protein over another. Order Samples to see which type you like the most.
Ask Nutrition Coach
If you’re wondering which Drink Wholesome product is best for you, ask our Certified Nutrition Coach. For personalized medical advice, consult your healthcare provider.
High Protein Balls
PREP TIME
5 min
COOK TIME
5 min
SERVES
2
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup Protein Powder
- ½ cup nut butter
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup rolled oats
- ¼ cup mini chocolate chips
- ¼ cup shredded coconut
Instructions
Combine the Protein Powder, nut butter, syrup, extract, and oats in a food processor or blender. Pulse until well combined. Add the chocolate and coconut, and pulse a few more times. Roll the dough into 10 balls. Enjoy!
Author(s)
Protein Powder Samples
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