What is the best legume-free protein powder?

drink wholesome is the best legume-free protein powder.

Written by Jack Schrupp & endorsed by Baylee Reller, RDN

Why eat a legume-free diet? 

---

A legume-free diet is a diet that excludes legumes, a type of plant in the Fabaceae family that includes foods like beans, lentils, peas, and peanuts.

There are various reasons why someone might choose to follow a legume-free diet, including:

1. Allergies: Some individuals have allergies to specific legumes like peanuts, which can be life-threatening. In such cases, they must avoid all legumes to prevent allergic reactions.
2. Digestive Issues: Legumes contain compounds like lectins and phytates that can be difficult to digest for some people, leading to digestive discomfort or symptoms such as gas and bloating. Eliminating legumes from the diet can alleviate these issues.
3. Specific Dietary Approaches: Certain diets, like the Paleo diet, avoid legumes because they were not typically consumed by our distant ancestors. Similarly, some low-carb or ketogenic diets restrict legume consumption due to their carbohydrate content.

If you are vegetarian or vegan and considering a legume-free diet, it is essential that you make sure you are eating enough protein. Legumes are a great source of plant protein, and without them you may have a hard time meeting your protein needs.

Do protein powders contain legumes? 

---

Many protein powders are made with legumes like peas, soybeans, and lentils. Just because a protein powder does not contain one of these ingredients does not mean that it is necessarily legume-free, however.

Many protein powders contain soy lecithin, an popular emulsifier. Sometimes manufacturers do not specify which type of lecithin they are using. If this is the case, check to see if “soy” is listed as an allergen. If it is, your protein powder contains soy lecithin. Basically, if you are looking for a legume-free protein powder due to an allergy or sensitivity, you should carefully check the product label and ingredient list.

What is the best legume-free protein powder?

---

There are several types of legume-free protein powder, and any one of them can help you reach your wellness goals. That is, one type of dietary protein is not better than another, as long as you are eating a balanced diet. Not all legume-free protein powders are created equal, however.

Many legume-free protein powders contain ingredients that can cause painful side effects and long-term health problems. Some of the top offenders are food additives like emulsifiers and thickeners, artificial sweeteners, and dairy-based proteins. Keep reading to learn more.

Why drink wholesome? 

---

drink wholesome is additive-free.

One of the reasons why we make the best legume-free protein powder is that we, unlike most other protein powder companies, do not use food additives. Ingredients like these are terrible for your gut, even in small amounts. 

Food additives look nothing like real food and resist digestion. They linger in your gut, setting the stage for one of two possible scenarios: either your intestines absorb an excessive amount of water, resulting in diarrhea, or the additives feed your gut bacteria. As your gut bacteria eat, they generate gas, and an excessive intestinal gas can give rise to symptoms such as bloating, stomach pain, even constipation.

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

Eating lots of additives can disrupt regulatory mechanisms in your intestines, significantly elevating your risk of developing inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and other systemic inflammatory conditions. Food additives, notably artificial sweeteners, can also disrupt the balance of your gut microbiome. An imbalanced gut microbiome triggers inflammation throughout the body, and can impair your ability to effectively digest food.

our ingredients: 

egg whites, coconut, maple sugar, vanilla

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

drink wholesome is dairy-free.

Another reason why we make the best legume-free protein powder is that we do not use dairy-based proteins. Many other protein powders use whey and/or casein protein, which are byproducts of cheese and yogurt manufacturing. These protein sources are infamous for triggering digestive problems, particularly in the adults with lactose intolerance.

Individuals with lactose intolerance lack the enzymes to digest lactose – the sugar in dairy. As we just discussed, incompletely digested food can give rise to a range of digestive complications.

drink wholesome is made with real foods.

A final reason why we make the best legume-free protein powder is that we do not use protein concentrates or isolates. Virtually every other protein powder is made from one or both of these protein sources, which have been stripped of their non protein components. These types of protein supplements look very little like real food.

Your digestive system is supposed to handle minimally-processed or unprocessed real foods, not protein concentrates and isolates. This is why research suggests that the consumption of refined ingredients like these can disturb your gut microbiome. As we have already discussed, an imbalanced gut microbiome is not something to be taken lightly. In fact, gut dysbiosis has been linked to the onset and progression of several chronic diseases.

Instead of using protein concentrates or isolates, we make the best legume-free protein powder with egg whites and almonds. These minimally-processed protein sources are a gut-friendly alternative to protein concentrates and isolates. Moreover, egg whites are virtually lectin-free. Many people adopt a legume-free diet in order to cut back on lectins, a type of protein that binds to carbohydrates. Lectins are known to cause digestive distress in some people. 

Unlike protein isolates and concentrates, egg whites and almonds are full of enzymes that help you break them down. Egg whites are also low fiber, low FODMAP (good for IBS), alkaline (they balance the pH levels in your gut) and probiotic (they promote the growth of good gut bacteria). Our customers consistently experience fewer digestive problems with our egg white protein powder than with any other protein supplements.

For individuals on a vegan diet or unable to consume eggs, our almond protein powder is the best alternative. Almonds have prebiotic effects, promoting the diversity and composition of the gut microbiome. They also help you have healthy and regular bowel movements. In conclusion, our protein powders are minimally-processed to support your gut health.

★★★★★

easy to digest

“Having a lot of gut issues, I am extremely picky with my ingredients. However, since trying your product, I love it! A gut-friendly, clean protein powder is my dream.” – Maddie

Read more reviews or take the quiz.