How to Find the Best Low Oxalate Protein Powder
📌 Overview and Key Takeaways
This is a Certified Nutrition Coach’s guide on how to find the best low oxalate protein powder.
Discover how to meet your protein needs while limiting your oxalate intake.
Low Oxalate Protein Powder
Which Types of Protein Powder Are Low in Oxalates?
Egg white, collagen, and whey protein powders are the lowest in oxalates.
If you are at risk of kidney stones or simply want to reduce your oxalate intake, these are the best options to consider.
- Egg White Protein Powder: Egg whites are low in oxalate and purines. Purines are natural compounds that the body breaks down into uric acid, which might contribute to the formation of uric acid kidney stones (Lancet, 2026)
- Collagen Protein Powder: Collagen is low in oxalates and purines.
- Whey Protein Powder: Whey is low in oxalates and purines. It also contains calcium. Calcium can bind to oxalate in the digestive tract, which might reduce how much oxalate the body absorbs and could lower the risk of calcium oxalate stone formation (N Engl J Med, 2010).
As long as you eat a balanced diet, the specific type of low oxalate protein powder you choose does not matter much.
In other words, any of these options can help you meet your total daily protein needs.
In case you were wondering, most other types of protein powder contain moderate amounts of oxalates.
Soy and nut-based protein powders, however, tend to be high in oxalates, so people prone to kidney stones might want to avoid them.
It is also important to know that added ingredients can increase the amount of oxalates in a protein powder.
Cocoa and peanuts, for example, are high oxalate ingredients to watch out for.
Product Quiz
What Is the Best Low Oxalate Protein Powder?
Not all low oxalate protein powders are created equal.
Some protein powders, despite being low in oxalates, contain ingredients that might contribute to kidney stone risk.
Among these ingredients are food additives and protein concentrates and isolates.
🚫 Avoid Food Additives
Regularly consuming emulsifiers, thickeners, artificial sweeteners, and other ultra-processed additives might alter the makeup and function of your gut microbiome, the community of bacteria and other microbes that live in your digestive tract (North Clin Istanb, 2020).
These shifts, known as gut dysbiosis, might contribute to the development of kidney stones (Front Microbiol, 2025).
Specifically, an unhealthy gut microbiome has been shown to disrupt how the body processes oxalate, promote inflammation, and encourage crystal buildup in the kidneys (Front Microbiol, 2025).
It is important to note that this is an emerging area of research and more studies are needed to clarify this relationship.
⚠️ 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 Protein Concentrates and Isolates
You might also want to avoid 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 you break them down.
You therefore might not digest them in the same way that you do whole foods, which could affect your gut health.
For example, one study shows that regularly consuming protein concentrates and isolates might disrupt your gut microbiome (Nutrients, 2018).
Another study shows that it could cause the formation of toxic byproducts in your gut (Mol Nutr Food Res, 2024).
Although further research is needed, you can play it safe by choosing protein shakes and powders made from minimally-processed protein sources like egg whites and almonds.
They might be more gut-friendly.
Order Samples to see for yourself.
Sources
- The Lancet (Lancet). Kidney stones: pathophysiology and medical management. 2026.
- The New England Journal of Medicine (N Engl J Med). Calcium Kidney Stones. 2010.
- Northern Clinics of Istanbul (North Clin Istanb). Food additives and microbiota. 2020.
- Frontiers in Microbiology (Front Microbiol). The gut-kidney axis in urolithiasis: roles of gut microbiota, metabolites, and therapeutic implications. 2025.
- 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 Blueberry Pancakes
PREP TIME
5 min
COOK TIME
5 min
SERVES
2
Ingredients
- ¼ cup Drink Wholesome
- ⅓ cup flour
- 2 egg whites
- ¼ cup plant milk
- 1 tbsp nut butter
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 cup blueberries
Instructions
In a blender, combine the egg whites, milk, ¼ cup blueberries, and almond butter. Pour the mixture into a small mixing bowl and add the protein powder and flour. Whisk until smooth. Pour ⅓ cup batter onto a heated and greased (or non-stick) pan to form pancakes. Cook each side for 2-3 minutes. This recipe makes 4-5 pancakes. Then, in a small saucepan, heat ¾ cup blueberries and the maple syrup over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 8 minutes. Plate the pancakes and spoon blueberry jam on top.
Author(s)
Protein Powder Samples
Starting at: $9.99
BUY NOWProtein Calculator
Product Quiz