What is the best protein powder without sweetener?

drink wholesome makes the best protein powder without sweeteners.

Written by Jack Schrupp & endorsed by Baylee Reller, RDN

Why use protein powder without sweetener?

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Protein powder without sweetener is great for people who want to add protein to smoothies, oatmeal, and other recipes without changing the flavor. It is also ideal for people looking to limit their sugar intake. Some protein powders contain added sugars that are not compatible with certain diets or dietary restrictions.

Plus, using protein powder without sweeteners lets you add your own sweetener of choice. This way, you can control the amount of sweetness and/or sugar in your diet.

Finally, many sweeteners, particularly sugar substitutes like artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols, are not good for you. For one thing, multiple studies have shown that they increase cravings for sugary and sweet foods, leading to overeating and feelings of withdrawal. If you are looking to shed a few pounds, you might be better off opting for real sugar. Research has also linked artificial sweeteners to an increased risk of glucose intolerance, which is a precursor to conditions like pre-diabetes and diabetes.

It is worth mentioning that many sugar substitutes, including stevia, activate bitter taste receptors in addition to sweet taste receptors. Many people hate this bitter aftertaste, and would much rather use their own sweetener, or no sweetener at all. 

What is the best protein powder without sweeteners? 

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Not all protein powders without sweetener are created equal. First of all, animal-based protein powders like whey, egg white, and collagen tend to taste and mix better than plant-based protein powders like pea and hemp. Most unsweetened plant-based protein powders have a chalky aftertaste and gritty texture.

Moreover, many protein powders without sweeteners contain emulsifiers, thickeners, and flavors known to cause painful side effects and long-term gut health problems. This is why reading ingredient lists is so important, and why you should look for a short list of simple ingredients. 

Our unsweetened protein powders are made with only 1 ingredient. We have made it easy for you to know exactly what you are putting into your body. Our protein powders without sweetener are also made using whole food protein sources, not protein concentrates or isolates. Protein concentrates and isolates have been stripped of everything but the protein, and are the reason why so many protein powders taste like chalk. 

Our unsweetened protein powders are super versatile too. You can add your own sweeteners, like honey and maple syrup, to suit your preferences and diet. You can also add your own flavorings – cocoa, vanilla extract, fresh or frozen fruit, etc. – to create the perfect smoothie. 

Why drink wholesome? 

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drink wholesome is additive-free.

One of the reasons why we make the best protein powder without sweetener is that we do not use food additives. Added ingredients like gums, lecithin, and flavorings can cause painful side effects, even in small amounts. 

Here is a list of the most common food additives in protein powder:

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, maltodextrin, mono- and diglycerides, ‘natural’ flavors, rice bran extract, rice dextrin, rice hulls, rosemary extract, silica, silicon dioxide, sodium alginate, sodium bicarbonate, soluble corn fiber, soy lecithin, sucralose, sunflower lecithin, tocopherols, tricalcium phosphate, xanthan gum, xylitol, zinc oxide

In short, food additives look nothing like real food, making them hard to digest. They consequently wind up sitting in your gut, feeding your gut bacteria. As they eat, gut bacteria release gas, which causes bloating, flatulence, and stomach pain. Gas can also slow colonic transit – the amount of time it takes food to move through the colon – leading to constipation.

Sometimes, partially digested food additives cause your colon to absorb extra water. This can include osmotic diarrhea, and may very well be the reason why protein shakes have made you rush to the bathroom in the past. 

Worse yet, eating food additives every day can disrupt regulatory pathways in your intestines, causing development of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and other systemic inflammatory conditions. Food additives can also disturb your gut microbiome, leading to widespread inflammation and even the onset and progression of several chronic diseases.

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 protein powder without sweeteners is that we do not use whey and casein. Dairy-based proteins like these contain lactose, a sugar that most adults cannot fully digest. This, as you might imagine, can cause nasty gastrointestinal (GI) side effects.

drink wholesome is made with real foods.

A final reason why we make the best protein powder without sweetener is that we do not use protein concentrates or isolates. Nearly every single other protein powder is made from one or both of these protein sources. As mentioned earlier, concentrates and isolates undergo tons of mechanical and chemical processing, sometimes involving solvents like hexane. What you put into your body thus looks almost nothing like real food.

Your gut is designed to break down minimally or unprocessed or real foods, not protein concentrates or isolates. This is why more and more research is finding that eating ingredients like these can alter the function and composition of your gut microbiome. Once again, having an altered gut microbiome is not something you want to have to worry about.

Instead of using protein concentrates or isolates, we make the best protein powder with no sweetener using egg whites and almonds. Minimally-processed ingredients like these are gut-healthy (and better tasting) alternatives to protein concentrates and isolates. 

Unlike protein isolates and concentrates, egg whites and almonds contain enzymes that help you break them down. What is more, egg whites are low fiber, low FODMAP, alkaline (they maintain healthy pH levels in your gut), and bioactive (they promote the growth of healthy gut bacteria). In fact, our happy customers have reported fewer digestive issues with our egg white protein powders than with any other type of protein powder.

For those who cannot eat eggs, our vegan almond protein powder is the best unsweetened vegan protein powder. Almonds are prebiotic, meaning they support diversity of your gut microbiome. They also give you regular and healthy bowel movements. In summary, our protein powders, because they are made with 1 gut-friendly ingredient, are the best unsweetened protein powders. 

★★★★★

easy to digest

“I’m diabetic and was looking for something simple to help me boost my protein. I just add it to smoothies. No glucose spikes and fills me up.” – James

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