The Healthiest Vegan Protein Shakes That Are Actually Good for You

Vegan protein shakes are a convenient way to consume quality, plant-based protein abundant in nutrients. But just because a protein shake is vegan or contains zero sugar doesn’t mean it’s healthy.

Both whey protein shakes and vegan protein shakes often contain artificial sweeteners, sugar alcohols, and thickeners that are highly suspect and potentially harmful, especially for everyday consumption.

The bummer news is that most of these protein shakes are not all that healthy when you examine the ingredient lists. This can make finding a clean vegan protein shake that’s good for you (and tastes good) no easy task. 

Having researched this topic extensively, here I share what I’ve found to be the best vegan protein shakes that stand out as the healthiest options. But first, let’s define some criteria on what makes them ‘healthy.’

What Makes a Vegan Protein Shake ‘Healthy’?

The primary protein sources in vegan protein shakes vary widely, often containing pea protein, brown rice protein, soy protein, and various seed proteins (pumpkin, sunflower, and chia). 

Each of these plant proteins contains different levels of amino acids, which influence the quality of the protein shake. But the protein source alone is just the foundation.

It’s often the added ingredients that are most problematic, and a long list of hard-to-pronounce ingredients should raise a red flag. To pinpoint a vegan protein shake that’s truly healthy, here are a few things to look for:

• No artificial sweeteners: Many protein shakes, especially zero-sugar options, contain artificial sweeteners like sucralose, saccharin, and acesulfame potassium to enhance the taste. These synthetic sweeteners can cause health problems, from disrupting metabolism and cardiovascular health^[1] to stimulating appetite versus suppressing it.^[2] Not only can they be counterproductive for weight loss, but they can cause serious long-term health concerns.
• Low sugar: Some vegan protein shakes don’t hold back on sugar. While a little bit of sugar is better than artificial sweeteners, too much might be spiking your blood glucose levels–a response you want to avoid if you’re diabetic or trying to lose weight. The good news is there are healthy, no-sugar protein shakes that use natural sweeteners like monk fruit and stevia leaf extract.
• No sugar alcohols: Beyond artificial sweeteners, many brands use sugar alcohols to make their vegan protein shakes taste good. The most common are xylitol, sorbitol, mannitol, and erythritol. Just in the last couple of years, studies have revealed major problems with sugar alcohols. For instance, a study observing over 4,000 people found those with higher erythritol levels in their blood to be at a higher risk of cardiovascular problems, like heart attack, stroke, or death.^[3]  
• Less gums and fillers: Fillers like xanthan gum, guar gum, and soy lecithin are frequently added to protein shakes to enhance texture. While these additives are generally safe, they may cause gastrointestinal discomfort in some individuals, which can lead to bloating, gas, and other digestive issues. Unfortunately, it’s hard to find a protein shake without some gums.
• Complete protein: With vegan protein shakes, it’s important to ensure you’re consuming a complete protein with all 9 essential amino acids.^[4] Some plant protein sources, like brown rice alone, are not complete while others like hemp are. Look for shakes with an abundance of plant protein sources and high concentrations of amino acids, particularly branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), which support muscle recovery.

Lastly, look for vegan protein shakes that have sufficient grams of protein per serving. Products that contain 15g to 30g are generally enough for most people. 

Some boutique brands have less and are hardly worth the cost. And other low-cost protein shakes may have 40g of protein, which is overkill. See my article on how much protein to consume for a better idea of how much is too much (or not enough.)

5 Best Vegan Protein Shakes for Your Health

Now that we know what defines a vegan protein shake that’s good for your health, let’s get into some product recommendations. Below are five of the best vegan protein shakes that top the podium as the healthiest.

OWYN Plant Protein Shake

OWYN, or ‘Only What You Need,’ makes a vegan protein shake that uses a protein blend made from pea protein, organic pumpkin seed protein, and flax oil. This makes it a complete protein with an abundance of amino acids.

OWYN’s Plant Protein Shake packs 20g of protein in a single 12oz container. Not only is it allergy-friendly, gluten-free, non-GMO, and vegan, but it’s one of the best-tasting vegan protein shakes I’ve had.

The shake is sweetened with monk fruit extract and organic cane sugar, containing 4g of sugar per container. Both the smooth vanilla and dark chocolate are on the sweet side but in a good way that tastes clean and natural. It also comes in several other flavors, including a double-shot line with 180mg of caffeine per bottle.

More than just protein, OWYN Plant Protein Shake also contains a greens blend with broccoli, spinach, and kale. The downside to this product is that it uses guar and gellan gum, but these are two ingredients it contains the least amount of.

Orgain Organic Plant Protein Shake

Unlike some of Orgain Organic’s protein powders that contain sugar alcohols like erythritol, I was surprised to learn that Orgain Plant Protein Shake is free from both sugar alcohols and artificial sweeteners.

While it may appear light on the protein with only 16g per 11oz carton, the protein blend contains pea and chia seeds making for a strong amino acid profile. It’s also one of the few plant-based protein shakes that are entirely organic.

If you’re an athlete looking to fuel your post-workout recovery, Orgain Plant Protein Shake provides more carbohydrate nourishment with 28g of carbs and 10g of sugar. In turn, it provides 230 calories per carton.

The high oleic sunflower oil is not as bad as other seed oils, but the sunflower lecithin is purely an emulsifier for consistency and texture.

Where Orgain Plant Protein Shake rises above the rest is its organic fruit and vegetable blend as well as its vitamin and mineral blend. This level of nutrient density makes for a superior vegan protein shake that outperforms most of the competition, especially compared to whey protein and dairy-based shakes.

Evolve Plant-Based Protein Shake

Evolve Plant-Based Protein Shake is another option that has 20g of protein in an 11oz carton. It also uses cane sugar for sweetness, along with stevia leaf extract, containing 4g of sugar per unit.

The protein source derives from pea protein isolate. While pea is considered a complete protein on its own, it’s not as rich in amino acids as other vegan protein shakes that utilize a variety of plant-based protein sources.

With 10g of soluble fiber from corn, it’s designed for digestive health. It’s also a decent source of vitamin B12, calcium, iron, and zinc. It’s lower in fat and calories compared to other shakes, with just 2g of fat and 140 calories per carton.

Evolve Plant-Based Protein Shake does contain gellan gum for texture, but it’s free from artificial sweeteners, flavors, and colors, making it one of the healthier options available.

Ripple Vegan Protein Shake

Ripple is another pea-based protein shake that uses cane sugar (9g) and monk fruit extract to create a deliciously sweet, dessert-like drink. A 12oz bottle delivers 20g of protein in a satiating 200-calorie serving. 

Ripple is slightly higher in fat with 7g per bottle, which mostly comes from seed oil. This is a questionably unhealthy additive that poses some inflammatory concerns when consumed regularly.^[5]

While it may be branded as an allergy-friendly, non-dairy protein shake, it does contain a couple of types of gums along with sunflower lecithin, which don’t provide much nutritional value.

However, it does taste quite good and countless reviews are raving about its delicious taste. While it’s not the highest choice on my list, it makes the cut.

OWYN Pro Elite Protein Shake

OWYN Pro Elite uses a similar protein blend as the original OWYN Plant Protein Shake, but it packs between 32g and 35g of protein instead of 20g (flavor depending). The product is almost identical, except it contains no sugar (only sweetened with the monk fruit extract).

Not only is OWYN Pro Elite ketogenic-friendly, but it’s also diabetic-friendly as well. With no artificial sweeteners or sugar alcohols, it won’t elevate blood glucose levels like other zero-calorie, high-protein shakes do.

OWYN Pro Elite is the optimal vegan protein shake alternative to mainstream products like Premier Protein and Core Power, which are riddled with synthetic ingredients that are bad for your health.

It’s available in Vanilla, Chocolate, and No Nut Butter Cup, the latter being my favorite. It’s slightly more expensive than the original OWYN Plant Protein Shake, but Pro Elite is a level-up for those seeking a sugar-free option with lots of protein.

What’s Your Favorite Vegan Protein Shake?

Is there a plant-based protein shake that you’re particularly fond of? If so, I would like to know about it. Please leave a comment below or contact me directly to get in touch.

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About The Author

This article was written by Tyler Tafelsky, the lead editor here at VeganProteinPowder.reviews. Tyler is an experienced writer in the health, nutrition, and athletic space. Over his lifetime, he’s tried hundreds of plant-based nutritional products and writes about his favorites here on this blog. Learn more about Tyler by viewing his full author bio or by following him on social media platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, or Instagram. Also, visit his website to learn more about what he’s up to.

Scientific References:

1.  Singh, S., Kohli, A., Trivedi, S. et al. The contentious relationship between artificial sweeteners and cardiovascular health. Egypt J Intern Med 35, 43 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s43162-023-00232-1
2. Yang Q. Gain weight by “going diet?” Artificial sweeteners and the neurobiology of sugar cravings: Neuroscience 2010. Yale J Biol Med. 2010 Jun;83(2):101-8. PMID: 20589192; PMCID: PMC2892765.
3. Witkowski, M., Nemet, I., Alamri, H. et al. The artificial sweetener erythritol and cardiovascular event risk. Nat Med 29, 710–718 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-023-02223-9
4. Mariotti F, Gardner CD. Dietary Protein and Amino Acids in Vegetarian Diets-A Review. Nutrients. 2019 Nov 4;11(11):2661. doi: 10.3390/nu11112661. PMID: 31690027; PMCID: PMC6893534.
5. Fritsche KL. Linoleic acid, vegetable oils & inflammation. Mo Med. 2014 Jan-Feb;111(1):41-3. PMID: 24645297; PMCID: PMC6179509.