Protein Powder without Erythritol: More Than Just a Trend

More than just a trend, erythritol–a popular low-calorie sweetener–has become a hot topic of health concern.

Erythritol is a sugar alcohol that doesn’t raise blood sugar or insulin levels, making it an attractive flavoring agent in protein powder, especially for those who are diabetic, keto, or just trying to cut out sugar.

An unfortunate case of being too good to be true, erythritol has come back to haunt the health space, with new research highlighting reasons to steer clear of this all-too-common sweetener.

What’s Wrong With Erythritol?

A 2023 study published in the journal Nature Medicine, looked at over 4,000 people and found those with higher erythritol levels in their blood were at elevated risk of a cardiovascular event, like a heart attack, stroke, or death.^[1]  

That study, which was funded by the NIH, also found that giving erythritol to animal models enhanced blood clot formation. They also tested adding erythritol to blood outside of the body, which caused it to clot by activating platelets.

Beyond erythritol, the researchers emphasized concern about the safety of artificial sweeteners, as little is known about their long-term health consequences.

Be Mindful About Stevia Containing Erythirol

Compounding the problem, erythritol is often added to natural sweeteners like stevia and monk fruit extract. Because these natural sweeteners are highly potent, they’re often cut with erythritol to enhance the taste and texture, resulting in a sweetener that tastes and looks more like table sugar.

While concerning, it’s important to note that this isn’t the case for all stevia and monk fruit sweeteners. Only some brands use sweetener blends with this combination, stevia and erythritol being the most common.  

Unfortunately, this has given stevia a bad rap, as many consumers think erythritol’s cardiovascular concerns are also linked to stevia. But that’s not the case, as stevia itself does not come with these dangerous risks.

These problems have empowered brands to voice their transparency in clean, erythritol-free protein powder products. There are a few products that stand out for being artificial-free, which I highlight below. 

Which Protein Powders are 100% Erythritol-Free?

As concerns over added sweeteners escalate, brands are stepping up with cleaner and more transparent products. Many brands are going back to using real sugar to avoid potential issues with synthesized sugar alcohols and artificial sweeteners.

Here are several erythritol-free protein powders that use safe ingredients across the board. Some products have affiliate links (see our affiliate disclaimer).

OWYN Plant Protein Powder

OWYN is one of the most transparent brands in the protein powder space, and it clearly states that its products are free from erythritol or any other sugar alcohols. 

Its flagship product, OWYN Plant Protein, uses a combination of organic cane sugar and monk fruit extract for sweetness. A two-scoop serving of 20g of protein has 4g of sugar. 

OWYN’s protein blend contains pea protein concentrate, pumpkin protein, and chia, providing a strong amino acid profile with about 3.8g of BCAAs. It also packs a Superfoods & Greens blend made with kale, spinach, and broccoli, as well as a healthy dose of probiotics.

This is one of the best-tasting protein powders that I frequently use in my post-workout smoothies. I highly recommend it as a clean protein powder without artificial sweeteners, including sugar alcohols like erythritol.

Find it on Amazon

Sunwarrior Warrior Blend

Another top-favorite that’s high on my list, Sunwarrior Warrior Blend is a USDA-certified organic vegan protein powder that’s made with erythritol-free stevia (unless you buy the “Unflavored” option which is stevia-free).

Sugar-free and only 2g of carbohydrates, Warrior Blend is a true keto protein powder that’s also safe for diabetics. It offers an amino acid-rich protein blend with pea protein, goji berry, and hemp seed protein, providing ample nutrients for athletic recovery.

Warrior Blend comes in a variety of flavors, including Vanilla, Berry, Chocolate, Maple Toast, Mocha, Peanut Butter, and Unflavored (sweetener-free and stevia-free). The product is made and packaged in the US, backed by Sunwarrior’s commitment to sustainable, high-quality ingredients.

Find it on Amazon

Vega Protein Made Simple

As one of the newest products from this brand, Vega Protein Made Simple contains only four ingredients (in Vanilla, but more for other flavors). It uses organic cane sugar as a sweetener, containing 6g for every serving that provides 15g of sugar.

It’s a pea-based protein powder that’s non-GMO, stevia-free, and gluten-free. It’s highly reviewed for its delicious, creamy taste, and it comes in four flavor options: Vanilla, Dark Chocolate, Caramel Toffee, and Strawberry Banana.

The only real downsides are that it’s not organic and that the protein blend is pea and pea only. Though pea is a complete protein with all essential amino acids, generally a variety of plant protein sources if preferred for a more abundant amino acid profile.

Find it on Amazon

KOS Organic Superfood Protein

Last but not least on the list is KOS Organic Superfood Protein. With “No Erythritol” on the front of the label, KOS takes pride as one of the cleanest protein powder brands. It contains organic stevia extract, organic monk fruit extract, and 2g of naturally occurring sugar.

KOS Organic Superfood Protein packs a serious punch nutritionally. The plant-based protein powder contains a blend of pea, flaxseed, quinoa, pumpkin seed, and chia seed, providing a complete protein source. It also has an Organic Fruit and Veggie blend with seven different plants as well as a Vitamins and Minerals Blend with ten vitamins and minerals.

In addition to its robust nutritional value, KOS Organic Superfood Protein is highly rated for its delicious taste. It comes in six flavors: Vanilla, Chocolate, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Salted Caramel Coffee, Blueberry Muffin, and Unflavored protein powder option with no sweeteners (including no stevia or monk fruit).

Find it on Amazon

Orgain Simple Protein

Despite the original Orgain Organic Protein containing stevia and erythritol, the brand has redeemed itself by releasing Orgain Simple, a stevia-free and erythritol-free protein powder made with organic coconut sugar (6g of sugar per serving).

This all-organic product delivers a protein blend made from pea protein, peanut flour, pumpkin seed protein, almond protein, and chia. This diverse array of protein sources provides an abundant amino acid profile backed by 20g of protein per two-scoop serving.

If you like peanut butter protein powders, then Orgain Simple’s Peanut Butter flavor is a must-try. It also comes in Creamy Vanilla and Chocolate, all of which are absolutely delicious with a nice malty flavor that’s deceptively non-dairy.

Find it on Amazon

Takeaway

With erythritol now highly scrutinized for its cardiovascular health concerns, it’s easy to imagine the potential issues with other artificial sweeteners; issues that we aren’t even aware of yet.

This information is only available in ingredients where research is invested. And there’s still much to learn about the health and safety of the ingredients found in today’s protein powder.

The takeaway: exercise caution with any form of nutritional supplement and stick with brands you know and trust. For me, these five protein powders above are safe bets that deliver on my nutritional needs.

Do you have an erythritol-free protein powder recommendation that’s not mentioned on this list? I’d love to hear about it. You can contact me directly or leave a comment below.

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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 and athletic space who has tried hundreds of different 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 platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, or Instagram. You can also visit his site TylerTafelsky.com to learn more about what he’s up to.

Scientific References

1. 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