Alisha McDarris
As the co-founder and writer of vegan outdoor adventure blog terradrift.com, I find myself deep in the mountains and the woods more frequently than the average outdoor lover, and frequently over mealtimes. But you better believe if I’m missing lunch (or even my afternoon snack, I’m going to be packing plenty of protein to hold me over until I get back to civilization.
Weather I’m on a leisurely afternoon hike or a multi-day adventure, these are 4 vegan protein powders I turn to for a calorie boost and occasionally even a meal replacement.
Gnarly Vegan Plant Protein Meal Replacement
Gnarly might make one of the tastiest meal replacements out there. Yup, this is more than just a protein powder—it contains vitamins, minerals, and all 9 essential amino acids, too. Plus the chocolate flavor is rich and creamy, the stevia aftertaste is minimal, and one serving contains 20 grams of protein. The powder thickens when mixed with water or non-dairy milk and is impressively smooth. It’s sweetened with stevia and evaporated cane juice and much of the packaging is plastic-free.
Vega Sport
Vega is a widely recognized plant-based protein powder available in lots of flavors and formulations (including ones for gut health and rest). Flavors do tend to be on the sweet side, but that’s thanks to the addition of monk fruit, which does tend to have a curious aftertaste. That said, when shaken with water, it thickens up pleasantly and a serving contains a welcome 18 grams of protein plus additional vitamins, minerals, and amino acids, so acts as more of a meal replacement.
Garden of Life Raw Organic Protein
Whether you’re a fan of raw diets or not, this vegan protein powder strikes a welcome balance between taste and price. Another plus: it’s a brand you’ll see at grocery and health food stores regularly, so it’s fairly accessible. It does remains fairly thin and the flavor isn’t as rich as some other options, but it’s also not super grainy, which is nice. It also contains additional vitamins, minerals, essential and non-essential amino acids, plus probiotics in addition to its impressive 22 grams of protein.
Awesome Coffee
Prefer your protein in the morning and want it to give you a boost? Look no further than Awesome Coffee, which contains a less robust 13 grams of protein but 135 mg of caffeine plus Ashwagandha and other boosting ingredients. It’s sweetened with 4 grams of sugar plus monk fruit, which is a strong flavor in this concoction if you’re not keen on the ingredient. It is meant to be shaken or blended cold, and has a touch of graininess, but offers a great morning boost before you hit the trail.
Next time you’re looking for a quick and easy, protein-rich quaff on the trail or at the campground, turn to one of these vegan protein powders to satisfy your hunger.
Author Bio: Alisha McDarris is a freelance travel and outdoor journalist an co-founder of the sustainable adventure blog and YouTube channel Terradrift.com. She lives in Utah, but spends much of the year traveling around the country and the world exploring new places to play outside and searching for the best vegan cupcakes.
