9 GREAT Protein Powders for Weight Loss in 2021

One of the most fun and easy ways to lose weight is by finding the best protein powder for weight loss. I personally love the convenience of being able to whip up what basically turns out to be a mildly sweet, delicious shake in the morning, for a snack, or for a meal replacement. It’s so easy and tastes so great!

Of course, the allure of some protein powders can get you into trouble if you’re trying to lose weight. A lot of protein powders have had sugar shoveled in, or other empty calories fillers.

Drinking a sugary protein powder will undo your weight loss just as quickly as having ice cream for breakfast. You also want to avoid any powders that have ingredients that are hard to digest or don’t actually have any nutrition (like fillers and gums) because they’ll make you feel bloated.

With hundreds of choices on the shelves, how can you know which is the best protein powder for weight loss? I’ve got you! In this post, we’ll look at

• The top 9 brands that I recommend as the best protein powder for weight loss (dairy, vegan, and paleo options!)
• 4 dangerous ingredients in some protein powders that MUST be avoided
• The 3 nutritional factors to look for as you browse protein powders so you can find your own favorites while losing weight and getting stronger

Best protein powder for weight loss – your options

There are lots of different kinds of protein powders to choose from. Whey and casein are both proteins derived from dairy milk. [1]

Whey is a “complete protein” containing the 9 essential amino acids that you must get from food because your body cannot make it. It’s also lower in lactose (a form of sugar in milk), so some (not all!) people with lactose intolerance may be able to have it without any issues. [2]

The best time to have whey is just before or after a workout because it absorbs more quickly and can help your sore, tired muscles repair and build up strength at those times.
Casein is another “complete protein,” but it’s not quite as quick for your body to absorb as whey. Casein also helps you burn fat quicker by increasing fat metabolism.. [3] Casein is also lower in lactose than regular milk, so some people with lactose intolerance can digest it more easily.

Casein is best to have right before bed because it helps your body build and repair muscle while you sleep. [4]

If you’d like to avoid dairy altogether, or if the two options above don’t agree with you, there are also some great vegan and Paleo protein powders available now!

The best thing to do is to try a few and see what agrees best with your body. I don’t recommend soy-based protein powders because they can alter your hormonal balance and affect your thyroid and estrogen levels if you have too much of it. [5]

Best protein powder for weight loss and lean muscle

To find the best protein powder for weight loss and sexy, lean muscles, always look for these in the nutrition label:

1. High protein (24-30g per serving)

2. Low carb (less than 5 grams per serving)

3. Low sugar (less than 3 grams per serving)

These ingredients are the ones you DON’T want to see listed on your protein powder:

1. Ion exchange (degrades amino acids so you don’t get the health benefits) [6]

2. Bioactive peptides (they can be overly processed and create free-radicals that age you and could even be linked to causing cancer) [7]

3. Artificial sweeteners (such as Splenda, aspartame, and Stevia) can actually make you feel hungrier and undo the benefits of protein powder.

4. Dextrose, maltodextrin, maltose, and sucralose (these are sneaky names for sugar)

What is the best protein powder for weight loss in women?

Here are some options for the best protein powder for weight loss broken down by type. They all follow my recommended protein powder for a weight-loss framework of high protein, low carb, and low sugar, and follow my ingredients guidelines.

They’re specifically important for women because, unfortunately, our bodies tend to be more sensitive to things like sugars and artificial sweeteners. Avoiding bioactive peptides is also important for reducing the intake of free radicals that can cause early signs of aging like wrinkled skin.

Many of them are flavored, and so they might have small amounts of stevia to add sweetness. I think stevia is better than aspartame and Splenda, and it’s definitely better than sugar.

If you want to, you can almost always find unsweetened or unflavored versions of these brands and get your sweetness from low-sugar fruits and sweet spices like cinnamon.  There are so many health benefits of cinnamon for weight loss & more.

These recommended protein powders are listed by category and in no particular order.

Obviously, these are some of my recommendations, but if you follow the guidelines in the protein powders you are using there are others that can work also.

A good protein powder can take you a long way toward losing the weight you want to. Especially if you’ve wondered how to lose weight with a desk job or how to eat healthy while traveling for work