The vegan lifestyle is rapidly gaining popularity all over the world due to its animal-friendly stance, and the various benefits it offers to our health and the environment. However, despite all this, there is a persistent misconception that vegan diets don’t offer enough protein to lead a healthy life. While it is true that most individual plant-based ingredients (except soy) don’t contain all nine essential amino acids, it is just a matter of combining two or more of these ingredients to hit the daily recommended protein intake.
While you can get this right combination by eating a balanced diet, getting them from a ready-made shake or supplement is still advisable, especially if you are planning to hit the gym regularly, or participate in sports.
But, the market is full of products that claim to be the healthiest. If you are looking for the best vegan shakes that tick all the boxes, you may be spoilt for choice. That’s why in this article we help you find the best vegan shake that ticks all the boxes.
The Best Vegan Shakes in 2022
We have made this list after thorough research so that you can easily make the wisest choice.
To do this, we have considered the following factors:
The main thing to look out for in vegan shakes is the amount of protein it offers per serving. Next, we take into consideration the number of carbs and sugars present in the drink. Too many carbs and sugars are not healthy, especially in the long run. Also, some brands may add harmful artificial sweeteners, like aspartame, to go around this. We have avoided all such products. Finally, we were on the lookout for some special ingredients and other nutrients like vitamins, probiotics, added fiber, choline, and biotin, which make the drinks a complete nutritional solution for vegans.
So, just sit back, read, and decide which vegan shake is right for you.
1. Owyn Plant-Based Protein Shake (Best All-Rounder)
Image Source: Amazon.com
This plant-based protein shake from Owyn tops our list for a simple reason: It is an all-arounder. It contains all nine essential amino acids in BCAA form, along with vegan Omega-3 sourced from flax seeds. Its protein content is mainly derived from multiple plant sources that include peas, pumpkin seeds, and flax oil. It also contains other beneficial ingredients like Guar gum, Monkfruit extract, and Himalayan pink salt. That’s not all. It packs a punch with an unbeatable combination of three superfoods, broccoli, Spinach, and Kale, all in one package.
What we liked the most about this vegan shake is that it contains no artificial sweeteners, like aspartame, or other natural sugar substitutes like Stevia. Instead, it is mildly sweetened with natural organic cane sugar. Also, if you are concerned about soy protein, don’t worry, this shake has no soy-based ingredient in it.
The Owyn plant-based protein shake comes in six mind-blowing flavors: Chocolate, Cookies & Creamless, Sea salted caramel, Smooth vanilla, and Strawberry & Banana. Each packet offers a solid 20g of high-quality vegan protein at just a minimal 180 Calories. So, if you want to pump some iron, lose weight and gain muscle on a vegan diet but also be light on your pocket, order this protein shake right away.
2. Orgain Organic Plant-Based Nutritional Shake (Vitamins Packed)
Image Source: Amazon.com
This completely vegan protein shake from Orgain gives tough competition to Owyn since it adds 22 essential vitamins and minerals to an already power-packed protein shake. It is a true all-in-one vegan protein shake, hands down, without any doubts. This drink contains the A-Zs of most vitamins, including Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, and the most important Vitamin B12 which is rarely found in a vegan diet. To add to the long list of essential nutrients, it is rich in folate, pantothenic acid, phosphorus, iodine, magnesium, zinc, and copper. Furthermore, it contains an organic fruit blend (Acai, Apple, Banana, Blueberry, and Raspberry), and an organic vegetable blend (Tomato, Spinach, Beets, Carrot, and Kale).
Considering all this, this can even be used as a meal replacement shake to shed some weight really quickly, since it contains only 220 calories but provides 16g of protein and 2g of fiber.
You can drink this as your breakfast smoothie, or your pre or post-workout smoothie, to recover fast from an intense workout session. If you have a severe case of munchies and are craving a snack, grab one packet of Orgain. It is very effective at killing hunger pangs and keeps you satiated in between meals.
This drink comes in two yummy flavors: Vanilla and Chocolate.
3. Lean Body Ready to Drink Plant-Based Protein Shake (High Protein)
This is the right shake for you if you are craving protein content, since it offers a whopping 30g of high-quality vegan protein per serving. It is mainly extracted from pea and rice sources. One unique thing about this is that it has a very fine texture usually rare in plant-based shakes. Also, the taste is very satisfying and smooth, without any grainy textures. This means that you can add this to any one of your smoothie recipes, and make it more protein-packed without compromising on the taste.
Although this shake contains no artificial sweeteners, be mindful of the fact that it has a little bit of stevia added to it to enhance the taste. It comes in a completely eco-friendly pack made of paper mache and sugar cane fiber.
But, the main drawback of this drink is that it comes in only 1 flavor: Vanilla Caramel. Although there are other flavors, they are not completely vegan, since they contain whey.
4. Soylent Meal Replacement Shake (Best Taste)
Image Source: Amazon.com
This amazing vegan protein shake from Soylent offers 20g of vegan protein sourced from soy, which is a complete protein source. It comes power-packed with 28 essential vitamins and minerals, including some rare nutrients like 600 mg of Omega 3s and 2 g of BCAAs, Choline, Selenium, Biotin and Vitamin B12, which are usually found lacking in a vegan diet.
This shake tastes amazing with just 1 g of added sugar. On the flip side, it contains sucralose which is an artificial sweetener.
The bottom line is that it is a healthy post workout recovery drink and can also be used a meal replacement shake, if you wish.
It comes in 7 exciting flavours: Natural,Banana, Creamy Chocolate, Mint Chocolate, Gingerbread, Strawberry and Vanilla.
5. 310 Nutrition – All In One Meal Replacement Shake – Fiber Rich Vegan Superfood Blend (Keto Friendly)
Image Source: Amazon.com
Is keto even possible on a vegan diet? This vegan protein shake from 310 nutrition says yes.
A single serving of this protein shake offers a whopping 15 grams of protein with almost zero carbs and zero sugars. Don’t worry there are no artificial sweeteners added, although it has added natural sweeteners like stevia. Plus, it offers a a good does of prebiotics and digestive enzyme extracts to ensure a smooth digestion. The main protein source is a mix of peas, brown rice and pumpkin. It is flavored with a rich mix of cocoa powder and a superfood blend (Carrots, Ginerroot, Spinach, Spirulina, Broccoli and Pineapple) making it very satisfying and refreshing to drink after a heavy workout.
You can enjoy this drink in five different flavors: Caramel Sundae, Chocolate Bliss, Horchata,Pumpkin Spice and Vanilla Creme. If you are confused you can also buy the all-in-one starter kit and try out all the flavors at once.
Homemade Vegan Shake
Wondering if you can make yourself a yummy and delicious vegan shake at home, and still hit a decent protein intake? Of course, you can! Here’s how:
You’ll need:
- 1 Cup of any plant milk (Soy, Almond, or Oats)
- 1 Yellow Ripe Frozen Banana
- 1 Tablespoon of any seed (Flax, Pumpkin, or Chia)
- 1 Tablespoon Oats
- 1 Tablespoon Peanut Butter or Coconut Butter
- 1 Tablespoon Cocoa
- Vanilla or Chocolate Extract (to taste)
Mix and blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth, or till you reach your desired consistency.
If combined in the right proportions, this homemade vegan shake will provide you with 16 to 20 grams of complete protein, with the added benefit of being completely natural and preservative free. Moreover, you can experiment with other fruits, like apples, berries, mango, and pineapple for an extra punch. You can also throw in some avocados and walnuts for some extra nutty and earthy flavors. If you are daring enough, feel free to add some kale and spinach for the ultimate healthy smoothie experience. Truly, the sky is the limit for homemade vegan shakes.
Start Sippin
That’s all, folks! In this blog, we walked you through the best vegan shakes available in the market right now. We have picked the best product, or brand in each category (high protein, keto, all-rounder, vitamin-packed, and the best taste). So, pick the shake which suits you best and start shredding your muscles like a pro wrestler, while being kind to your gut, animals, and the environment.