Protein powder is an important supplement for any bodybuilder, athlete, or fitness enthusiast. Often, the flavors are a big deal, and they can be exotic.
What if you don’t want flavored protein powder? What if you want it unflavored?
Even unflavored ones will taste “natural”. Still, you can do anything with it. That includes how you flavor as well as how you consume it.
This guide will look at the best unflavored protein powder available. Ready? Let’s check it out!
In a Hurry? Here is our top pick:
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Best Unflavored Protein Powder
- NOW Sports Whey Protein Isolate – Best Overall
- Muscle Feast Premium Blend – Best Unflavored Protein Blend
- Isopure Zero Carb Protein Powder – Best Keto
- TGS 100% Whey Protein Powder – Best Unflavored Whey Concentrate
- MyProtein Slow-Release Casein – Best Unflavored Micellar Casein
- BulkSupplements.com Whey Protein Isolate Powder 90% – Best Bulk Size
- Garden of Life Raw Organic Vegan Protein Powder – Best For Vegans
- Nutricost Whey Protein Concentrate – Best Value-Conscious
- Naked Nutrition Naked Egg – Best Unflavored Egg White Protein
- True Nutrition Grass-Fed Beef Protein – Best Unflavored Beef Protein
Reviews – The Best Unflavored Protein Powders
NOW Sports Whey Protein Isolate – Best Overall
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Our choice for best overall consists of whey protein isolate. Also, there’s less than 1g of sunflower lecithin. NOW Sports Whey Protein Isolate provides 25g of protein with zero sugar. There’s less than 1g of total carbs and only .5g fat. Unflavored protein means you can flavor it any way you like.
Also, you can use it in yogurt, oatmeal, or muffins.
NOW always has several certifications for its products. Their whey isolate is no different. This is tested for banned substances and GMP quality-assured.
Finally, whey isolate is fast digesting and ideal for morning use. It’s also great for post-workout use.
PROS
- Contains Premium Quality Whey Isolate
- 25g Per Serving
- Use It In Your Favorite Beverage, Oatmeal, Muffins Or Yogurt
CONS
- A Few Users Don’t Like The Mixability
Muscle Feast Premium Blend – Best Unflavored Protein Blend
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A blend of protein is ideal for bodybuilders and athletes. It’s also a good choice for anyone concerned about their protein intake. This is because it provides both fast and slow-digesting proteins.
Muscle Feast Premium Blend features 22g of whey isolate, hydrolyzed whey, and micellar casein. This blend absorbs quickly and stays in your system for 7 hours.
That means you can use it at the start of a long day at work or school. Premium Blend contains only 1.5g total carbs, of that 1.3g is sugar.
Finally, this unflavored protein is low sodium and very low fat.
PROS
- Features A Protein Blend That Stays In Your System For Hours
- Provides 22g Of Whey And Casein Protein
- Low Carbs – Low Fat
CONS
- Some Users Don’t Like The Texture
Isopure Zero Carb Protein Powder – Best Keto
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Here’s an unflavored protein powder that fits Keto, and other low-carb diets. You can use Isopure Zero Carb Protein Powder for baking or added to yogurt. You can mix it into your oatmeal.
Of course, you can make a shake or smoothie with it. Isopure Zero Carb provides 25g whey isolate protein. Zero Carb is the simplest formula in this guide.
There’s only protein, it’s the only ingredient. There’s zero fat and carbs, 160mg sodium, and 5mg cholesterol.
Finally, all you need is a spoon and a glass to mix Isopure with your favorite beverage.
PROS
- Supplies 25g Whey Isolate Protein
- Zero Carb – Zero Fat
- Use It In A Smoothie, Shake, Or Bake With It
CONS
- Some Users Feel It Tends To Clump Up
TGS 100% Whey Protein Powder – Best Unflavored Whey Concentrate
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This unflavored protein powder consists of 100% whey concentrate. One serving of TGS 100% Whey Protein Powder provides 25g protein.
Also, there are 2g carbs and 2g fat. The carbs are all sugar. Like many unflavored protein powders, you can use TGS 100% Whey in shakes or for baking.
The advantage of an unflavored powder is you can change the flavor every time you use it.
Finally, TSG 100% Whey is sourced, produced, and packaged in the US.
PROS
- 25g Whey Concentrate Per Serving
- Low Carbs And Low Fat
- Use It In Recipes, Shakes, Or Smoothies
CONS
- Some Users Feel The Packaging Is Poorly Designed
MyProtein Slow-Release Casein – Best Unflavored Micellar Casein
MyProtein Slow-Release Casein
Casein protein is the protein of choice for nighttime use. It’s also a good choice at the start of a long day. This is mainly true if you know you’ll miss a meal. That’s because it’s slow-digesting and stays in your body for 7 hours.
Our pick for the best unflavored casein is MyProtein Slow-Release Casein. This powder contains 23g of protein per serving. There are only 3g total carbs with 1g sugar.
Also, this product has only 1g of fat and 20mg sodium. MyProtein Slow-Release Casein contains only one ingredient – micellar casein.
This is also known as milk protein isolate. It’s the highest quality casein protein available.
PROS
- 23g Micellar Casein Protein Per Serving
- Long-Lasting – Stays In Your System For 7 Hours
- Contains Only One Ingredient
CONS
- Some Users Don’t Like The Mixability
BulkSupplements.com Whey Protein Isolate Powder 90% – Best Bulk Size
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If you like to buy your protein in bulk, here’s an 11lb size of whey isolate. If that’s not enough, you can go up to a 44lb bag.
BulkSupplements.com Whey Protein Isolate Powder 90% is also available in more standard sizes. There’s 27g protein per serving with less than 1g of carbs or fat.
You can mix this with the beverage of your choice. Flavor it any way you prefer.
Add it to your favorite smoothie, or bake with it. It will work in any recipe.
Finally, BulkSupplements.com products are lab-verified and 3rd party tested.
PROS
- 27g Whey Isolate Per Serving – Buy Up To 44lbs
- Clean Formula – Only Two Ingredients
- Bake With It – Add It To Your Smoothie Or Shake
CONS
- Some Users Feel The Bag Should Be Resealable
Garden of Life Raw Organic Vegan Protein Powder – Best For Vegans
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Our pick for best unflavored protein for vegans uses an exclusive 14-ingredient protein blend. This blend is all organic and provides 22g of protein from pea, sprouts, and seeds.
Garden of Life Raw Organic Vegan Protein Powder also contains a probiotic and digestive enzyme blend. This blend features 3 billion CFU probiotics.
Also, it’s soy-free, dairy-free, gluten-free, and non-GMO.
Finally, Garden of Life Raw Organic Vegan Protein Powder provides the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K.
PROS
- 22g Complete Vegan-Sourced Protein
- Also Contains Probiotics And Digestive Enzymes
- Certified Organic
CONS
- Some Users Do Not Like The Unflavored Taste – They Feel Too They Need Too Much Flavoring To Mask It
Nutricost Whey Protein Concentrate – Best Value-Conscious
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Here’s our pick for the best unflavored value-minded protein. Nutricost Whey Protein Concentrate provides 25g of protein per serving.
Whey concentrate protein is the only ingredient in this product. This powder contains only 1g carbs and 2.5g fat. It’s also a low-sodium product.
Nutricost Whey Protein Concentrate is GMP-Compliant, non-GMO, and gluten-free. Plus, it’s 3rd party tested for purity and quality.
PROS
- 25g Whey Concentrate Protein Per Serving
- Value-Conscious Product
- Only One Ingredient
CONS
- Some Users Feel It Doesn’t Mix Completely
Naked Nutrition Naked Egg – Best Unflavored Egg White Protein
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Here’s an unflavored egg white protein with only two ingredients. Naked Nutrition Naked Egg is Paleo-friendly and provides 25g of egg white protein per serving.
Naked Nutrition processes the egg whites used for Naked Egg within one day. This preserves their amino acid profile. The only downside to egg white protein is the high sodium content.
One serving contains 380mg. Still, it’s offset by a high potassium content. It’s also zero fat and zero sugar with only 2g total carbs. In addition, it has a high BCAA content.
Finally, use it in a shake, smoothie, or your favorite recipe.
PROS
- 25g Egg White Protein Per Serving
- Only Two Ingredients
- Use It For Shakes Or Baking
CONS
- This Product Has A High Sodium Content
True Nutrition Grass-Fed Beef Protein – Best Unflavored Beef Protein
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Here’s an unflavored beef protein with a unique twist. You can use True Nutrition Grass-Fed Beef Protein by itself. Or, you can use the exclusive True Boost Flavor Pack. This adds your choice of flavored powder to your protein. There are 5 total flavors.
True Nutrition Grass-Fed Beef provides 29g of beef isolate protein. There’s only 1g of fat, and that’s it. This protein has no carbs at all. True Nutrition adds sunflower lecithin for texture.
This protein works well with Paleo, Keto, or any low-carb diet. Note that baking is not suggested in the description.
PROS
- 29g Beef Isolate Protein Per Serving
- Zero Carbs – Low Sodium – 1g Fat
- Add True Boost Flavoring – Your Choice Of 5 Flavors!
CONS
- The Flavor May Not Appeal To Some Users
Buying Guide – How To Choose The Best Unflavored Protein Powder?
Protein Is The Most Important Macronutrient
Macronutrients are protein, fats, and carbohydrates. Your body needs these in large amounts. There’s 4 calories for every gram of protein or carbohydrate. There’s 9 calories for every gram of fat.
Of the three macronutrients, it can be said that protein is the most important. This is because our body is mostly protein (after water). One of the things that make up protein is amino acids. In fact, these are usually referred to as the “building blocks” of protein. There are 22 amino acids. The body uses aminos in different forms for hundreds of functions every day.
The body makes several of the 22 amino acids. Nine are not made by the body. That means they need to be supplied by your diet and by supplements. This means you need to eat and supplement enough protein every day. Most protein sources only stay in the body for a few hours. That means protein needs to be consistently ingested throughout the day.
Your daily protein should come from whole foods first. After that, it can come from protein powder. Consuming enough protein every day is not only for bodybuilders and athletes. It’s important for everybody. (1, 2)
The Benefits Of Protein Powder
Protein provides several benefits. These include:
- Supports Muscle Growth
- Keeps The Body In An Anabolic State – This Supports Protein Synthesis
- Enhances Post-Workout Recovery
- Prevents A Catabolic Environment
- Preserves Muscle During Periods Of Fat Loss
- Supports Healthy Hair, Skin & Nails
- Promotes Immune System Health
What You Should Look For When Considering An Unflavored Protein Powder
Here’s what to look for when considering unflavored protein powder:
- High-Quality Ingredients – Look for high-quality protein and a clean, natural formula. Usually, unflavored protein only contains one or two ingredients. One exception is Garden of Life Raw Organic Vegan Protein Powder. This protein features a 14-ingredient organic protein blend and a probiotic/digestive blend. Finally, there are no artificial ingredients in most unflavored protein powders.
- Premium Protein Sources – Every unflavored protein powder in this guide uses quality protein sources.
- Flexibility – You can mix unflavored protein powder as a shake. Change the flavor every time you drink it. You can add it to a smoothie, or your yogurt. You can also bake with it. This kind of flexibility allows users to meet their daily protein requirements.
- Good Macronutrient Profile – Always make sure carbs, sugar, fat, and sodium are low. Every unflavored protein powder in this guide meets these requirements. The only exception is the sodium content of Naked Nutrition Naked Egg. This is because eggs are naturally a little high in sodium.
Types Of Protein
Any type of protein can be used in unflavored protein powder. Every company carries at least a couple of different protein sources. For example, MyProtein carries whey protein isolate and whey concentrate. They also carry casein, plant-based, a pea and rice blend, plus soy.
Here are the common types of protein you’ll find in an unflavored protein powder:
Whey Isolate – This type is the highest quality whey protein. It’s widely considered to be the best quality protein powder available. It will contain very little carbs and fat. Also, it will be at least 90% protein. Two examples are NOW Sports Whey Protein Isolate and Isopure Zero carb Protein.
Whey Concentrate – This type is the most common whey protein. Whey concentrate has a little more carbs and fats. An example is TGS 100% Whey Protein Powder. This powder contains 25g protein with 2g fat and 2g carbs.
Hydrolyzed Whey – This is a form of whey protein that’s broken down more than other types of whey. This means it will absorb faster. An example of this protein is Muscle Feast Premium Blend. Hydrolyzed whey makes up one of the three protein sources used.
Micellar Casein – Here is the highest quality form of casein protein. As noted, the main advantage of micellar casein is that it stays in the system for 7 hours.
Plant-Based – This is vegan protein. Usually, it’s pea, or pea and brown rice. In the case of Garden of Life Raw Organic Vegan Protein Powder, it’s pea plus 13 other organic plant-based ingredients. These ingredients are organic and sourced from sprouts and seeds. Combined, they are a complete protein.
Egg White – This was the highest quality protein until whey came along. Even so, it’s still a high-quality protein. As noted, the high sodium content is the only real downside. Our pick for the best unflavored egg protein, Naked Egg, contains two ingredients. Sunflower lecithin, which provides health benefits, is added.
What Is Lecithin?
Either sunflower lecithin or soy lecithin, is often added to protein powders. Lecithin is a phospholipid that contains choline, an important B vitamin. It’s used to add creaminess and texture to protein powders.
How To Use In An Unflavored Protein Powder
As always, be sure you read the label directions. You can mix unflavored protein powder with any beverage. One way to use it is one scoop mixed into 8oz cold water or almond milk.
Drink your shake first thing in the morning. If you’re using casein, drink one serving before bed.
Don’t forget on training days, you should consume one serving with your post-workout shake. This can be 20-30 minutes after your training session.
You can flavor your shake however you like. Also, it can be added to smoothies. Use it for baking protein muffins or cookies. Add it to your oatmeal or yogurt. Finally, mix it into any recipe.
Consume an unflavored protein powder up to three times a day. This can help you meet your daily protein requirements. It’s easy with an unflavored powder because you can bake with it.
Conclusion
NOW Sports Whey Protein Isolate provides 25g of the highest protein available. This protein contains only two ingredients. You can use it in your smoothies, recipes, or shakes.
Would you prefer a slower digesting protein? If so, MyProtein Slow-Release Casein provides 23g micellar casein per serving. This protein will stay in your system for 7 hours. Use before work or before bed.
Finally, do you need a bulk size? BulkSupplements.com Whey Protein Isolate Powder 90% comes in all sizes. These go as high as 44lbs. There’s also an 11lb, and smaller sizes.
The best unflavored protein powder is the one that fits your lifestyle the most. Use our guide to find the one that works for you!
References:
- https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/primer/howgeneswork/protein
- Tarnopolsky, M. A., MacDougall, J. D., & Atkinson, S. A. (1988, January). Influence of protein intake and training status on nitrogen balance and lean body mass. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3356636
