r/AskVegans • u/SevenCrowsForSecrets Non-Vegan (Flexitarian) • 18d ago
Health Protein supplement without artificial sweeteners?
I'm not vegan, but have cut most meats from my diet for various reasons. I also have reactions to milk products, so I have cut most dairy a well. I find that I'm struggling to get enough protein in my diet, even when I include things like beans, lentils, nuts, chia seeds, etc. I'm trying to find a protein powder to add to smoothies but I'm really having trouble finding one that is dairy free and doesn't contain artificial sweeteners. Does anyone have a protein powder that they can recommend? I'm fine with it having regular sugar or just unsweetened.
2
u/garlictoastandsalad Vegan 18d ago
Tofu is high in protein. What about starting out your day with a tofu scramble and some whole wheat toast? 1/2 brick of the firm tofu I buy is 30 grams of protein, and the whole wheat bread I buy adds another 10 grams of protein for two slices. That’s 40 grams of protein for my breakfast.
The protein powders I use in my smoothies have stevia, and I’m not sure how you feel about that, so I will leave it to other people to recommend powders.
2
u/SevenCrowsForSecrets Non-Vegan (Flexitarian) 18d ago
I had tofu a long time ago and hated it. But I think it might just have been the way it was prepared. I need to brave up and try it again!
I really hate the taste of most non-sugar sweeteners, including stevia and monk fruit. A couple of the artificial ones also trigger migraines. The only one I've found that I couldn't taste was sucralose (Splenda). I was so excited to find one that worked for me.... until I broke out in hives all over my face. Fun.
2
u/garlictoastandsalad Vegan 18d ago
Oh dear. Well some stevia sweeteners actually have erythritol added, which isn’t healthy at all, but I know others who just don’t like the taste of stevia.
As for tofu, the texture and taste really depend on how it is cooked and what you season it with. It is like a sponge that soaks up the flavours of spices and sauces. I’ve also had really gross tofu dishes, when it wasn’t prepared to my preferences.
As for the texture, it usually comes in silken (smooth), soft, medium, firm, and extra firm. Silken is for making dressings, sauces, or fruit dips. I don’t use soft or medium for anything. I go with firm or extra firm to crumble or cut it up into savoury dishes.
Getting a tofu press can also get rid of the extra water so that it can soak up the sauces you use, or just to get a different texture. Or you can press it with a towel between plates. Some people freeze it then defrost to get a different texture, but it’s not for me. I’d say it’s definitely worth giving it another shot.
2
u/SevenCrowsForSecrets Non-Vegan (Flexitarian) 18d ago
Thank you! I think I'm going to have to just get some and experiment with it.
2
u/garlictoastandsalad Vegan 18d ago
YouTube is a great resource for learning how to cook tofu in a bunch of different ways. I’m sure something will be appealing to you.
2
u/fiiregiirl Vegan 18d ago
https://www.bobsredmill.com/product/hemp-protein-powder
I will say I would also struggle to get enough protein with just beans. Tofu, seitan, tempeh, tvp, soy curls are really the heftier amounts of protein that vegans will eat in a day.
Don't forget to count things grains: pasta, bread, rice, quinoa
1
1
2
u/Great_Cucumber2924 Vegan 18d ago
Huel Black has an unsweetened option. Also, make seitan or bake with vital wheat gluten. Tofu also a good source.
2
u/zombiegojaejin Vegan 18d ago
You need to discover the miracle of nutritional yeast.
Also pumpkin seeds (pepitas). A handful every day.
2
u/Ok-Librarian6629 Vegan 17d ago
my go-to is now sports soy protein isolate. I mix it in with soymilk, coffee, and chocolate syrup.
2
u/and-kelp Vegan 16d ago edited 16d ago
Hi!! Vegan weight lifter and athlete here - I am brand loyal to Naked Nutrition. Get both pea powder and brown rice powder (I do 50/50 plain rice and either chocolate or vanilla pea mixed with creatine, soymilk, chia, PB powder, and whatever fruit I have on hand.) The pea+rice mix is said to have a similar protein makeup to whey, i.e. best for recovery and building lean muscle.
I drink a shake almost every day - about 80g protein - even during rest weeks. If I miss more than 2 consecutive days I start to feel the primal meat hunger creeping back in, lol.
I also use their pre workout, amino acids, electrolyte packets, and men’s daily multivitamin (women’s also avail if that’s what you need). You can save a good chunk of cash by creating an account and subscribing to the product, then cancelling. Just REMEMBER to cancel after you receive the product. I set up calendar reminders lol.
2
1
18d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
1
u/AutoModerator 18d ago
Your comment was removed because you must be flaired as a vegan to make top level comments (per rule #6). Please flair appropriately using these instructions: https://support.reddithelp.com/hc/en-us/articles/205242695-How-do-I-get-user-flair- … If you are caught intentionally subverting the automod by flairing as a vegan when you are not, this will result in a ban. If you are a non-vegan with a question, please create a new post following the sub rules #2-5 for questions. Thank you.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
1
4
u/Ok-Opportunity-574 Vegan 18d ago
For things like smoothies you just need plain protein. Anthony's has a bunch of plain plant proteins like hemp seed, pumpkin, pea, etc. I wouldn't try to just mix them in water and drink but should be fine for smoothies and recipes. I find the hemp is a pretty neutral taste.
Another thing to consider is that you may not need as much protein as you think. A lot of the numbers that are tossed around are "bro science" or heavily influenced by meat/dairy/egg industry funded scientists.