Best Protein Powders for Women

Posted on February 1, 2021

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Finding a female-friendly protein powder can be a tricky task if you’re new to the whole sports nutrition game.

Those protein powders with pictures of bulging veins and swollen muscles that can be a worry, sending most women in the opposite direction

Let’s face it, not all women want to stack on a tone of muscle and turn themselves into a not-so-green version of the She-Hulk. For most, a quality protein product to support muscle recovery that promotes a lean and toned physique is on-the-money.

But with so many products on the market, finding a quality supplements that meets your needs can be a tricky task indeed.

But are the needs of men and women really so different that we need protein products targeting different genders?

I’ll level with you here.

The amino acid needs of men and women are practically identical. Just men tend to need more due to their larger body sizes and muscle mass.

So a man can supplement with a whey protein that has a pink label and do just fine, while women can use plain protein powders with pictures of muscular men on the label and also do fine.

In saying this, there are some products that women tend to gravitate towards more often than men. And these are generally thermogenic protein powders, natural products and low-calorie shakes.

This article covers the product categories that women are more likely to purchase. So check out the Sporty’s Health recommendations and check out what could be your next supplement to fuel some new results.

Best Meal Replacement Protein

Horleys Sculpt

This is a product that has been popular for decades—literally. And why change a good thing? With less than 100 calories per serve, Sculpt offers over 18 grams of quality dairy and plant-based proteins.

Sculpt contains a broad range of vitamins and minerals, including B Vitamins, Magnesium, Calcium and Zinc, to support you. These are essential to any quality meal replacement to reduce the risk of micronutrient deficiencies developing.

Horleys Sculpt also packs some thermogenic aids, including Green Tea Extract, L-Carnitine and Garcinia cambogia. These naturally support the metabolism and promote healthy weight loss.

Just remember, supplementing with a 96 calorie shake instead of a meal is probably going to be a massive decrease in calories. Ideally, take this product with a small palm full of nuts and a non-starchy piece of fruit, such as a handful of berries or a piece of citrus fruit.

If you are just starting to get active again after a period of inactivity, your protein needs will increase. So it’s important, in order to preserve important muscle mass, to keep your protein intake topped up from shakes and quality food.

Best Night Time Protein

Maxines Night Time

Few protein powders contain natural herbal extracts to promote a healthy sleep. In fact, Maxine’s Night Time might just be the only one!

With Skullcap and Chamomile extracts, feel the calm before a good night’s sleep. These herbal extracts are specifically used to quieten the mind and support relaxation.

Night Time also contains a broad range of Vitamins and Minerals, including Chromium, Magnesium and Vitamin D3, to support your nutritional status.

In addition, the night time protein powder contains stimulant-free fat-burners, such as Raspberry Ketones, Green Coffee Extract, Green Tea Extract and African Mango Extract. These help to keep the metabolism moving while you’re getting some solid sleep.

With 20 grams of quality protein from whey and casein, less than 2 grams of carbs and less than 1 gram of fat, Maxines Night Time promotes muscle recovery and a healthy metabolism, while you sleep!

Best Fat-Burner Protein

Amazonia Slim & Tone

Amazonia Slim and Tone offers premium plant based protein powder, extracted from Organic Sprouted and Fermented Pea Protein. This form of protein offers a complete amino acid profile, with a high proportion of BCAAs to support exercise recovery.

This product puts a completely different spin on thermogenic protein powders, offering a Superfood blend, a Herb and Spice Blend and protein-specific Digestive Enzymes.

The problem with many fat-burner protein powders is that they don’t actually contain enough of the thermogenic compounds—you know, the very ingredients that supposedly make the product a “fat-burner”.

This is likely due to a variety of reasons, such as ingredient cost and the effect some of these natural fat-burners have on the overall taste of the finished product. After all, Carnitine is Sulphur containing!

Slim & Tone supports the metabolism naturally with a range of natural ingredients, gently promoting natural weight loss, while the quality protein helps to prevent the muscle mass loss that commonly occurs during calorie restriction.

Best Recovery Protein

AST VP2 Protein

This whey protein product contains premium quality whey protein isolate and hydrolyzed whey protein isolate, ensuring rapid digestion and absorption of amino acids, di and tripeptides.

And this creates a perfect nutritional environment for recovery from exercise. The high proportion of branched chain amino acids and total amino acid profile quite rigorously triggers mTOR and the maintenance, repair or lean growth of muscle tissue.

With a mere 100 calories per serve and a solid 23 grams of protein, this product offers a lean solution to recovery from exercise without an energy excess.

The addition of hydrolysed protein to VP2 increases the rate of absorption. Hydrolyzed protein is a pre-digested form of protein, wherein the larger protein molecules are broken down into smaller units. This means there is less burden placed on the GUT.

VP2 may be taken after exercise, whether it be aerobic or resistance training, both of which are recommended in equal proportions during a weight loss program.

Best Vegan Protein Powder

Veego Plant Protein

Veego packs a range of protein sources, including pea, peanut, hemp and brown rice. This creates a complete amino acid profile to support overall health needs and exercise recovery.

This plant protein is offered in four delicious flavours, which are all naturally sweetened and flavoured. How does Chocolate Peanut Butter, Salted Caramel, Creamy Vanilla or Rich Chocolate sound?

This quality vegan protein contains Organic Coconut MCT Oil, Sunflower Lecithin and Coconut Milk Powder, which all add to the gourmet palatability, mixability and nutritional profile of this impressive product.

Sunflower Lecithin is a rich source of phospholipids, which are essential components of every cell membrane in the entire body. Lecithin is naturally rich in phosphatidycholine, which supports liver health quite profoundly.

Veego can be used as a between meal snack, after exercise to support recovery or to supplement a meal that doesn’t contain enough quality protein.

Best Low Calorie Protein (per gram of protein)

Dymatize ISO100

Dymatize have been offering premium sports nutrition and wellness products for decades now. ISO100 has been a mainstay in their range, containing primarily hydrolyzed whey protein isolate and standard WPI.

Similar to VP2, this creates a rapid absorption effect and is nice and light on the GUT. ISO100 contains between 110 and 120 calories per serve with 25 grams of protein. Though there are protein products with less calories, when you calculate the calories per gram of protein, Dymatize have got a winner.

When you think about it, at 4 calories per gram for protein, a 25 gram of protein serve equates to 100 calories. Then the small amount of naturally occurring fat and carbs, in addition to the flavours, deliver the additional 10 to 20 calories.

So this is an energetically “tight” formula, designed to deliver a maximum payload of protein for its energy content. Enjoy ISO100 in Birthday Cake flavour, Cookies and Cream, Choc Peanut Butter, Vanilla and Chocolate.  

Best All-Natural Protein

Optimum Nutrition Whey

When it comes to a quality protein powder, whey is still numero uno. Though plant-based proteins, such as pea and rice, are offering results comparable to whey protein, so far it seems whey still has the edge.

And who could do it better than Optimum Nutrition. Their all-natural whey protein contains WPI, WPC and Whey Peptides (hydrolysed whey protein) with natural sweeteners and flavours.

The great addition in this product is lactase, the enzymes that digests lactose. This helps to reduce the likelihood of any adverse intolerances to lactose, the natural milk sugar.

Gold Standard 100% Whey Naturally Flavoured may be taken any time of the day a high quality protein powder is required. Hit it up post-workout, between meals or before bed to optimize your nutritional status and keep your exercise recovery pumping.

Best Value Protein

Musashi 100% Whey

Finding a quality protein powder that doesn't break the bank balance is definitely a plus if you're going to use it long-term. 

Musashi offer a whey protein powder based on whey protein concentrate and isolate, that is well priced and not loaded with fillers or added sugars.

At just over a dollar per serve, the 2kg tub of protein will enhance recovery without demolishing your finances.

If you're looking for a larger quantity of protein, check out Optimum Nutrition 4.5kg bags, which clock in a little cheaper than Musashi Whey.

Either way, these products deliver ample naturally occurring amino acids to support exercise recovery and help you meet your daily protein requirement.

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