Pea protein is exactly as it sounds: raw field peas ground into a flour and separated from the fiber and starch to form a highly concentrated, vegan friendly protein powder.
Pea protein is free from controversy, with none of soy protein’s feared phytoestrogens. It’s a plant protein which disproves the reputation for weakness; pea protein scores 65 on the WHO’s protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score (PDCAAS) scale. Pea protein contains high quantities of 8 out of 9 essential amino acids; the only one pea protein falls short in is methionine, which is easy to obtain from nuts anyway.
Compared to the gritty hemp protein, pea protein blends into mixtures very well, allowing you to mask the taste with bananas or cocoa powder. Hemp protein has the advantage of more micronutrients like magnesium and zinc, but pea protein is also denser in protein, with some products containing 85% concentrations.
Yet another advantage is that pea protein is more satisfying than whey protein and egg white protein, triggering longer lasting increases in satiety peptides like ghrelin. But which is the best brand?
There’s an ever-increasing range of plant protein products which combine pea protein with rice protein or soy protein, but this article will focus solely on dedicated pea protein. Every brand is certified as organic and none feature stevia or “natural flavours”. For a shortcut, Terrasoul Superfoods and NorCal Organic are the best brands.
Let’s get started:
One – Terrasoul Superfoods
The original peas of Terrasoul Superfoods are grown in China, but the organic certification confirms that every step of the supply chain meets organic standards, meaning that this is nothing to fear for once. The peas are a product of noodle production and its large industry.
The most important feature is the protein content, however, and here Terrasoul Superfoods stands out. There’s 8 grams per 10 grams, or 80% protein, all accomplished with natural processing methods. No hexane, chemical solvents, or deodorisation agents are used, with water being used to separate the protein. This is a pea protein isolate rather than concentrate, and that 80% content is an iron clad minimum.
By its very nature, pea protein never tastes great, but Terrasoul Superfoods receives above average reviews. Some call it chalky and unpleasant but others were pleased with the “excellent taste and texture”.
Terrasoul Superfoods is unflavoured; it’s free from stevia, a controversial sweetener, and “natural flavours”, a catch all term which could really include numerous ingredients. The sole ingredient is organic pea protein isolate from yellow peas.
This is a trustworthy product, with a 30 day money back guarantee and Terrasoul Superfoods’ strong reputation. The protein is laboratory tested for heavy metals and environmental contamination. According to reviewers, it blends fairly well, beating the common grittiness of hemp seed protein. Terrasoul Superfoods is superior to soy protein in consistency as well as its health benefits.
For quality, reliability and protein density, Terrasoul Superfoods is your number one pea protein brand.
Amazon link: Terrasoul Superfoods Organic Pea Protein.
Two – NorCal Organic
As a pea protein isolate rather than concentrate, NorCal Organic is dense; the protein content is 22 grams per 26 grams. There’s also a small but decent amount of magnesium – 5% of the RDI per 26 gram serving.
The reason why NorCal Organic (formerly Source Organic) ranks so highly here is its particularly strong reviews. NorCal Organic’s flavour was described as neutral by its reviewers, a contrast to the normal annoyance at the chalkiness. The protein also reportedly blends very well.
Then there’s the clear company-wide commitment to working with sustainable farmers who care about animal welfare. NorCal Organic is also certified organic by the USDA.
Like almost all pea protein brands, NorCal Organic contains yellow field peas. The first thing to understand is the difference between yellow peas and the widely consumed green peas, which is minimal. Many minerals, vitamins, antioxidants and macronutrients have been tested and there’s little difference between the green and yellow varieties. Some claim that yellow peas are sweeter, yet others claim that green peas are sweeter.
The most significant factor is the subspecies. Sweet peas (pisum sativum) are eaten on dinnerplates worldwide, while fields peas are an ancient but much less popular subspecies (P. sativum subsp. arvense ) which were domesticated 7000 years ago. Fields peas are typically used in soup recipes. The reason why protein manufacturers favour them is simply because they are four times richer in protein than sweet peas, making extraction far more economical.
The amino acid profile varies slightly too, but that’s neither here nor there, for nobody manufactures sweet pea protein powders. There’s no grand decision to make; field pea protein is what’s on the menu. As for Norcal Organic, the sole ingredient is organic yellow pea protein isolate, meaning that stevia and “natural flavours” are nowhere to be found.
NorCal Organic lives up to its name by being a clean and natural pea protein.
Amazon link: NorCal Organic Premium Pea Protein.
Three – Sprout Living
Sprout Living also blends well with your ingredient of choice, whether it’s cocoa powder or banana flour. The all important protein content matches Terrasoul Superfoods, with 20 grams per 24 gram serving and an 83.3% total. The bag weighs in at 1 pound and unnecessary sweeteners like “natural flavours” and stevia are far away.
A minor advantage is transparency about their sources. Sprout Living’s peas are grown in Canada, before being packaged in China. The latter may terrify people, but China is actually an acceptable source of pea protein, and the clear USDA organic certification would guarantee its safety anyway, as every stage in the manufacturing process must be rigorously inspected to qualify.
Like all pea proteins, Sprout Living has the advantage of being a particularly satisfying protein. One study examined the effect of pea protein and the wildly popular casein and whey protein on digestive responses and satiety peptides. According to the conclusion, pea protein and dairy protein were comparably effective at triggering gastrointestinal satiety signals. Whey protein dissolved rapidly in the gut, while casein digested much more slowly owing to its complex protein structures.
Pea protein, meanwhile, was inbetween, digesting at a moderate pace and triggering gradual rises in insulin and ghrelin compared to whey. Another study tested five different proteins: casein, whey protein, pea protein, egg white albumin and maltodextrin. Of those, casein and whey protein led to much smaller post meal food intakes, mirroring the study above.
Pea protein might be less rich in protein per gram than whey protein isolate, but it will keep you full for longer. Sprout Living is no exception, and it’s perfect overall.
Amazon link: Sprout Living Organic Pea Protein.
Four – Now Sports
No solvents are used in the extraction, and with a USDA organic certification, Now Sports is completely chemical free. The protein content is high enough to construct new muscle, with 15 grams of protein per 20 gram serving or 75% protein, only slightly lower than Terrasoul Superfoods. Meanwhile, the reviews are about average for a pea protein brand. The taste is either bland and flavourless or surprisingly acceptable while the protein reportedly blends easily.
Now Sports weighs 1.5 pounds, and comes in three varieties: unflavoured and chocolate flavoured, and vanilla. The latter isn’t inherently bad, for cocoa powder is rich in antioxidants, but Now Sports’ recipe contains stevia and the dreaded “natural flavours” term. The vanilla recipe is the same. The unflavoured version contains nothing but “organic yellow pea protein isolate”, so that’s what I recommend that you purchase.
How is Now Sports created? Firstly, the field peas are dried to create pea flour, which itself is hydrated using wet processing. Next, the starch and fiber are separated from the flour.
Finally, the flour is coagulated, purified and dried using a spray drying process. This spray drying uses heat and is the only slight downside, with minor denaturation likely to occur. However, Now Sports is chemical free, being tested for pesticides and heavy metals in US facilities and found to contain no detectable residue on a parts per billion (PPB) scale. The only downside is not mentioning which country the peas are grown in.
Now Foods is a top pea protein brand for if Terrasoul Superfoods becomes temporarily unavailable.
Amazon link: Now Sports Organic Pea Protein.
Five – Jarrow Formulas
Jarrow Formulas is free from the following: pesticides, herbicides, insecticides and fungicides, eliminating any unnecessary inflammation and antioxidant depletion. GMOs, preservatives, and chemical solvents, being processed naturally. Finally, Jarrow Formulas is free from stevia and any “natural flavours”, with its sole ingredient being “organic pea protein”.
You know exactly what you’re buying with Jarrow Formulas. Meanwhile, the peas are yellow field peas, and are grown in North America. The peas are crushed and processed in China, before being shipped back to California for completion. As Jarrow Formulas is certified as organic by the USDA, you’re guaranteed compliance with organic standards.
As for the all-important protein content, Jarrow Formulas contains 11 grams of protein per 14 grams, not quite matching Terrasoul Superfoods but close to 80%. Jarrow Formulas will help to build muscle and maintain neurotransmitter health with ease.
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The taste report is promising though not exceptional, with some criticizing the chalkiness but others finding it neutral. It’s a typical report for a pea protein, which always has a chalky taste, but tends to blend better than hemp protein.
Jarrow Formulas is less dense in protein than some pea proteins, but is a solid back up brand.
Amazon link: Jarrow Formulas Organic Pea Protein.
Six – Swanson Organics
From one of the grandfathers of the supplements industry we have this 1.1 pound jar of nutritious pea protein.
Swanson Organics is indeed certified organic by the USDA, guaranteeing freedom from antioxidant depleting pesticides. The protein levels are strong at 71%, with 29 grams per recommended 41 gram serving.
Swanson Organics is processed in China; again, this is acceptable given the organic certification. No genetically modified organisms were used in the making of this product, and Swanson Organics is blissfully free from stevia or the term “natural flavours”. “100% certified organic pea protein powder” is the only ingredient listed.
The reason why Swanson Organics ranks lower down is because of its slightly inferior reviews. The decent library of testimonials includes comments like “very mild tasting” but also “gross tasting”, with the blending properties being decent. It’s unclear whether this is a coincidence, with people disliking the inherent taste of pea protein, or whether it’s sourced from inferior peas.
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Nevertheless, Swanson Organics gets decent reviews on the whole and its specifications are top quality. The one flaw with its specifications is its slightly lower concentrations of protein.
Swanson Organics beats the vast majority of pea proteins on the market.
Amazon link: Swanson Organic Pea Protein Powder.
Seven – Nutricost
Nutricost is sourced from yellow fields peas, grown in 100% organic conditions, meaning that pesticides and herbicides are never used. Luckily with peas, farmers don’t need to spray them with chemicals much, particularly compared to kale or spinach, but the USDA organic certification is a heartwarming guarantee nevertheless.
Nutricost weighs in at 2 pounds. The protein content equals Sprout Living, at 20 grams of protein per 24 grams, or 83.3% protein. There’s no mention of the bonus magnesium, but Nutricost is made in the USA, inside a GMP certified facility.
Disadvantages include a handful of people disappointed with the taste, as always happens even with supreme pea proteins. This brand is confirmed to be grown in China, but the USDA steps in to act as a shield.
Nutricost’s label mentions just one ingredient: “organic pea protein isolate“. Flavours are absent, and this is important. The first common pea protein is stevia, and while it’s far from downright evil, it’s highly controversial; its zero-calorie sweetness signalling creates a rush of the stress hormone cortisol which is intended to process a flood of glucose which never actually arrives.
However, the second and more suspicious flavouring is simply “natural flavouring”. This is now the fourth most common ingredient on US processed food labels. As you’ve probably realised, it’s one of the vaguest terms ever. The problem is basically that while the original molecule must be derived from a natural source, e.g. turmeric or lemons, the end result can legally contain cocktail of additives such as preservatives. A “natural flavour” can actually contain 80 ingredients. This law applies to orange juice, steak seasoning, and protein powders alike.
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Plus, once all is said and done, a “natural flavour” provides an overpowering flavour which is barely different to a synthetic one. Ethyl butyrate is an example of a natural flavouring; it’s added to ghee and orange juice, but is so overpowering that you can tell with the tip of your tongue that’s it’s nowhere near natural.
Finally, there’s the fundamental problem that you have no idea what these ingredients contain. That’s why I always recommend proteins like Nutricost with minimal ingredients.
Nutricost is a pure and focussed pea protein which is perfect for building vegan muscle.
Amazon link: Nutricost Organic Pea Protein Isolate.
Conclusion
There you have it. The options for buying and using pea protein are numerous, whether for building vegan muscle or elevating your mood through more efficient neurotransmitter signalling.
The market isn’t too treacherous overall. That said, according to this 2016 article, pea protein is taking over the vegan protein market rapidly. Rice protein was the most popular back in 2013 but after the tight supply chain of European companies was disrupted with big American and Chinese companies moving into the market, the price of pea protein has plummeted. Furthermore, vegans are slowly getting word of its superior amino acid profile, and consequently, pea protein is expanding, with hemp protein also clawing ahead.
The problem is that this opens up the opportunity for more scams, but there’s no widespread issue yet. The main problem right now is the epidemic of added stevia and “natural flavours”. If you’ve confirmed through trial and error that you can tolerate stevia, then your options are wider, but “natural flavours” could mean anything. Meanwhile, the spectre of China is a problem, but for non-organic brands only.
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Thanks for reading!
Is rice protein good to use as well if we happen to have it lying around?