Protein is essential to your diet, especially if you lift weights. You need it to build and maintain muscle mass, as well as to recover from your workouts. But with so many different protein powders on the market, it can be hard to know which are the best protein powders for women who lift weights.
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hether you're looking for one that's budget-friendly like Vital Proteins, helps with weight management like Garden of Life, or is great for women athletes and those who want to build lean muscle like Tropeaka's Lean Protein or Fit Protein, there is a protein powder out there for you!
We've put together this list of the five best protein powders for women who lift weights. To give you an in-depth look at each, we will be delving into the following criteria:
- Protein Source
- Affordability
- Flavor Options
- Added Ingredients
Quick Take
- Best Overall for Women: Tropeaka Lean Protein
- Best Budget Friendly-Option: Naked Nutrition Pea Protein Powder
- Best for Vegans: KOS Organic Plant Protein
- Best for Women Athletes: Tropeaka x Sarah Day Fit Protein
- Best for Weight Management: Garden of Life MD Protein
It should be noted that we are of course biased in our view, but we want to highlight in this article why you won’t go wrong with the Tropeaka Lean Protein and why it’s loved by hundreds of thousands of women around the world.
Tropeaka Lean Protein is scientifically formulated to help tone and build lean muscle
Tropeaka Lean Protein
Best Overall for Women
Tropeaka Lean Protein is a complete protein powder containing all the essential amino acids you need. It's designed to help support weight management and lean muscle growth. It is made with an organic, vegan-friendly formula free from dairy, soy, and gluten ingredients.
There are several flavor options available, including vanilla, chocolate, salted caramel, chocolate honeycomb, and iced mocha latte.
Product Information- Health-boosting benefits that power you through training or just everyday life
- Delicious flavor options for protein shakes, smoothies, or baking
- Jam-packed with protein, superfoods, synergistic herbs, and amino acids
- Non-bloating formula and completely plant-based, ideal for those with whey protein powder sensitivity or allergies as whey can cause bloating.
- No refined sugar, artificial sweeteners, or GMO ingredients
Best Feature
Tropeaka Lean Protein is scientifically formulated to help tone and build lean muscle. With three bioavailable organic protein sources (pea protein, brown rice protein, and pumpkin seed protein) and a complete amino acid profile, this protein powder is perfect for women.
Whether you want a healthy way to build and repair muscle or a delicious option to supplement or increase your daily nutrition, Lean Protein is the right choice!
Price & Rating
At $34 USD per 500g/17.6 oz package, the cost per serving of this protein powder is $1.93, making this a very reasonably-priced option. With thousands of customer reviews and a 4.9-star rating, this protein powder is a great overall option for women looking to manage their weight, build lean muscle, and improve their overall health.
Naked Nutrition: Pea Protein Powder
Best Budget-Friendly Option
Naked Nutrition is known for using only necessary ingredients—no unnecessary fillers or artificial sweeteners, no crazy words you can’t pronounce. That’s why their Pea Protein Powder has only one ingredient: pea protein.
Product Information
- It has 27 grams of protein per serving (2 scoops), so it’s packed with enough protein to be considered a good post-workout option.
- It’s processed without the use of chemicals.
- Naked Pea uses independent, third-party testing to ensure its products are free from heavy metals.
Best Feature
Naked Pea’s claim to fame is that they use as few ingredients as possible. With only one ingredient, yellow pea protein isolate, you know exactly what you’re consuming.
Price & Rating
Coming in at $16.49 per container, the cost per serving is $1.09. It has an Amazon rating of 4.2 out of 5 stars. Reviewers like that it mixes well with plant-based milk, but many say the pea taste is pretty strong.
KOS Organic Plant Protein
Good for Vegans
KOS Organic Plant Protein is a good option for those looking for an organic, vegan protein powder. With 20g of complete protein per serving from a blend of pea, pumpkin seed, flaxseed, chia seed, and quinoa, it's a plant-based option for vegans, vegetarians, or anyone who wants to increase their protein intake without animal-based products like whey protein powder as there are often symptoms that come with it.
KOS offers several flavor options, including chocolate, blueberry muffin, chocolate chip mint, chocolate peanut butter, salted caramel coffee, and vanilla. There is even an unflavored and unsweetened option for those who want to add the powder to other foods or beverages without affecting the taste.
Product Information
- All-in-one protein shake and complete multivitamin
- Certified Organic: free of hormones, antibiotics, pesticides, artificial sweeteners, colors, and GMOs
- Vegan and dairy, soy, and gluten-free.
- Responsibly sourced & free of artificial ingredients
- 60-day happiness guarantee
Best Feature
KOS is a complete protein powder for women that includes a multivitamin in its formula, making it a quick and easy way to refuel after a workout or throughout the day.
Price
The price for this protein powder comes in at around $42 USD for 38.5 oz. Since KOS recommends two scoops per 12 oz. of liquid, that brings this protein powder to $2.18 per serving; so a bit more expensive for what you receive.
Tropeaka x Sarah’s Day Fit Protein
Best for Women Athletes
Tropeaka x Sarah Day Fit Protein was created in collaboration with Australian fitness and wellness expert Sarah’s Day to support the nutritional needs of women athletes. This plant-based protein powder is designed to help build lean muscle and aid muscle recovery and repair.
Product Information
- Formulated to support the unique nutritional needs of women who want to build and repair their muscles
- Organic, vegan-friendly, non-GMO ingredients
- Naturally gluten, soy, and dairy-free
- Delicious cookie-dough flavor with no added sweeteners
- A non-bloating formula that aids in healthy digestion
Best Feature
Tropeaka's certified organic tri-blend protein powder is a combination of highly bioavailable and sustained-release protein formula alongside a complete amino acid profile that is perfect for post-workout muscle growth and recovery.
Price & Rating
With a price tag sitting at just under $38 USD for 17.6 oz, that brings the per-serving cost of this protein powder to $2.16. While this isn't the lowest-priced protein powder on our list, it is still affordable. Even more impressive is the 4.8-star rating that comes with almost 700 customer reviews.
Garden of Life MD Protein
Best for Weight Management
Garden of Life MD Protein is designed to support the easy-to-follow lifestyle plan of the Mediterranean diet to help you achieve extraordinary health and manage your body weight.
This protein powder can be used as a meal replacement or snack and contains 5g of net carbs and 20g of plant-based protein per serving with a blend of weight-loss supported ingredients such as green coffee bean, oat beta-glucans, probiotics and olive leaf, and coconut MCT. The creamy vanilla flavor is a good option for shakes or baking.
Product Information
- Ingredients support fat burning and may reduce the risk of heart disease, as well as support immune health and provide energy
- Vegan, no dairy, soy, or peanut ingredients, and low gluten
- Garden of Life prides itself on finding the most sustainable proteins on Earth, allowing them to produce a high-quality product from ingredients that have already been harvested for other uses.
- The chocolate flavor received the ChefsBest Excellence Award for surpassing quality standards established by professional chefs.
Best Feature
The combination of weight-loss ingredients, protein, and fiber makes Garden of Life MD Protein a suitable option for those looking to manage and lose weight.
Price & Rating
The price for one 22.4 oz canister is around $40 USD, making the cost for a serving about $1.79 each. At a 4-star average amazon rating, this protein powder is a good option for those looking to manage their weight without breaking the bank.
If you lift weights, adding protein powder to your diet post-workout can help ensure your muscles recover properly
How to Pick the Best Protein Powder for Women
First, consider your goals. Are you looking to build muscle, lose weight, or just improve your overall health? If you lift weights, adding protein powder to your diet post-workout can help ensure your muscles recover properly.
Next, think about your dietary restrictions. If you are vegan, vegetarian, or have any food allergies, check the label to see if the protein powder you're considering is a good fit for you.
Finally, think about taste and price. Protein powder comes in various flavors, so pick one that you know you'll enjoy. Don't forget to consider cost when making your decision – you want to ensure you're getting a good value for your money.
The Bottom Line
Some protein powders are best for building muscle like Tropeaka x Sarah’s Day Fit Protein. At the same time, options like KOS Organic Plant Protein can work for certain dietary restrictions, and others are ideal for overall health, wellness, and results, like the Tropeaka Lean Protein.
Your preference may change depending on your goals, diet, and budget, but these five protein powders are a great place to start!
- Best Overall for Women: Tropeaka Lean Protein
- Best Budget-Friendly Option: Naked Nutrition Pea Protein Powder
- Best for Vegans: KOS Organic Plant Protein
- Best for Women Athletes: Tropeaka x Sarah’s Day Fit Protein
- Best for Weight Management: Garden of Life MD Protein
