Gluten Free Protein Powder Reviews
ByGluten Free Protein Powder Reviews and Recommendations (or not!)
Protein powder. It can be so useful, so tasty, so convenient! It can also be completely vile tasting, or worse, make us sick due to cross-contact or hidden gluten. This page is for us all to share our experiences with protein powders, so we can learn from each other and hopefully spare ourselves from wasting money on a product that is nasty.
Please, please be aware that reformulations do occur-so always check labels prior to ingesting any product. If in doubt, contact the company directly.
Here’s what to do:
Leave a comment below indicating the brand of protein, flavor, and quick summary of the nutrition facts if you have the label handy. Please also indicate the gluten status-if you’ve contacted the company please include that information, if there’s a gluten free label, no gluten containing ingredients, etc. Whatever is applicable.
Add your review-how was the flavor, the consistency, the mixability? Would you purchase it again? Feel free to use a 1-10 scale if you would like.
Of course, taste is individual, and what one person finds delicious another may find revolting-but I’m hoping that this will give us a good starting point.
Here’s a couple I’ve done:
-General overview of gluten and dairy free protein powder types
-True Protein Gemma and Rice protein powder-dutch chocolate flavor
Gluten Free offerings from Muscle Milk
Allmax Nutrition’s Gluten Free List
Rockwell Nutrition-Gluten and Dairy Free Supplement Options
Bring the reviews! I will be adding more as well. 
Here’s another one of mine:
Beverly International. I’ve been using their Chocolate flavor Muscle Provider and Vanilla Ultimate Muscle Protein for a few years. They are both protein blends. Easily the best tasting protein I’ve ever had. The vanilla UMP mixed with a little water is like vanilla cake icing, I swear. The chocolate is like brownie batter. I’ve only mixed them with water, and they are really good. They are sweetened with sucrolose, which is the only thing that’s not optimal, IMO. Per Casey from Beverly: “with one exception, every Beverly International product is Gluten Free. You may list the entire line with the exception of Ultimate Muscle Protein Cookies and Crème flavor.” That flavor does contain gluten due to the flavoring system.
Check out Beverly here:
http://www.beverlyinternational.com/
I have been using NutraBiotic Vegan Brown Rice protein powder. I buy the plain flavor so that I can mix it with anything and it barely alters the flavor. It doesn’t have a lot of taste which is fine with and there are no sweeteners of any kind. I don’t think it would be very good mixed with just water. I mix mine with Kefir yogurt drink and stevia and fruit in a blender. If I add flax or chia seeds, I thin with a little water. Believe me, this is a meal. I buy it on line from Allhealthtrends.com and it is very economical that way. Per heaping Tbsp: 55cal .3 grams fat 8mg sodium 1.8 carbs .5 frams fiber 1 gram sugar and 12 grams of protein. I can’t tolerate much dairy, but I have no gut issues with this brown rice protein powder. I would recommend it to anyone.
Awesome thanks Monica! Always great to have another non-dairy option. I was just looking into some unflavored whey isolate to use in baking as well.
I have never tried protein powders in baking. Let me know how that goes!
Nectar by Syntrax:
Syntrax claims that Nectar is the “World’s best tasting protein, guaranteed!” With my experience in bodybuilding and trying many different brands of protein shakes, I had come to accept that protein powder just couldn’t taste good. So, I was very skeptical and had low expectations when first trying Nectar. They were right!!! I got their On-the-Go pack that contained individual servings of each flavor they offer. There isn’t a bad one! Some even taste like Crystal Light or even Kool-Aid! I can’t say enough about the taste.
I always mixed it with water. Unlike other proteins, I didn’t have to use a shaker cup and could mix it with just a spoon and minimal water. They were all very light, didn’t leave you feeling bloated, and I had no stomach issues.
Nutritional Facts: 90 Calories, 0g Fat, 0g Carbs., 0g SUGAR, and 23g Protein per serving. How can something taste so good with no sugar!?
Gluten Free: Their packaging does not say Gluten Free, but I spoke with the company many times about their product being gluten free. They are just learning about the gluten free market, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the next update in packaging contains Gluten Free.
They are trying to spread the word in the gluten free market, and said to use coupon code MH3090 to get 40% off on http://www.boosters4health.com
I give Nectar a 9 out of 10 (always gotta leave some room for improvement). I will be buying it again! I have given a few friends and family samples, and we will all be combing for a big order. These are great for meal replacement or just a quick snack. Honestly, I can’t say enough, and it has raised my standards of protein powders.
Thanks Mike!
I have had Syntrax’s Nectar Roadside Lemonade flavor in the past and remember it being good. I am definitely more of a chocolate gal though! Thanks for the awesome review!
Hey Monica!
I’ve used protein powders quite a bit in baking-there’s a couple of recipes:
http://www.glutenfreefitness.com/gluten-free-dairy-free-protein-bar-kind-of-a-recipe-trail-mix-bars/
http://www.glutenfreefitness.com/recipe-alert-gluten-free-chocolate-banana-protein-brownies/
http://www.glutenfreefitness.com/recipe-alert-homemade-gluten-free-pumpkin-protein-bars/
It seems to vary on which types of proteins work best for baking. I’ve only used flavored ones, so I’m curious to see what I can come up with using an unflavored powder!
I’ve used GNC Whey protein – chocolate (GNC will tell you the GF status of their products if you email, but I would trust the clerks at the stores) and Biochem Sports 100% Whey protein chocolate. I don’t use them for cooking though just as a shake post-workout. They have a product that I bought 100% Greens and Whey protein powder but though it says Wheat and Gluten free on the front it lists barley grass juice powder and leaf kamut in the ingredients which makes me wonder. No info from their website makes this an annoying problem. Does anyone know anything about Biochem Sports products?
Hey there!
Just found this on barley grass-and as I understand this is true for wheat grass as well:
Barley grass is rich in nutrients and can be taken by those with gluten intolerence
Barley grass (hordeum vulgore) is made from the powdered leaves of young plants and does not contain gluten. The reason is that the plant is at its optimum nutrient value when the young leaves are between 12 cm to 16 cm and before the grain stalk has started to develop. This is the time that it is harvested, dried and powdered. Once the grain stalk has started to develop, the nutrient focus is on growning the stalk and developing the head for the barley grain to grow. This is were the gluten in produced, in the stalk and head of the barley. It is an excellent source of dark green vegetable (chlorophyll) nutrition, rich in dietary fibre (promoting good colon health and regularity, higher than bran). Contains high amounts of minerals, vitamins and proteins, more than most other leafy vegetables. It contains magnesium, calcium beta carotene, more iron than spinach and many other amino acids and enzymes essential for healthy living.
It contains 5 Vitamin B groups including B12, folic acid. Studies have shown that is contains traces of over 70 minerals and 18 amino acids which are the building blocks of our functioning.
Ref:http://www.natural-nutrition-for-health.com/barleygrass.html
And this:
From: Cynthia Kupper RD CD
Executive Director, Gluten Intolerance Group http://www.gluten.net:
* Q: Is barely and wheat grass safe to use in a gluten-free diet? What about sprouts?
* A: According to information from USDA research chemists, specializing in wheat gluten and cereal proteins and a statement from the American Association of Cereal Chemists, gluten is found only in the seed kernel (endosperm) and not in the stem and grass leaves. If the grass is cut from a growing plant and does not include the seed kernel, it should be safe for persons with gluten intolerance to use. Wheat and barley grass are promoted as having superior nutrients, however the nutrient composition of the grasses is not superior to eating a variety of fruits and vegetables, which would be overall more healthy and less expensive than using this supplement. Bottom line is that I would stay away from it at this time and eat more fruits and vegetables! My personal and professional choice is not to use these products. Instead, rely on a variety of gluten-free grains, fruits and vegetables for a nutrient-rich diet. Feel that you must include a grass in your diet; I would recommend alfalfa grass instead of the wheat or barley grass.
As far as the Biochem products specifically, you can always contact them to verify to see how they’ve determined the GF status.
Thanks. I think I will invest in some test strips and just test products myself rather than going by a manufacturers claim. I have the silent form of celiac disease so I can’t just go by whether I have an immediate reaction since I usually can’t tell until I get an antibody (anti-endomesial (sp?) antibody) test to determine if I got gluten and then I can’t tell if I would have gotten it there or somewhere else.
That sounds like a good idea. Let us know how it goes!
Gaspari Myofusion:
Myofusion is a protein blend of whey protein isolate, concentrate, egg protein, and milk protein isolate.
According to Drew at Gaspari: “all of our products other than the powder form of SizeOn and the RealMass are 100% gluten free” They are processed in a shared facility. The proteins are sweetened with acesulfame potassium and sucralose.
I have had (so far) the vanilla and strawberry flavors, both of which have been very good. I will be trying the chocolate next. It makes a bit of a thicker consistency shake, which I like. The flavors are pleasantly strong, and mixability is very good.
Plant Fusion protein powder is a nice change from Soy and Whey based protein powders. It’s totally vegan and gluten free. The color of the Chocolate variety when prepared with one scoop of the powder, eight ounces of water, and four cubes of ice is kind of a depressing gray. However, the flavor is quite good. It’s not too sweet and not too chocolatey. It is slightly chalky, but most powders are. The Vanilla flavor is the favorite of a dear friend of mine. She likes to put it on her cereal in the morning. She has a very intense farming job for which she requires a higher amount of calories and protein. And, while this is only 117 calories per scoop it is quite sustaining. On its own I can go 4 hours without feeling hungry. With other additions I’m sure it would last me longer.
I do recommend this protein powder. It’s only 15 scoops per container and is $21-25 dollars here on Maui, but the price may be lower elsewhere.
Oh, and the ingredients are based on brown rice protein, artichoke protein, and pea protein.
Thanks Amanda! I looked it up and did find it available online at bodybuilding.com and vitacost.com. It’s $12.97 for 1 pound at bodybuilding.com. I’m going to give it a shot next time I order. Thanks for your review-it looks like a great option for our gluten and dairy free contingent.