If you follow a dairy-free or lactose-free diet and are interested in drinking protein shakes, you may be out of luck with most major brands. Packaged shakes often feature dairy-based ingredients and milk-derived proteins, and the most common commercial protein powder is whey powder, which is dairy-based. Soy protein powder is one alternative, but if you have a soy allergy or prefer to avoid it, you're still left with a small list of options.
Hemp Powder
Hemp protein powder is produced from ground hemp seeds, which contain all essential amino acids. While many varieties of whey powder contain artificial sweeteners or additions that serve to enhance flavor, hemp protein powder is typically unsweetened and free of artificial ingredients. A potential downside is that hemp powder is slightly higher in calories than some other plant-based powders. One 30 g scoop of hemp protein powder has approximately 135 calories, 6 g fat, 5 g carbohydrates, 4 g fiber, 1 g sugar and 15 g protein.
Rice Powder
Brown rice protein powder is a dairy-free, soy-free and gluten-free alternative to mainstream powders. To manufacture the powder, companies use enzymes to derive proteins from whole-grain brown rice. The resulting powder doesn't offer quite as much protein per scoop as whey or soy powder, but it is suitable for vegans and anyone who has an allergy to soy. According to SourceNaturals.com, brown rice powder may also be easier to digest than either soy or whey powder. A 28 g scoop of brown rice protein powder has 110 calories, 1 g fat, 10 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, 3 g sugar and 15 g protein.
Pea Powder
Golden or yellow pea kernels are typically the source of pea protein powder, another plant-based supplement. Along with hemp and rice powder, pea powder normally has no artificial sweeteners or additives, although it also has no fiber, which can be a downside if you're trying to increase your consumption. However, pea powder also contains more protein per serving than either hemp or rice powder. One 33 g scoop of pea protein powder has around 130 calories, 2 g fat, 1 g carbohydrates, no fiber or sugar and 28 g protein.
Considerations
Lactose- and soy-free protein powders can serve as healthful, nutritious supplements if you have sensitivities or allergies to more mainstream products. However, you may not need to include protein powder in your diet at all. Eating protein in excess of your body's needs can increase your risk of liver and kidney problems, cancer or heart disease. Before adding any type of protein powder to your diet, consult your doctor.
References
- LIVESTRONG.com MyPlate: Calories in Hemp Protein Powder
- LIVESTRONG.com MyPlate: Calories in Brown Rice Protein Powder
- LIVESTRONG.com MyPlate: Calories in Pea Protein Powder
- SourceNaturals.com: Brown Rice Protein Powder
- KirkmanLabs.com: Pea Protein Powder
- MayoClinic.com; High-Protein Diets: Are They Safe?; Katherine Zeratsky; June 2010
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