The human body’s building components are proteins. Protein is required for growth, muscle gain, weight loss, recovery from sickness, and energy maintenance.
Protein supplements are sometimes necessary because our diet isn’t always sufficient. It’s critical to select a protein powder that doesn’t include any artificial sweeteners. These artificial sugars have the potential to derail your fitness goals, and some of them have dangerous side effects.
Types Of Artificial Sweeteners Found In Protein Shakes
Supper replacement shakes are an excellent choice for a healthy meal because they are packed with nutrients and can be prepared quickly. Artificial sweeteners are abundant in some meal replacement shakes. While the FDA has authorized the majority of sweeteners, there are still serious safety concerns.
The most often used artificial sweeteners in meal replacement protein shakes are:
Acesulfame K
The most prevalent contaminant in protein shakes is acesulfame K. It has a faint bitter aftertaste and is roughly 200 times sweeter than sugar.
As a result, to get the best sugary flavor, it’s always combined with other artificial sweeteners. Despite the fact that the FDA has approved this sweetener, it is thought to have carcinogenic effects.
Aspartame
Aspartame is frequently combined with Acesulfame K, and it is two hundred times sweeter than sucrose or normal sugar, as previously stated.
Despite the FDA’s clearance, there are concerns regarding the drug’s negative effects on cognitive health.
Sucralose
Sucralose is a three-times sweeter than Aspartame artificial sweetener that has been deemed safe for consumption by a number of health organizations.
Heated sucralose is often unabsorbed in the body, and there are concerns about its negative effects.
What Are The Advantages Of Artificial Sweetener-Free Meal Replacement Shakes?
The detrimental effects of artificial sweeteners on our general health have been the subject of various arguments.
As a result, choosing meal replacement shakes without artificial sweeteners will protect you from all of artificial sweetener’s bad consequences.
Using meal replacement shakes without artificial sweeteners has a number of advantages:
Optimal Cognitive Health
Synthetic sweeteners are dangerous to your blood-brain barrier, which fools our brain into thinking we’re full by enhancing the satiation effect. In the future, this may result in harmed eating choices.
Healthy Taste Buds
All synthetic sugar substitutes are a hundred times more powerful than ordinary sugar. As a result, there’s a good chance your taste receptors have been harmed. In addition, you may need to return to ordinary sugar to get rid of the bitterness. Your taste buds will stay healthy if you use natural sweeteners.
Healthy Gut
The majority of our beneficial bacteria may be found in our gut. Some artificial sweeteners, on the other hand, aren’t effectively absorbed by our bodies and remain undigested in our intestines.
This can lead to a variety of liver and gastrointestinal issues, as well as an increased risk of diabetes owing to aberrant blood glucose levels. Your immunity is also weakened. Natural sweeteners will keep your gut healthy since they don’t disrupt the good bacteria in your stomach and help you to retain your immunity.
Irritable Bowel Disease (IBD) Prevention
Artificial sweeteners are well-known for causing inflammatory side effects, which are typically shown by a bloated belly. They impair your immune system and impede optimal nutrition intake, leading to a variety of inflammatory disorders. All of these inflammatory consequences can be avoided with natural sweeteners.
Zero Added Chemicals
Chemical processing is unavoidable with artificial sweeteners. As a result, natural sweeteners should be used if you wish to avoid consuming dangerous chemicals.
What Are The Best Non-Artificial Sweetener Protein Powders?
This is a list of the top protein powders that don’t include any artificial sweeteners. I’m confident you’ll find something acceptable here if you’re seeking for an excellent source of protein.
You may include these protein powders into your meals in a variety of ways; they’re really adaptable, and the majority of them blend nicely with food and beverages.
1. Opportuniteas Grass Fed Whey Protein Powder Isolate
This is a 100% pure whey protein isolate. It has no added sugars, sweeteners, preservatives, or colors, and is unflavored. GMOs, gluten, and hormones are also not present.
The whey is cold processed from raw milk, which is a distinct way for creating the isolate. Pasteurization requires that it be heated for a very brief period of time.
When compared to conventional whey, this modification yields high-quality amino acids with a better flavor and texture.
Opportuniteas is a company that makes a variety of superfoods with the goal of providing easy answers for a healthy lifestyle. When the founder’s mother became ill in 2013, he decided that identifying and producing the most useful meals would be his only mission in life.
Nutrition
The natural whey protein isolate in each meal is 27 grams. It simply contains two ingredients: protein isolate (which makes up 99 percent of the mix) and non-GMO sunflower lecithin.
Usage
It has no discernible flavor, making it ideal for those who dislike flavored protein powders. It’s also quite adaptable; you can use it in any drink, smoothie, sauce, or soup. It’s simple to include into any dish.
2. Tgs Nutrition Whey Protein Powder
Because it’s an unflavored protein powder, the possibilities for mixing it with food and beverages are endless.
It’s unsweetened, which, aside from being a healthier option, allows you more flexibility in terms of using it in sweet or savory recipes. You have complete control over everything.
TGF protein powder is free of soy, gluten, and hormones. It’s also devoid of GMOs and rBGH.
Fillers, preservatives, artificial colors, or sugars are not used in the production process. There is no bleaching or acid processing, making it a healthier and more inexpensive option to organic alternatives.
TGS Nutrition is a small firm formed in 2013 by health-conscious individuals that value pure products and don’t take shortcuts.
Nutrition
It has 25 grams of protein per serving and 130 calories per scoop.
Usage
It’s ideal for low-carb diets since it’s heavy in protein yet low in calories and carbohydrates. It also makes a great post-workout snack.
It’s good for muscle growth, recuperation from sickness, and general supplements because it’s a clean and highly concentrated protein.
3. Pure Label Nutrition Whey Protein
This is also a pure, unflavored whey protein that is free of artificial sweeteners. Its major goal is to provide a tasty and ultra-clean protein concentrate.
It just has one ingredient: grass-fed whey protein. It’s made with no additives and comes from quality dairy farms in the United States. There are no added sugars, dyes, fillers, flavors, colors, preservatives, hormones, or gluten in this product. It’s also devoid of GMOs, soy, and rBGH.
Nutrition
It’s jam-packed with amino acids. Each serving contains 24 grams of protein, 2.5 grams of fat, 1 gram of carbohydrates, and just 122 calories.
Usage
It has a high protein profile, so athletes may utilize it to increase muscle growth, and it’s simple to add into drinks, so it’s perfect for pre- and post-workout snacks.
It’s a keto-friendly supplement with very low carbohydrate and overall calorie content, which is why it’s so popular in many diets.
Protein is also required by the elderly to preserve the health of their bones and connective tissue.
4. Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey Protein Powder
Whey protein powder without artificial sweeteners is the gold standard. It has no artificial flavors and is quite simple to produce.
Because it’s a ‘instantized’ product, if you don’t have time to use the blender, simply drop a scoop into your beverage and it’ll dissolve instantly, much like instant coffee.
Nutrition
It contains 24 grams of 100% whey protein, 5.5 grams of naturally occurring BCAAs, and 4 grams of glutamine per serving. It’s free of gluten.
Each scoop has around 130 calories, 1 gram of total fat, 5 grams of total carbohydrates, and no substantial quantities of fiber. It’s made out of a protein combination with milk and soy. There’s also natural sugar and tastes in it.
Usage
It’s designed to be used by both men and women. Taking a sucralose-free protein shake before or after exercise can help jump-start muscle repair.
It can also be taken first thing in the morning to keep you energized throughout the day or to reduce your appetite.
5. Mrm ” All Natural Whey Protein Powder
MRM is one of the best protein powders available that does not contain any artificial sweeteners. MRM Whey powder, according to the business, is the best in terms of digestion, absorption, utilization, and retention.
Because it contains all of the required and non-essential amino acids, their balanced recipe is designed to optimize muscle growth and development.
It’s vegan, non-GMO, organic, and non-GMO. A third party verifies that all of the components are of excellent grade.
Nutrition
Each meal contains 100 calories, 18 grams of whey protein, 7.7 grams of BCAA and glutamine, and 18 grams of whey protein.
Usage
It is designed with athletes in mind, but it is equally good to youngsters, teenagers, the elderly, and others who are less active.
It’s great in smoothies and sports drinks, but it’s also good on pancakes and porridge.
6. Garden Of Life Meal Replacement Vanilla Protein Powder
This is an excellent meal replacement protein that is free of artificial sweeteners. According to the company, it has the nourishment of seven different items in one bottle.
It’s healthy, tasty, and useful. It’s also vegan, kosher, dairy-free, gluten-free, and soy-free, with no added sugar.
Nutrition
It contains 20 grams of pure organic plant protein as well as 6 grams of fiber to aid digestion. There are 21 different vitamins and minerals in it, as well as 1.5 billion probiotics and enzymes and less than 1 gram of sugar.
Usage
It’s a vegan protein supplement, therefore it’s suitable for all plant-based diets and vegetarian and vegan preferences.
It’s an excellent protein supplement for overall health, as well as performance enhancement and muscle mass growth.
It’s one of the greatest non-artificial sweetener meal replacement shakes. You may take it with you on the move when you don’t have much time or whenever you need a healthy dose of energy.
7. Orgain Organic Plant-Based Protein Powder
This is a high-quality, sucralose-free plant-based protein powder. Pea, brown rice, and chia seeds are used to make it.
It’s dairy-free, lactose-free, gluten-free, soy-free, non-GMO, low-carb, artificial-ingredient-free, and sugar-free. It’s also kosher and vegan.
Nutrition
Each serving is 150 calories and contains 21 grams of organic plant-based protein, 5 grams of dietary fiber, 3 grams of net carbohydrates, and 0 grams of sugar.
Usage
It’s simple to make ideal meal replacement shakes without artificial sweeteners by mixing it with water or milk. On the move, a nutritious snack is usually a smart idea.
You may also use it in other snacks; it’s quite adaptable and can be used in a variety of dishes.
It’s a great pre- and post-workout drink, but it may also be used as a dietary supplement or at other times during the day for an energy boost.
What Are The Different Forms Of Protein Powders?
Protein powders are natural proteins that have been processed. They use either animal or plant sources, such as dairy and eggs, or hemp and peas.
Other nutrients and additives are usually added to protein powders to boost bulk or enhance flavor. Protein powders come in three varieties:
Protein Concentrates
Protein is extracted by a series of steps, many of which include heating and the use of certain enzymes and acids. This is analogous to creating broth, in which the nutrients are extracted by boiling a cow carcass with vinegar and salt.
Protein concentrates typically contain 60-80% protein, 20-40% lipids, and 20-40% carbs.
Protein Isolates
The protein concentrate is further processed in this step to remove the fat and carbohydrates. The isolate includes 90-95 percent protein following this filtering step.
Protein Hydrolysates
This form is heated to a high temperature and extracted using enzymes and acids until the bonds that keep the amino acids together are destroyed. This new kind of protein is considerably easier to absorb and use by the muscles.
When compared to other kinds of insulin, the rapid use of protein appears to elevate insulin levels in a significantly shorter period.
What Are Artificial Sweeteners?
These are compounds that can imitate natural sugars without adding calories to the equation. Only acesulfame K, aspartame, neotame, saccharin, sucralose, and avantame are FDA-approved artificial sweeteners.
People usually utilize these sweeteners to assist them lose weight, which is also why they use protein powders to aid with weight loss. However, research has shown that these substances trigger an insulin response, which leads to weight gain.
GI issues, skin irritations, chest aches, palpitations, anxiety, irritability, mood changes, and sadness have all been described as adverse effects of sucralose supplementation.
Other artificial sweeteners are also the subject of heated disputes, with a growing body of evidence proving their negative effects. It’s best to be safe and avoid these possibly dangerous chemicals.
Conclusion
To make their goods more attractive, protein powder makers occasionally use artificial sweeteners. Many good-tasting protein powders are now available that are free of chemicals. You may reap the advantages of protein while avoiding the negative consequences of excessive sugar consumption.
Bodylogix Natural Grass-Fed Whey Protein Powder, which is a high-quality, clean, and well-balanced sugar-free protein powder, and Garden of Life Meal Replacement Vanilla Protein Powder, which is a plant-based meal replacement shake that is one of the best meal replacement shakes without artificial sweeteners, are two of our favorite products. It’s useful, tasty, and it’s been tried and true.