7 Best Protein Powders for Women in 2024: Expert Picks

Protein per serving: 24 g

Kirkpatrick recommends the Quest protein powders, citing its high its high-quality ingredients. “It offers high-quality whey as its main ingredient,” she says, adding that it’s low in sugar and tastes great. The featured pick has one gram of sugar from sucralose and stevia to lend it sweetness, but otherwise, its ingredients list is short and simple. You can select from a variety of flavors, including vanilla (pictured above), chocolate, salted caramel, peanut butter, cinnamon, and cookies and cream. It also comes in an unflavored version that you can add to smoothies as well as baked goods for a protein boost.

Cost: $1.74 per serving (23 servings total)

Serving size: 1 scoop

Protein source: Whey

Flavors: Vanilla Milkshake, Chocolate Milkshake, Salted Caramel, Peanut Butter, Cinnamon Crunch, Cookies and Cream

Protein per serving: 24 g

The Mt. Capra Clean Whey Protein has only one ingredient, whey protein from the milk of grass-fed goats, which contains all nine essential amino acids and is purported to be easier to digest than whey protein from cow’s milk. What’s more, the ingredient contains more branched-chain amino acids—essential nutrients that help muscle recovery—than its counterpart, and the overall formulation is non-GMO as well as gluten- and soy-free. You can choose from two flavors, vanilla and unsweetened, the latter of which you can add to a variety of foods without altering their taste so much.

Cost: $2.93 per serving (15 servings total)

Serving size: 2 scoops

Protein source: Whey

Flavors: Unsweetened, Vanilla

Protein per serving: 25 g

If you want a plant-based protein powder, opt for this pick from Vega. It comes recommended by Manian, who listed it as one of the best vegan protein powders in her previous Well+Good article. Two scoops deliver 25 grams of protein from peas, as well as vitamins, minerals, and omega-3s from flaxseeds. Plus, it’s sweetened with stevia, making it ideal for people who want an option that’s made without artificial additives. Manian attested that it lends itself well to smoothies, oatmeal, pancakes, and more, and proclaimed that it “tastes great” without the chalky aftertaste. Plus, the protein powder is available in three classic flavors—vanilla, chocolate, and berry.

Cost: $2.61 per serving (18 servings total)

Serving size: 2 scoops

Protein source: Peas

Flavors: Vanilla, Chocolate, and Mocha

Protein per serving: 20 g

For a well-rounded and delicious protein powder, spring for this pick from KOS, which also made our list of the best-tasting protein powders. W+G contributor and weightlifter Kayla Hui called the chocolate peanut butter-flavored option (pictured above) the “fraternal twin” of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups—and the other flavors are equally delicious. Two scoops of the stuff offer 20 grams of protein from humble peas and zero grams of sugar. The sweetness (which Hui says is “not too overpowering or cloying”) comes from stevia and monk fruit, and if you prefer your powders unflavored, KOS also has an option for you.

Cost: $1.61 per serving (28 servings total)

Serving size: 2 scoops

Protein source: Peas

Flavors: Chocolate Peanut Butter, Chocolate, Vanilla, Salted Caramel Coffee, Unflavored

Protein per serving: 22 g

Garden of Life’s protein powder is made with peas, sprouted grains, and seeds, and it offers 22 grams of protein in one serving, including branched-chain amino acids from USDA-certified organic ingredients. The formulation is also non-GMO, free from gluten and added sugar, and NSF-certified. Along with protein, it also includes probiotics and digestive enzymes, too. Natural sweeteners stevia and erythritol lend to the chocolate and vanilla options’ flavor, but Manian previously mentioned that they can lean too sweet for her liking and she prefers the unflavored version. Regardless of your preference, it has a “smooth texture,” she says.

Cost: $1.70 per serving (20 servings total)

Serving size: 1 scoop

Protein source: Peas

Flavors: Chocolate, Vanilla, Unflavored

Protein per serving: 27 grams

This plant-based protein powder keeps things simple. The formulation delivers 27 grams of pea protein—and that’s theonly ingredient included in the unflavored version pictured above. It’s non-GMO and dairy-, soy-, and gluten-free, and made without additives, too. If you opt for any one of its flavored versions, just note that it contains additional ingredients that contribute to its taste. (For reference, the chocolate-flavored option is made with coconut sugar and cacao, in addition to peas.) Plus, the powder is Informed Choice-certified so you know that it’s free of unwanted additives.

Cost: $0.74 per serving (78 servings total)

Serving size: 2 scoops

Protein source: Peas

Flavors: Chocolate, Vanilla, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Double Chocolate, Unflavored

Protein per serving: 20 grams

Protein is an essential to any diet, but it’s especially important for those who are pregnant and breastfeeding, who may require twice as much protein, and Ritual’s protein powder can help you obtain adequate amounts of the essential macronutrient. One scoop offers 20 grams of protein, as well as 250 grams of choline, a nutrient that is important in embryonic neurodevelopment. This option is also Informed Sport-certified and formulated with USDA-certified organic ingredients. Plus, it’s free of GMOs, artificial colors, flavors, and sweeteners, as well as stevia, sugar, and sugar alcohols. Just be sure to consult your physician before use.

Cost: $2.13 per serving (15 servings total)

Serving size: 1 scoop

Protein source: Pea

Flavors: Vanilla