Bare Performance Nutrition Vegan Protein Powder Review & How it compares to other vegan protein
Bare Performance Nutrition recently re-launched their Vegan Protein Powder in Chocolate and Peanut Butter Cookie. I discovered BPN by watching Nick Bare’s fitness videos (you can learn about his story here). I’m always interested in trying new vegan protein powders (& I’ve tried a lot!), and am still searching for that perfect powder so I thought I’d give the BPN Vegan Protein in Peanut Butter Cookie a try.
Review:
Price: The BPN Vegan Protein is priced competitively at $39.99 for a 2 lb jar, this is less expensive than other performance protein powders (Ghost Vegan Protein is $44.99) and is in the medium range for natural and organic protein powders (Orgain is $29.99; Garden of Life Raw Organic Protein Powder is $47.99).
Buying Experience: Ghost is sold online and in GNC retail stores, and most natural oriented proteins can be found at GNC or health food stores like Whole Foods. BPN is only found online, but even with shipping (I paid around $6), it’s still a great deal for two pounds of vegan protein powder. I was thoroughly impressed with BPN’s shipping and handling times. Let me tell you —this team hustles! I put in an order Monday afternoon Pacific Time, and the protein powder was at my front door by Wednesday mid-day. When I order online from Ghost, it usually takes up to 1.5 weeks for my order to arrive. I couldn't believe how quickly my BPN order arrived! 10/10 would order again just based off seamless and quick the online ordering process was.
Ingredients: BPN’s Vegan Protein is a simple plant based protein blend of pea protein, watermelon seed, and pumpkin seed (The same 3 protein base as Ghost Vegan Protein), with the addition of digestive enzymes — this is a huge plus! Most protein powders cause bloating for me, even the plant based ones (especially Orgain — too much fiber and Erythritol). BPN really went the extra step by adding in DigeZyme® Multi-Enzyme Complex to help break down food and improve nutrient absorption. This is unique in performance vegan powders. After consuming BPN alone with water or in a smoothie with fruits, vegetables, and plant based fats, I don’t feel or look bloated at all.
Another huge plus with BPN Vegan Protein is the absence of artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols. It’s been hard to find a plant based protein powder that is naturally sweetened and tasty. The Garden of Life Raw Organic line has a grassy aftertaste and isn’t very good on it’s own with water. As I mentioned above, Orgain, while really good blended in a smoothie, it is sweetened with sugar alcohols and left me feeling really bloated and left a weird coating/film on my teeth. It’s decently tasty but not worth the after taste. Ghost says their protein is really F*&#!ing Delicious and it is, but they all contain Sucralose, which can actually harm your intestinal GI tract and gut health (read on here). For something that you are ingesting every day, sometimes multiple times per day, it’s probably not a good idea to keep destroying your gut health. BPN Vegan Protein is naturally sweetened and flavored (with Stevia) — and for that reason BPN will be my vegan protein powder of choice going forward.
Taste: Ok now on to what really matters — taste! The BPN Peanut Butter Cookie is really delicious! When it comes to taste, I think the only real competition is with Ghost. I found BPN Vegan Protein much better than Ghost’s Peanut Butter Cereal Milk ( I’ve tried all the vegan flavors — Chocolate Cereal Milk, Peanut Butter Cereal Milk, Banana Pancake Batter, and Pancake Batter FYI). Their formula is not chalky like other vegan protein brands and holds it own when mixed with just water and some nut milk in a blender bottle. One thing I noticed with Ghost vegan protein is that the flavors are so intense and the powder is really thick that it really over powers the other flavors in a smoothie. The BPN Vegan Protein was pleasantly light, yet still packed a flavor punch. When blended with banana, spinach, and milk you can really taste the Peanut Butter Cookie flavor, but also still get hints of banana and milk. With Ghost its only PANCAKE BATTER or CHOCOLATE CEREAL MILK, the protein powders really over power everything else in the smoothie.
When I mix it in a blender bottle, the BPN Vegan Protein Powder is light and fluid. My experience with Ghost is the opposite — it really thickens into a thick, full fat milk consistency, which isn’t that desirable right after a workout.
The bottom line: Bare Performance Nutrition is the really the superior plant based protein powder. It is one of the best tasting vegan protein powders I’ve tried, it blends well with water and in a smoothie, isn’t chalky,and is 100% naturally sweetened with no artificial ingredients. This is my new favorite vegan protein powder. I love peanut butter, but I’m excited to try their chocolate flavor next. It’s highly rated and some reviews say it tastes like brownie batter — can’t wait to try!
