Is Vegan Protein Powder Good for Weight Loss?

Trying to lose weight on a plant-based diet? Vegan protein powder can be a helpful tool. Here's how it supports weight loss, what it won't do, and how to use it well.

1. It Helps You Feel Full

Protein is filling. Higher-protein meals increase feelings of fullness,¹ which can make it easier to avoid overeating and snacking between meals. A protein shake is an easy way to add protein to breakfast or swap in for a snack.

2. It Protects Muscle While You Lose Fat

When you cut calories, you lose some muscle along with fat. Eating more protein helps protect it. A review of 24 weight-loss trials found that higher-protein diets led to slightly more weight and fat loss and less muscle loss than standard-protein diets with the same calories.³

Plant protein supports muscle just like animal protein when you eat enough of it. In one trial, pea protein produced similar gains in muscle thickness to whey.⁴

3. A Small Metabolism Boost

Your body uses more energy to digest protein than carbohydrates or fat.² The effect is modest, but it adds a little to the calories you burn each day.

4. Easy to Fit Into Your Day

Vegan protein powder blends easily into smoothies, oatmeal, yogurt and baked goods, so it's simple to get enough protein even on a busy day.

What Vegan Protein Powder Won't Do

• It won't burn fat on its own. Weight loss still comes down to eating fewer calories than you burn.
• It isn't automatically high in fiber or nutrients. Most pea and rice proteins are concentrated to be mostly protein. Add oats, chia, flax, fruit or greens for fiber and other nutrients.
• It isn't automatically low in sugar. Some vegan powders add sugar, so check the label.

How to Use Vegan Protein Powder for Weight Loss

• Swap, don't add. Use a shake in place of a snack or part of a meal.
• Choose a low-sugar powder with a short ingredient list.
• Watch your mix-ins. Nut butter, coconut milk and fruit add calories quickly.
• Get enough protein each day. Exercising adults generally need about 1.4 to 2.0g of protein per kilogram of body weight a day.⁵
• Keep strength training to hold on to muscle.

The Bottom Line

Vegan protein powder can support weight loss by keeping you full, protecting muscle and making it easy to get enough protein. Use it as part of a balanced diet and regular exercise, and choose one with little or no added sugar, like our Optimal Plant Protein with 26g of protein and 0g of sugar per serving.