Soy free protein shakes for weight loss

Soybeans are an increasingly popular food item, particularly in the United States. As production goes up, it’s more common to find soy in many different food items, including protein powder.

But not everybody likes soy. Some of its opponents claim that it can cause an imbalance in hormones. While soy is a complete source of protein, some people choose to stay away from it because of these claims. As such, many health and fitness enthusiast only take soy-free protein powder.

We’ve scoured the market to find the best soy-free protein powders for you. We’ve also summarized the soy debate further down.

In this guide:

• The top 10 soy-free protein powders
• A summary of the soy health debate
• Ideal protein intake for different goals
• The benefits of supplementing protein

Top 10 Best Soy-Free Protein Powders

Best Soy-Free Protein Powder Overall

Swolverine – Whey Protein Isolate

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• Grass-fed
• Big tub
• Delicious flavor

Protein Sources: Grass-fed whey isolate

Swolverine’s massive two-pound tub of whey isolate is our absolute favorite soy-free protein powder. It’s got everything you need to maximize muscle growth and recovery.

This whey isolate is sourced from grass-fed, growth-hormone-free cows to keep things natural. It’s also cold-processed for purity and micro-filtered for better mixing.

And the flavors are delicious! We’re big fans of the honey cinnamon peanut butter flavor in particular. Toss in some milk and a banana in a blender if you’ve got some rich, tasty muscle fuel.

BOTTOM LINE

This massive tub of grass-fed whey isolate delivers clean and delicious soy-free protein.

Runner-Up Best Soy-Free Protein Powder

Perfect Keto – Whey Protein Isolate

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• Whey isolate
• MCT-packed
• Non-GMO

Protein Sources: Grass-fed whey isolate

Perfect Keto’s whey isolate is a lean and clean source of soy-free protein.

And as the name suggests, this powder is great for keto diets as well. It’s packed with MCTs to help boost energy, focus, and clarity when in a state of ketosis.

The unflavored version is nothing but pure whey isolate with a dash of acacia gum for texture. Both flavored versions have only one additional ingredient each, plus a dash of stevia to naturally sweeten things up a bit. You can’t go wrong with any option.

BOTTOM LINE

This keto-friendly whey isolate is packed with MCTs for a quick boost in energy and focus.

Cleanest Soy-Free Casein Pick

Naked Casein – Pure, Unflavored Casein Protein

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• 1-3 ingredients
• Organic, non-GMO
• Free of soy and gluten

Protein Sources: Casein

Naked’s unflavored casein powder is a great option for long-lasting soy-free protein.

This quality-focused brand makes some of the purest protein powders on the market. Their unflavored casein powder contains only one ingredient, while the flavored options contains three.

And since casein powder dissolves more slowly than most others, it’s a great option for slow-release protein that keeps you feeling full for longer.

BOTTOM LINE

This clean, minimal-ingredient casein protein is a great option for soy-free muscle support.

Paleo-Friendly Pick

Swolverine – Pure Collagen Protein

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• Pure collagen peptides
• Paleo-friendly
• Support joints and skin

Protein Sources: Grass-fed bovine collagen peptides

Pure, unflavored, grass-fed collagen peptides—that’s all there is. No sugar, no fillers, no gimmicks.

Swolverine’s collagen protein is a great option for supporting paleo diets or general joint, bone, and skin health. And, of course, it’s naturally soy-free.

BOTTOM LINE

Pure, grass-fed collagen protein is great for paleo diets and supporting joint and skin health.

Best Vegan Soy-Free Protein Powder

Snap Supplements – Plant Protein with Nitric Oxide Booster

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• Vegan
• Complete protein
• Delicious flavors

Protein Sources: Yellow peas, brown rice, lentils

Snap Supplements’ vegan plant protein is a great option for clean and delicious soy-free muscle fuel. With protein derived from brown rice, yellow peas, and lentils, you’re getting a complete amino acid profile that measures up closely with animal protein sources. (See this table for a comparison.)

Available in a handful of delectable flavors, this powder is a treat whether mixed into water or blended into a smoothie. And we were even able to fully dissolve the powder with only some brisk stirring—no blender needed.

BOTTOM LINE

This easy-mix vegan protein powder is a tasty treat for any soy-free diet.

Runner-Up Vegan Pick

Vega – Soy-Free Plant-Based Protein & Greens

• Gluten-free
• Soy-free
• Non-GMO

Protein Sources: Pea, sacha inchi, hemp seed, sprouted whole grain brown rice

This plant-based protein powder has four sources of protein and zero sources of soy.

Although soy is a vegan source of complete protein, some people are not a fan of its purported phytoestrogenic effects. To answer this, Vega offers this great soy-free protein powder.

It’s also packed with nutritious greens like alfalfa and spinach. It’s a great source of protein and micronutrients.

BOTTOM LINE

This nutritious, plant-based soy-free protein powder is a great pick for anyone trying to avoid soy.

Unflavored Whey Pick

Naked Whey – Pure, Grass-Fed Whey Protein

Best Price

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10% OFF COUPON

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• Soy-free
• Non-GMO
• Single ingredient

Protein Sources: Whey

With only a single ingredient—grass-fed whey—this is one of the best unflavored soy-free protein powders you can get your hands on.

Unflavored, this protein powder contains no gluten, soy, or added ingredients. If you opt for a flavored version, you’re only getting one or two more natural ingredients.

In addition, this soy-free protein powder is super high in protein content. It’s a fantastic source of complete protein for supporting a healthy lifestyle.

BOTTOM LINE

Naked delivers one of the best unflavored soy-free protein shakes with this single-ingredient whey protein.

Most Allergy-Friendly Soy-Free Protein

OWYN – Allergy Friendly Vegan Protein

• Vegan
• No gluten, soy, and more
• Very allergy-friendly

Protein Sources: Pea, pumpkin, chia

If you have any common food sensitivity, this vegan protein powder is for you.

This powder lives up to its name: Only What You Need. And if you have food allergies, “what you need” doesn’t include gluten, dairy, peanuts, or whatever your aversion may be.

This protein powder is tested for traces of all top 8 allergens after production. It contains no trace of peanuts, tree nuts, dairy, gluten, eggs, shellfish, fish, or—most notably—soy.

And top of its vegan complete protein blend, this powder contains zucchini, spinach, broccoli, and kale for some green superfood oomph.

BOTTOM LINE

This allergy-friendly, plant-based, soy-free protein powder is a go-to for anyone with food allergies.

Best Soy-Free Hemp Blend

Alaya Plant Protein Blend

• Protein-packed
• Diverse nutrition
• Vanilla flavor

Protein Sources: Pea, Brown rice, Hemp

Alaya offers an excellent hemp, pea, and rice protein blend to surpass what hemp alone can deliver.

Although hemp itself is a complete protein, it’s low in the essential amino acid lysine. To fill that gap, this blend also contains complete pea and rice proteins.

This organic, non-GMO, vegan powder is an excellent source of soy-free protein. In addition, it’s full of other nutrients and minerals. A little monk fruit extract gives this powder just a little bit of sweetness as well.

BOTTOM LINE

Alaya offers an excellent hemp, pea, and brown rice protein blend. This organic, soy-free powder is a great source of protein.

Best Soy-Free Meal Replacement Shake

Equip – Beef Paleo Protein Powder

• 3 natural ingredients
• Non-GMO
• No gluten, dairy, or soy

Protein Sources: Beef collagen

In a rush? This soy-free beef collagen protein powder is a great alternative to a full meal here and there.

Let’s get this out of the way: While this soy-free protein shake consists of beef protein from 70% beef and 30% collagen sources, it doesn’t taste like meat at all. The mild flavor of the protein itself is masked by the natural stevia leaf and cacao or vanilla.

While you don’t want to replace every meal with a soy-free protein shake, this paleo-friendly protein powder is a great way to sneak in some high-protein nutrition when you don’t have time to cook.

BOTTOM LINE

This delicious, minimal-ingredient, all-natural powder makes some of the best soy-free meal replacement shakes.

Why Go Soy-Free?

A summary on the soy debate.

Whether soy is good or bad for you is hotly debated. While there’s no question over whether soy is a complete source of protein, some sources claim that soy can be harmful to health.

Arguments Against Soy

Most notably, there is debate over whether soy has an impact on factors related masculinity.

Opponents of soy usually make some or all of the following claims:

• “Soy reduces testosterone”
• “Soy boosts estrogen levels”
• “Soy decreases fertility”

The line of reasoning for these arguments is usually as follows:

Soybeans contain phytoestrogens. Phytoestrogens are a class of a plant-derived chemicals that mimic certain aspects of estrogen.

Most notably, certain phytoestrogens can bind to estrogen receptors in the body, potentially impacting hormonal balance.

Soybeans contain a class of phytoestrogens called isoflavones. Specifically, soybeans primarily contain the isoflavones daidzein and genistein, which both have the potential to bind to estrogen receptors in the body.

Opponents of soy claim that when the soybean’s phytoestrogen isoflavones bind to estrogen receptors, levels of estrogen rise in the body. In men, high levels of estrogen can lead to infertility, erectile dysfunction, decreased sex drive, and gynecomastia—breast tissue growth.

Biochemically, this could theoretically happen. However, such a theory needs scientific testing. Opponents of soy point to the following studies:

1. One study followed a 19-year-old diabetic male.1Hypogonadism and erectile dysfunction associated with soy product consumption. To examine the effects of soy, the subject began eating large amounts of soy-based products on a vegan diet. He experienced a significant decrease in testosterone and libido, which persisted until one year after ceasing his soy-heavy vegan diet.

2. Another study examined the eating habits of 99 men in subfertile couples (meaning they were unable to or were having difficulty with conceiving).2Soy food and isoflavone intake in relation to semen quality parameters among men from an infertility clinic The study found a correlation between soy intake and lower sperm count. This was most notable at very high levels of soy intake.

3. One study examined the effects of soy protein isolate in 35 men.3Soy protein isolates of varying isoflavone content exert minor effects on serum reproductive hormones in healthy young men. They consumed milk protein isolate, low-isoflavone soy isolate, and high-isoflavone soy isolate for 57 days each. The researchers noted a decrease in testosterone after consuming both soy isolate products.

This research, at face value, suggests that soy products may negatively impact fertility, testosterone, and other masculine traits. However, as we discuss below, most research on soy does not support the above findings.

Arguments in Favor of Soy

Those who argue in favor of soy products will point out the flaws in the above studies. Furthermore, they argue that the vast majority of research has not found any correlation between soy consumption and hormonal imbalance.

First, there are several issues with the above studies.

1. There are a number of factors associated with the study on this 19 year old male that make it difficult to generalize the findings. First of all, he was diabetic. Secondly, he switched from an omnivorous diet to a vegan one. Finally, his low-T symptoms persisted for a year after discontinuing the diet. As such, it’s a stretch to claim that his diet was entirely the cause. And these are only a few of many factors that muddy the findings. Without any other subjects, there are no variables to control.

2. The second study similarly has several issues. Most notably, subfertile men don’t represent the general population. Other hormonal issues may already be at play. In addition, researchers only noted significantly decreased testosterone levels in those with very soy-heavy diet. Since vegans are more likely to engage in soy-heavy diets, and since the researchers did not account for vegan diets, significant dietary factors beyond soy intake alone could be at play.

3. The third study’s primary shortcoming is its very small sample size. Thousands of other factors could be at play, including the source of the soy products.

While some of these individuals studies may seem to suggest that there is a correlation between soy intake alone and hormonal imbalance, its very easy to point out their flaws.

There are a few criteria that need to be met before soy can be seriously considered as a threat to testosterone levels.

• Larger Sample Sizes

The findings thus far that have suggested that soy may decrease testosterone have only been seen in small samples. To control for age, race, diet, weight, physical activity, lifestyle, and thousands of other factors, much larger samples are needed.

It may also be that certain soy crops actually have had an impact on testosterone levels. With roughly 90 billion acres of soybean crops grown in the United States alone, any given soy product could be sourced from a wide variety of places.4Soybean Highlights A small sample size could end up consuming a soy product with findings that don’t represent the industry as a whole.

In addition to there being a wide varieties of crops, there are a wide varieties of soy preparations. From soy milk to tofu to silken tofu to fermented soy, there are many factors that come into play when considering the processing of these foods. Larger samples with more preparations are needed before coming to broad conclusions on soy in general.

• Repeatability

Studies suggesting that soy intake decreases testosterone have widely not been repeated with similar findings. On the other hand, studies finding little to no correlation between soy intake and testosterone have widely been supported by other studies.

Back to Phytoestrogens

Finally, we return to the original anti-soy argument: that soy contains phytoestrogens, which in turn impact hormonal balance.

As discussed above, it is true that soy contains phytoestrogens. However, the body of research has not found that the levels of phytoestrogens found in plant-based foods is enough to notably decrease testosterone. In fact, one meta-analysis of many studies found no correlation between phytoestrogens and feminization.5Soybean isoflavone exposure does not have feminizing effects on men: a critical examination of the clinical evidence.

Furthermore, proponents of soy will point out that many plant-based foods other than soy also contain phytoestrogens.

Foods high in phytoestrogens:

• Almonds
• Apples
• Beer
• Broccoli
• Carrots
• Coffee
• Grapes
• Lentils
• Oats
• Oranges
• Red wine
• Walnuts

If someone chooses to abstain from soy because of its phytoestrogen content, then they would logically also want to abstain from the above foods⁠—and many more.

Some people simply don’t like soy, and that’s fine. Some people don’t care for it and would rather avoid any potential feminization risk “just to be safe.” Perhaps that’s fine as well.

Although the body of research thus far has not found that soy negatively impacts hormonal balance, some people still prefer to stick with soy-free products. That’s why we’ve compiled this list of the best soy-free protein powders.

And if you’re fine with soy, these top picks are still excellent choices.

How to Take Soy-Free Protein Powder

Once you’ve decided on the best soy-free protein powder for your particular needs, you’ll want to know how much to take and when to take it. Here’s some helpful information on the ideal dosage for your soy-free protein shakes.

How Much Soy-Free Protein to Take

When to Take Your Soy-Free Protein

For more information the best dosage and timing for soy-free protein powder, check out our protein powder guide.

Brief Protein Overview

Not sure whether protein powders are for you? Here’s a brief overview on protein itself to help you make an informed decision.

What Are Proteins?

Proteins are made up of amino acids, the building blocks of the entire body. They’re used for all sorts of structures throughout the body, from building muscle tissue to tendons. They also play other important roles in many bodily functions.

There are 20 total amino acids. Eight of these, called essential amino acids, cannot be produced by the body and must come from diet. (There 9 essential amino acids for infants.)

Complete proteins contain all 8 essential amino acids, and incomplete proteins don’t. Most animal food sources are complete, and most plant food sources are incomplete. There are exceptions to both rules, of course.

Benefits of Protein Supplements

The following information is summarized from our complete protein powder guide. Give it a read for more thorough information.

Athletics

• Boosting Performance and Decreasing Soreness

Protein supplements help with more than just building up muscle size. Research has demonstrated that drinking a protein shake after each workout can lead to increased strength, performance levels, and one repetition max.26A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength in healthy adults/mfn]26Timing of postexercise protein intake is important for muscle hypertrophy with resistance training in elderly humans27Effects of resistance training and protein plus amino acid supplementation on muscle anabolism, mass, and strength

There are three major reasons behind this. First, protein supplements simply help the body produce more muscle tissue, as discussed above.

Second, drinking protein after an intense workout helps restore muscle glycogen, a primary energy source. 28Early postexercise muscle glycogen recovery is enhanced with a carbohydrate-protein supplement29Carbohydrate-protein complex increases the rate of muscle glycogen storage after exercise30Postexercise protein-carbohydrate and carbohydrate supplements increase muscle glycogen in men and women31Regulation of Muscle Glycogen Repletion, Muscle Protein Synthesis and Repair Following Exercise

And finally, post-workout protein also reduces muscle soreness. Since sore, damaged muscle fiber can’t perform as well as it normally could, reducing soreness results in increased performance and resultant strength gains over time. 32THE EFFECT OF A CARBOHYDRATE AND PROTEIN SUPPLEMENT ON RESISTANCE EXERCISE PERFORMANCE, HORMONAL RESPONSE, AND MUSCLE DAMAGE33Effect of milk-based carbohydrate-protein supplement timing on the attenuation of exercise-induced muscle damage34Acute milk-based protein–CHO supplementation attenuates exercise-induced muscle damage

SUMMARY

Taking protein supplements can help with gaining muscle mass, boosting performance, and decreasing soreness.

Weight Loss

Research has demonstrated that drinking protein shakes can help with reducing fat mass while increasing or maintaining muscle mass.35Whey Protein Supplementation Improves Body Composition and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Overweight and Obese Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis36A whey-protein supplement increases fat loss and spares lean muscle in obese subjects: a randomized human clinical study37Effects of protein supplements consumed with meals, versus between meals, on resistance training–induced body composition changes in adults: a systematic review

There are a few contributing factors here. The simplest is that protein shakes are filling, and can often replace unhealthy food choices. They can help with both appetite control and responsible dietary choices.

But beyond simple meal replacements, protein shakes help increase muscle mass, which in turns helps with burning fat.

Even at rest, muscle consumes more calories than fat does. This means that the more muscle tissue you have, the higher your resting metabolism. And the higher your resting metabolism, the easier it is to maintain a calorie deficit and burn fat.

SUMMARY

Protein supplements can help with losing fat and maintaining calorie-burning muscle mass.

Summary

Protein powders can be a great source of nutrition and a great way to hit fitness goals. Luckily, for those who are trying to avoid soy, there are lots of soy-free protein powders on the market.

For more information on protein supplementation, see our complete protein powder guide.