Product Review: LifeTime Vegan Protein Powder

Hi FitFeat peeps!

Thanks for all the kind comments about my hobbled bod – it’s SO much better now.  Not 100% but darn close.  Ahh, bubble baths are the best!

Previously I’d mentioned that I’d soon be offering up a review on a new protein powder so without further ado, here it is!

I’ve been on the hunt for new PLANT-based protein powders recently.  I am almost out of my current brand of rice protein (Nutribiotic) and want to broaden my vegan protein horizons a bit.  There’s another popular brand of brown rice protein out there that I have read about in other blogs and gets good reviews but it seemed a  pretty costly.  Upon reading reviews on Amazon of that particular protein powder I ran across someone talking about this brand, which I hadn’t heard of before:

Lifetime “Life’s Basics Plant Protein”

I was immediately interested in trying this protein because it was made from a variety of protein sources (yellow pea, hemp, rice and chia) rather than JUST from rice or JUST from hemp.  I contacted the company to see if they would be willing to provide a sample so that I may try it out and in turn review it here for you on FitFeat.  Their response was that they did not offer samples or coupons at this time, but that I could purchase a trial size at my local health food store.   Well, the only local store that I found to carry their products was Sunflower Market.  But they didn’t carry the sample size.  So I had to buy the big container.

(I include that info so that you know this is not a paid endorsement of any kind.  I do not at this time have any affiliation with Lifetime products and do not profit from this review.  Maybe someday in the future companies will send things to my doorstep to review, as I read about on other blogs, but for now I purchase the items you see reviewed and recommended on FitFeat! )

But I digress…

I wanted to try this protein a few different ways before giving thumbs up or down.

1. I mixed the powder with just almond milk to gauge its mixability in a shaker cup and not in a blender
2. I mixed the powder with almond milk and a banana in a blender to gauge its overall flavor as a smoothie component
3. I added the powder to my oatmeal (after cooking)
4. I mixed the powder into my chia seed pudding.

My thoughts:

I’m very impressed with this protein.    This powder will get used often in my meals and smoothies.

• It has great ‘mixability’ in just a shaker cup so that I can easily pack it to go and not need any sort of blender.  No weird ‘chunkage’ you sometimes see with protein powders.
• I like the macronutrient ratio (1 scoop is 129 calories, 22g protein, 5g carb, 2.67g sugar, 2g fiber, 1g fat)
• Its flavor goes well with everything into I’ve tried it in so far
  
• It made my chia pudding SO MUCH more palatable  (since I’d been struggling to LIKE chia pudding).
• According to their website, this protein powder “does not contain yeast, corn, soy, gluten, wheat, milk, egg, whey or any artificial ingredients or preservatives.”
• A competitive price at $24 for just over 18 oz (15 large scoops, which for me will probably end up being 30 half-size servings).  Since I’m not ‘bodybuilding’ anymore, I’m not interested in getting 20-30 grams of protein with each meal.  Half a scoop with 11 grams of protein will work just fine for my needs.
  

The only negative (and this is really a minor one) is that it’s almost TOO sweet.  I see that there is an unsweetened version available at Amazon but I don’t see it actually on their website.  I purchased Vanilla because that was the only flavor offered at Sunflower Market.  Luckily I like sweet flavors in my smoothies and oats so it’ll be fine.  But next time around I’d like to try the unsweetened one and compare.  The plus to the Vanilla being so sweet (for those of you watching sugar and/or fruit intake) is that you can sweeten your GREEN SMOOTHIES without adding as much (or any) fruit.

Verdict:  Definitely RECOMMENDED 

***

A few highlights from my Monday eats for you:
I thought I’d try combining my dried greens in my oatmeal in the morning (since I knew I wouldn’t be making a green smoothie).  Hmm, probably won’t be doing that again anytime soon.  The first few bites were icky then I got used to it and ate the rest with no trouble.

An apple and an apple pie Larabar packed for while at work…

And for dinner I made homemade Black Bean Burgers, using a cutout from an Ezekial pita as the “bun” along with a pepper jack Veggie Slice (‘cheez’), romaine, roma tomato and spicy mustard:

Fast, easy and FLAVORFUL!  Just how I like my food to be…

OK kids, make your TUESDAY tip-top!    I’ll see you again very soon!

– Shari B. =)