NOW Foods Sports Nutrition, Pea Protein 24 g, Fast Absorbing, Unflavored Powder, 7-Pound

Alright, first things first: NO pea protein powder tastes good. ALL brands taste and smell awful, like drywall, and they're ALL chalky in water. There's no escaping it. Whey is just far better as a water-soluble protein - it blends well, offers a creamy texture, and has a fairly inoffensive flavor of its own. HOWEVER, pea protein has specific advantages. First, it's far easier to find an unflavored pea protein (like this one). There is only one ingredient. Nearly ALL whey protein powders are flavored, which means additives like lecithin, xantham gum, and sugar alcohols. If a whey protein powder with a flavor like 'super duper chocolate' sounds too good to be true, it is. As much as possible, always go for an unflavored version of whatever protein you buy. In my experience, there are very few whey protein brands that offer an unflavored version of their product (for example, ON does not), but most respectable pea protein powders will have an unflavored version. Pea protein is simply a protein isolate. It can be manufactured directly from yellow peas, with only a little bit of processing. The only matter to keep in mind is that the pea protein isolation process generates relatively high sodium content, so you might be surprised by the amount of sodium in pea protein (e.g. in a NOW sports scoop, it's over 300mg). Still, unless you are explicitly trying to control your sodium intake, these amounts are perfectly fine. Because there are ZERO other ingredients, pea protein is certainly more secure than most flavored whey proteins. Moreover, there's no additional process needed to make pea protein water-soluble, which is not the case for whey. Hence the additives, even in unflavored whey. This doesn't mean that whey is harmful, only that it is not usually sold as a single ingredient. When it comes to mixing the UNFLAVORED versions of each in water, whey wins hands down. It tastes way better, mixes better, and just goes down easy. Pea protein is almost unpalatable, and it doesn't really matter what brand you pick. You'll get hints of cardboard, wood shaving, and drywall powder. The trick with any pea protein is to mix it into a beverage that masks its flavor. Typically, the best way to do this is a smoothie. Milk/oat milk, oats, berries, yogurt and bananas with some water are typically perfectly adequate. These ingredients easily mask the odor and flavor of pea protein when blended. Either that, or you simply need to drink pea protein like medicine. Glug it down, shut your eyes, and gulp hard. The NOW sports pea protein powder is, in that sense, a standard pea protein. It smells and tastes awful on its own. But it is unflavored, contains one ingredient, and has great protein returns per scoop. I recommend mixing a scoop with thicker liquids (milk/oat milk/yogurt), at least one sweetener (fruits/frozen berries are okay), and some grains or fiber in a smoothie. Consumed this way, pea protein is safe, unobjectionable, and far more reliable (it's much easier to manufacture, so there's less chance of anything murky happening behind the scenes). When I first started having pea protein, I found my stomach reacting a little uncertainly to it - a little bit of gripe, and once or twice a trip to the bathroom. However, after just a few tries, my body is used to it (in smoothie form), and the results in terms of muscle gain are really noticeable. I have no lactose/dairy issues, so I could be having whey - but I find the simplicity of unflavored pea protein much more desirable. Go ahead and buy this protein powder - it won't disappoint you. But don't consume it in ways that you know will make you gag. Mask it heavily (nonfat milk and/or unsweetened oat milk barely add any calories, neither do fruits for the most part) and you'll be fine. Happy training!

I’ll start off this review with a startling and unbelievable statement—I’m a bodybuilding Vegan. It’s been almost ten years since I climbed over the piles of rotting meat and dairy products, and I haven’t looked back since my blood pressure dropped to 115/75 and cholesterol level plummeted seventy points to 150. Triglycerides? A double-digit number. Not bad for a 60 year-old who eats tofu and vegetables, benches 225, squats a ridiculous 500lbs. and doesn’t indulge in dangerous experiments with needles. Was it easy to make this transformation? No. The food choices available from the start were limited, at least until I did the research. NOW Foods Sports Nutrition has not only made this transition easier with a few mouse clicks, it’s given other Vegans what they need, inexpensive quality protein and carbohydrates. This product, Pea Protein, is what it says, an easily-digested protein from peas, and I’ll use anywhere from 50-100g a day, depending on my routine. It works fantastic. Not bad for one ingredient. You may have noticed I mentioned NOW also makes a carbohydrate supplement. It’s called Carbo Gain. But why mention it here? As many have seen, there are way, waaaay too many one-star reviews for this protein product mixing bad and tasting like chalk. I believe one person declared in dramatic fashion “IT'S SOOOOOOOOOOO BAD. So, so, so bad” and concluded it’s mixability was “0/10”. <slaps forehead> It’s described as unflavored. It’s not going to knock you off your feet like a great-tasting Vegan pizza. Any protein powder with no other ingredients is going to taste like chalk. What they need is a little help. One day—in-a-hurry-to-get-to-work act of desperation—I tossed ½ cup of this pea protein into a 48oz. container half-full of distilled water along with ½ cup of Carbo Gain. To my surprise—once covered—it mixed completely with some energetic shaking and—Wow!—the chalky taste disappeared. Not bad for a complete bodybuilding shake. I’ve also tried this with filtered tap water, and it still mixed without problems—I believe distilled makes it smoother and taste better, but it’s not necessary. Try this recipe with some creatine powder tossed in and it will still mix without problems. You can’t beat it for the overall cost, convenience and the 500lb squats you’ll get out of it. Ok, you’ll have to work on the last part yourself. Have fun!

I bought this, because I was trying to create a more filling breakfast parfait. Usually I use blueberries, greek yogurt, chia seeds, baking cocoa powder, and walnuts. I thought, "hey what a great way to add more satisfying protein". I like that Now Sports has one of the higher concentrations of protein in their powders, but ugh the pea taste cuts through. I am still experimenting with other options. Maybe peanut butter and cinnamon along with this. I am sure I will figure something out, but the taste is rather strong for my liking. This powder does mix fairly well, and while it thickens the Greek yogurt substantially, it doesn't become impossible to stir, just thick. The scoop size is great for the amount of protein and calories that I want to add, but it's perhaps too much for flavor. Also the plastic tub/bottle comes with about 1/3 air and 2/3's product. While they give you the same volume, I would prefer a smaller tub / bottle because it would store in our cabinets a little better. Overall, if you are going with an unflavored pea protein, this seems to be one of the highest concentrations that you can get for a reasonable price. Just make sure you have some recipes that can hide the flavor.

------Summary------ We've used this for 4 years and gone through 12 of the 7lb cans in that time. It get's the job done and saves us money so we'll keep using it. ------TASTE------ unflavored but with a slight saltiness. It has the equivalent of about a 1/4tsp of salt in each serving. So it tastes best blended with savory flavors, not sweet. Things that compliment salty. Avocado, caramel, etc. Carob powder & turbinado sugar (1T ea.) works pretty good imo. ------TEXTURE------ It will form a sandy texture when mixed with certain things. "Real Lemon" brand instant lemonade powder made with stevia will cause this weird sandy texture. You'll have to experiment. I use water and shoot it back. No protein powder is meant for sipping. Just get it in you. ------MIXING------ It's best to mix it by stirring it instead of shaking it up. Then let it rest for 20 minutes to really blend well. By then it'll be smooth. Shaking it creates foam which can cause gas. Avoid that by stirring and then letting it sit. Stir again, lightly, before consuming.

I am Vegan, so I look for alternatives to Whey Protein, Egg Protein, etc. And from recent studies I want to decrease my Soy intake due to the presence of estrogen it contains. Don't get me wrong, the Soy Proteins have helped me increase in size, but I feel that being a man consuming estrogen may be like taking two steps forward and one step back each time I workout while consuming Soy. And for all you Whey Protein lovers you should know that whey is unhealthy for all humans' intestines plus it is an inflammatory substance, so if you are wondering why your stomach bloats or you may have gas, now you know why. Now that you know a little where I'm coming from I can tell you what I think about Pea Protein. Chemically and biologically this is one of the best protein molecules your body can use. It is naturally balanced to digest very easily in the human body and almost no one has an adverse reaction to its consumption. However, I am the type of person that doesn't care much for the original V8 drink, or tomato soup; and from all my concoctions of trying to mask the god awful taste of this Pea Protein it seems like tomato juice is the only thing that can mask 80% of the horribleness. I even tried putting it in Pace salsa and this helped mask 80% as well, but gave the salsa a gross sludge texture. In other reviews I read that people had issues with the grittiness, but I had no problem. It mixed really well in my $30 blender. Make sure you add the powder last so it doesn't get stuck under the blending blades. If you make shakes with almond milk, peanut butter, a banana, and chocolate syrup like I do, you will not like this Pea Protein. Even with tons of ingredients I can still taste the weird disturbing Pea Protein flavor. For anyone that doesn't know what it tastes like, I would describe it to be almost exactly like what you would imagine wall putty to taste like. And I am not exaggerating, it really does taste like it's from the hardware store. And there is a hint is geriatric medication to it as well. There is an off-putting wrongness about it that after a full week of attempting different shakes, I have begun to start dry heaving after taking a sip. The container now sits 3/4 full in my cupboard until I find a friend that needs protein powder and likes tomato soup, so they can try mixing it in that. If you have experienced this as well, you may benefit from the #1 protein on the planet "Spirulina". A "super food" that is a little more expensive than all other proteins and tastes like unsalty seaweed, but goes well with black beans and flaxseed chips, or mixes really good with fruit smoothies, just turns it a dark green color. My taste buds can handle it very easily. Spirulina is proven to be the best absorbing protein the body can use. And it takes less digestive power than any other protein source, so I feel like I have more energy now. As soon as my store bought supply runs out, I will most likely buy this organic package Organic Spirulina Powder 1000g (2.2 lb), Bulk Pure Fresh, By HerbStoreUSA from Amazon.

one would be hard pressed to find 96 24g servings of straight protein – zero fillers – for under $60 that also mixes well; contains BCAA's, let alone any amino acids;with no sugar; only two grams of fat; is super consistent in texture, flavor and actual volume, plus doesn't taste any differently than you'd expect an unflavored pea protein powder to taste. now sports has somehow checked every single one of those boxes. i first came across this about 3 years ago and really liked the price point. i have not purchased a different protein supplement since. i can not recommend this product or praise it enough. ⚠️if your stomach is on the sensitive side, you will be effected by this powder, personally, i get a little bloated and gassy for a bit, but it subsides within a few hours.⚠️ PRO TIP: this stuff is fire in coffee. i use 1 scoop per 4 cups (two 2 cup beverages) of coffee and add a splash (or more idk) of milk, a scoop of collagen peptides and a serving of honey per beverage and honestly i hate coffee anymore without it. it can get a little messy whilst distributing to your vessel as it's a relatively fine powder, but it doesn't really get sticky so cleaning up after is easy peasy.

3 Stars due to good mixability, pleasant texture, and generally neutral, slightly pea smelling aroma. Two stars knocked off due to a horribly unpalatable flavor, in both my fiancée's and my own opinion. If you can get past the flavor, this is a solid product for shakes, and if not, it could be useful for other foods where the flavor works and the extra protein is useful. Read further for expanded thoughts. The container arrived intact and undamaged, the usual for my experience with Amazon. The product itself was an incredibly fine powder, very clingy and static sensitive, and slightly tinted yellow in color. It mixes very well in water, milk, and a mix of milk and cherry juice. My fiancée and I both found the aroma to be rather pleasant — generally neutral with a hint of pea/greenery — and didn't smell particularly strong or pungent. Perhaps, compared to other reviewers, we lucked out, as the mixed texture didn't seem at all chalky or gritty. The fineness of the powder could be a problem for people that tend to develop high static charges, such as myself, especially with the plastic container. But this is not an insurmountable problem, and something with similar staticky issues likely encounter when using most protein powders. Unfortunately, that's the end of the pros and neutral observations. When mixed, the aroma of peas stayed present, even when mixed in with chocolate milk or regular milk. The taste when mixed, for both of us, was unpalatable to the extreme, the pea flavor overpowering, or directly competing with, all other flavors. The mixing medium didn't matter, whether it was just water, Oatmilk, 2% milk, chocolate milk, and a custom cocoa powder and sweetener mix used with NOW's unflavored whey protein isolate. With the latter, even when adding cocoa powder to the point that the chocolate flavor was unpleasant, the pea flavor was competing with it. As mentioned above, it mixes very well, and even in just water its texture wasn't unpleasant, so if used with strong flavors that the pea flavor would complement, it may very well work out. Perhaps as a protein booster for a pesto or green dip of some kind, or something that needs extra protein with a neutral or smooth texture, like a greens/greens powder shake. Unfortunately, this was to be a part of a simple breakfast protein shake, so it's unsuitable for us. Thanks for reading the entirety of the review, and good luck on your body shaping journey!

This is an unflavored protein powder. I have been using this pea protein for a while and have seen great results from it. I switched from using whey protein exclusively to adding more of the pea protein due to the high cholesterol found in whey protein. There is no cholesterol in this and helps to greatly reduce cholesterol consumption. It dissolves well in watery liquids but not so well in thicker liquids unless blended. This is one of the cleanest protein sources that I have come across. Though it is unflavored, it does have a bitter taste to it that is best masked in fruity flavored drinks.