Label reading is a valuable skill every health- and fitness-conscious person should master.
Not only does it help you meet your nutrition goals, but it also helps you avoid allergens and other unsavory or even harmful ingredients.
However, reading supplement labels, such as protein powder nutrition labels, is different from typical label reading.
In this article, you’ll learn the nuances of how to read a protein powder nutrition label so you can choose the cleanest, highest-quality protein and skip the bad or unnecessary ingredients.
The Anatomy of a Protein Powder Nutrition Label
Protein powders are technically supplements but also considered foods and regulated as such by the Food and Drug Administration.
Therefore, all protein powder companies must comply with food labeling laws and specifications.
This ensures that manufacturers must list all their ingredients, including allergens, additives, preservatives, and nutritional information, while avoiding making sensational or unproven claims about their products.
As supplements, protein powders must contain a Supplement Facts or Nutrition Facts box on the back of the package (container, pouch, etc.).
The Supplement or Nutrition Facts box gives you the details on the nutritional composition and primary ingredients in the protein powder, including:
- Serving size
- Servings per container
- Calories
- Total fat
- Saturated fat
- Total carbohydrate
- Dietary Fiber
- Total Sugars
- Protein
- Specific amounts of vitamins and minerals like vitamin A, C, iron, potassium, and sodium
You’ll also see what’s in their protein blend (whey, pea protein, rice protein, cranberry protein, etc.) and the weight in grams.
A note about the percent daily values based on a 2000-calorie diet, as well as explanations for ingredients for which percent daily values have not been established, is also included.
Here’s an image of Biochem’s 100% Vegan Protein Vanilla and Grassfed Whey Protein for reference:
You’ll also want to pay attention to what’s above and under the Supplement or Nutrition Facts, as this is where companies must list their other ingredients, such as sweeteners, fillers, excipients, colors, and allergen statements, as well as directions for use, serving size and number of servings per container.
Here, you’ll also see caution statements and special notices, as well as the company's contact information, product number, sometimes the batch number, and barcode.
Some companies may include additional information about amino acid profile and content, either as a “typical amino acid profile” or broken down by specific amino acids and their corresponding amounts.
Now that you have the basics, let’s dive deeper into what to look for and what to look out for on protein powder labels.
Zeroing in on Ingredients: The Most Important Part of Protein Powder Nutrition Labels
Ingredients are paramount when choosing a clean, healthy, and nourishing protein powder.
And since you’re paying for protein, you want protein to be the primary ingredient! Ideally, look for 20-30 grams per serving.
You’ll want to know what type of protein is in the protein powder formula, as brands and blends can vary greatly.
There are numerous types of protein used in supplements, including but not limited to:
Dairy-based proteins:
- Whey protein isolate
- Whey protein concentrate
- Whey protein isolate/concentrate blends
- Whey protein hydrolysate
- Casein
- Milk and skim milk protein
Meat-based proteins:
- Hydrolyzed beef protein
- Beef protein isolate
- Collagen (plant, marine, or mammal)
- Bone broth protein
- Egg protein
Plant-derived proteins:
- Pea protein
- Rice protein
- Cranberry protein
- Hemp protein
- Soy protein
- Pumpkin seed protein
- Watermelon seed protein
- Chia seed protein
Unsure Which Form of Protein Powder to Choose?
Whey protein and plant-derived protein are two of the most popular, economical, and widely available forms.
Whey protein is a favorite among fitness enthusiasts for its complete amino acid profile and muscle-supportive properties.
It’s also been shown to be beneficial for weight management, gut health, muscle building, metabolic function, and immune health, and has an excellent taste and texture.
Whey protein isolate (versus concentrate) is considered the gold standard, as it’s the most bioavailable and contains the least amount of lactose, making it suitable for many people with dairy sensitivities.
Note: Please talk with your doctor or nutritionist about whey protein products if you are unsure if they will work for you and your sensitivities.
Vegan protein powders have also surged in popularity as a vegan, vegetarian, and dairy-free option with extra fiber.
The best vegan protein powders typically contain more than one type of plant protein, which ensures a complete amino acid profile.
For example, Biochem’s 100% Vegan Protein contains a combination of organic pea protein, organic hemp seed protein, and cranberry protein for a complete and healthy whole food-based amino acid profile.
Whatever protein source you choose, make sure it’s the first or most substantial ingredient on the label (20-30 grams per serving) and that the company specifies exactly which type of protein is used (isolate, concentrate, etc.).
“Other Ingredients” to Watch Out For on Plant and Whey Protein Powder Nutrition Labels
A short ingredient list on a protein powder is typically an indicator of a cleaner product.
However, many protein powders contain a long list of “other ingredients”, which is where the undesirable stuff is listed, including:
- Sugar: Non-GMO cane sugar is preferable to conventional sugar, corn syrup, or corn syrup solids, which are likely sourced from GMO sugar beets or corn
- Fructose
- Artificial sweeteners—these are very common in protein powders. This includes saccharin, sucralose, aspartame, acesulfame potassium, xylitol, erythritol, neotame, and advantame.
- Artificial colors
- Artificial flavors
- Artificial preservatives
- Excipients (ingredients added to help with manufacturing)
- Fillers
- Texturing agents
“Other ingredients” lists are minimal in high-quality protein powders, and include things like natural vanilla flavor, cocoa, natural extracts, fiber or prebiotics (such as inulin), and natural sweeteners like stevia, monk fruit, or small amounts of non-GMO cane sugar.
Ideally, a protein powder would be free from excipients, fillers, stabilizers, thickeners, and texturing agents.
However, they’re not all bad, and some manufacturers use them to help the powders move smoothly through manufacturing machinery or to improve texture and mouthfeel.
Clean excipients, fillers, stabilizers, and thickeners include:
- Rice starch
- Rice flour
- Oat fiber
- Gum acacia (aka: acacia gum)
- Lecithin (non-GMO soy or sunflower)
- Psyllium
- Rice husks
- Sodium alginate (a gelling agent made from brown seaweed)
- Note: Although some people may experience minor digestive complaints from sodium alginate, it’s a gentler option than other gelling agents.
- Xanthan gum
Less clean excipients, fillers, thickeners, and stabilizing agents may be highly refined, come from petroleum products or GMO ingredients, and may cause side effects in certain people, such as digestive or gut health issues.
Some examples include:
- Silicon dioxide
- Guar gum
- Carrageenan
- Maltodextrin
- Microcrystalline cellulose
- Cellulose gum
- Soluble corn fiber
Note: If a protein powder has a Non-GMO or Certified Organic label, the excipients, fillers, and texturing agents are clean.
This can be a lot to remember!
When in doubt, refer back to this list, do a quick online search of the ingredient, or look for badges like “Certified Organic” and “Non-GMO verified” to help you vet protein powders.
Deciphering Certifications & Badges on Protein Powder Labels
Badges and certifications can help with the vetting process, but they’re not all equally meaningful.
Many brands create their own badges that appear official, but are purely for marketing purposes.
However, there are exceptions.
For example, a brand may use its own badge to avoid redundancy or irrelevancy (such as ingredients that are never genetically modified) in certifications or to promote a product virtue that cannot be certified and/or only in-house verified.
Some examples of potentially meaningless badges include:
- Non-GMO (does not indicate third-party verified certification. Organic ingredients are naturally non-GMO)
- Vegan, vegetarian, or plant-derived (does not guarantee a product is DNA-verified or third-party verified vegan or vegetarian)
- Free from pesticides (does not indicate organic certification)
- Gluten-free (does not indicate third-party gluten-free certification, such as NSF)
- B-Corp (does not indicate verified B-Corp certification)
- Kosher
The following badges indicate a product’s authentic, tested, verified, and/or certified quality, purity, and clean ingredients:
- Certified Organic (This also shows a product is non-GMO)
- NSF Certified Gluten-Free
- NSF Certified Non-GMO
- Non-GMO Project Verified
- AVA Certified Vegan
- DNA-verified vegetarian
- Certified kosher (K Parve)
- Clean Label Verified
- Non UFP Certified (indicates a product is not an ultra-processed food)
- Certified B-Corp
To be clear, a lack of certifications on labels does not necessarily indicate an inferior product or guarantee the consistency of ingredient purity.
Certifications vary in their standards and requirements, with some not requiring regular testing or third-party testing of products to ensure compliance.
However, they can be helpful indicators of quality and to verify clean ingredients and ethical practices.
Looking Beyond The Label: How to Avoid Contaminants in Protein Powders
Protein powders have come under scrutiny due to reports exposing various contaminants in mostly plant and some whey varieties.
Some of the most concerning are:
- Pesticides, which can disrupt gut health, nervous system function, and development, and some are possible or confirmed carcinogens
- BPA and BPS, plasticizer chemicals that are known endocrine disruptors and possible carcinogens
For example, a recent study by The Clean Label Project found that 47% of the protein powder brands tested exceeded California’s Proposition 65 safety thresholds for toxic metals.
This is not information you will find on labels, yet it’s essential to know how different brands are testing for these contaminants.
So, how can you know?
Firstly, you can read the reports for yourself (see References below) as they list the brands of concern with the highest heavy metal contents.
Keep in mind, these brands may have rectified the situation by changing their sourcing, testing protocols, and upper limits.
Transparency is vital in the supplement industry, and reputable companies should be happy to answer your questions.
Biochem is NSF cGMP-certified and certified gluten-free. We manufacture our products in certified organic third-party, cGMP-compliant facilities and employ raw material and end-product testing to ensure a safe and clean protein powder you can trust.
Related reading: Is Gluten-Free Protein Powder Healthier? Discover The Benefits Here
How To Find Safe & Clean Protein Powders to Support Your Health
We hope this guide has provided helpful information on how to read a protein powder label.
To recap, here’s a criterion for choosing the safest, highest-quality protein powder to fuel your health and fitness journey:
- Was the brand flagged as high in contaminants in recent studies, such as those by Consumer Reports?
- Does the brand conduct rigorous testing of its raw materials and finished products?
- Are the raw materials clean?
- For example, the cleanest whey protein comes from pasture-raised cows, and plant proteins should be organic and/or sustainably sourced.
- Is the brand certified gluten-free?
- Does the brand use excipients, fillers, thickeners, gelling agents, or texturing agents?
- If so, are they clean or suspect?
- Is the product made in a third-party certified cGMP facility?
- For plant proteins, are they genetically verified as vegan? (Some tests have revealed that protein powders may contain animal products that are not disclosed on labels.)
- Does the product contain any additives, preservatives, artificial colors, or flavors?
- Is the product naturally sweetened or artificially sweetened?
- How many calories are in a scoop?
- How much protein is in a serving? How many servings are in a container?
- Does the product contain soy or any other allergens?
- If you’re a vegetarian, look for a Vegetarian Certification on Whey Protein powders
- Do the plant proteins have a complete amino acid profile? This typically requires the use of more than one type of plant protein.
The good news is that several brands meet this criterion, including Biochem.
Shop our certified gluten-free Whey Protein Isolates (sugar-free or naturally sweetened, grass-fed, and ultra delicious) or Plant Proteins (sustainably-sourced, genetically-verified vegan, and certified vegetarian) to learn more.
We also offer a range of clean sports nutrition supplements, such as Creatine Monohydrate, vegan BCAA Powder, and Pure Glutamine, all made in our NSF-certified, organic, and gluten-free cGMP manufacturing facilities.
References Mentioned in This Article
- “Investigating the Health Implications of Whey Protein Consumption: A Narrative Review of Risks, Adverse Effects, and Associated Health Issues”. Healthcare.
- “Whey Protein Supplementation Enhances Whole Body Protein Metabolism and Performance Recovery after Resistance Exercise: A Double-Blind Crossover Study”. Nutrients.
- “Whey Protein Supplementation Improves Body Composition and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Overweight and Obese Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis”. J Am Coll Nutr.
- “Arsenic, Lead Found In Popular Protein Powder Supplements”. Consumer Reports.
- “CLP Insights: 2024-25 Protein Powder Category Report.” Clean Label Project.
- “Quality assurance issues in the use of dietary supplements, with special reference to protein supplements”. J Nutr.