Vegan
Vegan protein products contain no animal-derived ingredients. The protein base is typically pea, rice, soy, hemp, pumpkin or oat. Look for vegan-certified seals (Certified Vegan, Vegan Action) for the most reliable verification.
Why It Matters
Vegan protein has matured significantly. Pea-plus-rice blends are now PDCAAS 1.0 complete proteins and match whey in muscle-building studies, given enough total daily dose. The remaining gap with whey is texture and flavor: even the best vegan powders are slightly chalkier and more earthy than whey.
How to Spot It on a Label
The Certified Vegan logo is a sunflower stamp. Vegan products list plant proteins (pea, rice, hemp, soy) as the source and avoid whey, casein, egg, collagen and milk-derived ingredients. Beware of hidden animal additives like gelatin, lanolin-derived vitamin D3 and L-cysteine.
Examples from real products
Related Terms
Keep learning with these closely-linked entries: