Vega Protein Powder Review (2024): Plant-Based Protein That Actually Tastes Good?

Protein powders are on the rise, as a Global Market Insights (GMI) report tells us that the protein powder market size surpassed $21.5 billion in 2022. Oh, and it’s anticipated to expand at a 6.5% growth rate within the next decade!

Now begs the question: What’s driving such a significant increase? Allow us to reintroduce you to vegan protein powders. Yep, the GMI report hints the protein powder boom is largely due to vegan and plant-based nutrition trends—and that plant-based proteins are picking up pace in the supplement industry, providing many of the same benefits as the best whey protein powders.  

But Vega, a plant-based supplement brand, planted its seed in 2001 and may just be ahead of its “thyme.” In this in-depth Vega protein powder review, find out if and how this plant-based protein can help your health flourish.

Medical disclaimer: This article is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for medical advice. For health advice, contact a licensed healthcare provider. GGR also recommends choosing a product that has been third-party tested for quality.

We Go Out of Our Whey to Find Inclusive Solutions

If you’re a naturally bred whey protein consumer, you very likely understand that plant-based proteins are, ehh, different. From the taste to the solubility, plant proteins generally just do not provide our senses with the same experience as whey-based options.

But as registered dietitians and nutrition experts, we genuinely understand (and appreciate) that everyone has their own unique dietary needs and preferences. And it’s our job to provide solutions for all—this means happily going out of our way to find inclusive, non-dairy protein options when animal-based products are off the table for whatever reason. 

Vega Sport Premium Protein

Vega Sport Premium Protein

GGR Score: 4.03

Check Price

Product Highlights

• Multi-source vegan protein powder
• NSF Certified for Sport, vegan, and gluten-free 
• Includes BCAAs, probiotics, and tart cherry

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 30 grams of protein per serving
• Contains all essential amino acids but two that are made by the body
• 5 flavor options
• Supports recovery with tart cherry, probiotics, and turmeric extract

Cons

• Customers share new formula doesn’t blend well
• Pricey at over $2 per serving

Bottom Line

Vega Sport Protein is plant-based, third-party tested, and gluten-free, making it suitable for a wide variety of people. One scoop provides 30 grams of vegan-friendly protein. Our testers report taste and blendability is not comparable to whey protein, but far better than other vegan-friendly options on the market.

A Quick Look at Vega Sport Protein

Vega Sport Premium is a vegan protein powder created by Vega, a supplement company that is passionate about plants and plant-based nutrition. Really, just one glimpse of Vega’s official website tells you it’s a B-Corp Certified company inspired and motivated by plants with sustainable solutions for people and the planet.

Digging into the website, you’ll also learn that Vega planted its seeds in 2001 by co-founder Brandan Branzie, a vegan triathlete, after being frustrated by the lack of high-performance options. Fast forward to now, Vega continues to expand its nourishing product line to support general wellness and sports performance—oh, and growing trees with every purchase (more on this coming up)!

Overall, Vega is a plant-forward supplement company passionate about the power of plants. And with a unique plant-protein blend, tart cherry powder, and probiotics, Vega Sport may help your workout performance, recovery, gut health, and more. 

Before You Buy

• Vega Sport provides a hearty 30 grams of plant-based protein, contains all essential amino acids, and comes in five flavors, like Berry, Chocolate, and Mocha.
• Being NSF Certified for Sport, plant-based athletes can confidently consume Vega Sport knowing it’s free of banned substances.

Is Vega Protein Worth It?

Costing a touch over $3.00 per serving on the Vega website, Vega Sport is on the high end compared to other winners on our best vegan protein powder round-up. However, we awarded Vega Sport as the best-tasting—which might even be more impressive than its 30 grams of protein per serving, given the general track record of plant-based proteins and their flavor ratings. 

Orrr maybe not as impressive as it being a complete protein! Unlike most plant-based proteins, Vega Sport’s vegan blend provides nine essential amino acids.

So because of its rich protein content and flavor variety, along with its certifications we’ll be sure to touch on, we think Vega Protein might be a worthy option for anyone focusing on a plant-forward diet. 

Vega Sport Protein Specs

Price Per Serving

The cost of Vega Sport depends on where you purchase it from and the size you select. And as a general rule of green thumb, larger tubs will cost more upfront but less per serving. 

Vega’s Official Website Cost

The Vega Sport product page lists the following costs: 

• Large: $64.79/19 servings = $3.41/serving*
• X-Large: 111.49/45 servings = $2.48/serving**

On Vega’s site, the Chocolate and Vanilla flavors are also available in a box of 12 singles packets for $49.69, or $4.14 per packet. Absolutely can packets be convenient and help avoid any awkward interactions at the airport (see ya, sketchy baggies), but they do come with a much heftier price point. For budgeting purposes, rationing out servings—like in on-the-go containers or into a shaker bottle—from a tub is easier on the wallet but choose what’s best for you and your lifestyle. 

Through their website, I was also tempted with “Before you go… Don’t miss 20% off the items waiting in your cart” in exchange for my email address and qualified for free shipping. Vega also offers a reward program so you can save on future costs.

Amazon Prime

At the time of this writing, purchasing Vega Sport via Amazon Prime is a less expensive option. As you can see, and based on a large tub, the cost is quite variable depending on the flavor of choice: 

• Berry: $2.47/serving or $46.99/tub
• Chocolate: $2.89/serving or $54.99/tub
• Mocha: $2.42/serving or $45.95/tub
• Peanut Butter: $2.42/serving or $46.05/tub
• Vanilla: $2.15/serving or $42.99/tub

Storefronts 

If you prefer in-store shopping, you’re in luck! Vega can also be purchased at various stores, including, but not limited to: 

• CVS: $3.04/serving or $42.49/14 serving tub*
• GNC: $2.89/serving or $54.99/19 serving tub
• Target: $2.57/serving or $35.99/14 serving tub* 
• The Vitamin Shoppe: $2.89/serving or $54.99/19 serving tub 
• Whole Foods: $3.42/serving or $64.99/19 serving tub

*These are sold as 14-serving tubs over the standard sizes sold on Vega’s official site. 

Formulation

While knowing the cost is important, it’s arguably more important to understand exactly what you’re paying for. Let’s see what each scoop will provide you with. 

Plant-Based Protein

Vega Sport protein provides 30 grams of plant-based protein sourced by: 

• Pea protein: Although relatively new to the protein supplement scene, pea protein¹ has a well-balanced amino acid profile with a high level of lysine. The plant-based protein is a great substitution for animal and soy proteins, and research² shows pea protein can spur muscle growth and be used as an alternative to whey-based dietary products.

• Pumpkin seed protein: Pumpkin seed protein³ contains high values of bioavailable amino acids and minerals like potassium, calcium, and iron. It also shows promising antioxidative and chelating properties, which may enhance mineral absorption. 

• Organic sunflower seed protein: While mostly known for its fat content, sunflower seeds are a rich source of protein and amino acids. This includes essential amino acids—like phenylalanine, leucine, and methionine—that can only be obtained from high-protein foods.                       

• Alfalfa protein: While often used as animal feed, alfalfa is considered a green leaf protein source.

Taken together, the blend supplies 5 grams of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs)—specifically 2.56 g of leucine, 1.44 g of isoleucine, and 1.56 g of valine. However, it does not contain the ideal BCAA 2:1:1 ratio like these best BCAA supplements and the recommended 3 grams of leucine⁴ to maximize protein synthesis, but it’s quite close. 

Tart Cherry Powder

Vega Sport contains tart cherry powder, which Vega suggests is “the cherry on top of your post-workout recovery plan.” The pun game with this claim is truly cherrific, but we need to dig into the data and not just cherry-pick the facts. 

A 2017 review⁵ tells us that tart cherry provides antioxidant and anti-inflammatory polyphenols. These powerful plant compounds may lessen pain and inflammatory markers while accelerating strength recovery after exercise.  

According to a 2015 study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition⁶, resistance-trained men supplementing with 480 milligrams of tart cherry powder near a bout of resistance exercise may attenuate muscle soreness and the breakdown and strength reduction during recovery. A similar 2016 study⁷ examined the effects of 480 milligrams of tart cherry in endurance-trained individuals and found very similar recovery benefits while improving endurance performance. 

But despite the scientific backing of tart cherry, Vega does not indicate how much cherry powder is in the formula. That said, while the tart cherry isn’t likely to cause harm, we can’t fully assume that you’ll reap these claimed benefits without knowing the dose. 

Probiotics

The protein powder provides 2 billion CFUs of probiotics, which are a type of “good” and live bacteria that support gut, brain, immune, and overall health. The best probiotics have quite a bit of variance in the number of CFUs—ranging from 1 to 100B (!!)—and strains they contain. 

Vega Sport protein contains the strain Bacillus coagulans (B. coagulans), which is often used to manage constipation, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and other digestive conditions. The strain is mostly considered safe—including taking 6 billion CFUs daily for up to three months or lower doses for up to one year. 

Despite the general safety, different probiotic strains offer different health benefits—like Lactobacillus acidophilus, which also helps reduce IBS symptoms, and Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, which might improve blood pressure. So if you do have specific health needs and goals, we do recommend selecting a probiotic strain to match.

Other Ingredients

Already, Vega Sport has a pretty robust ingredient line-up, but there’s more. 

• Natural flavors: This is a pretty vague ingredient, as “natural flavors” could be a substance created by a variety of animal and plant sources like spices, fruits and veggies, yeasts, dairy products, and meats. While we can’t exactly pinpoint the specific “natural flavor,” we can at least assume it’s extracted from a plant-based food source and agree it’s better than containing artificial flavors. 
• Sea salt: Salt⁸ helps extract the pea protein while enhancing the flavor of the protein powder.
• Stevia leaf extract: Vega claims stevia is their favorite sweetener because it’s plant-based without providing calories. They do suggest if you don’t like stevia, and can taste it in the protein powder, to try adding a squirt of lemon juice or blending it with dark leafy greens. 
• Xanthan gum: Because xanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and is soluble in cold water, it’s often used in plant-based protein powders to provide it with a creamier consistency when mixed. Xanthan gum is mostly considered to be a safe food additive, although it can lead to tummy troubles. 
• Bromelain: Extracted from pineapples, bromelain⁹ is a proteolytic enzyme that helps break down protein. It may also benefit various body systems—like digestive, circulatory, and immune systems—and ease arthritis symptoms. 
• Turmeric extract: Turmeric contains the beneficial component curcumin, which may enhance performance and post-exercise recovery by reducing muscle damage and inflammation according to a 2021 review.¹⁰ Interestingly, too, bromelain⁹ shows to significantly improve the absorption of curcumin. 
• Black pepper extract: Speaking of curcumin absorption, research¹¹ suggests the piperine sourced from black pepper increases the bioavailability of curcumin by a whopping 2,000%! 

Taste and Solubility 

Now comes what might be the ultimate test—how the plant-based protein powder tastes and mixes. As mentioned, vegan protein powder is much different than whey protein powder in this regard. 

But, GGR performance editor and expert product tester Anthony O’Reilly, had pretty good things to say: “I went with Mocha, but got more of a brownie flavor (not a bad thing). It’s easy to mix and tasted pretty good with my morning iced coffee. All in all, great for a vegan protein powder!”

Side Effects

Plant proteins tend to be isolated from wheat and soybeans, which are part of the nine common food allergens. However, Vega discloses that the protein is manufactured in a facility that also processes peanuts, milk, soy, egg, tree nuts, and sesame, which ultimately poses the risk of cross-contamination. 

Other food and ingredient components worthy of side effect callouts include:

• Sodium: While flavor-dependent, the pea protein powder-based supplement also provides upwards of 370 milligrams of sodium. While sodium is an important electrolyte, people with certain medical conditions—like kidney disease and heart failure—might have sodium (and protein) restrictions. 
• Caffeine: It’s also important to note that the Chocolate and Mocha flavors contain caffeine, although in small amounts. While marginal, some people might be sensitive to caffeine and/or trying to be more intentional about their intake. 
• Alfalfa: High doses or long-term intake of alfalfa may increase the symptoms of lupus, multiple sclerosis, and other autoimmune conditions. Also because alfalfa is rich in vitamin K, it can interact with the blood-clotting medication warfarin. 

All-in-all, it’s always a smart idea to double-check the ingredients and any potential adverse side effects and interactions, especially if managing a health condition and/or taking medication(s). Consult with a dietitian or another healthcare professional for your utmost safety and benefit. 

Third-Party Testing 

Did you know protein powder and other dietary supplements do not have to be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) before you shake it up and chug it down? That’s why we are always, always checking for third-party testing—testing completed by independent agencies—and encourage consumers to do the same so they know the exterior product label matches its interior contents. 

Vega Sport is NSF Certified for Sport, which lets us know two essential details: One is that what you see on the label is actually what you get. And two, that the protein powder is tested and free of banned substances identified by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), which is particularly important for competitive athletes and their teams. 

NSF is also the only independent testing organization to evaluate every detail of the production process. Ongoing and unannounced plant inspections further ensure that the products are compliant with program requirements and high industry standards. 

To add, Vega Sport is gluten-free and verified by the Non-GMO Project as well. This means it’s produced without genetic engineering and GMO-derived ingredients.

Comparison to Truvani Organic Plant-Based Protein 

Truvani Plant-Based Protein

Truvani Organic Plant-Based Protein Powder

GGR Score: 4

Check Price

Product Highlights

• Made with 6 organic ingredients
• Rich chocolate flavor
• A USDA-certified organic, vegan, dairy-free, soy-free, and non-GMO product
• 20 grams of protein per serving
• Has 4.4/5 stars on Amazon and 14,000+ reviews
• #4 in Sports Nutrition Pea Protein Powders on Amazon
• Store in a cool and dry place

Pros & Cons

Pros

• No added sugars or stevia
• Does not have a chalky or grainy taste
• Reviewers love the chocolate flavor
• Paleo-friendly
• Organic
• Vegan
• Certified gluten-free

Cons

• Expensive (about $2.50 per serving)
• Made in a facility that processes wheat, tree nuts, shellfish, fish, peanuts, and eggs

Bottom Line

The chocolate flavor is a fan favorite, especially on Amazon, as Truvani’s Chocolate Protein Powder is rated #4 in Sports Nutrition Pea Protein Powders at the time of writing. We’ve found that reviewers love this product for its taste and simple ingredients.

Truvani is another plant-based protein powder that contains 20 grams of plant-based protein with each 29-gram scoop. Recall that a 41-gram scoop serving of Vega Sport provides 30 grams of protein, although this would amount to 21 grams based on the same 29-gram scoop as Truvani—so a somewhat comparable amount of protein gram for gram. 

Truvani contains similar ingredients to Vega Sport, including pea protein and pumpkin seed. It’s also joined with vanilla powder, chia seeds, and monk fruit and that’s it—yep, it only contains five ingredients! 

While Truvani claims their protein tastes like ice cream, could it possibly satisfy the taste buds with only a handful of ingredients? Welp, we already have ranked Truvani as one best-tasting protein powders with flavors including Chocolate, Vanilla, Banana Cinnamon, Peanut Butter, Chocolate Peanut Butter, and Vanilla Chai—oh, and an unflavored option. 

And Amanda Capritto, GGR senior staff writer and expert product taster, has much to say about Truvani. “This is THE BEST vegan protein powder I have ever tried, and it’s the ONLY vegan protein powder I’ll drink willingly over and over again. I mean, this stuff is truly tasty, like an ultra-rich chocolate shake when mixed with almond milk. The best part: There’s barely a hint of that typical plant-based protein chalkiness. It’s there, but hardly.”

“In addition to this being the best-tasting vegan protein powder, it’s also the best in terms of solubility that I’ve tried. It mixes into a somewhat thick, but very smooth, shake.”

Need we say more…? (Yep!) If you’re having a hard time settling on just one of the appetizing flavors, Truvani offers a single-serve, seven-flavor variety pack you can sample. 

Truvani is also one of the best organic protein powders on the market and sports the USDA Organic seal. Because Vega only contains organic sunflower seed protein, it’s not an entirely produced and certified organic product. 

In terms of cost, you can purchase a 20-serving bag for $59.99 which amounts to $3.00 per serving. You can also save 17 percent by subscribing for routine orders and qualify for free shipping if you purchase over $99 worth of product.

Overall, the cost and protein of Truvani and Vega Sport are comparable. But Truvani may have the upper hand in terms of simplicity, flavor options, taste, mixability, and organic ingredients if that’s important to you. 

Customer Experience 

At GGR, we’re always reviewing the company’s policies like warranties and returns. We’re also ensuring consumers have access to customer service to enhance the overall experience. 

Vega’s return policies were a bit challenging to track down—nope, returns are not communicated on their “Shipping & Returns” page where you’d think (or at least at this point in time). But after some poking, I did find out warranty AND return info on the “Satisfaction Guarantee” page and learned they do offer a “Vega 30-Day Satisfaction Guarantee” which entails:

• If you are unsatisfied with your purchased product for any reason, you can request a refund or replacement within 30 days of the purchase date.  
• Sale or reduced-price items are excluded from the guarantee and are final sale. 
• The guarantee is ONLY available if the product’s purchased from myvega.com or authorized sellers and not from unauthorized sellers. 
• To submit your request, you’ll need to call or email Vega’s expert term and provide details—like where and when—of the purchased product.
• If the request is in fact approved, you may be required to mail the unused portion of the product, proof of purchase, and claim number to a provided address. 

Whereas Legion and other companies offer a “no-questions-asked money-back guarantee,” I suppose Vega’s policy helps deter untrustworthy consumers from regularly getting their money back or getting a (free) replacement. And while I haven’t personally gone through Vega’s return policy, I can’t speak to how fast or slow the request takes and any proceeding steps. 

That all said, though, it is assuring to see Vega provides a telephone number and email address consumers can reach them at—and a convenient chat box located on the right bottom corner of their main website. If you plan to give them a ring, you should do so Monday through Friday between 7:00 am to 3:00 pm PST. 

Ordering Vega Protein Powder

While you can purchase at storefronts—like CVS, Target, and Walmart—and through Amazon, ordering on Vega’s website will provide you with a more personal and profound experience (or at least I felt this way). Key ordering highlights on Vega’s main site include:

Veritree Planting 

At checkout, you’re welcomed with a prompt for electing your Veritree planting site. I was specifically presented with the options for mangrove restoration, kelp restoration, and agroforestry. 

Rewards Program

You can join Vega’s reward program and take $1 off with every 100 points you gain—like 10 points for every dollar you spend, 250 points for creating an account, 1,000 points for every third purchase of $40+, and 1,000 points on your birthday. 

And if you foresee yourself as a future Vega customer, it’s not a bad idea to sign up for their rewards program for future savings—and more trees to grow! 

The “Go Green” Ambience

This is entirely subjective, but I truly felt as though I’d be benefiting my health and the planet by ordering through the Vega site. From the enchanting video footage of wholesome smiles from across the world to “good for our people and our planet” formatted in big block letters, how could you not feel as if you’re making a positive personal and environmental impact?

Again, a totally personal opinion, but I encourage you to visit the site and witness this for yourself!

Customer Reviews

Now we’ve shared our two cents, let’s check out other customer reviews and see if we can gather some common themes. We’ll start with the Vega Sport’s product page:

• “Best protein vs. calories ratio especially for a vegan product I’ve found. Tastes great and mixes well, pretty cool stuff.”
• “Hands-down the best plant-based protein powder on the market! Super fast shipping when ordering straight from Vega.”
• “I have tried several brands—and flavors—of plant-based protein, but Vega Sport is easily the best. The most protein, the best flavor (both vanilla and chocolate), and not a bad deal with the 20% coupon for joining the mailing list. Couldn’t be happier!”

On Amazon, Vega Sport is awarded 4.4 stars out of 5 with almost 14,400 ratings at this point of time. But let’s dive into some of the most recent comments: 

• “Great flavor, blends well. My go-to plant-based protein powder”
• “I’d say the flavor is above average. It’s nice to have a fruity berry flavor vs the regular vanilla/chocolate type. It did foam up a lot though when mixing in my blender bottle. No other protein powders I’ve tried would leave residue on the container or blending ball but this one would.”
• “It separates after being blended. I also blended it w ice and a banana. Not good texture at all. I hv tried better protein shake products.”
• “I mixed a scoop of the vanilla with 10ml of water. The smell of the product is not so great, the taste is not horrible but the truly bad part is the texture. It’s like a super thick vanilla drink, almost as if it’s a combination of egg yolks and yogurt. For a vegan protein powder that’s 30g and only 170kcal a scoop, it’s not too horrible. I could see it being good to mix with ice in a blender or make a smoothie with. But it’s THICC y’all.”

Overall, despite some mixed reviews, they aren’t so shocking when you remember Vega’s a vegan protein powder. Plant-based protein blends—whether it’s with pea protein, hemp protein, quinoa protein, or brown rice protein—are naturally thicker and often said to have a weird flavor or aftertaste.

But if you consider these common factors about plant protein powders, the customer reviews are pretty darn positive about Vega Sport—often claimed as the best-tasting vegan powder. And our final verdict doesn’t fall far from the tree. 

Final Verdict of Our Vega Protein Powder Review

Vega Sport might cost more than other vegan protein powders, but you very often get what you pay for. Specific to Vega Sport, you’ll be splurging and sipping on:

• A whopping 30 grams of plant-based protein per 1-scoop serving
• Sports and health-promoting additions like tart cherry powder and probiotics
• Gluten-free, no-sugar-added and naturally sweetened flavors including Berry, Chocolate, Mocha, Peanut Butter, and Vanilla
• An NSF Certified for Sport product, which guarantees that the protein powder contains what it says it does and is free of banned substances 

Overall, Vega Sport is a high-quality, plant-based protein powder that keeps the health of its consumers and the planet top of mind. Athletes looking for an NSF Certified for Sport protein might benefit the most, but everyone is welcome to enjoy Vega Sport! 

Vega Sport Protein Powder Rating

Vega Sport Protein Powder

As a vegan protein powder, can Vega plant-power your fitness? Find out as we dig into all things Vega in this exhaustive Vega protein powder review.

Product Currency: USD

Product Price: 43

Product In-Stock: InStock

Editor's Rating:
4.03

Vega Protein Powder Review FAQs

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any diseases.

References

1. Lu ZX, He JF, Zhang YC, Bing DJ. Composition, physicochemical properties of pea protein and its application in functional foods. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2020;60(15):2593-2605. doi: 10.1080/10408398.2019.1651248. Epub 2019 Aug 20. PMID: 31429319.
2. Babault N, Païzis C, Deley G, et al. Pea proteins oral supplementation promotes muscle thickness gains during resistance training: a double-blind, randomized, Placebo-controlled clinical trial vs. Whey protein. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2015 Jan 21;12(1):3. doi: 10.1186/s12970-014-0064-5. PMID: 25628520; PMCID: PMC4307635.
3. Dotto JM, Chacha JS. The potential of pumpkin seeds as a functional food ingredient: A review. Sci Afr. 2020;10:e00575. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sciaf.2020.e00575
4. ‌Stark M, Lukaszuk J, Prawitz A, et al. Protein timing and its effects on muscular hypertrophy and strength in individuals engaged in weight-training. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2012 Dec 14;9(1):54. doi: 10.1186/1550-2783-9-54. PMID: 23241341; PMCID: PMC3529694.
5. Vitale KC, Hueglin S, Broad E. Tart Cherry Juice in Athletes: A Literature Review and Commentary. Curr Sports Med Rep. 2017 Jul/Aug;16(4):230-239. doi: 10.1249/JSR.0000000000000385. PMID: 28696985.
6. Levers K, Dalton R, Galvan E, et al. Effects of powdered Montmorency tart cherry supplementation on an acute bout of intense lower body strength exercise in resistance trained males. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2015 Nov 16;12:41. doi: 10.1186/s12970-015-0102-y. PMID: 26578852; PMCID: PMC4647629.
7. Levers K, Dalton R, Galvan E, et al. Effects of powdered Montmorency tart cherry supplementation on acute endurance exercise performance in aerobically trained individuals. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2016 May 26;13:22. doi: 10.1186/s12970-016-0133-z. PMID: 27231439; PMCID: PMC4880859.
8. 1.Sun XD, Arntfield SD. Gelation properties of salt-extracted pea protein induced by heat treatment. Food Res Int. 2010;43(2):509-515. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2009.09.039
9. ‌Chakraborty AJ, Mitra S, Tallei TE, et al. Bromelain a Potential Bioactive Compound: A Comprehensive Overview from a Pharmacological Perspective. Life. 2021;11(4):317. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/life11040317
10. ‌Campbell MS, Carlini NA, Fleenor BS. Influence of curcumin on performance and post-exercise recovery. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2021;61(7):1152-1162. doi: 10.1080/10408398.2020.1754754. Epub 2020 Apr 22. PMID: 32319320.
11. Gupta SC, Patchva S, Aggarwal BB. Therapeutic roles of curcumin: lessons learned from clinical trials. AAPS J. 2013;15(1):195-218. doi:10.1208/s12248-012-9432-8

Sydney Lappe, R.D.

Sydney Lappe is a St. Louis-based Registered Dietitian with 6+ years of nutrition editing and writing experience. She holds a Master’s Degree in Nutrition and Dietetics and completed undergrad work in psychology. While fitness wasn’t in Sydney’s routine growing up, it quickly became a large part of her daily life while studying the facets of health and nutrition. Also managing chronic pain, she has come to fully realize movement is a special gift to never take for granted and hopes to inspire others to invest in their physical, mental, and emotional wellness while they can. Including her passion for all things health, Sydney enjoys spending time with her loved ones, being active in various capacities, drinking bottomless cups of coffee, eating a hearty bowl of oatmeal, and letting her creativity roam through writing and graphic design.

Further reading

Does Cycling Build Muscle?

by Anthony O'Reilly CPT, CNC

Protein powders are on the rise, as a Global Market Insights (GMI) report tells us that the protein powder market size surpassed $21.5 billion in 2022. Oh, and it’s anticipated to expand at a 6.5% growth rate within the next decade!Now begs the question: What’s driving such a significant increase? Allow us to reintroduce you to vegan protein powders. Yep, the GMI report hints the protein powder boom is largely due to vegan and plant-based nutrition trends—and that plant-based proteins are picking up pace in the supplement industry,  » Read more about: Vega Protein Powder Review (2024): Plant-Based Protein That Actually Tastes Good?  » Read more

Whoop Strap 3.0 Review (2024): A Recovery Tool for Serious Athletes

by Cooper Mitchell, GGR Founder

There's something to be said for a small device on your wrist that can tell you if you're getting enough sleep, taking enough vitamins, and avoiding overtraining. Read our full Whoop Strap 3.0 review to learn why we love this device for people who take their training very seriously. Read more

REP Fitness AB-3000 2.0 Review: The Best FID Bench? (2024)

by Jessica Thomas, MPH

When it comes to powerlifting, sit-ups, and more, what’s the best bench to go with? Learn if the REP Fitness AB-3000 is the best FID bench on the market today. Read more

Rogue Plate Carrier Review (2024): USA-Made Minimalist Weight Vest

by Cooper Mitchell, GGR Founder

As our Rogue Plate Carrier review points out, this is a minimalist weight vest with maximal benefits. Read more