Protein Powders — Whey, Casein, Soy, Pea, Rice, Oat, Hemp & Egg-White

FoodsProtein powdersWhey & plant protein

You don't need a powder — whole foods work — but a scoop is a convenient way to hit a protein target, especially for older adults, athletes, vegans or anyone with a small appetite. For the individual amino acids that make up protein — including the BCAA and EAA verdicts — see our Amino acids & protein guide.

How much protein? The basic RDA is 0.8 g/kg/day to prevent deficiency. For building or preserving muscle — during training, weight loss or ageing — evidence supports 1.2–2.0 g/kg/day, split across meals with ~20–40 g (and ~2–3 g leucine) per serving.¹ ²

What "quality" means. A complete protein supplies all nine essential amino acids in good amounts. Quality is scored by PDCAAS/DIAAS.³ Whey, casein, egg and soy score highest; single plant proteins are usually "incomplete" (short in one amino acid) but combining them fixes this.

Whey protein

~20–30 g/servingFast · complete · high leucine

What it is: a fast-digesting complete milk protein, the richest common source of leucine — ideal around training. Concentrate (~70–80% protein, some lactose) is the everyday, lower-cost grade; isolate (~90%, very low lactose) suits lactose-sensitive people; hydrolysate is pre-digested and fastest.

Note: contains milk — not for dairy allergy; isolate is usually fine for mild lactose intolerance.

Casein

~20–40 g/servingSlow · complete

What it is: the other milk protein — slow-digesting (micellar casein forms a gel in the stomach), releasing amino acids over hours. Popular before bed or as a meal replacement to keep amino acids topped up. Also a complete, dairy-based protein.

Soy protein

~20–30 g/servingComplete plant protein

What it is: the best-scoring plant protein — complete, with a full essential-amino-acid profile close to whey for muscle building. It naturally contains isoflavones (phytoestrogens); as covered on our Phytochemicals page, normal soy intake does not lower testosterone or feminise men. A solid choice for vegans.

Pea protein

~20–30 g/servingHypoallergenic · low methionine

What it is: a well-tolerated plant protein, high in BCAA, lysine and arginine but a little low in methionine. Dairy- and soy-free. Emerging trials show it can build muscle comparably to whey when total protein is matched. Often blended with rice to complete the profile.

Rice protein

~20–30 g/servingLow lysine — combine

What it is: hypoallergenic and easy to digest, but low in lysine so incomplete on its own. Pea + rice blends are the classic vegan fix — together they cover each other's gaps and rival whey.

Oat protein

~30–40 g/servingLow lysine — upsize or pair

What it is: a gentle, neutral-tasting protein made from oats. It technically contains all nine essential amino acids, but is low enough in lysine to score poorly on quality scales (PDCAAS/DIAAS roughly 0.55–0.69, versus 1.0 for whey). Decent BCAA content and easy on the gut. The lysine gap means a larger serving (30–40 g protein rather than 20 g) or pairing with a lysine-rich source like pea protein gets you closer to a complete amino-acid profile. Choose certified gluten-free oat protein if you have coeliac disease, since oats are often cross-contaminated with wheat.

Hemp protein

~25–30 g/servingWhole-food extras, lower protein quality

What it is: ground hemp seed powder — technically complete, but lysine is again the limiting amino acid, giving it one of the lower quality scores among common powders (PDCAAS roughly 0.46–0.66). Its advantage isn't protein purity: it comes with fibre, iron, magnesium and a favourable omega-6-to-omega-3 fat ratio, making it more of a whole-food add-in than a stripped isolate. For muscle-building goals, blend it with pea or soy protein rather than relying on it alone.

Egg-white & collagen — two special cases

Egg = complete · Collagen = incomplete

Egg-white protein: a complete, lactose-free, high-quality protein — a good option for dairy-avoiders who eat eggs.

Collagen: popular for skin and joints, but it is an incomplete protein — it lacks tryptophan and is low in essential amino acids, so it is not a good muscle-building protein. Use it for its specific collagen-peptide purpose, not as your main protein.

The honest bottom line: hit your total protein target from varied whole foods and you get every amino acid automatically. A whey, soy or pea/rice blend powder is a convenient top-up. For BCAA, EAA and the individual amino acids, see our Amino acids & protein guide.

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References

Protein targets are general adult reference values; exact needs vary by age, sex, activity level and life stage.

EFSA Panel (NDA). Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for protein. EFSA Journal 2012;10(2):2557 (PRI 0.83 g/kg/day). efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Jäger R, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: protein and exercise. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017;14:20 (1.4–2.0 g/kg/day; per-meal dose & leucine). jissn.biomedcentral.com
FAO. Dietary protein quality evaluation in human nutrition (DIAAS). FAO Food and Nutrition Paper 92, 2013. fao.org

This article summarizes nutrition science from official health authorities and peer-reviewed sources for education. It is not a substitute for individual medical advice, and the doses given are not prescriptions — always consult a professional before therapeutic supplement use, in pregnancy, or alongside medication.