Along with so many other awesome bits of information to you today, I have the 8 best protein powders for sensitive stomachs (curated by Episode 35 guest, Illie + me).

Are you ready for a lot of great conversation today? Eavesdrop in, then check out all the information below on the best protein powders for avoiding stomach upset + some recommended books.

Resources Mentioned

1. Illie’s website
2. Her Instagram
3. Illie on TikTok
4. Courtney King episode
5. Set Point Theory
6. No More Fight or Flight Digestion {Is How We Eat as Important as What We Eat?}
7. Does Meal Spacing Work?
8. Proper Hydration
9. Sleep and Gut Healing
10. Ingredients vs Ingredient(s)

SHOP HERE WITH ILLIE

Don’t Miss These Thoughts

1. Who is Illie? What’s her story? And how did we find each other?
2. “Everything started the day I was born.”
3. “I started to experience what health tasted like.”
4. “We don’t care how we feel; we just want to look a certain way.”
5. What is holistic fitness?
6. “If I didn’t question anything, I’d still be suffering.”
7. “How are you going to deny me what I’ve literally been through?”
8. “Dairy is good; dairy is bad. Okay, but how do you feel when you eat it?”
9. “You are the professional of your body.”
10. Where do I start to heal my gut?
11. How to get beyond this? –> “I need to be gluten free, dairy free, sugar free, nightshade free, mold free…..ugh! This is too hard, I’m going to McDonald’s.”
12. Ask: What’s free and what’s easy?
13. Illie’s 2 convictions around gut health and gut healing.

Here are the best protein powders (also the ones we talk about in the episode) for those with a sensitive stomach.

{The list below has links attached, in case you want to learn more / purchase}

1. Promix
2. Truvani
3. Just Ingredients
4. Collagen Peptides
5. Nutiva Organic Plant Protein Superfood Smoothie
6. Ora
7. Perfect Supplements Organic Perfect Plant Protein
8. Flavcity

I want to break these 8 down more, in case you’re looking for a quality protein powder that won’t give you an upset stomach.

Promix

Illie thinks this is one of the best whey protein powders on the market.

In addition to a pre-workout, they also have Whey Protein Isolate and Whey Protein.

Here is the information / some accolades on the Chocolate Whey Protein Isolate:

• made from milk of certified grass-fed Irish cows
• micro filted to less than 1g of lactose for fast and easy digestion
• all ingredients are tested for heavy metals

Truvani

There are a few Truvani products found on Illie’s website:

1. Protein + Greens
2. Vanilla Latte Protein + Energy
3. Chocolate Mocha Protein + Energy

I looked up the specifics on the Chocolate Mocha because it just sounds too good. And what do you know? Must be too good because it’s currently sold out.

Anyways, here are some of the ingredients I love in it:

• MCT oil powder
• chia seeds
• lion’s mane extra
• coffee berry fruit extract
• coffee powder
• maca root

It delivers 12g of plant-based protein, and again, no Stevia.

In addition, here are some of the Truvani company standards:

1. heavy metals are highly monitored
2. USDA Certified Organic (when applicable)
3. They test for glyphosate.
4. Ingredients that are avoided: synthetic ingredients, weird ingredients, filler ingredients, and things like gums, natural flavors, artificial flavors, and all of that “other stuff” that makes zero sense.
5. They require each supplier to share the secondary ingredients they use in processing so that they can ensure no dangerous chemicals are being used for their products.

Just Ingredients

Protein from five different protein sources and flavored without artificial sweeteners or sugar alcohols. Made with non-denatured 100% pure whey (grass-fed) from New Zealand.

It currently comes in the following flavors:

1. Vanilla Bean
2. Coconut Chocolate
3. Mint Chocolate
4. Limited Edition Pumpkin Spice

Protein sources include:

• pea protein
• whey protein
• collagen protein
• chia seed protein
• pumpkin seed protein

Some of the other ingredients you’ll find (depending on flavor) includes only these natural ingredients:

• monk fruit
• stevia
• sea salt
• collagen
• cacao
• peppermint oil
• cinnamon
• ginger

Collagen Peptides

If you’re looking for a 1-ingredient option with no natural sweeteners, added sugars, or different proteins, then look no further than collagen peptides.

Collagen is the most abundant protein in the body and is a key constituent of all connective tissues. 

As collagen decreases in the body (or the body simply doesn’t have enough due to another reason), the following can occur:

• Wrinkles and crepey skin
• Stiffer, less flexible tendons and ligaments
• Shrinking, weakening muscles
• Joint pain or osteoarthritis due to worn cartilage
• Gastrointestinal problems due to thinning of the lining in your digestive tract

Many who are even looking for a general healthy lifestyle, love this great addition of collagen.

It’s nutritional value boats:

• a strong amino acid profile
• protects the GI Tract for those with digestive issues
• only one type of protein, bovine gelatin
• not Vegan, but great for those with a lactose intolerance

Collagen mixes perfectly with hot or cold water and won’t clump together like gelatin.

If you want to learn even more about collagen and gelatin, click HERE.

USE CODE ‘AGUTSYGIRL’ AT CHECKOUT TO SAVE 15% OFF MY FAVE COLLAGEN BY CLICKING HERE

Nutiva Organic Plant Protein Superfood Smoothie, Vanilla

Full transparency – I used to work for Nutiva – actually for quite some time. So, I do have a little bias towards the company. But that’s because they are truly legit. They care about their people and the products they bring into the world.

And these protein shakes they created are so good!

The ingredient list is super long, too long for me to write out, which might scare some of you off. However, view the label HERE, and then decide.

Here are a couple callouts from the ingredient label:

• includes digestive enzymes (protease, amylase, lipase, bromelain, cellulase, and papain)
• contains 2 grams of fiber
• has a good essential amino acids profile
• does not contain stevia, which some (like me) do not care for
• no xanthan gum or guar gum
• uses hemp seeds

By the way, do you know that hemp seeds are considered a complete protein?

Ora Organic So Lean & So Clean Protein Powder

This is another Vegan protein that Illie has available on her website.

I sought out information on the Chocolate flavor, but there is also Vanilla, Vanilla Chai, as well as pre-workouts.

There are quite a few more ingredients in this powder, but they are all plant proteins + high quality ingredients.

Regardless, here are the ingredients listed on the Chocolate label:

• pea protein
• brown rice protein
• cranberry
• sacha inchi
• sprouted quinoa
• amaranth
• acerola extract
• blackberry
• blueberry
• pomegranate
• turmeric
• strawberry
• apple
• acai
• kale
• broccoli
• coconut milk
• Jerusalem artichoke

And all ingredients are organic, but there are some extra ingredients in this one and they do use the term “natural flavor,” which you may or may not find useful.

Perfect Supplements Organic Perfect Protein

I once wrote about this one as the Best Organic Low-FODMAP Vegan Protein Powder. Because that’s what it is.

There are just three ingredients in this vegan powder:

1. pumpkin seed
2. hemp seed
3. sacha inchi

And yet, it’s a great option for a protein powder as it contains 17 grams of plant protein.

There are no extra and/or artificial ingredients in the powder. And it remains one of my personal top picks due to the slim ingredient list.

If protein powders tend to give you stomach cramps and make you feel miserable, then a simple protein like this is a good option.

USE CODE ‘GUTSY10’ AT CHECKOUT TO SAVE 10% ON THIS LOW-FODMAP PROTEIN POWDER (P.S. THEY ALSO HAVE GELATIN!)

Flavcity

Whey protein + everything-in-one protein smoothie shake.

Here is the ingredient list:

• Whey Protein Concentrate
• Organic Banana Powder, Collagen (100% grass-fed)
• Peanut Powder
• Organic Cocoa
• Coconut Milk Powder
• Organic Pea Protein
• Sea Salt
• Cordyceps
• Reishi
• Stevia
• Monk Fruit

This is a good choice if you are looking for a powder with both a vegan and non-vegan protein source. One serving contains 25 grams of protein, which is high for protein supplements.

Remember, it’s not that I think anyone should be living on protein shakes, but rather that protein shakes are a great way to ensure you’re getting enough protein, even when you might not fully feel like eating a ton.

I have another post you might enjoy on how to make protein shakes thicker {in a gut-healthy way} HERE.

Another topic Illie and I discuss on the show are some of our favorite and recommended books. I wanted to put them in a list with links, in case you’re interested in checking them out, too.

1. Hooked
2. The Dorito Effect: The Surprising New Truth About Food and Flavor
3. Eat Smarter
4. GAPS Diet
5. Breaking the Vicious Cycle
6. Fiber Fueled
7. Sacred Cow: The Case for (Better) Meat
8. Body Into Balance: an herbal guide to holistic self-care

Have you read any of the above? Thoughts? I’d love to hear in the comments below.

More from A Gutsy Girl

Want to learn even more about the gut and ways to heal it? Learn all the secrets via my signature book, A Gutsy Girl’s Bible: a 21-day approach to healing the gut. Grab your copy on Amazon HERE.

Or, have this book at your fingertips instantly by downloading the PDF now.

1. Welcome to A Gutsy Girl Podcast
2. Hang out on Instagram
3. BFF’s on YouTube
4. Free resource: The Master Gutsy Spreadsheet
5. Rated-G Email Club

Wrap Up

Time to wrap this up. As always, a huge goal for this show is to connect with even more people. Feel free to send an email to our team at [email protected]. We want to hear questions, comments, show ideas, etc.

Did you enjoy this episode? Please drop a comment below or leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

Illie Zeneli 

Holistic health coach, CEO/Founder of Live Healthillie.com & clean ingredient advocate, self healed chronic symptoms by simply learning about ingredients and toxins. 

If you liked this episode, you might also enjoy:

1. 13 Best Paleo Bars {that are also high protein}
2. Gluten Free Protein Bars (Episode 25 with Autoimmune Warrior and BodyBar Protein Founder, Ayarpi Reganyan)
3. Diarrhea vs Constipation {Irritable Bowel Syndrome Patterns}

Xox,
SKH

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