It really depends. Some say grassfed whey is the best, others say plant based is the best. I usually use vegan protein powder, without soy. You'll just have to experiment to see what you like. Sometimes stores like Whole Foods will have individual packs for sale so you don't have to invest in an entire jug to see if you like it.

Protein powder has it's uses. For me, it's more of a convenience. I can mix one up in about 30 seconds and take it with me in the mornings, or to the gym. I can add it to things like yogurt or oatmeal to increase the protein. I get tired of eggs so I do protein smoothies some mornings instead. A smoothie with protein powder, greek yogurt, nut butter, chia, hemp seeds, flax seeds, things like that.

I use an inexpensive one, Body Fortress strawberry, it tastes great especially when I add some guar powder to make it thick like a shake. I agree with Chi, it is a convenient way to have a delicious snack, I will have a protein shake after exercising, or in the summer as an afternoon snack. Tastes like a milkshake.

I'd have to ask how are you going to use it, and how often? As well as what other sources for protein do you already have in your diet? Most people actually consume more protein than what they need, and additional protein (unless you are into weight-lifting and extreme sports) can have some negative aspects from over-consumption of protein.

I use unflavored whey protein isolate in some my gluten-free recipes as a substitute for high-glycemic flours/starches, but I don't use a lot of protein powders of any kind because they are highly inflammatory - whether whey, rice, soy, etc.

According to a certified sports food coach I know, he doesn't encourage the use of a lot of protein powders. Often a sports fanatic will include large amounts of protein powder in their diets and will think muscular inflammation is from their workouts, while it can actually be from the protein powder (as well as lean, boneless, muscle meat they also eat in abundance).

The reason I use unflavored whey protein isolate --- it's the short ingredients list: 100% whey protein isolate and lecithin. PLUS, it's high on the Biological Value Chart (which is the measure of a protein's ability to be used by the body). Whey protein powder is 100-159, eggs - 100, milk - 91, beef - 80, chicken - 79, beans - 49. So if you are needing to consume high amounts of protein (after surgery, as an example) then choose a type of protein that is high on the BV Chart.

As an aside - I mentioned above how lean, boneless, muscle meat is inflammatory unless you also balance it with gelatin (which is collagen -- either naturally occurring gelatin found in bone-in meat, or in homemade bone broth, or dry unflavored gelatin). For this reason I make pan sauces with bone broth when serving lean boneless meat, or will start the meal with a cup of bone broth because the gelatin (collagen) in it balances the inflammatory protein makeup of muscle meat. I also make "healthy" gelatin desserts with dry unflavored gelatin or I'll add Collagen Hydrolystate (which is gelatin that doesn't gel) to cold/hot beverages for some pure protein that is quickly absorbed by the body. There are many health benefits from consuming bone broth and unflavored gelation.

-Grainlady

I have GERD so eating big meals with a variety of components in order to get adequate nutrition is a problem - I have been looking at plant based nutrition powders. Another problem I notice is that many have a significant grass component - I'm allergic to grass. I'm also allergic to paying $35 for a container that doesn't last all that long, when you read how much you are supposed to use each time.

Embrothrium -

Do you happen to know the cause/s of your GERD? High stomach acid, low stomach acid, lower esophageal sphincter (LES), H. pylori, SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth), IBS, missing pancreatic enzymes, lack of "friendly" gut bacteria...

Did you know that low stomach acid can increase your risk of developing food sensitivities? Did you know that GERD related to excess stomach acid is actually rare (according to some sources)? Have you had your stomach-acid levels measured with the Heidelberg test?

How much protein do you need to add to your normal diet? About 46 grams of protein for women, and 56 grams of protein for men, and from a variety of sources. Are you tracking your protein intake?

You will also notice if you stick to plant-based protein, it isn't as high on the Biological Value Chart, so you would need to consume more to get as much bio-available protein as you would get from meat, eggs, and dairy sources - which are sources higher on the BV Chart. Be sure to maintain a mix of plant sources so you consume a combination of foods to make a "complete" protein (protein-combining) in order to get all the essential amino acids throughout the day. Every source of protein from chicken to peanuts contains a different array of amino acids.

Best Vegetarian Sources of Protein (a partial list only):

-chia

-hemp seed

-quinoa

-Ezekiel bread

-amaranth

-eggs

-hummus

-buckwheat

-spinach

-sun dried tomatoes

-guava

-artichokes

-peas

-beans

-lentils

-peanut butter

-teff

-triticale

-2% Greek Yogurt

-organic grass-fed milk

-shelled pumpkin seeds

-almonds

-cashews

-banza pasta (which is made with chickpeas)

Other things to consider:

Pre-digested foods - such as sprouted grains/beans/seeds/nuts and lacto-fermentation - which are easier to digest. Do you take a probiotic supplement or natural forms (dairy kefir and water kefir)?

Have you considered adding bone broth to your diet? It is a protein source that is actually "good" for GERD.

Thanks for taking the time to make this post.

Grainlady, This may be a 101 question but is there some way to know exactly how much protein one should have? I rarely eat red meat, but do consume nuts daily and often eat beans, yogurt, eggs etc. Thanks for your usual useful information.

There is variance, and controversy. When I started both low carb and weight lifting, I went to several sites, and some advised a little more protein in general, some advised additional if one was weightlifting. Low carb sites point out that too much protein, however, leads to glucogenesis and that is not good.

http://www.webmd.com/diet/healthy-kitchen-11/how-much-protein

I eat substantially over 46 g, yet remain in ketosis. An overage of grams of protein does not turn into an equal number of grams of glucose.

I buy whey protein from Trader Joe's. Until I found whey protein, I never ate breakfast. I use it everyday M-F in fruit smoothies. It is light but keeps me full longer.