The 9 Best Protein Powders for Breastfeeding That Actually Taste Good

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Breastfeeding can be depleting, especially if you aren’t consuming enough protein and other nutrients in your diet. It isn’t always easy to take a break from taking care of your little one to take care of yourself by eating the right foods that’ll give you sustainable energy — we totally get that. But breastfeeding is an especially important time to fuel yourself so you can support your baby’s growth with your milk. So, if you aren’t incorporating enough protein from food into your diet, the right protein powder that’s designed specifically for breastfeeding can help you feel a lot less hungry and drained.

It turns out that the reason you might be feeling so depleted and hungry is because your body is running low on energy, aka mommy fuel. Tara Bassi, M.S., C.N.S., L.D.N, C.H.H.C., explains to Best Products, “During the lactation period, women are required to consume about 500 extra calories per day and an additional 25 grams of protein per day. These additional requirements are crucial for optimal milk production, healing post-childbirth, and overall energy.”

Protein powders are a great gift to pick up for your sister, daughter, or BFF who has mentioned they're feeling a bit bogged down by fatigue or if you know they have used protein powders in the past! You just need to get a good one.

Best Protein Powders for Breastfeeding

• Best for Vegans: Boobie Bar Organic Superfood Plant-Based Protein Shake

• Best Budget: Ora Organics Powder

• For Lactation Support: Pink Stork Pregnancy + Nursing Protein

• For the Ingredient-Conscious Parent: Ritual Essential Protein Daily Shake Pregnancy & Postpartum

• For Postnatal Vitamins: Majka Lactation Protein Powder

What to Look For

Bassi says that you should avoid allergens and be sure to consider any sensitivities you may have. Choose simpler formulas that aren't loaded with sugar, sugar alcohols, or high fructose corn syrup. Organic is always best, but there aren't a ton of options in that category. Other than that, it's really all about one thing: taste.

We tried a ton of protein powders on this list, and the ones we didn’t, we thoroughly read through reviews and talked to friends who have tried them to be sure they’re worth including. We can genuinely assure you that every protein powder on our list tastes downright pleasant and will act as a superfood for your body.

Here’s a tip: If you’re new to protein powders and are worried about consistency or chalkiness, you might find that adding calcium like milk or yogurt, as well as iron sources like hemp hearts or spinach, to your shakes can help while providing even more important nutrients.

And none of them have any weird fillers or ingredients that you wouldn't want to feed your child. We chose only plant-based, whey, or collagen proteins that are allergen-free or allergen-sensitive powders for this list. It’s a big plus when protein powders are third-party tested because protein isn’t regulated by the FDA, so companies can include heavy metal fillers, which can be dangerous for your health, especially if you’re pregnant or nursing.

OK, let’s get to it. If it feels easier to drink some of your nutrients rather than cook for yourself, you’ll find plenty of great protein powder for breastfeeding options below.

Organic Superfood Plant-Based Protein Shake

Chocolate lovers rejoice. This plant-based protein superfood powder tastes just like an actual chocolate shake. It’s packed with 1,000 IU of vitamin D3, which supports immunity and bone health, and while it doesn’t have any sugar, it is sweetened with stevia and organic monk fruit extract.

If chocolate isn’t your thing, there are three additional tasty flavors to choose from, which we haven’t tried, but vanilla cookie flavor does sound delightful.

One of our testers used this shake throughout pregnancy and into nursing, and they found that it helped them stay a little more focused while feeling a little less foggy and flighty. It’s also designed to support a healthy milk supply.

It's the most "nursing forward" protein powder on this list, and given the cheeky name, great for a gift.

More: The Best Breast Pumps According to People Who Use Them

Vegan Protein Powder

An organic option that is full of pea protein, veggies, and nutrients, and it tastes good. It has 22 grams of protein per 130 calories, plus kale, quinoa, berries, and more. It's weirdly complex but made of the simplest ingredients. Also, you're getting twenty servings at a little more than $1 per serving, making it the best-priced protein powder on this list.

We think you could definitely call it a “dehydrated and rehydrated salad” and get away with it. We also like this one in a smoothie, but it’s just fine in coffee with oat milk, as well.

Cat also tested this one (she really threw herself in the fire for y'all), and this was her favorite for blending into smoothies, noting that "it does have a bit of a fruity/floral taste on its own, but blended with bananas and almond butter, and it's terrific."

Pregnancy + Nursing Protein

With 20 grams of whey protein in this impressive powder, it’s sure to pack a punch. It isn’t just the amount of protein that makes this one a great choice, however. The powder also has bovine collagen, which studies have shown can support lactation, restore hair loss, and help nail growth.

Our tester was a huge fan of the flavor, but even more so on how it fueled her for long nights of nursing and soothing her new baby. She said that "it's just easier than snacking, sometimes." Which is totally fair.

Something we especially love about this brand is that it’s women-owned and women-run, which in our opinion, is a huge perk when it comes to products for women’s bodies.

If the person breastfeeding in your life was a collagen user before, this amps it up, and it makes a great gift.

Essential Protein Daily Shake Pregnancy & Postpartum

It can be hard to find a protein powder that’s formulated with choline that actually tastes good, but this plant-based pea protein powder is an exception. Choline is an essential nutrient for pregnancy and breastfeeding, helping to support new nutrient needs during pregnancy, postpartum, and breastfeeding.

Something cool about this brand is that the ingredients are traceable, giving you a clear look at where the ingredients come from in all steps of the supply chain. For example, the organic yellow peas used in the powder are derived from non-GMO, regeneratively farmed in the U.S.

When our parenting editor, Cat Bowen, tested this powder, she thought that initially, it was a hair on the chalky side, but when. you blend it with ice or really cold milk, it hides the chalky flavor.

Lactation Support Protein Powder

While the Majka lactation protein powder is a bit pricier than others on this list, the formula is a plant-based, three-in-one postnatal vitamin that boosts lactation as well as whole-body health. It’s always best to check with your doctor before making any changes, but this lactation powder has so many great nutrients for you and your baby that you can stop buying prenatal vitamins and whatever protein powder you typically use.

Some parents don’t enjoy the smell or taste of this powder, while many others love it. As with anything, it’s all about what works for you. One thing to note, however, is this one has no sugar and no artificial sweeteners, which is great as far as the formula is concerned but could be what affects the taste.

Prenatal Protein Shake

If you’re a chocolate lover, you’ll love the flavor of this chocolate powder. Mixed with water and ice, milk, or a shake, it truly tastes fantastic. Not only that, the powder is formulated with prenatal vitamins, protein, and folate to give you the nutrients you need before, during, and after pregnancy.

This powder also has B6, which can be a huge morning sickness reliever. Of course, not all morning sickness remedies work for everyone, but it’s worth a shot. (Anything’s worth a shot when you feel nauseous 24/7.)

Looking for a cute addition to a new parent gift basket? This is it.

Collagen Protein

This collagen protein powder is completely unflavored, so you can stir it into your coffee with your favorite creamer or add it to a smoothie and you won’t be able to taste it. This is especially odd because it's a nutrient-rich protein powder for breastfeeding that has 14 grams of protein per scoop.

Collagen protein is incredibly popular right now because it offers hair, skin, nails, and joint support. This one is designed for pregnant and nursing parents in mind. But really? The flavorless thing is the real boon.

Our tester is now past breastfeeding her child, and yet she still stirs it into her coffee on days she knows she'll be training hard or working for a long time.

Plant Protein Mix

This protein powder for breastfeeding is pure simplicity — and that's exactly what makes it so great. Its organic, plant-based formula has only a handful of ingredients, and that’s definitely not a bad thing. It's pretty neutral-tasting, but it's more suited for blending in a smoothie than a coffee drink. There aren’t any added sweeteners or fillers, so it has more of an earthy flavor than sweet.

It has 9 grams of protein per 60 calories, so it's a light, easy powder to add to a snack to bump up the satiety level.

Grass-Fed Prenatal Collagen Peptides (1 lb.)

It doesn't taste like a darn thing, and that's what makes this one a win. After tasting a bunch of truly disgusting drinks, this one just floated away in our chocolate soy milk. It's 10 grams of protein for 40 calories, and the only ingredient is bovine collagen. It's listed as a prenatal, but it's prenatal and postnatal, and antenatal. Just, well, it's just a very clean protein powder with the only ingredient being grass-fed and pasture-raised bovine collagen peptides.

There's no smell, no noticeable texture difference, and for the calorie-to-protein ratio, it's the best you're going to get. It's simple and clean.

Mama Bird Protein Powder

With only five ingredients, this organic protein powder has all the good stuff. It’s designed for all stages of life — from preconception to pregnancy to postnatal to parenthood. It’s even great for kids.

It’s formulated with pea and hemp protein with a touch of stevia for sweetness, but those who tried the protein say it isn’t too sweet and the flavor is quite delicious.

Pregnancy Superfood Protein Smoothie Powder

This women-owned and run company created this superfood smoothie powder not as a general wellness formula, but to address specific stages in life, including fertility, pregnancy, PMS, menopause, and breastfeeding.

It’s packed with superfoods like beets and spinach, as well as nutrients like spirulina and pea protein. It’s known to help with energy levels both during and after pregnancy. The taste is on the sweeter side but tastes great in a smoothie.

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