Sports & Fitness

10 Best Protein Powders To Make Flavourful Shakes & Get The Gains

Protein powders in Singapore


Even if you’re just starting out on your fitness journey, chances are, you’ve toyed with the idea of taking protein powders to maximise your gains. They might seem like the holy grail supplement meant exclusively for gym bros, but adding these to your diet can be a game-changer for even the most casual of lifters.

With vegan options and a whole spectrum of flavours to choose from, here are protein powders to consider – including recommendations from trainers and athletes – for both your muscle building or weight loss needs. 


Which type of protein powder is the best?



Drinking protein shakes is arguably the easiest way to get a substantial amount of protein into your body
.

Before we dive straight into the diverse selection of protein powders, let’s clear up some common misconceptions people have about the supplement.

Numero uno: protein powders should never be used as a replacement for meals. Yes, they contain a hefty amount of protein, but these powders don’t have an adequate amount of other essential nutrients, like carbohydrates and fats, that your regular lunch meal does.

Another myth that needs busting is that taking protein powders will magically transform your body into that of Captain America’s. The supplement’s primary functions are to boost muscle performance and recovery, so you’ll need to use it in tandem with a dedicated workout regime in order to see prominent results.


Image credit: @myproteinsg via Instagram

At first glance, protein powder labels ridden with random words like ‘isolate’ and ‘BCAAs’ might seem confusing. Here’s a breakdown of common protein jargon so you know exactly what you’re reading on the nutrition tags:

  • BCAAs – standing for branched-chain amino acids, these essential compounds cannot be produced naturally by our bodies as we lack the necessary enzymes. Notable benefits of consuming BCAAs include decreased muscle soreness and lessened muscle fatigue.
  • Creatine said to enhance performance in the gym by providing short bursts of energy, creatine is a popular substance that’s usually taken prior to a workout. Roughly 2g of creatine can be found in a whopping 450g of beef, so consuming them directly via protein powders is your best bet to up your body’s creatine stores.
  • Whey isolate –  a form of dairy protein that’s undergone more rounds of processing to extract a higher amount of protein and less carbohydrates than its concentrated counterparts.

To maximise muscle gains and recovery, the swole gym bros’ rule of thumb is to down your shake within 2 hours of your sweat sesh. If not, you can have a shake to accompany your lunch or dinner if you’d like to pile on more protein to your nosh.

Now equipped with newfound knowledge of protein powders, you’re all set to browse through these protein powders and select a formula that best suits your needs.


1. Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey – Readily available



Image credit:
Optimum Nutrition

Pop by your local GNC and you’re bound to see bottles of Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey stacked atop their shelves. Communally known as the gateway protein brand for first-timers, a single scoop of this powder contains 24g of protein and just 1g of sugar to help with your muscle building needs.

It also contains a minimal amount of lactose, so those with mild lactose intolerance are still able to stomach this protein.

Fun fact: Most, if not all, protein powders have a dedicated scoop sunken within its bag or container. Serving sizes differ from brand to brand as different-sized scoops are used, so make sure to check each brand’s nutritional information for exact portion details.

Protein content per serving: 24g

Price: From $29.99

Get Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey.


2. Sustyfoods Nutritional Yeast Protein Shake – Dairy-free alternative


The Dark Chocolate flavour is rich, smooth to drink, and made from real Swiss cacao. 

Taking protein powder if you’re lactose intolerant can be challenging, especially if you don’t fancy the gritty, chalky taste associated with vegan products made from pea or soy. If you’re looking for a dairy-free protein powder that is high in quality and tastes great, Sustyfoods Nutritional Yeast Protein Shake checks all the boxes. 

Because the powder doesn’t go through any chemical processing and is extracted using only water, it’s friendly to the stomach and your skin. 

With a perfect protein quality score of PDCAAS 1.0/1.0, this formulation contains 20% more essential amino acids than the average plant-based protein powder on the market. To put it simply, it’s designed to help enhance your post workout recovery so you can lift heavy and lift often.

Protein content per serving: 20g

Price: From $43

Get Sustyfoods Nutritional Yeast Protein Shake.


3. Isopure Zero Carb – Ideal protein for weight loss



Image credit:
Isopure via Facebook

Those looking to shed some weight know that it’s imperative for them to avoid consuming excessive amounts of carbohydrates in order to reach their fitspo goals. To stay in a caloric deficit while getting your protein fix, look no further than the Isopure Zero Carb.

As its name suggests, the Isopure Zero Carb contains zilch carbohydrates – you won’t be flouting your keto diet rules when you take this supplement. The 25g of protein found per scoop is also completely made out of whey isolate, so you’ll continue to reap the muscle recovery benefits even while you’re on a strict cut.

And if you don’t have a knack for desserts, Isopure’s got refreshing fruity flavours like Mango Peach and Pineapple Orange Banana for you to consider instead of richer flavours like Dutch Chocolate and Creamy Vanilla.

Protein content per serving: 25g

Price: From $34.99

Get Isopure Zero Carb.


4. Sunwarrior Warrior Blend Organic – Non-grainy vegan protein



Image credit: David M. via Sunwarrior

If you’re religiously following a plant-based diet, the Sunwarrior Warrior Blend Organic is a vegan powder that’ll help add a welcome influx of protein to your diet. Containing 24g of protein and 6g of BCAAs, this Keto and Paleo-friendly supplement slots in nicely into pretty much anybody’s meal plans.

One gripe people have with vegan protein powders is their unpleasant grainy taste, so national canoe polo athlete Marissa Yeo was thrilled that this Sunwarrior blend was devoid of that yucky texture.

“I really like it because it dissolves in water super easily and it’s significantly less grainy compared to other vegan proteins, making it so much more palatable texture-wise,” Marissa says. 

Protein content per serving: 24g

Price: From $23.99

Get Sunwarrior Warrior Blend Organic.


6. MyProtein Impact Whey – 69 flavours like brown sugar milk tea



Each scoop of MyProtein’s Impact Whey contains roughly
21g of protein and 4.5g of BCAAs.
Image credit: Myprotein via Facebook

A cult favourite among fitness fanatics and occasional gym-goers, the MyProtein Impact Whey is an affordable option that comes in a whopping 69 different flavours. Apart from the usual suspects like chocolate and vanilla, they’ve also got exotic flavours that include the likes of Creme Brulee and every Singaporean’s favourite, Brown Sugar Milk Tea.

MyProtein’s Impact Whey also gets the athlete stamp of approval, as Marissa’s teammates use this protein to fuel their intense training sessions. And although MyProtein is based in the UK, a single spend of $100 entitles you to free shipping, so you don’t need to foot exorbitant shipping fees to snag your protein fix. 

Pro tip: The MyProtein site perpetually has handy discount codes that slash 30%-50% off their range of protein powders and other exercise accessories. These promos are in plain sight once you’ve entered the website, so just plop the code in at checkout and you’re golden!

Protein content per serving: 21g

Price: From $44.99

Get MyProtein Impact Whey.


7. AllMax Isoflex – Great-tasting even with water



Apart from your traditional shakes, you can mix protein powders to make variants of in-trend drinks like Dalgona Coffee.

Image credit: ALLMAX Nutrition via Facebook

After sifting through seven different brands over the course of his 20-year-long fitness journey, casual bodybuilder Alvin finally settled down with the AllMax Isoflex. The brand’s nutritional values don’t lie, as this 100% whey isolate blend contains 27g of protein per scoop with no sugar whatsoever.

And if taste is of the essence, the saviour for your tastebuds is AllMax’s Chocolate Peanut Butter flavour. Alvin personally swears by this flavour, specifying that “it tastes like a Starbucks Hazelnut Latte” whenever he drinks it in the morning. 

Fun fact: When we look at percentages, a single scoop of the AllMax Isoflex is composed of 90% protein. This ratio is significantly higher than that of other natural protein sources like a trimmed steak (23% protein) or even chicken breast (17% protein).

Protein content per serving: 27g

Price: From $64.85

Get AllMax Isoflex.


8. Ghost 100% Whey Protein – Exclusive Chips Ahoy! flavour



Image credit:
GHOST via Facebook

If protein shakes are a drink you’re consuming on the daily, then they sure as heck better taste good. Fitness brand Ghost Lifestyle prides itself on the great-tasting, decadent flavours found in their Ghost 100% Whey Protein line.

Some of their bestselling flavours include Marshmallow Cereal Milk, which contains additional chunks of actual marshmallows mixed in the sea of powder. But the brand’s pièce de résistance is their fabled collab with cookie brand Chips Ahoy! – mini bits of cookies are present in every scoop to add some sweet mouthfeel. 

Though this brand’s a rare sight in Singapore, they are available on Lazada.

Protein content per serving: 25g

Price: From $44.99 

Get Ghost 100% Whey Protein.


9. California Gold Nutrition Whey Protein Isolate – Highly rated by users



Image credit:
iHerb.com Russian via Facebook

Garnering over 2,500 positive reviews on reputable online supplement site iHerb, the California Gold Nutrition Whey Protein Isolate is a highly-raved supplement for good reason. The product’s trifecta of nutritional values speak for themselves; its unflavoured variant boasts 27g of protein, 6.2g of BCAAs and 0g of carbohydrates per scoop.

It’s also about as natural a protein powder you can get too – it contains no artificial sweeteners, colours, gluten and GMOs. 

Protein content per serving: 27g

Price: From $34.06

Get California Gold Nutrition Whey Protein Isolate.


10. Garden of Life Raw Organic Protein – Sugar free & vegan



Image credit:
Garden of Life via Facebook

Another vegan variant worth looking at is the Garden of Life Raw Organic Protein – a plant-based raw protein made up of 22 different organic grains, seeds and sprouts. Being a sugar-free protein, not even natural sweeteners like Stevia are incorporated into the powder’s formula.

And with 22g of protein and 4g of BCAAs per serving, this dairy-free and soyless protein is an apt buy for those with dietary restrictions.

Fun fact: Raw protein powders don’t undergo as many heating processes as regular ones, meaning that they’ll contain additional nutritional benefits like healthy fibres and vitamins. 

Protein content per serving: 22g

Price: From $59.29 $45.62

Get Garden of Life Raw Organic Protein


Bonus: Jetpack Protein Smoothie – Real freeze-dried fruits



Image credit: @blendjet via Instagram

If you’re looking for something that’ll give you extra flavour, we recommend Jetpack Protein Smoothie. Protein smoothies are an easy way to incorporate fruits into your diet for extra vitamins. Now, you can now bid goodbye to a life of washing, peeling, chopping fruits.

All you need to do is open a pack, blend it with ice and milk – water works too – and you’ll have a bottle of nutrients and antioxidants packed smoothie ready to drink on the go. 


There’s an on-going bundle where you can get their blendjet on top of the smoothie packs for $95.85.
Image credit: @blendjet via Instagram

The Jetpack Protein Smoothie is also gluten-free, soy-free, and vegan-friendly, so it’s safe for those with dietary restrictions. What you’re tasting isn’t artificial as well – each packet contains freeze-dried fruits to give it a natural sweetness. You’re also getting 15g of plant-based protein with each smoothie. There are 6 different flavours available, including Strawberry Banana and Very Berry.

Protein content per serving: 15g

Price: From $35.70 for 6 packs 

Get Jetpack Protein Smoothie


Best protein powders including vegan and high-protein options


If you’re looking to transform into lean, mean, muscle-building machines, getting a regular dose of protein powder into your system is your best bet. 

Whether it’s tasty flavours or zero carb options, you’re bound to find a formula tailored to your needs from this eclectic spread of protein powders.

Check out our other health-related articles to up your fitness game


This article contains partial partnership content. However, all opinions are ours.
The products have been ranked in terms of features and price from sources and reviews online.
Original article published by Benjamin Wellesley on 20th February 2021. Last updated by Gracelyn Lim on 21st July 2023.
Cover image adapted from: Myprotein, Isopure via Facebook

Benjamin Wellesley