Sun Warrior Protein

Whey protein is one of the primary supplements that I use pretty much everyday. Most of the time I usually stack my Shakeology with whey protein for a post-workout shake. I’ve previously mentioned the Body Beast Supplement Stack that I currently use and the supplements recommended for a hardgainer. I primarily stick to the whey protein that Optimum Nutrition makes available, but recently I was asked to give my feedback of another protein supplement. Sun Warrior has a a couple of vegan protein products that I am familiar with by name, but have never tried in the past. I am certainly not against a plant-based protein, the Tropical Strawberry and Vegan Chocolate flavors of Shakeology are likely based on similar protein that is found in Sun Warrior. I enjoy both of those flavors and while Shakeology is not marketed as a protein shake, it does provide a good source of protein.

Here’s my experience of both the Vanilla and Chocolate flavors of the Sun Warrior – Warrior Blend protein powder.

What’s in the box?

The Sun Warrior Starter Pack contains a good sampling of the protein products that Sun Warrior offers, here is a breakdown of what is included in the Starter Pack. This kit has 2 varieties of the chocolate and vanilla protein powders. It also included some additional products which one can add to your protein shake for additional flavor or nutritional value. For the purposes of this article, I only used the Supergreens product in each of the flavors and only did so after first mixing the protein along and then tasting – this was mainly to get an idea of the taste before and after the Supergreens were added. The kit also included a Sun Warrior branded shaker cup, which is a private labeled “Blender Bottle“, another product that I really like and a bonus!

Taste

Because these were single serve packets, I couldn’t open them up until I was ready to mix up the protein and drink it. However, when I did cut open the packet, I noticed that it definitely had a strong chocolate and “natural” smell to it, pretty comparable to the Vegan Chocolate Shakeology. I assume this is due to the common type of protein that each of them contain, one that is derived from pea protein.

As I stated earlier, I decided to give it a try first by itself, so that I could really separate it’s taste from anything else. I used a really simple recipe to mix this first batch; 8 oz. of almond milk, and ice. The taste wasn’t overpowering and the “natural” flavor was noticeable, but all in all it was about what I expected; not too sweet and a hint of chocolate. There was not much of an immediate aftertaste, but I did noticed that a few belches after I downed the entire shake, that same “natural” taste was present, which is to be expected. The taste overall was pretty good.

After I had a few gulps of the protein powder by itself, I mixed in the Supergreens (Peppermint), because who doesn’t like chocolate with a hint of mint! I have added fresh mint to my chocolate flavored protein shakes in the past and it’s a great combo! The Supergreens was a very fine powder and mixed into the shake fine and while it gave it a not-so-attractive looking color, it did improve the taste. I would likely prefer to have the peppermint Supergreens or the fresh peppermint itself with this flavor, but that is obviously just a personal preference.

Mix-ability

This is always an area that sets some the better protein powders apart, in my opinion. There is nothing worse that a clumpy protein shake! The Sun Warrior protein mixed very well, though I almost never just simply “shake” my protein, I will use my trusty stick blender to ensure that everything is mixed up and the ice is all crushed.

Also note worthy: the product didn’t settle after sitting, which again is another tell-tell sign of a poorer product.

Impact on Workout

Timing can play an important role in how your body fully utilizes the nutrition you provide it. In the past, I didn’t have anything more than a pre-workout supplement prior to working out. That is something that I changed in early 2014 while preparing for my first physique competition. I began having a full meal roughly 45 minutes prior to my workout and again immediately following. My pre-workout meal will include a little protein, in the form of chicken or whey protein as well as carbohydrates in the form of oatmeal. My post-workout meal, technically 2 meals, involved a carb-loaded recovery drink, Results & Recovery Formula, and a protein shake stacked with Shakeology.

In this particular sampling, I had the Sun Warrior protein post-workout, so it would not have had any direct impact on my workout that day. That being said, I did noticed that the Warrior Blend protein wasn’t as “heavy” in my stomach as my traditional whey protein shake would be.

Price

While I didn’t have to pay for this particular starter pack, it is priced at $19.95, a good deal considering you also get the Blender Bottle Shaker Cup. The protein by itself is a bit on the spendy side. $48.95 is the retail price of the 2.2 lb. tub, with 40 servings, that’s basically $1.22/serving! I typically pay about the same price for a tub of whey protein without just over 3 lb., so the cost/serving is a bit higher than what I normally pay. Of course, I would expect that the Sun Warrior protein is more costly since it is more than just protein and this means that there is more that goes into the processing of the ingredients and formulation. If I were a vegetarian, the Sun Warrior Warrior Blend product would be an obvious choice, but for me…I am not sure that I will make the switch from whey protein.

Supplement Facts

Along with the ingredients, the supplement facts are always of interest to me. The 2 things that jumped out at me almost right away is incredibly low amount cholesterol and the 0 grams of sugar. Of course, since this is a natural, plant-based protein I wouldn’t expect to see those numbers get up too high, but 0 grams of sugar is pretty cool!

A 17, the grams of protein per serving seemed a bit low for a “protein powder”, but again, since this is being sold as a natural plant-based protein, it is definitely a reasonable amount.

Here is a complete list of the ingredients of the Sun Warrior Warrior Blend protein per the company’s website:

Ingredients: Proprietary Protein Blend (Raw Organic Pea Protein, Raw Cranberry Protein, Raw Organic Hemp Seed Protein), Organic Dutch Cacao, Organic Chocolate Extract, Organic Vanilla Extract, Stevia, Natural Cherry Extract, Medium Chain Triglycerides from Coconut, Ancient Sea Salt, Herbal (Tea Leaf) Extract, Natural Fibers (Fenugreek, Konjac), Natural Citrus Extract

As you can see of this list, there aren’t any artificial ingredients and everything is plant-based!

Summary

While I personally probably won’t be switching to the Sun Warrior brand of protein anytime soon, it is definitely worth a look if you are looking for a protein powder that has a vegan profile, 100% natural and has fewer ingredients that the majority on the market. As I have mentioned in the past, you should not depend on supplements for the bulk of your nutrition. They are simply there to help you reach your nutritional goals more easily with convenience.

Have you tried any new protein powders that you think I should check out? If so, comment below!

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