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Love Complement is a brand that serves the vegan community by complementing the plant-based diet with formulas backed by the latest research. They claim to only use ingredients backed by science; so they won’t rely on any ingredient without a compelling reason. This is what I expect from a vegan brand.
Complement’s vegan protein powder is simple. It uses five real food proteins, and nothing else; making it one of the cleanest vegan protein powders on the market, a characteristic that is increasingly sought after and that most people should consider given the potential downsides of sweeteners, preservatives, and fillers.
Main Takeaways
- Love Complement’s protein powder stands out for its clean and transparent formula, with only five real food, organic ingredients, and no fillers, sweeteners, or flavors. However, this simplicity also means it’s not particularly flavorsome.
- The brand goes the extra mile in safety and potency by conducting 19 third-party tests in pharmaceutical-grade facilities for the absence of pollutants, heavy metals, and harmful substances. They share these test results publicly, which is rare in the industry.
- Complement’s packaging is eco-friendly, made from plant fibers, and is 100% biodegradable and compostable, which is a significant step up from the common plastic containers used by competitors.
- At $59 per pouch, the product is pricey compared to other protein powders. The simplicity of ingredients may justify the cost for some, but for others, the high price per serving may be a deterrent.
Complement Protein Powder Overview
Complement’s protein powder combines five different protein sources, which is likely an attempt to create a protein powder that is clean but still nutritionally sound.
While it doesn’t have additional ingredients, this formula still contains 40mg of calcium, 4mg of iron, and 125mg of potassium— purely derived from its five protein sources.
The five sources of protein are the following:
- yellow peas
- pumpkin seeds
- almonds
- sunflower seeds
- and chia seeds.
57% of the protein in this formula comes from peas, which contain all the 9 essential amino acids the human body is unable to produce on its own; making it a complete protein.
Amino acids such as leucine, isoleucine, and valine are often recognized as being crucial in supporting muscle growth and recovery after intense exercise, but research demonstrates they must be taken alongside other essential amino acids for those results to occur. [1][2]
Complement’s protein powder contains the 9 essential amino acids, so theoretically, it contains all the necessary ingredients that promote protein synthesis, and consequently muscle growth. This is not to say that incomplete protein sources can’t support protein synthesis, but they’re not as effective based on the evidence I’ve come across.
One serving contains 15 grams of protein, 1.5 grams of fat, 1 gram of carbohydrates, and 1 gram of dietary fiber.
15 grams of protein seems like a reasonable amount, but that also depends on your weight and activity level. If you’re an athlete or bodybuilder, it’s likely that you may have higher protein requirements due to the fact you’re bulkier and tend to exercise intensively and more often. [3][4]
Though, if you’re someone who exercises often but you’re not particularly aiming to become a bodybuilder and you merely do it to be in shape, then this supplement should be enough for you.
What I Like About Complement’s Protein Powder
Clean & Transparent Formula
No joke— Love Complement calls this protein powder the world’s cleanest vegan protein powder, and I understand why they’re confident enough to do it.
Their formula only contains five transparent, real food, organic plant protein ingredients. There are no secret proprietary blends, fillers, sweeteners, or flavors.
Compared to some of the most popular vegan brands (i.e: Vega, Orgain), Love Complement provides you with the most transparent and clean formula.
Provable Third-Party Tests
Love Complement doesn’t skip any hurdles, and thus they undergo rigorous third-party testing to ensure all of their products, including this protein powder, are free from pollutants, heavy metals, and harmful pathogens — as well as common allergens, artificial sweeteners, colors, and flavors.
They do 19 different tests to ensure both safety and potency, and the testing is done in pharmaceutical-grade facilities that are approved by the FDA and operated under cGMP standards.
In fact, they even share their test results, which is something not many companies do even though most claim to be doing third-party testing.
Eco-Friendly & Compostable Packaging
Love Complement also takes into consideration the environment, particularly when it comes to packaging. Unlike most protein powders that tend to come in oversized plastic tubs, Complement’s protein comes in an eco-friendly pouch that 100% biodegradable and compostable.
You can add it to your compost pile or deliver it to a local composting facility where it’ll decompose and disappear. The packaging is essentially made with plant fibers (bio-resins and wood cellulose), which means it’ll break down on its own within 12 months maximum.
The same can’t be said about most protein powders that come in plastic tubs or pouches, and pose a threat to the environment— especially when it’s something like a protein powder that you probably have to order every 30 days.
What I Don’t Like About Complement’s Protein Powder
Quite Expensive
The price of Complement’s protein powder is $59, and while that might be justified for such a clean and eco-friendly protein powder, it’s still expensive. This means that the price per serving is $1.96, which is quite high for any supplement.
Love Complement gives you a 15% discount if you subscribe to their recurring delivery option, which would bring the price down to $50, meaning the price per serving would be $1.66. But before you decide to subscribe, I think it would be a good idea to test out the supplement and see if you like it first.
Simple Formula = Not Super Tasty
Because this formula has only 5 ingredients and none of them are fillers, preservatives, or sweeteners, you’re not going to have an incredibly flavorsome powder that you mix with water an voilá. No, since it’s unflavored, you have to be a bit more creative and add it to other beverages, perhaps your favorite non-dairy milkshake or smoothie.
With that being said, Complement has also launched a chocolate protein powder for those who don’t mind additives and flavors in their formula— and would rather have something tasty than 100% healthy.
Is This Protein Powder Worth It?
If you’re someone that wants to get in shape but you’re not planning to put in the same work ethic as a professional athlete, then I believe this protein powder by Love Complement is a really solid option.
Generally, athletes (like bodybuilders) have higher protein requirements, so they would need a formula packing at least 10 more grams of protein for it to be worth it. This one has 15 grams of protein, so it’s not ideal for athletes.
With that being said, it’s a wonderful option if you’re a vegan like myself who appreciates a formula that is clean and has been conceived by a brand that cares about ethics and the environment. Not only is the formula simple and transparent (containing only five whole protein foods), but the packaging is also eco-friendly and 100% biodegradable. If that’s something you care about, then you can’t go wrong with this protein powder.
However, I also have to mention that this formula is not particularly affordable, as one pouch with 30 servings can cost anywhere from $50 to $59, so it’s definitely a more premium product. But as I usually say, if you want something that is ethical and more environmentally friendly, you can’t expect it to be cheap.
Medical Disclaimer: The content on this website is meant to be informative, but it should not be taken as medical advice. The content of our articles is not intended for use in the diagnosis, prevention, and/or treatment of health problems. It’s always best to speak with your doctor or a certified medical professional before making any changes to your lifestyle, diet, exercise routine, or trying a new supplement.
References:
1. Wolfe RR. Branched-chain amino acids and muscle protein synthesis in humans: myth or reality? J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017 Aug.
2. Jackman SR, Witard OC, Philp A, Wallis GA, Baar K, Tipton KD. Branched-Chain Amino Acid Ingestion Stimulates Muscle Myofibrillar Protein Synthesis following Resistance Exercise in Humans. Front Physiol. 2017.
3. Iraki J, Fitschen P, Espinar S, Helms E. Nutrition Recommendations for Bodybuilders in the Off-Season: A Narrative Review. Sports (Basel). Published 2019
4. Helms ER, Aragon AA, Fitschen PJ. Evidence-based recommendations for natural bodybuilding contest preparation: nutrition and supplementation. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. Published 2014.
