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Protein Powder Is Just Like My Toxic Ex.
It always makes me feel shitty, but I still keep going back to it. I love a power smoothie after a gym session, and protein powder has always been a vital ingredient to ensure I’m hitting my 200 grams a day and getting the most out of my workouts. But the thing is, I never feel my best afterward… to put it lightly.
I’ve tried dozens of different brands, looking for one that wouldn’t leave me feeling bloated, make my skin breakout, or just make me downright nauseous. (Yes, all three have happened.) And after years of misery, I was on the verge of giving up. I knew protein intake was important for muscle growth, but at what cost?
And then it happened: I got Naked.
No, no… it’s not what you think. I found this supplement brand called Naked Nutrition that’s all about pure, simple ingredients and stripping away all the BS to give you only what you came for: protein.
It’s no wonder all my old protein powders were making me feel so bad. I’m intolerant to whey protein, but unfortunately, every plant-based option I’ve tried is packed with added junk like artificial sweeteners, maltodextrin, thickeners, and fillers I can’t pronounce.
Naked Nutrition’s whole mission is to make the highest quality supplements with clean, transparently-sourced ingredients that help people live their healthiest lives and achieve their fitness goals. Sign me TF up.
So, This Was My Eureka Moment…
Naked Nutrition has a huge variety of protein-packed products on their website—most of which contain three ingredients or less. The Naked Pea Protein initially caught my eye because it contains only one ingredient: pea protein extracted from yellow split peas grown on US and Canadian farms.
Naked also offers Chocolate and Vanilla options. I’m a sucker for anything vanilla, so I went for the Vanilla Naked Pea, which is made with yellow pea protein, organic coconut sugar, and vanilla.
I was excited to find a whey-free option without any fillers, but I was skeptical. Could something literally made of peas be my power smoothie savior?
Turns out, yes. Apparently, peas aren’t just for freezing and icing your boo-boos. Pea protein is easily absorbed by the body, which makes it an excellent plant-based alternative to whey. Naked’s version is mechanically extracted without chemicals, which results in a stronger amino acid profile (better for muscle growth).
The Cold, Hard Facts on Naked Pea Protein
As I mentioned, I went for the Vanilla Pea Protein. Let’s take a look inside:
- Serving Size: 2 scoops (30g)
- Calories: 140
- Protein: 25g (!)
- Sugars: 5g (only 3g added sugar)
- BCAA’s (Branched-Chain Amino Acids): 5.6g
No chemicals, no preservatives, no artificial sweeteners or flavors… and a whopping 25 grams of protein. (The unflavored option has 27 grams of protein per serving.) That plus the BCAA’s, which are vital building blocks for muscle regeneration, has these little peas packing a big punch.
Naked’s tagline is “nutrition with nothing to hide.” Take one look through their website and you’ll see they mean it. The ingredients in their protein are sourced exclusively from sustainable and earth-friendly farms, which means you can gain muscle while reducing your carbon footprint at the same time.
Plus, without all the added junk, you know exactly what you’re putting into your body. It helps you go hard in the gym and stays easy on the gut, which is not something I could say about my old powders.
But how does it taste? Well, I’m so glad you asked.
My Unfiltered Review
I’m not gonna sugar-coat it, because Naked certainly doesn’t: don’t expect this stuff to taste like candy. It’s just peas, so it tastes slightly like—shocker—peas. But honestly, not in a bad way. I’ve had my fair share of sugary-sweet protein powders that taste like a chemical milkshake and make me feel like sh*t, so I’ll take a protein powder that tastes perfectly normal but makes me feel great 100 times out of 10.
Plus, it’s versatile enough to give me the freedom to make whatever recipes I want. The addition of vanilla and organic coconut sugar provide enough subtle sweetness that I usually just mix my post-gym two scoops with almond milk in a blender bottle. But when I’m feeling fancy, I love mixing it with coconut yogurt or even making protein pancakes. It’s creamy, not gritty—which is a huge deal for me as a texture person.
But here’s the real kicker: I haven’t had a single digestive issue, case of bloating, breakouts, or any other bleh reaction to Naked Pea Protein since I made the switch.
A few months in and I’m fully obsessed with Naked. I’ve even turned a few of my whey-loving gym buddies onto it. I will say, if I had one negative thing to say about my experience, it’s that I’m now hyper-aware of the nutritional label of everything else I buy—which has turned me off of a lot of processed foods I used to love.
I Got Naked, and I’m Staying Naked.
Naked Pea Protein has become my absolute #1 go-to for protein powder for maintaining my gym gains. I’m finally able to focus on my fitness goals and make sure I’m giving my body what it needs to recover properly, without all the side effects.
This experience has just reminded me that knowing exactly what’s in the food you eat is super important. Anybody can package something up and sell it on the internet, so you gotta make sure you’re doing your due diligence. And Naked Nutrition passes that test with flying colors.
