Research-Based

Ritual Essential Protein Review – Is This Protein Powder Effective?

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By Jack Cincotta, MS

Reviewed by Juliana Tamayo, MS, RDN - Last Updated

Ritual Essential Protein Review

This article is an all-in-one Ritual Essential Protein review. As you’ll see, it is actually a review of three supplements under Ritual’s Essential Protein line. 

Many people are looking for protein powders to suit their individual needs. And often times, this can leave many feeling short-changed when they are recommended generic protein powders.

And sure, if you’re just looking to build muscle, it doesn’t really matter which specific protein supplement you get as long as it contains a high-quality protein source and a high enough dosage.

But what if you’re looking for more specific benefits too?

That’s where the Ritual Essential Protein line may come in handy.

So, continue reading this Ritual Essential Protein review to learn about the three forms, ingredient profile, possible benefits, and who may benefit from taking this protein powder.

ritual essential protein

What is Ritual Essential Protein?

The Essential Protein line by Ritual actually consists of three different supplements: 

  • Daily Shake 18+
  • Daily Shake 50+
  • Daily Shake Pregnancy and Postpartum

Just like all Ritual Supplements, such as Ritual Synbiotic+, HyaCera, Ritual Melatonin, and Ritual Vitamins, Essential Protein is clinically formulated with the help of nutritionists, scientists, and medical doctors on their Scientific Advisory Board.

All of these Essential Protein supplements are featured by organic pea protein. Plus, they all contain natural sweeteners and are never more than 120 calories per serving.

And with the addition of methionine alongside pea protein, Ritual Essential Protein claims to contain solid sources of all of the essential amino acids you need to support muscle health and recovery.

Of course, each of the Ritual Essential Protein supplements has key differences too, which I’ll get into more later. 

Overall, Ritual Essential Protein is advertised as a powerful, plant-based protein source to fit the needs of many different individuals. 

Ritual Essential Protein Benefits

All three supplements are advertised to deliver some common benefits, including:

  • Muscle Growth and Strength
  • Muscle Recovery
  • Complete Amino Acid Profile
ritual essential protein formula

Muscle Growth and Strength

If you’re not eating enough protein and calories, you simply won’t build muscle or get stronger.

That’s why Ritual Essential Protein includes 20g of high-quality, plant-based protein per serving. They claim that all of the Ritual Essential Protein products will support muscle growth and help you build more strength in the gym. 

Muscle Recovery

Do you ever deal with soreness, aches, or pains after lifting or other exercises? It could be impaired recovery.

But the Ritual Essential Protein products are designed to address this by boosting the body with critical protein and amino acids for muscle repair. And this may help you recover quicker from your workouts and get back to feeling your best.

Complete Amino Acid Profile

One common concern with plant-based proteins is that they may not have all of the essential amino acids. And this makes some products potentially inferior to animal-based ones.

However, Ritual Essential Protein claims to contain all of the essential amino acids by using a combination of pea protein and methionine. This creates what is very likely a complete, high-quality protein product

Unique Benefits of Each Ritual Essential Protein Products

In this section, I also wanted to go over the unique advertised benefits of the Daily Shake 50+ and Daily Shake Postpartum. The Daily Shake 18+ is pretty much a regular protein shake, but the other two have some unique additions, which is why I wanted to go over them quickly.

Listed below are the ways those two Essential Protein supplements are designed to differ.

Daily Shake 50+: Muscle Maintenance

ritual essential protein daily shake 50+

Essential Protein Daily Shake 50+ is advertised to also help aging individuals maintain their muscle mass. This is largely due to the inclusion of HMB, which they say helps preserve muscle mass that often gets lost in one’s older years.

And it also has extra calcium, which they say will help preserve bone health and strength, another key concern for aging adults.

Daily Shake Pregnancy and Postpartum

ritual essential protein postpartum

The Daily Shake Pregnancy and Postpartum is also designed to offer support for pregnancy and lactation. Plus, ingredients such as choline in this shake are advertised to support optimal baby development.

Overall, Ritual Essential Protein Daily Shakes are advertised to be not-your-average shakes. But how effective are they really?  Read on to find out!

Ritual Essential Protein Ingredients

The Ritual Essential Protein Daily Shakes have very similar ingredients. Each of the three Essential Protein products’ formulas contains:

  • Pea Protein
  • Natural Flavor
  • MCT Oil
  • Reb-M
  • Organic Monk Fruit
  • Methionine
  • Calcium
  • Choline
ritual essential protein supplement facts

Pea Protein

Pea protein is one of the most richly concentrated sources of amino acids among all plant proteins, including the essential amino acids and branch-chained amino acids (BCAAs).

Research has shown that pea protein has similar effects to whey protein regarding muscle recovery and growth. Plus, pea protein seems to promote fullness and has benefits for balancing blood pressure, metabolism, cholesterol, and other health factors.

Methionine

Each Essential Protein Daily Shake also has the amino acid, methionine.

This is important because pea protein, while being rich in amino acids, doesn’t contain hardly any methionine.

So, combining methionine with pea protein delivers a complete amino acid profile with all of the essential amino acids that are most important for muscle growth and repair.

Calcium 

(Highest Amount in Daily Shake 50+)

All three of the Essential Protein products have calcium, but the Daily Shake 50+ has more (270mg) compared to the other two (120mg). 

Calcium requirements are sometimes higher in athletes and active individuals. And it is necessary for bone density as well as proper muscular contractions and even nervous system health. 

And supplementation may benefit older individuals who are at risk for a deficiency and for preventing osteoporosis in such cases.

Choline

(Highest Amount in Daily Shake Pregnancy and Postpartum)

Choline is also included in every Essential Protein shake, but the Daily Shake Pregnancy and Postpartum has the most (250mg) compared to the Daily Shake 50+ (200mg) and Daily Shake 18+ (150mg).

In general, choline is an important nutrient that gets turned into acetylcholine, an important neurotransmitter for brain functions, such as memory and focus.

Also, in regard to pregnancy/postpartum, choline seems to be crucial for supporting the baby’s development, especially brain development. 

Additionally, choline levels can become depleted during breastfeeding. So, choline supplementation may help provide essential nutrition for mothers and their babies during that time.

MCT Oil

MCT Oil is a type of saturated fat that seems to provide steady energy, especially to the brain. 

There is some evidence that it can also help with weight loss, but not that much. Overall, it seems to be included in here just as a healthy fat source.

HMB 

(Daily Shake 50+ Only)

HMB is only included in the Daily Shake 50+. 

HMB is an active metabolite of leucine, which is a potent BCAA. There is evidence that HMB has muscle-building properties and can help with protein synthesis and decreasing muscle breakdown. 

And research has shown that HMB supplementation is effective in improving strength and body composition in people 65 and over, especially for those who are bedridden or sedentary. 

Time to get Grandma and Grandpa on that HMB!

Flavors/Sweeteners

Ritual Essential Protein also has natural flavors, Reb-M (which is fermented cane sugar), and monk fruit extract.

These are all-natural sources of flavor and sweeteners, so they likely provide a little sweetness without putting in too much sugar.

Does Ritual Essential Protein Work?

Ritual Essential Protein definitely seems like a solid line of protein shakes. 

essential supplements

First, it has a nice dose of plant-based protein per serving. And the inclusion of methionine was a smart addition that creates a complete amino acid profile.

Also, the inclusion of other specific nutrients for different health concerns is a plus.

For example, the extra choline in the Daily Shake Pregnancy and Postpartum should help with nutrient demands and baby development.

And the HMB and extra calcium in the Daily Shake 50+ may provide key benefits for the bones and muscles of older people.

Overall, it’s clear that Ritual took the time to create specialized products with specific benefits.

Claims vs. Reality

All of the claims by Ritual Essential Protein are essentially true.

The pea protein and methionine together should help with muscle recovery, repair, and growth. And it does deliver all essential amino acids, as they say.

And the claims made about Daily Shake Pregnancy and Postpartum are likely true, given the inclusion of choline. You still may want to talk to your doctor before taking supplements while pregnant, but the logic here seems right on.

And lastly, the claims made about Daily Shake 50+ being good for muscle maintenance are likely true, given the inclusion of HMB. 

It’s still important to combine Ritual Essential Protein with an exercise program and overall healthy lifestyle, of course. But Ritual Essential Protein does seem like a good line to help you become fitter, stronger, and healthier.

Who is Ritual Essential Protein Best For?

The best Ritual Essential Protein product depends, of course, on your needs.

In general, these products are for people looking for plant-based protein support.

And as for which one you should pick, they’re pretty self-explanatory based on the names. 

  • Daily Shake 18+ is for anyone over 18 looking for a normal protein supplement
  • Daily Shake 50+ is for anyone over 50 looking for a protein supplement and additional support for muscle maintenance and bone health
  • Daily Shake Pregnancy and Postpartum is for pregnant and breastfeeding women who want to support their own health as well as the nutrient demands and development of their baby

How to Take Ritual Essential Protein

It is recommended to add one scoop of Ritual Essential Protein to eight to 12oz of any cold liquid. For best results, use a shaker bottle or blender rather than stirring.

ritual essential protein one scoop

Also, larger individuals may want to consider supplementing with two servings (40g protein).

Is Ritual Essential Protein Safe?

All of the ingredients in Ritual Essential Protein are generally recognized as safe and shouldn’t have many (if any) side effects.

Possible side effects include upset stomach, bloating, and related digestive symptoms. 

Also, Ritual takes a number of steps to ensure product quality and safety.

For example, all of the Ritual Essential Protein supplements are Informed Sport Certified, third-party tested, and Made Traceable® (meaning each product has a visible supply chain, so you can see what’s all put into it). 

They also use USA-grown, organic peas. And all of the Daily Shakes are gluten-free, non-GMO, soy-free, and free from major allergens.

On top of that, Ritual never uses stevia, sugar or sugar alcohols, artificial colors, flavors, or sweeteners.

Where to Buy Ritual Essential Protein

You can buy Ritual Essential Protein on the official Ritual website

ritual essential protein supplements site

Each of the three Ritual Essential Protein Daily Shakes has 15 servings per container. 

This is 15 scoops for the Daily Shake 18+ and Daily Shake Pregnancy and Postpartum, and 30 scoops for the Daily Shake 50+ (since the serving of this one is two scoops).

All products cost $44 at the regular price ($2.93/serving). But you can save 10% by choosing the Subscribe & Save option, which lowers the price to $40 ($2.67/serving).

Ritual Essential Protein is very expensive and seems a bit overpriced, in my opinion. The ingredients are high-quality, but I still think they could have priced it at around two bucks per serving. 

ritual essential protein

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Ritual Essential Protein

  • Protein line consists of 3 different supplements
  • Formula includes pea protein, amino acids, and more
  • Benefits muscle growth, strength, and recovery

How Does Ritual Essential Protein Compare?

Ritual Essential Protein is one of the better plant-based protein supplements, but I also wanted to compare it to some popular ones, such as Naked Shake and High Impact Plant Protein.

Naked Shake

Naked Shake is very similar to Ritual Essential Protein since it also has pea protein, MCT Oil, natural flavors/sweeteners, and methionine (although not as much as Ritual). 

This seems like a solid option for people who want a less expensive plant-based protein supplement and who aren’t as concerned about getting a lot of methionine.

High Impact Plant Protein

High Impact Plant Protein contains a blend of multiple plant proteins, such as pea, flax, and sunflower. It also has HMB along with additional nutrients for digestion and overall health, such as vitamin D3, enzymes, and chlorella.

You may want to consider High Impact Plant Protein if you’re looking for additional benefits, such as digestive health and immunity.

Final Verdict: Ritual Essential Protein Review

That’s the end of this Ritual Essential Protein review. 

And if you’re looking for a plant-based protein to serve your needs, Ritual Essential Protein definitely seems to fit the bill.

All of the Essential Protein Daily Shakes have a solid combo of pea protein and methionine for a complete amino acid profile and muscle health. 

And the fact that they have three different options depending on your stage in life makes this a nicely individualized protein product, something you don’t always see.

Overall, whether or an athletic, young man, a woman expecting a newborn, or an aging Grandpa with an increase in sedentary living, Ritual Essential Protein may have benefits for you.

Overall Rating:
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Jack Cincotta, MS

Jack Cincotta is a certified holistic health coach through AFPA and a board-certified holistic health practitioner through AADP. He has written hundreds of articles on nutrition and supplementation. Jack has a M.S. degree in Psychology and is passionate about researching the science behind nutrition. He often uses research-backed supplementation protocols for many of his clients to optimize results.