Research-Based

Tone It Up Plant-Based Protein Review – Is It Worth Buying?

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By Meghan Stoops, RDN

Reviewed by Juliana Tamayo, MS, RDN - Last Updated

tone it up plant based protein review

When you think of protein powders, you often think of the large bottles of whey protein heavily marketed towards the male population working to build muscle mass. But what about women? With the fast-paced lifestyle many of us live in this day and age, it can be challenging to meet our protein needs with food alone, especially if we are in a time crunch. Finding a protein powder catered to women is no easy feat. Add that to the growing trend of plant-based diets, and it can feel downright impossible. 

Because of this, many women have been reaching for plant-based protein powder supplements, such as Tone It Up Plant-Based Protein. Made by women for women, this supplement uses pea and chia proteins combined with oat milk. But is this plant-based protein powder worth the heft price tag, or is it just another trendy supplement? We’ll take a closer look at this protein powder in this Tone It Up Plant-Based Protein review.

Ready? Let’s get started!

Tone It Up Plant-Based Protein Supplement

About Tone It Up Plant-Based Protein

Tone It Up Plant-Based Protein is a protein powder supplement marketed towards women following a plant-based diet. This supplement comes in a variety of fun flavors and sizes, including vanilla, chocolate, peanut butter, cinnamon roll, and café latte in 14-28 serving containers.

Made with a mixture of pea and chia protein blended with oat milk, this creamy mixture was made by women for women. It includes 15 grams of plant-based protein per serving and only 110 calories. It is certified vegan, non-dairy, gluten-free, and non-GMO with no artificial flavoring or sugar alcohols. 

Tone It Up (TIU) was created by personal trainers Katrina Scott and Karena Dawn in 2009. Their mission is to empower women to live their healthiest, happiest, and most confident life. Their website and smartphone app contain workouts, healthy recipes, meditation, and an online community. In addition to Tone It Up Plant-Based Protein, they also boast products including Tone it Up Marine Collagen and Tone It Up Energy, all with simple and clean ingredients you can trust. Their Tone It Up Plant-Based Protein powder is one of the top-selling protein powders at Target stores nationwide.

Tone It Up Plant-Based Protein Benefits

Tone It Up Plant-Based Protein provides an easy, grab-and-go protein powder for women following a plant-based diet. This product comes in a variety of flavors to meet the taste preferences of a wide range of consumers and uses whole food, simple ingredients for their protein source, such as pea protein, chia seed protein, and oat milk.

Tone It Up Plant-Based Protein - Promote Muscle Growth for Women

Tone It Up Plant-Based Protein is marketed to help keep you satisfied throughout the day and reach your goals in and out of the gym. TIU even provides recipes that use their protein powder on their website, including chocolate peanut butter chia seed pudding using their TIU chocolate unsweetened plant-based protein and a peach pie parfait using their TIU vanilla unsweetened plant-based protein.

Tone It Up Plant-Based Protein Ingredients

Tone It Up Plant-Based Protein’s formula uses a protein blend of pea protein, chia seed protein, and oat milk for the base of their product. Let’s take a look at some of the benefits and drawbacks of these ingredients. 

Pea Protein

Made by extracting the protein from yellow peas, pea protein has become an increasingly popular plant-based protein source for supplements and powders. Pea protein is like soy protein in that it contains all 9 essential amino acids needed to form a complete protein source, but it is relatively low in methionine. Combining pea protein with another complete protein, such as chia seeds, can help to make up for the low levels of methionine. 

Tone It Up Plant-Based Protein - Powder and Shake

Pea protein is also a good source of many branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), such as arginine, leucine, isoleucine, and valine, which have been shown in various research studies to help promote muscle growth. The amount of BCAAs in pea protein is like that of whey protein. Soy proteins tend to only have small amounts of some BCAAs, such as leucine, so some soy protein users may opt to add a BCAA supplement, like Clean BCAA, in as well. Pea protein is naturally gluten-free, vegan, and free of common allergens, making it versatile for those with special diets.

Chia Protein

Chia seeds are commonly touted as a “superfood” due to their nutrition profile. These nutrient-dense seeds are an excellent source of antioxidants, healthy fats, fiber, and protein which can help to keep you full, healthy, and happy. 

A diet rich in these nutrients can help to support a healthy weight and heart. Aside from that, chia seeds are a good source of calcium, phosphorous, and magnesium, essential nutrients for bone health. Chia seeds are versatile and mild in flavor. They have recently become a popular breakfast addition to meals such as puddings and overnight oats for their gelling quality. 

Oat Milk

Oat milk has become a popular choice for those with food allergies and intolerances. Made from oats and water, oat milk is naturally free from lactose, nuts, and soy. However, it tends to be higher in calories, carbs, and fiber and lower in protein than soy or cow’s milk. Oat milk sold in stores is often enriched with B vitamins, which adds extra nutrition; however, that used in TIU protein powder is not.

Does Tone It Up Plant-Based Protein Work?

Tone It Up Plant-Based Protein does contain 15 grams of complete protein per serving at relatively low calories. Their blend of pea, chia, and oat milk protein allows for a versatile, plant-based product that contains all essential amino acids, including those that have been shown to improve muscle growth through various studies. 

If used as directed, this product can help those who struggle with getting enough protein in their diet make progress in the gym or feel more satisfied throughout the day. 

This product will benefit mainly those who aren’t currently able to get enough protein in their diet. Those who do not have trouble getting adequate protein with food alone may not notice any benefit from taking this product.

Tone It Up Plant-Based Protein Competitors

When comparing Tone It Up Plant-Based Protein to other plant-based protein powders of its kind, such as KOS Organic Plant Protein Powder and PlantFusion Complete Plant-Based Pea Protein Powder, there are both pros and cons. 

KOS Organic Plant Protein Powder contains 20 grams of protein and 160 calories per serving with a 30-serving container priced at $49.99 on Amazon. PlantFusion Complete Plant-Based Pea Protein Powder contains 21 grams of protein and 120 calories per serving with a 30-serving container priced at $39.99 on Amazon. Both protein powders contain slightly more protein per serving but at similar price points to Tone It Up Plant-Based Protein.

Both protein powders are plant-based, gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, and non-GMO. KOS Organic Plant Protein Powder comes in a variety of flavors, including vanilla, chocolate, goji berry popsicle, chocolate peanut butter, and blueberry muffin, while PlantFusion Complete Plant-Based Pea Protein Powder comes in chocolate, vanilla, cookies and cream, red velvet, and unflavored varieties. Both protein powders use pea protein as one of their main protein mix ingredients. All in all, Tone It Up Plant-Based Protein is comparable to other brands of similar products.

Who is Tone It Up Plant-Based Protein Best for?

Tone It Up Plant-Based Protein is best for women who are following a plant-based or vegan diet and are struggling to get enough protein in. This product will be especially helpful for women who have a busy schedule, don’t like a lot of plant protein foods, and/or who are regularly strength training in the gym and looking to build and tone their muscles. This product will also work well for those with many allergies and intolerances due to its simple, allergy-friendly ingredients.

tone it up plant based protein

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Tone It Up Plant-Based Protein

  • Ingredients include Pea Protein, Chia Protein, and Oat Milk
  • Formula features 15 grams of protein per serving
  • Available in a variety of flavors

Claims vs. Reality

Tone It Up Plant-Based Protein claims their protein powder will help you stay satisfied and reach your goals. Although these claims are rather vague, the protein, healthy fats, and fiber in the ingredients of the protein blend used by Tone It Up support satiety and a healthy weight. However, 1 serving of Tone It Up Plant-Based Protein only contains about 2 grams of fiber and 3 grams of fats. 

To get the most out of these ingredients for satiety, choosing whole food plant-based protein sources may provide more benefits. Because many are choosing these protein powders for convenience or due to a challenge with getting enough protein in their diet, this can be a good alternative. 

Tone It Up Plant-Based Protein - Best for Women

Research has shown that adequate protein intake post strength training exercise can help support muscle strength and growth, which suggests protein supplements, such as Tone It Up Plant-Based Protein, can be helpful in this aspect. This is especially true for supplements that have branched-chain amino acids, such as those found in pea protein, the main protein in Tone It Up Plant-Based Protein’s protein blend, and whey protein.

Is Tone It Up Plant-Based Protein Safe?

There are currently no listed side effects for Tone It Up Plant-Based Protein; however, always be sure to discuss with your doctor before adding in any supplements if you are taking any medications for a chronic condition. Be sure to read the label and ingredients list carefully if you have any food allergies.

Where to Buy Tone It Up Plant-Based Protein

You can purchase Tone It Up Plant-Based Protein from their official website.

Tone It Up Plant-Based Protein Website

Tone It Up Plant-Based Protein comes in a variety of flavors and sizes, including vanilla (regular and unsweetened), chocolate (regular and unsweetened), peanut butter, cinnamon roll, café latte, as well as protein powder with added immunity powder or added greens. You can purchase these protein powders in either 14-serving or 28-serving size containers priced between $26.99 to $47.99.

Final Verdict: Tone It Up Plant-Based Protein Review

TIU Plant-Based Protein contains a good source of protein per serving with low calories and minimal added sugars. With simple ingredients, such as their pea, chia, and oat milk blend, this product is versatile, convenient, and compatible with many different types of diets. Although this product can be pricy for those who plan to use it most days, it is comparable to other products of its kind. With a wide variety of flavors, it can be enjoyed in a smoothie, shake, or baked good. For those looking for a plant-based protein powder geared towards women, TIU Plant-Based Protein is a great option.

Overall Rating:
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Meghan Stoops, RDN

Meghan Stoops is a Registered Dietitian and licensed Nutritionist with a bachelor’s in Dietetics from San Diego State University. Meghan developed an interest in dietetics early on through her own personal struggles with nutrition misinformation. She began doing her own research, which sparked her passion for nutrition and it’s impact on our physical and mental health. Today, she takes take a non-diet, all-foods-fit approach to nutrition, and is devoted to teaching others that eating healthy does not mean restriction or sacrifice.

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