When you think of protein powders, you often envision the large containers of whey protein heavily marketed towards men building muscle mass. But what about women? With today’s fast-paced lifestyle, meeting our protein needs through food alone can be challenging, especially when time is limited. Finding a protein powder designed for women is no simple task. Factor in the growing plant-based diet trend, and it can feel nearly impossible.
This is why many women have turned to plant-based protein powder supplements, such as Tone It Up Plant-Based Protein. Created by women for women, this supplement combines pea and chia proteins with oat milk. But is this plant-based protein powder worth its hefty price tag, or is it just another trendy supplement? We’ll examine this protein powder closely in this Tone It Up Plant-Based Protein review.
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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 various appealing flavors and sizes, including vanilla, chocolate, peanut butter, cinnamon roll, and café latte in 14-28 serving containers.
Crafted with a mixture of pea and chia protein blended with oat milk, this creamy formula was developed by women for women. It delivers 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 founded by personal trainers Katrina Scott and Karena Dawn in 2009. Their mission is to empower women to live their healthiest, happiest, and most confident lives. Their website and smartphone app feature workouts, healthy recipes, meditation, and an online community. Beyond Tone It Up Plant-Based Protein, they offer 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 ranks among the top-selling protein powders at Target stores nationwide.
Tone It Up Plant-Based Protein Benefits
Tone It Up Plant-Based Protein offers an easy, grab-and-go protein powder for women following a plant-based diet. This product comes in multiple flavors to satisfy diverse taste preferences and utilizes whole food, simple ingredients for their protein source, including pea protein, chia seed protein, and oat milk.
Tone It Up Plant-Based Protein is designed to keep you satisfied throughout the day and help you achieve your goals both in and out of the gym. TIU even provides recipes featuring 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 utilizes a protein blend of pea protein, chia seed protein, and oat milk as the foundation of their product. Let’s examine the benefits and drawbacks of these ingredients.
Pea Protein
Extracted from yellow peas, pea protein has become an increasingly popular plant-based protein source for supplements and powders. Pea protein resembles soy protein in that it contains all 9 essential amino acids needed to form a complete protein source, though it is relatively low in methionine. Combining pea protein with another complete protein, such as chia seeds, can help compensate for the low methionine levels.
Pea protein is also an excellent source of many branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), including arginine, leucine, isoleucine, and valine, which research studies have shown to promote muscle growth. The BCAA content in pea protein is comparable to that of whey protein. Soy proteins typically contain only small amounts of certain BCAAs, such as leucine, so some soy protein users may choose to add a BCAA supplement, like Clean BCAA, as well. Pea protein is naturally gluten-free, vegan, and free of common allergens, making it suitable for those with special diets.
Chia Protein
Chia seeds are commonly hailed as a “superfood” due to their impressive nutrition profile. These nutrient-dense seeds are an excellent source of antioxidants, healthy fats, fiber, and protein which can help keep you full, healthy, and happy.
A diet rich in these nutrients can help support a healthy weight and heart. Additionally, 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 gained popularity as a breakfast addition to meals such as puddings and overnight oats for their gelling properties.
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 nutritional value; however, that used in TIU protein powder is not.
Does Tone It Up Plant-Based Protein Work?
Tone It Up Plant-Based Protein delivers 15 grams of complete protein per serving at relatively low calories. Their blend of pea, chia, and oat milk protein creates a versatile, plant-based product that contains all essential amino acids, including those that research has shown to improve muscle growth.
When used as directed, this product can help those who struggle with getting adequate protein in their diet make progress in the gym or feel more satisfied throughout the day.
This product will primarily benefit those who aren’t currently able to get sufficient protein in their diet. Those who have no 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 advantages and disadvantages.
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 multiple 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 ingredients. Overall, 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 ideal for women who follow a plant-based or vegan diet and struggle to get sufficient protein in. This product will be especially helpful for women with busy schedules, those who don’t enjoy many plant protein foods, and/or who regularly strength train in the gym and want to build and tone their muscles. This product will also work well for those with numerous allergies and intolerances due to its simple, allergy-friendly ingredients.
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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 protein blend ingredients used by Tone It Up support satiety and healthy weight management. However, one serving of Tone It Up Plant-Based Protein contains only about 2 grams of fiber and 3 grams of fats.
To maximize these ingredients for satiety, choosing whole food plant-based protein sources may provide greater benefits. Since many choose these protein powders for convenience or due to challenges getting adequate protein in their diet, this can serve as a good alternative.
Research has shown that adequate protein intake after strength training exercise can help support muscle strength and growth, which suggests protein supplements, such as Tone It Up Plant-Based Protein, can be beneficial in this regard. This is especially true for supplements that contain branched-chain amino acids, such as those found in pea protein, the primary protein in Tone It Up Plant-Based Protein’s 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 consult with your doctor before adding any supplements if you are taking 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 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, including their pea, chia, and oat milk blend, this product is versatile, convenient, and compatible with many different diet types. Although this product can be expensive for those who plan to use it daily, 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 seeking a plant-based protein powder designed for women, TIU Plant-Based Protein is an excellent option.
