What is plant protein? A plain guide

Plant protein is dietary protein sourced from plants — beans, peas, soy, rice, hemp or fava beans — rather than from milk (whey, casein) or eggs. As a supplement it's usually sold as an isolate or concentrate powder, often blended with a second plant source to cover more of the amino acids a single plant tends to run short on. Electric Tiger's Plant Protein blends fava bean protein isolate with a fermented yeast protein, providing 21 g of protein per two-scoop serving.

What makes a protein "plant" or "animal"

The distinction is just the source. Whey and casein come from milk; collagen comes from animal connective tissue; plant proteins come from legumes (soy, pea, fava bean), grains (rice, oat) or seeds (hemp, pumpkin). All of them are built from the same 20 amino acids, nine of which the body can't make itself and has to get from food — the "essential" amino acids, per the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements.

Why "complete protein" comes up so often

A protein source is usually called "complete" when it supplies all nine essential amino acids in meaningful amounts. Animal proteins reliably qualify; single plant sources often run lower in one or two — legumes tend to run short on methionine, grains on lysine — which is why plant protein powders are frequently blends of two or more sources rather than one. Our label lists fava bean protein isolate and YESTEIN™ fermented nutritional yeast protein together, but it doesn't print an amino acid breakdown, so we can't tell you where this specific blend lands on that scale, and we don't call it "complete." If a label claims "complete protein" without showing the actual amino acid numbers, that claim isn't something you can verify from the label alone — ours included.

How the research compares plant and animal protein for muscle

The largest analysis on this, a 2021 meta-analysis pooling 16 randomized trials, found protein source didn't change absolute lean mass or strength gains overall, but animal protein had a slight edge on percent lean mass, and in adults under 50 it produced about 0.41 kg more absolute lean mass than plant protein over the study periods (95% CI 0.08-0.74 kg). No single dose was reported across the pooled trials, and none of the plant-protein arms was a fava bean and yeast blend — this is evidence about plant protein as a broad category, not about our product specifically.

Soy is the exception with the most direct head-to-head data: a 2018 meta-analysis of 9 trials in 266 adults found soy protein built muscle and strength about as well as whey, beef or milk protein over at least 6 weeks of resistance training. Soy has a different amino acid profile from a fava bean and yeast blend, though, so that result doesn't transfer to our product either — it's the clearest case in the literature for "a plant protein can match whey," and it's specifically about soy.

What's actually in our Plant Protein

Every ingredient is printed on the label: Fava Bean Protein Isolate, YESTEIN™ Fermented Nutritional Yeast Protein, Nidau Cocoa Powder, Natural Flavor, MCT Oil Powder, Nightfall Black Cocoa Powder, Apple Pectin Powder, Sea Salt, Sunflower Lecithin, Stevia Extract (leaf) — there's no blend paragraph hiding individual amounts behind a single total. The panel states 21 g of protein, 110 calories, 1 g of sugar and 1 g of fiber per two-scoop (34.7 g) serving, 24 servings a tub, as low as $54.47 on subscription ($2.27 a serving).

What plant protein powder is typically used for

People reach for a plant protein powder to add protein to a diet without dairy or other animal products — as a substitute for whey in a shake, mixed into oatmeal or a smoothie, or as a straightforward way to work toward a daily protein target on a vegan or vegetarian diet. Our label directs mixing two scoops with 6-8 oz of water or your favorite beverage, once daily.

Plant protein as food, not just powder

Powders are a concentrated, convenient form, but "plant protein" also describes whole foods: lentils, chickpeas, tofu, tempeh, edamame, quinoa and nuts all contribute meaningful protein alongside fiber, vitamins and minerals a powder doesn't have. A powder is a way to add grams of protein to a shake or bowl, not a replacement for eating those foods.

Questions people ask

Is plant protein the same as animal protein?

Not identical — the amino acid mix differs by source, and the research above shows small differences in outcomes like lean mass — but for basic protein content, a gram of protein contributes toward your daily total the same way regardless of source.

Is animal protein better than plant protein?

The evidence leans slightly that way for percent lean mass in adults under 50, per the 2021 meta-analysis above, but overall lean mass and strength gains didn't differ by source in that same analysis. Soy specifically has matched animal protein directly in head-to-head trials.

Can plant protein build muscle?

Protein from any source supports muscle gains when paired with resistance training and adequate total daily protein intake. See our plant protein dosage guide for what "adequate" means in the research.

Is plant protein complete?

It depends on the source and blend, and on whether the label actually shows you the amino acid numbers to check. Ours doesn't print that data, so we don't claim "complete" for this product.

Is plant protein as good as animal protein?

For soy specifically, yes, in the trials that have tested it directly. For plant protein as a broad category, the picture is closer but not identical — see the research summarized above.

Related reading: plant protein benefits: what the research does and doesn't show, how much plant protein should you take a day, and how to choose a good plant protein.