Equip Protein Powder Review (Recipes + Discount code)

It is so important to get adequate amounts of protein throughout the day. It can be difficult to achieve this for most. Protein powders offer an easy button for anyone looking to get more protein in their diet. That being said, most protein powders are not as healthy as you think. Many protein powders have added fillers, synthetics, dyes and more. Many powders are low quality. There are better options on the market. I shared how to choose the best and cleanest protein powder in my article here. However, one protein powder stands out for me. It is my very favorite for many reasons which I will share in this Equip Protein Powder Review.

* This post may include affiliate links. This means that products purchased from certain links will generate a small commission (At no extra cost to you). As always, I will only recommend brands that have passed my seal of approval and that I truly love. Thank you for supporting this little holistic space on the internet. *

* Information in this post is not professional medical advice and should not be relied on or used in place of consultation with healthcare professionals. Should you have any medical questions, please consult your primary healthcare provider. **

Health Benefits of Adequate Protein Intake

Protein is an essential nutrient. Getting enough protein in one’s diet can create a massive positive shift in overall health. It can impact a number of different areas in the body in a positive way. The fact is, many of us are not getting the right amount of protein each day. Protein deficiency is a major problem. Roughly 1 in 3 adults are not consuming enough protein in their diet.

How do you know how much protein you should be consuming in a day? It’s an easy calculation. Adults should be eating 0.75g. of protein per pound of body weight. This will show you just how much you need to be eating each day to maintain optimal health. Here are some health benefits you will experience when you ensure you are getting the right amount of protein for your body:

1. Weight Management: aids in weight loss
2. Supports Bone Density: aids in maintaining healthy and strong bones
3. Wound Healing: aids in tissue repair
4. Increased Muscle Mass: promotes muscle growth
5. Appetite Control: promotes satiety
6. Neurological Health: supports brain function
7. Hormone Regulation: balances hormones
8. Immune System Support: boosts the immune system
9. Strength Development: enhances physical power

Animal Protein vs. Plant Protein

There are many different options on the market when it comes to choosing the best protein powder. It’s important to have a basic understanding of some of the differences between protein powders before purchasing one. Many will grab whatever is the best value on a Costco shelf, not realizing that the powder isn’t high quality and is stuffed with fillers and gums that can affect your gut health. I want to run through some things that I have learned over the years when trying to find the best protein powders for my own family. First of all, there is a huge difference between animal and plant proteins.

Animal proteins are superior to plant proteins when it comes to human consumption. They are more bioavailable, which means our body uses the nutrients more effectively. We are meant to consume animal proteins. Animal proteins contain nutrients that are needed by the human body but not found in plant based foods. Plant proteins became more popular with the vegan trend. As an ex-vegetarian, I can attest to the deficiencies and health issues that arise when eliminating animal foods from ones diet. I spent many years putting up with symptoms and poor bloodwork counts, only to resume eating meat and find these symptoms fade away.

Plant and animal proteins differ in the following ways:

• Nutrient Composition: Animal proteins are rich in B12, iron, and omega-3s which are essential nutrients for the human body. Plant proteins offer phytonutrients and fibre.
• Amino Acid Profile: Amino Acids are the building blocks of protein. They provide various benefits to the body including energy, immune system, fat loss, cognitive function and more. Animal proteins offer a complete amino acid profile. Plant proteins unfortunately offer an incomplete amino acid profile.
• Digestibility: Animal proteins are easily digestibly and absorbed by the human body. Plant proteins contain fibre and anti-nutrients which reduce digestibility and bioavailability significantly.

Whey Isolate vs. Beef Isolate Protein Powders

Now that we’ve covered the differences between animal and plant proteins, it’s time to dig into the options of animal proteins. Most are aware of whey proteins which are most common on the store shelves. They are a great option for many. I used to consume whey protein exclusively until I personally ran into a whey allergy. I was struggling to digest whey and experienced major gastrointestinal pain each time I would consume it. I knew I didn’t want to start using plant proteins so I began researching if there were any animal based protein alternatives. Turns out, there is one! Beef protein isolate is made from, you guessed it, beef! It sounds like a bad idea at first. I didn’t think I could make the switch from delicious creamy whey protein to something that may have tasted like beef. Thankfully, there are beef isolate powders that do NOT taste like beef. I’ll get into my favorite option below.. but I wanted to ensure you that this is not a step down when it comes to taste. I LOVE the taste of my beef isolate protein. In addition to this, I found there were ample health benefits from switching to beef protein powders over whey.

• Nutrients: Beef protein is packed with the collagen, gelatin, and micro-nutrients. These are not often found in other sources of protein.
• Bioavailability: Bioavailability measures how much of the protein you consume is actually used by your body. It’s an important consideration when it comes to choosing a protein because you want to ensure you are using one that will actually work. In this case, beef protein is more bioavailable than whey protein. The reason why beef protein is more bioavailable than whey is because it contains ALL essential amino acids including glutamine. Glutamine helps specifically with growth and recovery.
• Amino Acid Composition: Amino acids are found in all sorts of foods. They are the building blocks of proteins and benefit the body in many ways as I described above. Both whey and beef proteins contain a complete profile of amino acids necessary. That being said, beef protein contains a greater range of them.
• Allergies and Intolerances: This can go both ways as there are people sensitive in both categories. That being said, intolerance to beef products is quite rare while dairy intolerances sit as one of the most common allergens. Whey is directly derived from milk so many people are unable to consume this type of protein. There is also an intolerance related specifically to the by product whey itself. For those who cannot consume dairy or whey products, beef isolate offers a promising alternative.
• Inflammatory Markers: Beef protein is non-inflammatory. Most other animal-based protein powders can cause inflammation (such as powders made from egg or whey protein).
• Health Benefits: Research has shown that beef protein provides additional benefits to strength, hypertrophy, and fat loss over whey.

Equip Protein Powder Review

I wrote about some of my favorite protein powders from different categories HERE. That being said, my very favorite protein powder has been Equip Prime Protein for a few years now. I am not able to tolerate whey proteins which eliminates some old favorites.

Best for: Non-whey animal based protein. Especially helpful for those who are sensitive or allergic to whey but don’t want a vegan protein source. Minimal ingredients. Allergy friendly. Non-inflammatory.

Ingredients:

Chocolate Prime Protein: Grass fed Beef Protein, Cocoa powder, Stevia extract. ** Unflavored option is stevia free **

Price Range: $63.99 (1.7lb/771g. bag)

Flavor Options: Chocolate, Vanilla, Salted Caramel, Peanut Butter, Strawberry, Unflavored, Iced Coffee

Protein per serving: 21g. of protein

Overview/Review:

Equip foods is a company created by Dr. Anthony Gustin. Dr. Gustin is a functional medicine doctor and a sports rehab clinician. The products from Equip were formulated with minimal yet impactful ingredients. They are all free of nasty fillers, gums, and artificial ingredients. This isn’t typical of the majority of protein powders on the market. Many companies will add poor quality ingredients and inexpensive fillers to create a greater profit margin for themselves. Unfortunately these protein powders are not the greatest for your health. This is why I have opted for a powder from Equip for myself and my Family. Instead, Equip focuses on whole food derived protein sources for their purity, health benefits, and bioavailability.

Equip Prime Protein powder is incredibly unique as many animal based protein powders come strictly from dairy sources like whey. Equip protein is made purely from 100% grass-fed beef protein. Beef protein is packed with important nutrients such as collagen, gelatin, and micro-nutrients. They are NOT packed with possible allergens such as soy, dairy, egg, or whey.

Studies have shown that beef protein provides additional benefits to strength, hypertrophy, and fat loss over whey.  It’s also one of the best options for those who are sensitive or allergic to whey but don’t want to purchase a vegan or plant based protein powder instead. While some may opt for plant based proteins, these powders do not offer the same nutrient or amino acid profile as animal based options.  Prime Protein is also non-inflammatory. Most other animal-based protein powders cause inflammation (such as powders made from egg protein or whey).

Does it taste like Beef? One of the questions I’ve gotten most about Equip protein has been “does this protein powder taste like beef?” No. Not at all. Equip worked hard to ensure that this protein powder blends up nicely in a smoothie, into different recipes, or with your coffee and more.  It has a pleasant dessert like taste.

While I would love to be able to grill up a steak on a whim to hit my daily protein allotment, the time and cost of that practice isn’t always feasible. This protein powder creates an easy button for those who want the benefits of eating a grass-fed steak each day. Due to a slight sensitivity to whey, I have exclusively used Equip Prime Protein for years. I especially love the peanut butter and salted caramel flavors. They’re all great tasting and can be added into many different recipes or just added to a liquid as a shake.

Each bag has a robust amino acid profile. Prime Protein provides complete protein. Here are the Typical values of amino acids found within Prime Protein:  Grams per 25g serving: Alanine: 2.2 Arginine: 1.89 Aspartic acid: 1.5 Cystine + cystein: 0.03 Glutamic acid: 2.75 Glycine: 5 Histidine: 0.28 Hydroxyproline: 2.55 Isoleucine: 0.43 Leucine: 0.93 Lysine: 0.95 Methionine: 0.23 Phenylalanine: 0.58 Proline: 3 Serine: 0.85 Threonine: 0.53 Tryptophane: 0.09 Tyrosine: 0.33 Valine: 0.75.

Here are some of the standards that Equip stands by:

• gluten, dairy, whey, soy free
• free from hormones or antibiotics
• no artificial flavors
• preservative free
• sourced from grass-fed cows

Other Favorite Products from Equip: Grass fed Collagen, Grass fed Beef Liver, Blackberry Lemon Pre-workout

Shop Equip Protein + Discount Code

Equip has offered an exclusive discount to all THV wellness blog readers. You can head to their website HERE and use my Equip discount code: HOLISTICVANITY at checkout to save.

Chocolate Prime Protein

Discount Code: HOLISTICVANITY

Vanilla Prime Protein

Discount Code: HOLISTICVANITY

Strawberry Prime Protein

Discount Code: HOLISTICVANITY

Iced Coffee Prime Protein

Discount Code: HOLISTICVANITY

Peanut Butter Prime Protein

Discount Code: HOLISTICVANITY

Cinnamon Roll Prime Protein

Discount Code: HOLISTICVANITY

Salted Caramel Prime Protein

Discount Code: HOLISTICVANITY

Unflavored Prime Protein

Discount Code: HOLISTICVANITY

** PIN this post to save for later **

Sharing is Caring!