Big thanks to Sunwarrior for providing full size samples of each of the Sunwarrior Active Product Line for this sponsored post.
Why Sunwarrior?
I’ve been pretty curious about Sunwarrior for a while, so when the opportunity to review their new active line came about, I jumped on it! Sunwarrior has a great reputation for quality, and while I’m certainly an omnivore, it’s sometimes difficult to find sports and performance supplements that don’t have a lot of iffy ingredients like food dyes and questionable artificial sweeteners. If you want to make yourself uneasy, do a quick search on “food dyes” or “food colorings to avoid” – it’s surprising how ubiquitous some of these dyes are–especially when some may be dangerous. Needless to say, when picking out supplements and snacks to support my my healthy, active lifestyle, I’d really like to be sure to avoid artificial dyes!
Fortunately, the Sunwarrior items I’m reviewing in this post are free from artificial dyes, added sugars, soy, gluten, and dairy. While I do not specifically avoid dairy, I do find that some whey protein powders digest better than others, and many I should strictly avoid if I want to keep having friends (if you know what I mean). Unlike many non-dairy items, all of the products we’re reviewing today are soy-free! (including free of soy lecithin).
Let’s get to it!
Sunwarrior Sport Plant-Based Active Protein (Vanilla Flavor)
It’s difficult to find a solid plant-based but soy-free protein powder that checks all the boxes. This one is very very solid. It mixes very well – I even tested it by mixing with just a spoon and it did perfectly well, no sandy or gritty texture, which is often a problem with plant-based, non-soy protein powders. Needless to say that impressed me right away. The protein to calorie ratio was also far better than what I’m used to seeing with shake mixes and vegan protein powders. Stevia extract supplies just the right bit of sweetness that works on its own, or would blend well in smoothies. Adding pumpkin puree (see recipe below), berries, or even cocoa powder, peanut butter, or almond butter would combine well with this vanilla protein powder. Now that I think of it, a teaspoon of matcha powder could make for a very energizing shake with it! Even though it uses only organic vanilla flavor, please note that the overall vanilla experience with this protein powder is little unconventional. I attribute this to the welcome addition of maca and possibly some of the other nutrition boosting additions. It’s a pleasant, more complex flavor than say “vanilla ice cream”, but it still lends itself well to blend with other smoothie flavors.
The extra additions to this protein powder put it on par with a meal-replacement product, or easily the base of a powerful meal-replacement smoothie. The enzymes seemed to contribute to the overall digestibility, as I experienced zero stomach gurgling etc. after each time I made a shake with this protein powder – and that’s not always the case for me with even extremely high quality whey proteins. The protein blend is made from peas, brown rice, and pumpkin seeds, and fully avoids that gritty/sandy texture many people may associate with non-soy plant-based protein powders. Bonus additions like a mineral blend (including name-brand Aquamin), tart cherry, maca, turmeric, black pepper, probiotics, and enzymes round out this full-featured product – which clocks in at a modest 185 calories for an impressive 30 grams of protein. Considering how digestible it’s seemed, I feel like I can assume that the protein itself is very bio-available. Regular price is $44.97 for 20 servings (package is 2.2lbs/1kg)
Pros & Cons:
Pros:
- Incredible nutrition – this protein powder goes above and beyond with powerful extras like sea minerals, probiotics, enzymes, and nutritional powerhouses like tart cherry, maca, turmeric (and black pepper because they thought of everything).
- While at first glance the carbs might seem higher than you’d like, please observe that 6 of the 10 grams are attributed to fiber (yay) which combine with a little bit of guar gum to give a rich overall texture.
- Mixes easily with even a spoon!?!
Cons:
- Some may not like the unconventional flavor.
Recipe Recommendation:
Given the deep flavor profile (the maca and other highly nutricious ingredients give this a slightly nutty, carmel edge to the vanilla flavor) this protein powder would be excellent for the pumpkin smoothie recipe I came up with recently. Since the Sunwarrior vanilla protein powder already contains maca and other superfood ingredients on its own, the recipe is much simpler:
Pumpkin Spice Sunwarrior Protein Smoothie (with Pumpkin)
Equipment
- Blender
Ingredients
- 2 Scoops Sunwarrior Active Protein - Vanilla Flavor
- 2 Cups Almond Milk, Cashew Milk, or Macadamia Nut Milk I also really like this with "coconut beverage" which is usually right next to the almond milk
- 1 Cup Ice Or more?
- 1/2 Cup Pumpkin purée Canned pumpkin for the win!
- 1 Teaspoon Pumpkin Spice mixture Or more. I'm a maniac so I use as much as I can stand. Not sure this is actually a good idea. In a pinch you can be a slacker and just use cinnamon - it will lack some of the extra flavor complexity, but will still be tasty
Instructions
- If using a high powered blender, load the blender as per the manufacturer's instructions. For Vitamix this would be liquids first, then soft fruit/veg, leafy things, and ice on top. In our case this means liquids, pumpkin, protein powder, spices, ice.
- Blend to oblivion, adjusting for consistency if desired
- Serve and consume immediately!
Sunwarrior Active Energy (Mango Lemonade Flavor)
I described this product to a friend as “pre-workout for grownups”. But that’s actually pretty accurate. While the label says Mango Lemonade flavor–which is certainly true–there’s again a depth and complexity to it. Some of this is due to the slight earthy flavor of the included beets and adaptogen mushroom blend. While that sounds weird, it’s really a great way to round out a pre-workout without getting a bunch of crazy chemicals involved. The effect is overall tropical and refreshing, but not too sweet (thanks yet again to stevia).
While you may be quick to dismiss pre-workout energy supplements, this one may change your mind – far from the brightly dyed mega-caffeine mixes which give a niacin itch, this slow burn grown-up version really performs. With a respectable but not crazy 150mg of caffeine it certainly is an “early in the day only” choice, but still low enough to now throw off my whole coffee wake-up ritual if I workout in the early afternoon. Again, there’s a lot of thoughtfulness in this product which includes vitamin B-12, a hydration blend, adaptogen endurance blend (cordyceps, reishi, king trumpet, shiitake, lion’s mane, turkey tail, maca, rhodiola rosea), and a natural nitric oxide made from beet powder and tart cherry.
Again all the boxes are checked with this one. Mixes easily in a shaker bottle – and like most of the time when I use a pre-workout, I mix it with more water than is suggested–I drink a lot of water and a more mellow flavor. To each their own, however – mix and enjoy your way. Regular price is $34.97 for 30 servings (Package is 10oz/285g)
Pros & Cons:
Pros:
- Strong natural alternative to over-hyped over-dyed over-caffeinated super-sweet pre-workout powders
- Extra nutrition at every corner
- Hydration component
- Competitively priced per serving for pre-workout supplements
Cons:
- Some might wish for a non-caffeinated version
- Flavor might be unconventional for some folks
Sunwarrior Active Hydration (Tropical Vibes Flavor)
I LOVE coconut water, and this hydration drink mix has a really great coconutty flavor because of the large amount of coconut water powder! Unlike plain coconut water however, this blend includes vitamin C, B-12 (and a big dose at that), sea minerals, salt (electrolytes – but it doesn’t make the flavor weird), and an immune/antioxidant blend.
While the dominant flavor is coconut, it has a tropical fruit aspect to it as well. As per usual, I tend to use more water than is recommended (I drink a surprisingly huge amount of water each day), which also makes for a nice mellow flavor I enjoy when working out. Regular price is $29.97 for 30 servings (Package is 16.9oz/480g)
Pros & Cons:
Pros:
- Shelf stable coconut water blend
- Electrolytes and immune blend with elderberry, B-12
- Good value per serving – especially if you mix it up
Cons:
- Might be too sweet for some, flavor is very intensely coconut–good if you like that flavor, but if you don’t like it, skip this one!
IMPORTANT Pro Tip:
For some reason this mix gets a bit fizzy if you shake it well (I maybe am too enthusiastic in this regard). But, wait for it to settle or open your bottle over a sink if you open it immediately after mixing!
Sunwarrior Active Creatine (Unflavored)
One ingredient – vegan creatine monohydrate powder. Pure, simple, nothing else. The included 5 gram scoop is very convenient as that’s a good “serving size” for me – I’m not a creatine pre-loader (personal vanity just can’t handle the bloat), but do like to take it over time in smaller amounts – so half or a little more of a 5 gram scoop is very handy – even though I’m one of those people who gets out the digital scale for smoothie time. Regular price is $19.97 for 60 servings (Package is 10.58oz/300g)
Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Fully vegan source of creatine
- Blends easily with any flavor beverage
- Competitively priced compared to most name brand creatine powders
Cons:
- Can’t really think of any, unless you find synthetics to be unacceptable. Vegan creatine has to be created since it only naturally occurs in animal products.
Overall Thoughts on the Sunwarrior Active Product Line:
With all of the thoughtful extra additions built into these products, you could potentially really simplify your sports supplements shelf with this set of four. I’d get back at least half a shelf this way. There are many aspects of the products which are just simply clever–right down to the easily stored square tubs made from 100% recycled materials. All the “i”s are dotted, all the “t”s are crossed – including a mark on the side of each container indicating where the full amount might settle to during shipping. It’s extremely clear that a lot of thought and good intentions are behind each product, and that Sunwarrior understands the frustrations of people who are trying to make the most healthful, natural, and beneficial choices.
Sunwarrior Active Product Line
Pros
- Thoughtful Products
- Extra nutrition at every turn
- Competively Priced
Cons
- Flavors may be unusual for some
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