The 7 Finest Casein Protein Powders of 2025, Examined by RDs

Is a Casein Protein Powder Complement Useful?

Protein wants differ based mostly on a variety of components, together with age, gender, exercise degree, and well being standing. Nevertheless, most People get satisfactory protein by way of weight loss plan alone—which appears like 46-56 grams of protein per day, or about 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of physique weight. Those that profit from casein protein powder could embrace the next:

• Athletes: Many athletes want extra protein than the typical individual as a result of their excessive exercise degree. The extra protein in an athlete’s weight loss plan helps help muscle progress and restoration—typically taken along side creatine to spice up muscle progress. Due to this, athletes are the primary group of people that could profit from taking a casein protein powder complement if they can not get sufficient protein of their weight loss plan.
• Those that choose protein dietary supplements later within the day: Analysis exhibits that consuming milk-based protein after a exercise will help promote muscle progress and restoration. Whey protein could also be a greater choice if you wish to take your protein complement proper earlier than or after a exercise because it will get damaged down and absorbed sooner than casein. If you happen to choose to have your protein complement later within the day or earlier than bedtime, we suggest choosing casein as a result of its sluggish absorption fee.

Who Could Not Profit from Casein Protein Powder

These teams could not profit from taking a casein protein complement:

• Wholesome adults assembly their protein wants by way of weight loss plan: For the typical one that is assembly their protein wants with meals, a protein powder complement is just not obligatory and received’t present noticeable advantages.
• Folks on protein-restricted diets: There are specific medical situations that require an individual to eat a low protein weight loss plan, together with continual kidney illness and inherited metabolic problems like phenylketonuria, homocystinuria, maple syrup urine illness, and tyrosinemia. If it is advisable restrict protein in your weight loss plan, it’s best to keep away from utilizing protein powder usually.
• Older adults: As we grow old, we naturally lose muscle mass and power. One approach to fight that is by growing protein consumption as we age, which is especially efficient when mixed with resistance coaching. On the subject of protein supplementation for older adults, faster-absorbing protein sources (like whey protein) could promote muscle progress extra successfully than casein, a sluggish absorbing protein. Because of this, we suggest whey over casein for older adults. Chances are you’ll discover it useful to discover our roundup of the finest whey protein powders.
• Folks with a milk allergy: A milk allergy is an immune system response to exploit proteins and is handled by avoiding milk and merchandise that include milk proteins. Since casein is likely one of the principal proteins in milk, these with a milk allergy ought to keep away from utilizing casein protein powder. 
• Folks on a vegan weight loss plan: Casein is an animal-based protein, so it doesn’t match right into a vegan weight loss plan. If you’re following a vegan weight loss plan, select one of many many varieties of vegan protein powders as a substitute of casein protein.

How We Choose and Take a look at Dietary supplements

Our workforce works laborious to be clear about why we suggest sure dietary supplements. We help dietary supplements which are evidence-based and rooted in science. We worth sure product attributes that we discover to be related to the highest-quality merchandise. Our workforce of specialists has created an in depth, science-backed methodology to decide on the dietary supplements we suggest. You possibly can learn extra about our dietary complement methodology right here. 

Along with our analysis, we examined 25 of the highest casein protein powders, getting ready and serving them as directed by the producer. When testing, we evaluated every product for the next six crucial standards:

• Vitamin: Our diet editors analyzed every product based mostly on the standard of substances, quantity of protein and kind, and different vitamins added. We additionally thought of unbiased verification and related certifications.
• Taste: We tasted every product, noting how correct it was to the flavour marketed on the packaging and if the flavour corresponded to the colour of the drink. We additionally took notes on whether or not the flavour was good or unhealthy, how sturdy every taste was, and if we felt it was overly candy or salty.
• Texture: We reviewed the feel of every product, noting if it was skinny and easy, clumpy, grainy, separated, or in any other case disagreeable. We reviewed the dissolubility of the product, noting how lengthy it took to dissolve in water or milk (and if it dissolved fully), how a lot stirring was required, and if there was any product left on the backside of the glass. We additionally examined some merchandise in numerous eventualities, like when mixing into oats or pancake/waffle mixes.
• Aftertaste: We examined to see if any of the merchandise left an aftertaste within the mouth after ingesting it and famous if it was disagreeable, how lengthy it lingered, and if we needed to eat or drink one thing afterward to masks the aftertaste.
• Odor: Upon opening the product, we famous the way it smelled, together with if there have been any salty, candy, or chemical smells. We additionally famous any nice or disagreeable aromas. We reviewed if the scent was per the flavour listed on the packaging and if the scent impacted the style once we drank it.
• Worth: We assessed the worth, analyzing the fee within the context of the standard of the product, use and style expertise, the variety of servings per container, and the shelf life.

What to Look For in Casein Protein Powders

• Impartial verification: Protein powders which are independently verified are despatched to a lab the place they’re examined to make sure they include what they are saying they include and usually are not contaminated with particular high-risk, frequent contaminants. Our workforce works laborious to be clear about why we suggest sure dietary supplements; you may learn extra about our dietary complement methodology right here. If you’re an athlete, search for a product that’s licensed NSF for Sports activities or Knowledgeable Sport Licensed. Most protein powders naturally include heavy metals in hint quantities, and customers have expressed concern about heavy steel contamination when utilizing these dietary supplements. Nevertheless, a latest research exhibits that consuming one to 3 servings of protein powder per day is unlikely to trigger antagonistic well being results. A casein protein that has been independently verified helps guarantee heavy metals don’t exceed the FDA-established ranges for contamination.
• Kind: You might need seen that 4 of the 5 really useful merchandise on this checklist are made with “micellar” casein. Because of this the milk used to make it has been microfiltered, which results in a better-tasting product with a extra nice consistency. Most casein protein powders are made with micellar casein due to this, so that you get a extra palatable product for protein shakes, smoothies, and extra.
• Different substances: If you’re delicate to sure sugars, flavors, components, or preservatives, you may wish to verify the ingredient checklist earlier than making your choose. Some folks could expertise digestive upset or bloating when consuming sugar alcohols, so be aware of this.

Substances and Potential Interactions

It’s important to fastidiously learn the ingredient checklist and diet details panel of a complement to know which substances and the way a lot of every ingredient is included relative to the really useful every day worth of that ingredient. Please deliver the complement label to a healthcare supplier to assessment the completely different substances contained within the complement and any potential interactions between these substances and different dietary supplements and drugs you’re taking. Whereas some mixtures could yield well being advantages, resembling mixing creatine with protein dietary supplements, others could have the other impact.

As a result of casein is a milk product, it’s best to keep away from it you probably have a milk allergy.

Dosage

The Advisable Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein for a mean grownup is 0.8 grams of protein per day per kilogram of physique weight or about 46 grams of protein per day for ladies and 56 grams of protein a day for males. Analysis exhibits that People, on common, are getting greater than sufficient protein of their diets—ladies are getting about 69 grams a day, and males are getting 100 grams a day, on common.

Although folks meet their protein wants by way of meals alone, particular person wants differ based mostly on various factors. Casein protein powder will help complement your protein consumption in the event you discover it troublesome to satisfy your protein necessities by way of your weight loss plan.

How A lot Is Too A lot?

There isn’t a Tolerable Higher Restrict (UL) for protein consumption. The chance seems to be very low for consuming extra protein from meals. However with such restricted knowledge to point out any antagonistic results of a high-protein weight loss plan from meals and dietary supplements, it’s not really useful to devour greater than the really useful vary of protein for the typical individual.

Different Casein Protein Powders We Thought of

• Clear Labs Casein Protein: This powder has an ideal style, no added sugars, and one hundred pc grass-fed cattle as its solely supply of casein, however some flavors have greater contents of sodium, and it’s expensive in comparison with comparable choices.
• Optimum Vitamin Gold Commonplace 100% Micellar Casein Protein Powder: This powder is formulated with 24 grams of protein and 9 grams of important amino acids per serving, plus magnesium and one hundred pc of your every day worth of zinc. Nevertheless, the flavour choices are restricted, and it accommodates synthetic sweeteners, soy, and gums.
• Muscle Feast Micellar Casein: This gluten-free and vegetarian powder has 21 grams of protein per serving, however it accommodates synthetic sugars.

Our Consultants

• Shushy Rita Setrakia, MS, RD: a Registered Dietitian and one among our diet and complement editors. Shushy is keen about changing diet science into significant dietary suggestions. She has a watch for recognizing the newest diet developments, analysis, and breaking down what that may imply to your complement and meals decisions.
• DJ Mazzoni, MS, RD, CDN, CSCS, a registered dietitian and licensed power and conditioning specialist

Ceaselessly Requested Questions

What are the drawbacks of utilizing casein protein powder over different choices?

The selection to make use of casein protein powder over different choices largely comes right down to the timing and once you plan to make use of the protein powder. For a similar motive that casein is a slow-digesting protein, “it is a suboptimal selection for pre-workout or mid-workout protein supplementation. It will not be metabolized as shortly as different varieties of protein like whey, and will not be capable of ship diet that enhances exercises as optimally as different varieties of protein,” says Mazzoni.

What are the advantages of utilizing casein protein powder over different choices?

Since casein is a milk protein, it accommodates all 9 important amino acids—this makes it a better high quality protein supply than some incomplete proteins like rice protein powder. It’s additionally a wonderful supply of calcium, an necessary mineral for bone and tooth well being, muscle and nerve functioning, and extra.

In comparison with whey protein, casein is digested and absorbed way more slowly. This “makes it an optimum selection for post-exercise muscle restoration. Consuming casein protein at night time earlier than sleep helps the muscle groups get well from an intense exercise and be higher ready for a exercise the next day,” says Mazzoni.

What can I make utilizing casein protein powder?

Casein can be utilized like different protein powders to make protein shakes when blended with water or milk. It’s going to additionally mix effectively into smoothies. 

Casein protein powder is sort of absorbent and thickens when blended with liquid to make a thick protein pudding. As a result of casein is so absorbent, it isn’t the very best protein powder to bake with. It’s going to work finest for no-bake choices like shakes, protein pudding, yogurt, or in a single day oats.

Is casein protein powder higher than vegan protein powder?

This relies largely on the kind of vegan protein powder and what you need from a protein powder. If the vegan protein powder you utilize is a whole protein supply with all 9 important amino acids, will probably be of an analogous high quality to casein protein powder.

Much like whey protein, vegan protein powders are digested and absorbed extra shortly than casein. So vegan protein powder could present some benefit over casein in the event you plan to make use of it pre-, mid-, or instantly post-workout.

How costly is casein?

Casein protein powder pricing can fluctuate based mostly on the worldwide provide and price of milk. As milk pricing will increase, the price of casein protein can enhance. Presently, a basic vary of price per serving for casein protein powder will be round $0.90 per serving to $2 per serving.

Why Belief VeryWell Match

Alex Aldeborgh, MS, RD, is a Verywell Match author and a registered dietitian along with her personal personal follow. Alex spends her time creating wholesome recipes and diet content material for her profitable weblog and Instagram web page, Daisybeet. Alex evokes readers to get within the kitchen to organize wholesome, cheap, and easy recipes. By way of her expertise taste-testing in recipe improvement, she has additionally developed a eager style for various protein powders available on the market.

Eliza Savage, MS, RD, CDN, is the previous Editorial Director of Verywell Match, a registered dietitian, and a broadcast writer. She used to handle all content material at Verywell Match and helped be sure that the really useful diet and ingestible merchandise had been dietitian-approved.

Each authors thought of testing insights whereas creating this checklist.