Plant-based · Answer
Soy is the most complete single plant protein and has the best muscle evidence; pea is rich in lysine but low in methionine; rice is the reverse, low in lysine. A pea-and-rice blend covers both gaps, and at 30–40 g per serving any of them can support muscle. In South Africa pea isolate is cheapest: Faithful to Nature R148–R185 for 650 g (October 2026).
For muscle, soy or a pea-and-rice blend. For price, pea isolate. No single plant protein matches whey on leucine or digestibility, but dose and blending close most of the gap.
| Soy | Pea | Rice | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amino-acid limit | closest to complete | low in methionine | low in lysine |
| Protein quality (DIAAS, approximate ranking) | highest of the three (isolate) | lower; PDCAAS overstated it | lowest of the three |
| Muscle evidence | best: no pooled difference from animal protein for muscle mass (17 trials) | limited; trials small | one trial: 48 g matched whey over 8 weeks |
| Allergen | soy | none of the major allergens | none of the major allergens |
| South African supply in our data | not found as the main protein in any powder we priced | FtN, Raw Origins, USN, NPL, Biogen, 32Gi | Youthful Living (65% rice concentrate), 32Gi, NPL |
Whey and milk protein score highest on DIAAS, above soy isolate, which scores above pea protein concentrate (Mathai et al., 2017). A 2025 meta-analysis (Reid-McCann et al., 43 trials) found animal protein gave a small edge for muscle mass in adults under 60 (SMD 0.20) but no difference in strength, and the soy comparison alone showed no difference; non-soy plant proteins such as rice fared worse. Joy and colleagues (2013) gave 48 g of rice or whey isolate after training for 8 weeks and found similar body composition and performance, though the study had no non-supplemented control and was short.
Soy does not lower testosterone or "feminise" men at normal intakes; clinical evidence does not support that. See is soy protein safe.
Pea supplies lysine and rice supplies methionine, so a blend balances them. South African blends include 32Gi (pea and rice isolates), Youthful Living (rice concentrate 65%, pea concentrate 17%, added L-lysine), NPL (pea isolate, rice concentrate, hemp, chickpea, pumpkin seed) and USN BlueLab (pea isolate with pumpkin and watermelon seed protein).
Use the best vegan protein in South Africa answer, plant protein vs whey for muscle, hemp vs pea protein and the best plant protein ranking. Seek advice from a dietitian if you are pregnant, under 18 or have a soy or kidney concern.
| Product | Size | Price (source, date) | Servings | R per 30 g protein | R per 100 g powder | Sweeteners |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Faithful to Nature (FtN) Pea Protein Isolate Powder (650 g) | 650 g | R148-R185 (Faithful to Nature, 2026-10) | — | R11.38 | R28.46 | none |
| Raw Origins Yellow Pea Protein 80% (400 g) | 400 g | R169 (Faithful to Nature, 2026-10) | — | — | R42.25 | none |
| USN BlueLab 100% Plant Based Protein (900 g) | 900 g | R399-R474.99 (Dis-Chem Living Fit, 2026-10) | — | R24.54 | R52.78 | sucralose, acesulfame-K, steviol glycosides |
| 32Gi Plant Based Protein Shake (720 g) | 720 g | R530 (Dis-Chem Living Fit, 2026-10) | — | R33.12 | R73.61 | erythritol and steviol glycosides |
| NPL Plant Protein (710 g) | 710 g | R440 (NPL shop (npl.za.com), 2026-10) | — | R36.34 | R61.97 | stevia and sucralose |
| Youthful Living Plant Based Protein (1 kg) | 1 kg | R519.99-R529.99 (Dis-Chem Living Fit, 2026-10) | — | — | R52.50 | stevia |
Educational information, not medical advice. Speak to a doctor, pharmacist or registered dietitian before using supplements if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, under 18, taking medication, or living with kidney, liver or heart disease. Prices were observed in October 2026 and are not offers.