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If you’re looking for the ultimate Sunwarrior Illumin8 review, then look no further. Here at the Vegan Protein Powder Review, we provide in-depth reviews of many different plant-based products. This is an extensive review of Sunwarrior Illumin8, which is a relatively new meal replacement protein product on the market. Jump to: As a vitamin-rich meal replacement offering a number of savory flavors, Sunwarrior Illumin8 provides more than your typical vegan protein powder. Sunwarrior Illumin8 Organic Meal Replacement is a complete nutritional shake that’s rich in vitamins, minerals, gluten-free carbs, and healthy fats. Topped-off with blends of probiotics, enzymes, and sprouts, Sunwarrior Illumin8 makes for a nutritionally-solid and satisfying protein supplement. Now that I’ve become a regular in the wellness section of the local health food store, I’ve been chatting with employees about plant-based protein products. During one encounter, I was given an exclusive sample of Sunwarrior Illumin8 Aztec Chocolate to review. Overjoyed by gifts and customer appreciation, I was stoked to review Illumin8, one of the most unique Sunwarrior protein powder reviews I’ve done. In my thorough review of Sunwarrior Illumin8, I dive into the nutritional qualities, taste profile, and overall value of the product. I also got my hands on a single serving size of the Mocha flavor. Let’s get after it. Nutrition Review: What Are Sunwarrior Illumin8 Meal Replacement Ingredients?Although this product is tossed around as a “meal replacement/nutritional shake,” it is primarily a protein supplement (12 grams of carbs, 3.5 grams of fat, and 19 grams of protein.) Depending on your level of activity and body composition goals, Sunwarrior Illumin8 alone may not suffice for an adequate meal. I personally found pairing real coconut milk, avocado, and other healthy fats to be an effective combination for vegan protein powder meal replacement. You may be asking yourself why it’s called “Illumin8?” According Sunwarrior, the “Core 8” include:
As for the protein blend, Sunwarrior Illumin8 contains organic amaranth sprout powder, organic garbanzo sprout powder, organic lentil sprout powder, and organic quinoa sprout powder. In other words, it’s a 100% organic, raw vegan protein powder! Sunwarrior Illumin8 is also loaded with a heady vitamin blend that provides: organic holy basil, organic annatto, organic amala, k2 (as menaquinone-7 from geraniol and fernesol,) organic guava, organic lemon, organic sesbania, vitamin d3 (lichen), b12 (methylcobalamin). And in addition to an Enzyme Blend (which is a fungal protease, bromelain, lipase, phytase, cellulose, pectinase, hemicellulase), other unique ingredients that are uncommon to other raw vegan protein powders include organic brown flax seed, organic cocoa, organic whole ground coconut, organic kelp, organic cinnamon, probiotic and ancient sea salt. In essence, Sunwarrior Illumin8 is loaded with a lot of healthy stuff, most of which is organic, sprouted (when possible), and nutrient-dense. For vegans, you won’t have to worry about your vitamin B12 or your protein intake with this product. Oh, and there are no artificial sweeteners, so that’s a win in itself. Nutritional Review Rating: 4 out of 5 Flavor Review: Does Sunwarrior Illumin8 Taste Good?There are three flavors of Sunwarrior Illumin8 Plant-based Organic Meal: Mocha, Vanilla Bean, and Aztec Chocolate. Due to limitations at my local food co-op, I only had the opportunity to taste test the Mocha and Aztec Chocolate, so these are the only flavors I have included in the review. Overall, Sunwarrior Illumin8 is a great-tasting vegan protein powder meal replacement that’s deliciously smooth and balanced. Texturally, the powder is very refined, making for an easy-to-mix, creamy combination that goes well in almost anything, even just nut milk or water. Sunwarrior Illumin8 Aztec Chocolate ReviewSunwarrior Illumin8 Aztec Chocolate is incredible. If Sunwarrior took a playful approach with this line of products (which would’ve been a marketing fail,) this flavor would have been called Chocolate Fudge Brownie, because the cocoa is strong, yet rich and smooth like chocolate fudge and chocolate brownies, or both! Aztec Chocolate is certainly sweet, but the stevia is modest. Combined with the natural sugars, it’s well-buffered and doesn’t have the lingering stevia aftertaste. I would use Aztec Chocolate again in the future, especially with (the real) coconut milk and some greens. Sunwarrior Illumin8 Mocha ReviewSunwarrior Illumin8 Mocha was somewhat similar to Aztec Chocolate in that it was smooth, creamy, and delicious. While it’s still rich and chocolatey with organic cocoa, the vanilla and cinnamon are more apparent. In essence, it harmoniously flows together in unison. The mocha taste is subtle, so if you’re looking for more coffee notes, you’re probably going to be underwhelmed. Yet, I think you’ll be satisfied with the great taste and velvety texture of Sunwarrior Illumin8 Mocha. I am excited to try Sunwarrior Illumin8 Vanilla Bean, as vanilla protein powders are my favorite. And seeing as how the latter two flavors were a win, I am confident Vanilla Bean is a winner too. I’ll update the post as soon as I do, but until then, 5 out of 5 for the flavor review! Flavor Review Rating 5 out of 5 Price Review: How Much Does Sunwarrior Illumin8 Cost?Because the price of Sunwarrior Illumin8 fluctuates (especially if you buy the product on Amazon where there’s a number of sellers), I can’t list a specific price tag. But what I can do is give you a value rating of how I perceive the cost with respect to the quality and volume of the product. Sunwarrior Illumin8 is a bit more of a premium compared to other raw vegan protein powders. It’s usually priced in the mid $40 range, but you get 2.2-pound tub with 25 single scoop servings. And given the fact that it’s a high-quality protein blend that’s designed for meal replacement, the product is fairly priced. Price Review Rating: 4 out of 5 Last Word on Sunwarrior Illumin8 Protein PowderHave you had Sunwarrior Illumin8? Let me know what your experience was in the comments below. Also check out some of the related plant-based protein powders listed below. Related Vegan Protein Powder Reviews
Sunwarrior Illumin8 Review This review was conducted by Tyler Tafelsky, the lead editor here at VeganProteinPowder.reviews. Tyler is an experienced writer in the health, nutrition, and athletic space, and he offers over a decade of experience blogging on various reputable platforms. Having experimented with a vegan diet over the course of his life, Tyler has tried hundreds of plant-based nutritional products and writes about his favorites here on this blog. Learn more about Tyler by viewing his full author bio or by following him on social media platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, or Instagram. You can also view his personal site TylerTafelsky.com to learn more about what he’s up to. Who owns Sunwarrior?Sunwarrior is known worldwide for quality plant-based supplements. When founders Nick Stern and Denley Fowlke founded Sunwarrior over a decade ago, they set out to create a clean-burning, vegan protein powder with a complete amino acid profile — without compromising taste.
Does Sunwarrior protein cause bloating?Concern #2: Gums in All Sun Warrior Protein Powders
Xanthan gum can cause gas, bloating, and diarrhea. Guar gum may lead to digestive side effects like abdominal cramps and diarrhea too.
Can plant protein be used as a meal replacement?Absolutely. KOS Organic Plant-Based Protein Powder is made of natural food ingredients so you can enjoy it anytime you would eat other foods you love. It can be used as a nutrient-dense meal replacement in between meals or other healthy snacks.
Does Sunwarrior protein have heavy metals?When comparing the heavy metals found in Sunwarrior protein powders to real, whole vegetables and fruits, the Cadmium found in Sunwarrior is 76% less than a cup of spinach, the Lead found in Sunwarrior is 68% less than an average size avocado, and the Arsenic found in Sunwarrior is 47% less than an average size peach.
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