Reddit reviews Jarrow Formulas Iso-Rich Soy, Menopausal Support and Bone Health, 32 Oz

Everybody talks up vega but honestly the texture was atrocious and it overwhelmed the taste of anything I put it in. Mealy and overpriced :(

As long as you're not looking to try it on its own, I'd honestly recommend this stuff. The texture disappears very well in smoothies and oatmeal, and though the flavor is...not great, it's super easy to cover up because it isn't strong. Also? Very very very cheap, because it's not marketed specifically at vegans.

110 calories for 25g protein.

I use Jarrow Iso-rich soy protein powder, unflavored. It has a smooth texture and doesn't taste like anything, so I just throw it in things when I need to: pudding, oatmeal, even some soups. Whey can be used, but in my experience there's a milk-like taste, even to the unflavored varieties, that I don't care for and haven't been able to sufficiently mask.

This protein powder has 52 grams of protein per dollar, which is cheaper than any other retail price for protein that I know of. You can probably find bulk protein from peanuts or soy for cheaper somewhere though.

Anything from milk will also destroy my insides, so painful and not fun to be around. This is the protein powder I use and I have not had any issues.

I am also far too cheap to spring for hemp, since I tolerate soy just fine.

My apologies if I came off as a dick-- I didn't realize you were honestly asking the question. I thought it was rhetorical (but I answered anyway, heh).

As for the protein powder, GNC probably sells way more whey protein than soy. If you're really interested in protein powder, though, here's 2lbs of soy protein powder that's way cheaper than either of the GNC links: http://www.amazon.com/Jarrow-Formulas-Iso-Rich-Soy-32/dp/B0013OQG64/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1371059605&sr=8-1&keywords=soy+protein+powder

A few other things:

1. Low-income America is rife with processed foods. Our food system and government subsidies make it so that foods like Froot Loops and Cheetos are artificially cheap and thus makes "real food" like bananas and lettuce appear more expensive. Nevertheless, canned and frozen fruits and vegetables are still affordable even on a super low budget. Vegan on a budget is not especially difficult or unheard of, for example: http://www.amazon.com/dp/0470472243 or http://www.amazon.com/Eat-Vegan-4-00-Day-Conscious/dp/1570672571
   
   
2. There is no need to combine foods at the same meal to get all the essential amino acids in one go. This is an old myth that started in the 1980s but is not backed up by science.
   
   
3. There is way more than 2.1g of protein in a serving of beans. Heck, even English green peas have more protein than that per serving. If you look on any can of beans (e.g., garbanzos, black beans, pintos, etc.) one serving usually has between 7-10g protein. Each can is usually ~3.5 servings (so at least 24.5g protein per can), and you can buy a 15.5oz can of cooked beans all day long for 70-80 cents.
   
   Further, one pound of dry beans is about 12 servings. So one pound of beans has 12 servings x 8g protein = 96g protein for one pound of beans. Finally, the price you quoted is far more expensive than most canned beans, which are more expensive than bagged (dry) beans (see http://money.msn.com/saving-money-tips/post.aspx?post=0d2d3ebc-1ee5-4734-a34a-53ad26b5e3e7).
   
   See this info sheet for nutrition facts on pinto beans: http://www.fns.usda.gov/fdd/facts/hhpfacts/New_HHPFacts/Beans/HHFS_BEANS_PINTO_DRY_A914_Final.pdf
   

There is a considerable difference in the types of proteins used.

I was only using Whey at first and my weight plateaued after 6 months losing 70 lbs total.

In October I switched from Whey + oils to Soy + flax and I am now taking less protein over all and staying full. I have also lost an additional 10 lbs since then. At this rate I plan to review macros after I lose another 25 lbs putting me around 140 lbs.

I buy the following. It is cheap, bland and blends with anything, and mixes very well into just water.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0013OQG64?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00

I also add a Spiru-Tein Strawberry into my shake during the workweek for Flavor and because my macro's can afford the extra carbs now.

There are a lot of soy powders! I really like Jarrow's Formula

A couple powders I like to use are Rice and Soy proteins:
http://smile.amazon.com/Nutribiotic-Rice-Protein-Vanilla-Pound/dp/B00014DLC4/ref=sr_1_1?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1419615269&sr=1-1&keywords=rice+protein+powder

http://smile.amazon.com/Jarrow-Formulas-Iso-Rich-Soy-32/dp/B0013OQG64/ref=pd_sim_hpc_5?ie=UTF8&refRID=1D292V4DZCFSEY491YQA

Pea protein is also pretty good but the texture is God-awful in my opinion. The taste isn't awesome either, but I just mix it with other stuff in small quantities to finish the container.
All three of the above are generally cheaper than whey protein. Also many whey powders are not vegetarian because of their processing methods. So look into any whey brands you might get.

To help put on weight I like to add finely ground oats to my shakes. To grind them I just use a coffee grinder, but if you have a blender with a flat blade that should do the same. Oats are a great way to add complex carbs to your shake, and carbs are essential in putting on weight.

My weight gain shakes generally consist of a 2 cups of milk (depending if you are lacto-veg or not), a banana (chilled in the fridge for texture/temp), 2ish Tbsp Peanut butter, half cup of ground oats, 3-5 frozen strawberries, 2 servings of protein (mixed kinds but about 50ish g of protein), and a few grams of creatine.

These are shakes that help put on mass, and I drink them after getting home from the gym. If you aren't doing heavy lifting then these are probably too much, but its just an example. I recommend adding a few fruits to your shakes as it really improves the flavor.
Also to help put on mass I like to try and throw some fruit (usually a banana or apple) and a big glass of milk right before getting ready for bed

If anyone sees any issues or has some constructive criticism Id be glad to hear it, just thought Id give my two cents.