Legion Whey Protein Review (2024)
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In this Legion Whey Protein review, we’ll be taking a look at Legion’s top-rated protein supplement with over 5,000 reviews! Overall, this is a very high-quality supplement perfect for anybody looking for an all-natural protein powder. Let’s get into our review!
Legion Whey Protein Review: Quick Summary
Legion Whey Protein
- Diet Type: Building Muscle, Cutting, Recovery
- Suitable for Vegans: No
- Protein Source: Whey Protein Isolate
- Serving Size: 24.6-33g
- Price per Serving: ~$1.54
- Calories: 100-130
- Protein Percent of Calories: 65-88%
- Protein: 21-23g
- Carbohydrates: 2-6g
- Fat: 0-3g
- Sugar: 0-1g
- Company Founded: 2014
- Recommended by Athletes: Gage Clark, Grant Tinsley, Machaela Brabham
Legion has been around for the last 10 years and has built an excellent reputation for delivering high-quality, science-backed supplements. While they offer a large range of pre-workouts, vitamins, and more, we’re focusing on their protein powder today.
Legion protein powder comes in 16 different flavors, and although the macros vary slightly, they’re always stellar, falling around 21-23g of protein, 2-6g of carbs, and 0-3g of fat. This makes Legion’s protein suitable for pretty much any dietary needs. It’s also made from grass-fed whey protein and contains no unnecessary artificial ingredients, which shows a high level of quality.
Keep in mind that this is a premium-priced supplement, which will cost you about ~$1.54 per serving for the 5lb package and ~$2.00 for the 2lb option. Note that prices will vary slightly depending on the flavor). However, this is still worth it for such a high-quality supplement in our opinion.
Legion protein powder comes in 16 different flavors, and although the macros vary slightly, they’re always stellar, falling around 21-23g of protein, 2-6g of carbs, and 0-3g of fat.
Positives:
Could be better:
Who and What is Legion Whey Protein For?
Legion whey isolate is suitable for pretty much anybody looking to add a quick and easy boost of protein to their diet. Whether you’re cutting, bulking, or maintaining weight, you could likely benefit from the use of a high-quality whey supplement like this.
Because this is a whey isolate, it has lower levels of carbohydrates and fats compared to a concentrate. Concentrates will usually have ~80% protein by weight, while isolates usually have ~90%. Because isolates are so highly filtered, this supplement could even be suitable for people with lactose intolerance!
Of course, this is a dairy-based supplement, so the only people it won’t be suitable for are vegans. If you follow a plant-based diet, we recommend finding a high-quality, complete vegan protein blend instead.
Note that if you’re already eating enough protein, the use of a protein supplement may not be necessary for you. While protein needs for muscle growth are around 0.7-1g per pound of body weight, people who don’t exercise as much likely only need 0.5-0.6g per pound of body weight. While it can be hard to hit this 0.7-1g range without supplementation, most people should be able to hit this 0.5-0.6g range with food alone.
Overall, consider your current diet, activity level, and body weight to decide if a protein supplement is even necessary for you. Protein powder can still be an easy and convenient way to boost the protein content of smoothies, oatmeal, and other meals – even if you’re not trying to build muscle.
Legion Whey Protein Review
Below we’ll be taking a more in-depth look at this protein supplement, breaking down its macros, flavor, and more. This way you can get a better idea of what to expect before purchasing Legion’s protein powder. Let’s get into it!
1. Macronutrient Breakdown
First, let’s take a look at arguably the most important factor for any protein supplement, the macro breakdown. Below we’ll be looking at the protein, carbohydrate, fat, and total calorie content of this protein powder. As you’ll see, Legion delivers a solid macro breakdown that’s suitable for pretty much all diets.
• Protein
First, Legion contains 21-23g of protein per serving depending on the flavor. While this is somewhat low for a whey isolate, this is still a solid serving of protein.
• Carbohydrates
Each serving of Legion contains 2-6g of carbs per serving with no added sugar. Because this is an isolate supplement, it’s significantly lower in carbs than many other protein powders – especially concentrates. Overall, this protein should be suitable even for people following a keto diet heavily restricting their carbohydrate intake.
If you’re especially concerned about carbs, consider going for the Unflavored, Vanilla, or Mocha Capuccino flavors, which only have 2g of carbs. Honey Cereal is the highest carb flavor with 6g per serving.
• Fat
Legion is also very low in fat, only containing about 0-3g of fat per serving. Because this is an isolate, the fat content is low enough to not significantly affect the calorie content of this protein. It appears Fruity Cereal is the fattiest flavor, containing 3g per serving.
• Calories
These macros all add up to around 100-130 calories per serving. While there is some minor variation from flavor to flavor, every flavor is still relatively low-calorie. So, each flavor should be suitable for those looking to use this protein while eating in a caloric deficit.
As you may expect, Unflavored is your lowest-calorie option, with only 100 calories. Dutch Chocolate and French Vanilla are also low calorie choices. Honey Cereal has slightly more with 130 calories. However, both options are still pretty low-calorie, so even those eating in a serious caloric deficit shouldn’t worry too much about the difference between flavors.
2. Size
Legion comes in 2 different sizes: 2lbs and 5lbs. While the 5lb option is cheaper per serving, it’s only available in 6 of the 16 flavors available in the 2lb option. So, we recommend the 5lb option if you want a better deal, while the 2lb version is ideal if you want to explore some of Legion’s more unique flavors.
3. Package Type
These supplements come in bags instead of the more common plastic tubs protein comes in. In our opinion, this is superior for being less wasteful and easier to store!
4. Taste/Flavor
As mentioned, Legion’s protein comes in 16 different flavors, including:
- Chocolate Peanut Butter
- Cinnamon Cereal
- Apple Pie
- Banana Bread
- Cookies & Cream
- Fruity Cereal
- And many more!
This is some of the best flavor variety on the market for protein. Many of the 5-star reviews on Legion’s website also suggest this supplement has a delicious flavor.
Taste is subjective, so it’s difficult to say what the best legion protein flavor is. However, Legion lists Cinnamon Cereal as founder Mike Matthews’ favorite flavor, while Dutch Chocolate is the most popular. From our experience, French Vanilla was delicious.
5. Nutrition Label Transparency
Legion is a great brand to go for if you’re at all concerned about transparency. Their product has been Labdoor Tested ensuring it’s been tested for banned substances and overall quality. You can learn more about Labdoor’s testing process at their website here.
6. Fat Content Transparency
Legion clearly labels the fat content of this supplement if this is something you’re concerned about. Because this is an isolate supplement, it’s also very low in fat, containing only 0-3g per serving, depending on the flavor.
7. Mixability
We found that this product mixes exceptionally well when shaken together with water. Additionally, there are reviews claiming it mixes well into milk, oatmeal, smoothies, and more!
8. Brand Awareness
Legion is one of the most popular and trustworthy supplement brands around. We believe the 10,000+ reviews on this product with an average score of 4.7 stars speaks for itself.
9. Features
Keep in mind that this is a fairly basic supplement despite being very high-quality. So, don’t expect any bonus ingredients like creatine. If you’re interested in additional ergogenic effects, consider looking for a high-quality pre-workout supplement instead!
10. Price
Because serving size varies by a few grams depending on the flavor, there will be some minor price variation with this supplement. However, the average price per serving for a 2lb package is listed as ~$2.00 across all flavors.
If you opt for the larger package size of 5lbs, the minor price variation becomes more noticeable. Regardless, you’ll still be saving nearly 25% with each serving costing ~$1.45-$1.62 depending on the flavor. French Vanilla is the cheapest flavor, while Chocolate Peanut Butter is the most expensive.
Note that Legion also offers a subscription service where you can save an additional 10% if you order consistently! This will be the best deal if you’re sure you want to use Legion’s protein for a long time.
How Do You Use Legion Whey Protein?
We recommend using Legion’s whey protein to help boost your daily protein intake. While we always recommend prioritizing whole-food protein sources, whey protein is an easy and convenient way to help hit your daily protein goals. You can have whey protein at any point throughout the day, either as a convenient high-protein snack, or as part of a full meal.
The most common way to use protein powder is likely mixing with water or milk to make a basic protein shake. If you’re going to do this, we recommend using a shaker bottle for a smoother consistency! Trying to stir protein into liquid will usually leave you with a lumpy consistency, even if it mixes well otherwise.
If you’re cutting, we recommend sticking with water or skim milk to keep your protein shakes lower calorie. Or, consider adding it to some Greek yogurt for a low-calorie, high-protein snack. You could also blend it with some mixed berries to help add some flavor and get some extra micronutrients in.
If you’re bulking, you have a little more leeway with how you use a protein supplement. Consider making a multi-ingredient homemade mass gainer, using protein, nut butter, seeds, and oats. You can easily make a 1,000-calorie shake by using these ingredients. This is a great way to get extra calories in if you’re struggling to eat in a surplus. It’s also typically healthier than most commercially available mass gainers, which are chocked full of added sugars.
Legion Whey Protein Alternatives
If you’re not sold on Legion’s whey protein, we’ll be looking at a few alternatives below – namely, whey isolate supplements from Kaged and Transparent Labs. This way you’ll have a better idea as to how Legion compares to the competition, let’s get into it.
Legion Whey Protein | Kaged Whey Protein | Transparent Labs Protein | |
---|---|---|---|
Price Per Serving | ~$1.54-$2.00 | ~$1.36-1.80 | ~$2.00 |
Protein % | 65-88% | 83-91% | 75-93% |
Carbs Per Serving | 2-6g | 2-4g | 0-3g |
Other Ingredients | Stevia | Sucralose | Stevia |
1. Legion Whey Protein vs Kaged Whey Protein Isolate
Kaged Whey Protein Isolate
- Diet Type: Building Muscle, Cutting, Recovery
- Suitable for Vegans: No
- Protein Source: Whey Protein Isolate
- Serving Size: 31g
- Price per Serving: ~$1.36
- Protein Percent of Calories: 83-91%
- Protein: 25g
- Carbohydrates: 2-4g
- Fat: 0-0.5g
- Sugar: 0-1g
- Company Founded: 2015
- Recommended by Athletes: Andrea Somer, Colt Nichols, Kris Gethin
First is Kaged’s whey isolate. This supplement is 110-120 calories, with 25g of protein, 0-0.5g of fat, and 2-4g of carbs. Because of the slightly higher protein content, we do believe Kaged has a slightly better macro breakdown than Legion.
However, this supplement only comes in 4 flavors, which is significantly less than Legion. Its 2 size options are 1.8lbs and 3lbs, meaning it’s also only available in smaller package sizes. This product also does contain several artificial ingredients like sucralose compared to Legion’s all-natural formula.
Kaged’s product is Informed Sport certified, which is similar to the Labdoor certification Legion’s protein has. This organization also tests for banned substances and harmful contaminants to ensure a high level of quality.
Finally, each serving of this product will cost you about ~$1.80 for the 1.8lb size, and ~$1.36 for the 3lb package. So, this is also a slightly cheaper option than Kaged.
2. Legion Whey Protein vs Transparent Labs Protein Isolate
Transparent Labs Protein Isolate
- Serving Size: 32.96 grams
- Price Per Serving: ~$1.8
- Protein Percent Of Weight (%): 85%
- Proteins: 28 grams
- Carbohydrates: 1 gram (depends on flavor)
- Fat: 0.5 gram (French Vanilla only)
- Added Sugar: 0 gram
- Calories Per Serving: 120
- Recommended By Athletes: Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson, Terron Beckham, Paul Sklar
Next is Transparent Labs’ whey isolate, which is another brand very similar to Legion. This supplement has 120-150 calories, 28g of protein, 0-3g of carbs, and 0.5-2.5g of fat. Out of the 3 options we’ve covered, Transparent Labs has the highest protein content, making it a great choice for anybody looking to get as much protein as possible.
Like Legion, Transparent Labs has a solid 15 flavors to choose from. This is also an all-natural formula meaning it contains no artificial ingredients whatsoever. This supplement is only available in a 30-serving package, which works out to ~2.2lbs.
Similar to Kaged, Transparent Labs is certified by Informed Choice and Informed Protein, which are slightly different certifications from the same organization as Informed Sport. These also certify a high level of quality.
Each serving of Transparent Labs protein will cost you ~$2.00 per serving. While this is the most expensive supplement we’ve covered, it is also the highest in protein so it will still be worth it to those looking to maximize their protein intake.
FAQ
Is Legion 3rd Party Tested?
Yes, Legion is third-party tested by Labdoor, which ensures a high level of potency, purity, and quality. In our opinion, Legion is one of the most trustworthy and reputable brands when it comes to third-party testing and certification, making it a great choice for anybody concerned about the quality of their supplements.
Is Legion Protein Clean?
Yes, Legion protein is made from grass-fed whey, is completely free of artificial ingredients, and has been third-party tested by Labdoor. This easily makes it some of the cleanest protein you’ll be able to find on the market.
Is Legion Protein Good?
Legion has an incredibly high-quality formula made of all-natural ingredients. In our opinion, this is easily one of the best protein powders you can buy. Based on over 10,000 Legion protein reviews with an average score of 4.7, it’s safe to say there are plenty of people who agree!
Who Makes Legion Protein?
Legion was founded by Mike Matthews in 2014 with the goal of creating an honest, transparent supplement company. We believe he’s followed through on this goal and has grown Legion into an excellent, trustworthy, and science-backed supplement brand.
You can check out this page on Legion’s website to learn more about Matthews and his motivation to start Legion.
Conclusion
Overall, we believe Legion offers one of the most high-quality protein supplements on the market today. While it is somewhat expensive, we believe its delicious taste, and high-quality formula make this protein well worth the money.
Have you ever tried Legion Athletics protein, or are you looking to try it for the first time? Have you used any other protein supplements? We’d love to hear your thoughts on this supplement if you’ve tried it! Let us know in the comments below!
Also read:
- Legion Protein Bars Review
- Legion Recharge Review
- Legion Pulse Pre Workout Review
- Ke-Forma Protein Review
References:
- Everson A. Nunes, et. al, “Systematic review and meta-analysis of protein intake to support muscle mass and function in healthy adults,” Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle, 13, 795–810, (2022)
- Guoyao Wu, “Dietary Protein Intake and Human Health”, Food Funct. Mar (2016).
- Brad Heins, “Grass-Fed Cows Produce Healthier Milk”, University of Minnesota, https://extension.umn.edu/pasture-based-dairy/grass-fed-cows-produce-healthier-milk (Accessed March 13, 2024).
- Recreation, “The Rundown on Protein Powders,” Georgia State University, https://recreation.gsu.edu/2023/03/31/the-rundown-on-protein-powders/ (Accessed March 13, 2024).
- Labdoor, “About Us”, Labdoor, https://labdoor.com/about (Accessed March 13, 2024).
- Photos by Torokhtiy Media Team.
Why Trust Us?
With over 20 years in Olympic Weightlifting, our team does its best to provide the audience with ultimate support and meet the needs and requirements of advanced athletes and professional lifters, as well as people who strive to open new opportunities and develop their physical capabilities with us.
All products we select are primarily approved and tested by the Olympic Weightlifting Champion Oleksii Torokhtiy. Under his guidance, our team provides honest and reasonable assessments of the products we review by checking their characteristics, packaging, design, comfort and durability features, and general product rating. We select products from only high-quality and trusted sports brands, thus vouching for their quality.
The product testing process is described in more detail here
Camila has worked as a Nutritionist for 7 years. In addition to being a nutritionist, she is an amateur weightlifting athlete for 2 years. Camila has experience at Flamengo’s football base and in a food supplement company and currently provides services at a clinic. At the moment she is coursing a postgraduate study in Sports Nutrition.
Still have questions after reading our article? Unlock your full potential by engaging with our experts and community! Don’t hesitate — leave a comment below and Camila Parente Santos will provide a personalized answer and insights to help you reach your goals.