Comparing Clean Simple Eats and Just Ingredients Protein Powders
When navigating the crowded supplement market, discerning the right protein powder for your specific health goals can be challenging. Both Clean Simple Eats (CSE) and Just Ingredients (JI) have carved out a niche by marketing themselves as "clean" and transparent brands. However, a deeper look reveals notable differences in their ingredient lists, flavor profiles, and company histories.
Clean Simple Eats: Ingredients, Flavor, and Sourcing
Clean Simple Eats primarily offers a line of protein powders based on cold-processed, grass-fed whey protein. The brand prides itself on using natural sweeteners like stevia and monk fruit, and avoids artificial flavors, colors, or sugar alcohols in its protein products. CSE also includes a digestive enzyme blend in its protein powders to aid in digestion and absorption. The brand is third-party tested by reputable labs for purity and potency, providing an extra layer of consumer trust.
Pros:
- Flavor Variety: Offers a wide and often unique range of flavors, with many customers praising the taste, especially in frozen treats like the Ninja Creami.
- Digestive Support: The inclusion of a digestive enzyme blend can be beneficial for those who typically experience bloating or discomfort with other whey proteins.
- Texture: Generally praised for its creamy and smooth consistency when mixed.
Cons:
- Taste Discrepancy: Some users report an overwhelming stevia or monk fruit aftertaste, which can be off-putting. Some specific flavors, like cake batter, receive poor reviews.
- Ingredient Concerns: While promoted as "clean," some older user critiques on Reddit have pointed to the use of unspecified "natural flavors" and fillers, as well as xylitol in some earlier products. The presence of MCT oil can also give a distinct, sometimes oily, flavor.
- Allergens: Contains common allergens like milk, soy, and tree nuts.
Just Ingredients: Ingredients, Flavor, and Sourcing
Just Ingredients builds its brand around using only real, whole-food ingredients. Its Signature protein line features a blend of 100% grass-fed, non-denatured whey from New Zealand, organic pea protein, organic chia seed protein, and collagen. JI avoids all gums, fillers, artificial sweeteners, and sugar alcohols. Their products are sweetened with either ground whole stevia leaf or monk fruit, depending on the flavor. Just Ingredients has also developed a line of NSF Certified for Sport products, meeting stringent safety and quality standards.
Pros:
- Exceptional Ingredient Purity: Adheres strictly to a "clean label" philosophy, sourcing high-quality ingredients like New Zealand whey, which is subject to strict farming regulations.
- Multi-Source Protein: The blend of protein sources (whey, pea, chia, collagen) can offer a more balanced amino acid profile and may be gentler on the digestive system for some individuals.
- Taste Transparency: Flavors are derived from real food ingredients, not unspecified "natural flavors". Many users praise the authentic, non-artificial taste.
Cons:
- Taste Preference: The use of whole stevia leaf can sometimes result in a different taste profile than what some consumers are used to, with some reporting it as overly sweet.
- Mixing Texture: The lack of thickeners like gums can sometimes result in a texture that separates or doesn't dissolve perfectly without a shaker ball or blender.
- Controversy History: The brand has faced allegations regarding heavy metal content, which it has addressed through public statements, third-party testing, and obtaining NSF certifications for some products.
Controversies and Transparency
Both brands have faced scrutiny regarding their "clean" claims, albeit in different ways. Clean Simple Eats has received user complaints about expired products and lingering concerns about potentially misleading labeling due to fillers and sweeteners. Just Ingredients has navigated more serious public allegations concerning heavy metal content, primarily from the Environmental Research Center (ERC) and online advocates like Lead Safe Mama.
In response, Just Ingredients published press releases explaining that trace elements are sometimes found in whole-food-based ingredients and took proactive steps by:
- Disclosing California Prop 65 warnings where necessary.
- Publishing Certificates of Analysis (COAs) for transparency.
- Pursuing the highly respected NSF Certified for Sport certification for specific product lines.
This level of transparency from Just Ingredients, while prompted by controversy, demonstrates a stronger commitment to consumer education and verifiable safety standards than simply relying on a "clean" label.
Comparison Table
| Feature | Clean Simple Eats (CSE) | Just Ingredients (JI) |
|---|---|---|
| Protein Source | Cold-pressed, grass-fed whey | Grass-fed whey (New Zealand), organic pea, chia, collagen |
| Sweeteners | Stevia, monk fruit | Whole stevia leaf, monk fruit |
| Flavors | Natural flavors (potentially proprietary blends) | Flavored with real food ingredients |
| Thickeners | Gums and fillers mentioned by some critics | None (can affect mixability) |
| Taste Profile | Creamy, wide flavor range, some report stevia aftertaste | Authentic flavor, some find stevia-sweetened options very sweet |
| Testing | Reputable third-party testing | NSF Certified for Sport line; publishes COAs |
| Sourcing | Grass-fed whey, but origin not explicitly detailed in all marketing | 100% grass-fed New Zealand whey, strict regulations |
| Controversy | Minor user complaints, some misleading label concerns | Public allegations of heavy metal content, addressed with transparency |
Final Verdict: Which Brand is Right for You?
The choice between Clean Simple Eats and Just Ingredients ultimately depends on your personal priorities regarding ingredients, taste, and transparency.
Choose Clean Simple Eats if: You are prioritizing a wide variety of rich, creamy flavors and enjoy products with a digestive enzyme blend. You are not sensitive to the aftertaste of stevia/monk fruit or concerned about potentially proprietary "natural flavors." CSE is also a fantastic option for creative uses like in a Ninja Creami due to its texture.
Choose Just Ingredients if: Your top priority is the purest, most transparent ingredient list possible, with real food flavoring and no fillers. You value certifications like NSF Certified for Sport and appreciate a company that provides public test results to address consumer concerns. While the mixability might require a blender, the peace of mind from its ingredient quality and transparency is a major selling point. For those who find standard protein powders cause bloating, the multi-source blend may also be more tolerable.
Both brands are a step above many mass-market proteins. The distinction truly lies in the fine print: CSE offers a highly palatable, accessible "clean" product, while JI doubles down on ingredient purity and transparency, even when faced with controversy. For the most discerning consumer focused on ingredient integrity, Just Ingredients holds a slight edge due to its more explicit transparency practices.
For more information on the rigor of third-party testing, consider reviewing the NSF Certified for Sport standards.
Conclusion
In the ongoing battle for the cleanest and best-tasting protein powder, both Clean Simple Eats and Just Ingredients offer compelling arguments. CSE provides an accessible entry point with delicious and creative flavors that mix smoothly. JI, on the other hand, is a purist's dream, with an uncompromising commitment to simple, whole-food ingredients and verifiable testing. Your personal dietary needs, taste preferences, and desire for ingredient transparency will be the ultimate deciding factors in this close race.
