We often get asked, "Why does Human Improvement costs more than the average tub of whey or pea protein?" Simply put, because we only use the highest quality, cleanest, most functional and sustainable ingredients to give your body and gut the absolute best.
Not all proteins are created equal
We spent months testing different types of proteins and in different proportions before landing on the perfect blend of complementary proteins to create “a better way to protein.” A protein powder that is better for you, better for the planet, and tastes delicious.
Our protein blend is equal parts organic cricket protein powder, pumpkin protein powder, brown rice protein powder, and pea protein powder making it an incredibly complete protein that is much more nutrient-dense than your average whey protein powder or plain pea protein powder. Most other “blends” out there are 95%+ pea protein, because it is the cheapest option out there. They have just a “fairy dusting” of other protein sources to make it look like a real “blend”. Seriously, take a look at the first ingredient in your favorite plant based protein and see if it is pea protein.
While we are fans of pea protein, it is not truly a complete protein (due to being low in Methionine, one of the 9 essential amino acids) and since it is a “protein isolate,” all the micronutrients, vitamins, and minerals have been stripped from the original plant to leave just the protein.
Whole Food Proteins, Not Just Isolates
We use two whole food protein sources, cricket protein powder and pumpkin seed protein, which are also two of the most expensive proteins available. Including whole food proteins is important because unlike protein isolates, they are not processed and still contain their original micronutrients, vitamins, minerals, and fiber in their most bioavailable form.
By combining two whole food protein sources with two protein isolates in equal parts, we have created an unmatched diversity of protein sources and the perfect blend of amino acids. Diversity of protein sources is important to make sure you are getting the correct blend of amino acids and also helps increase our intake of fiber, vitamins, and minerals that are difficult to get from any single protein source.
No Gums, Fillers, or Artificial Ingredients
Take another look at the back of your current protein powder and I bet there is guar gum, xantham gum, inulin, or some other type of gum in there. Gums are used to enhance the “mouth feel” of the powder but can often cause gut irritation. We came up with our own proprietary blend of all natural, whole food ingredients to replace the standard gums and fillers in most protein powders.
All of our non-protein ingredients like flaxseed, psyllium husk, coconut milk, and pink himalayan salt are also from whole foods and used in amounts that are actually functional. Take a look at many of these other “superfood” blend proteins. They have dozens and dozens of ingredients in the “blends” but given the size of a serving there is too little of each ingredient to actually be functional.
Gut Health Support
While we were working on Human Improvement, we talked to a lot of different people about what types of problems they had with protein powders and we consistently heard that it caused bloating, gas, or any number of gastrointestinal issues. That is why we used only known gut supporting ingredients like cricket protein powder, flaxseed, and psyllium husk to make sure we had the right amount of fiber and prebiotics (the stuff that good bacteria like probiotics feed on) for easy digestion and no bloating.
Sustainable Packaging
Finally, we decided to use the most sustainable packaging we could find. That includes FSC Certified paper, soy inks, and recyclable films. We were sick of seeing wasteful, cheap tubs or standard packet materials that most people use. We rethought the packaging from the ground up and were the first to market with a recyclable plastic sachet. While it is more expensive, we thought it was crucial for our product to be as sustainable from end to end, not just the ingredients or not just the packaging.
So why does Human Improvement cost more than your average tub of whey or pea protein? Because we decided to use the best ingredients in the optimal quantities for them to be most functional and the best, most sustainable packaging. We worked for years to create “a better way to protein” by throwing out the same playbook that the protein powder market had been using for decades and created a truly superior product but that comes at a cost. Currently we are at the cutting edge but as we grow and produce at larger and larger scales, all these costs will come down significantly but we need your help to get there!
Try Human Improvement today and if you don't love it, we'll give you a 100% refund, no questions asked.
