SCI-MX Nutrition Ultra Plant Protein Review

If you're looking for a high-protein vegan powder that actually tastes good, the SCI-MX Nutrition Ultra Plant is one of the strongest options on the UK market. SCI-MX, one of the leading names in protein supplements, has positioned Ultra Plant as the premium pick of its vegan powders, with 34g of protein per serving and a non-GMO pea and rice formula with no soy protein.

SCI-MX sell two main vegan protein powders: the SCI-MX Nutrition Pro V-Gain and Ultra Plant, the one we're covering here. We've already looked at the Pro V-Gain in a separate review if you want to compare the two.

Check price on Amazon£15.00

Overview

SCI-MX Nutrition Ultra Plant is the premium pick of SCI-MX's vegan powders, built on a non-GMO blend with no soy protein. Once you look at the formula, it stands up as one of the stronger vegan protein powders available today.

A 45g serving provides a whopping 34g of protein, a huge amount for any powder. That makes it a useful option before or after the gym, or simply for topping up your daily protein intake on a plant-based diet.

So is it really better than SCI-MX's other vegan powder, and could it be one of the best vegan proteins on the market? Let's look at the main features.

Main features of the SCI-MX Nutrition Ultra Plant

• Incredibly high protein content: a 45g serving delivers 34g of protein, among the highest available. The protein comes from a non-GMO blend of hydrolysed pea protein, pea protein isolate and rice protein.
• Fast-digesting formula: SCI-MX build the blend on hydrolysed pea protein, which is broken into smaller segments so it digests and absorbs faster. That matters for plant proteins, which are among the slower-digesting sources.
• Naturally high in BCAAs: SCI-MX list the blend as naturally high in BCAAs, and add magnesium, zinc and eight B vitamins to support training on a plant-based diet.
• Flavour: it launched in Chocolate Hazelnut, and SCI-MX have since added a Salted Caramel Peanut to the same range.
• Mixes well: owners consistently report a smooth, lump-free consistency with water or plant milk. SCI-MX suggest two level scoops (45g) in 300ml.
• Protein and muscle: protein contributes to the growth and maintenance of muscle mass, which is the whole point of a powder like this.

Ingredients and nutrition

Formulated from plant-based ingredients, SCI-MX Ultra Plant squeezes a lot out of a vegan protein powder. The protein comes from a blend of hydrolysed pea protein, pea protein isolate and rice protein, all listed as non-GMO. There's no soy protein in the blend, which is the main formulation difference from SCI-MX's Pro V-Gain, and the reason Ultra Plant is pitched as the premium option of the two.

The hydrolysed pea protein is the interesting part. Hydrolysing a protein breaks it into smaller segments, so it digests and absorbs faster. Plant proteins are among the slower-digesting sources, so that is a sensible thing to engineer into a vegan powder.

For vegans, it's worth keeping vitamin and mineral levels topped up, particularly B12, which the NHS notes is hard to get from a vegan diet without fortified foods or a supplement. Helpfully, SCI-MX blend in magnesium, zinc and eight B vitamins alongside the protein.

On macros, SCI-MX put a 45g serving (two level scoops) at 34g of protein, and list the powder as low in sugar and low in saturated fat. That's one of the highest protein figures per serving of any vegan powder on the UK market. For the full breakdown of calories, fat and carbohydrate, check the label on the pouch you buy, as SCI-MX quote these per flavour.

Taste and mixability

A great nutritional profile means little if the powder tastes like an old sock, so taste matters. Ultra Plant launched in a single Chocolate Hazelnut flavour and has since been joined by a Salted Caramel Peanut in the same range. The range is still narrow next to the big whey brands, which is the main gripe worth flagging.

Pea protein has a reputation for tasting mealy and chalky, and the consistent theme in owner reviews is that Ultra Plant largely avoids that. The Chocolate Hazelnut reads as more nutty than chocolatey, with the hazelnut leading and the cocoa sitting behind it. If you want an intense chocolate shake, this is not quite that.

On mixing, SCI-MX suggest two level scoops (45g) in 300ml of cold water or oat milk, and owners consistently report it comes out smooth rather than gritty. Water keeps it lighter, oat milk gives a creamier, nuttier result. Both work, so it comes down to preference.

Value for money

It's always worth weighing cost against quality, and this is where Ultra Plant has quietly become interesting. At around £15 for the 900g pouch at the time of writing, it undercuts plenty of vegan powders while delivering more protein per serving than most of them. On a cost per gram of protein basis that is a genuinely strong deal, and it is cheaper than SCI-MX's own Pro V-Gain at the time of writing. Prices move around, so it is worth checking before you commit.

Check price on Amazon£15.00

Recommended reads

• Best protein powder UK
• SCI-MX Nutrition Pro V-Gain review
• Nutrition guides and reviews