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If you weight train regularly there’s a high chance that you use protein powders. In your gym bag you have a shaker with a scoop or two of protein powder in there for your post workout protein hit.
Protein powder manufacturers put a lot of time and energy into the packaging and marketing of their products, but all of their efforts are wasted if the end product tastes horrible to the end user. It’s very important that your protein shake is a delicious one, if it tastes horrible you won’t be too keen to drink it.
My Experiences With Bad Tasting Protein Shakes.
When asked to write an article for Listed Fit about my favourite tasting powders I got to thinking that In my time I’ve drank A LOT of protein shakes from different brands, each protein shake from each different brand tastes different to some degree. ‘Rich Chocolate’ Flavour from ‘Manufacturer A’ never tastes the same as rich chocolate from ‘Manufacturer B’.
So I have compiled my three favourite protein supplements in order of taste. I have foregone going into detail on the nutritional benefits of each product because all three of these products contain a decent amount of what you need from a protein shake. You may agree you may disagree with my choices but just remember these are the shakes I have personally found to be most drinkable, maybe it will help you make a choice on your next purchase of a good protein shake. I’d list the most disgusting protein powders that I have tried over the years but I thought I’ll be positive and go for the most delicious. Glass half full and all that. Enjoy.
My Top 3 Best Tasting Protein Powders
3rd Place
Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Whey
French Vanilla Crème flavour
So in third place I’ll say this one, Optimum Nutrition 100% Gold Standard Whey French Vanilla Crème flavour. It’s a mouthful to remember but it tastes really good. I got sent a sample of this stuff and I was full of apprehension because I had tried the chocolate mint flavour a few months before and I didn’t like it at all. But this one I like a lot and have been using it for about a year now.
The Gold Standard Whey French Vanilla Crème contains 24g of protein and a small 1g of sugar per serving – pretty good on the numbers.
My needs were that I wanted a simple shake that could be mixed with anything and not be too heavy on the taste-buds. So I went for this one. For my morning shake I usually would mix this up with some fruits, juice and nuts in the blender and it comes out really nice and smooth. The French Vanilla Crème flavour tastes exactly how I would expect vanilla crème to taste, the easiest way I can put it into words is it doesn’t taste like it was made in a factory, it has more of a homemade taste and smell. I guess I can see why this range is so popular worldwide.
There are a tonne of flavours available with the ON Gold Standard Whey range which is always a good sign, I actually remember seeing a selection pack for this product that contained about 20 small sample sachets with every flavour inside it so you can try out every single one of them and make your choice on which you like the most, that is actually a great idea I wish more manufacturers did that, really helpful especially if you’re someone who is as picky as I am when it comes to making a protein purchase. You’re going to be drinking your shakes every day if not every other day so it makes sense to want to have a flavour that doesn’t make you dread taking it.
Pros
Great price – a good deal on this is easy to find because it’s such a popular product.
Great taste, not too sweet and not too bland
Great for mixing – for my morning shake I mix this with some frozen berries and oats and the flavour doesn’t overpower the taste of fruits.
Cons
Doesn’t taste too good with milk – I find that this flavour tasted better with water. That may not be the case with another flavour though.
2nd Place
Cytosport Muscle Milk
The next in my list of best tasting protein powders is Muscle Milk – Chocolate flavour.
Muscle Milk comes in a range of flavours, but the chocolate is without a doubt the tastiest flavour I have had. You get 16g protein per scoop (the recommended usage is 2 scoops per serving but you don’t have to follow their rules) Muscle Milk tastes good when used with water but even better with milk. I like to go for a protein powder that mixes well with water as well as milk because using milk i find gives you a fuller feeling and helps me get to sleep at night.
I first tried this about 5 years ago but I stopped using it as I felt the cost was a bit too high and it wasn’t lasting me too long either but the price has come down in recent times so I have started buying it again. I’ve heard great things about their Graham Cracker flavour too.
Pros
This stuff tastes really good. The chocolate flavour for me tastes a lot better with milk than it does with water. Almost had me addicted.
Cons
Doesn’t last long especially if you follow the usage recommendations of two scoops per serving. I chose to stick to one scoop.
And The Winner Is…
Optimum Nutrition Oats & Whey
So my number one choice is Optimum Nutrition Oats and Whey Chocolate Flavour.
I’ve been using this one for some time now because it has oats in there too, so I consider it more of a meal replacement than a full on protein shake. It boasts 24g of protein per serving and 22grams of carbs through the oats.
Oats as we know are great for keeping hunger at bay and keeping the energy up. I’ve found this good also on occasions when I’m in a rush and haven’t had time to cook a good breakfast I’ll have a scoop of this in a shaker with some milk and I’m good.
I cannot explain how good this stuff tastes with milk. Definitely the best protein shake I have had over the last 3 years. It tastes exactly how a chocolate milkshake should taste, which is probably why I’ve been buying this stuff for so long When I was on my bulking diet I used to blend this with a bit of ice cream and the taste was incredible. Same league if not better than a milkshake from Baskin Robbins which I am very fond of!
Pros
Mixes really well with water and milk – no lumps at all you could even stir this stuff with a spoon in a tea cup and you wont get lumps.
Tastes really good. There’s been times when I have forgotten that I’m drinking a protein shake.
Cons
Sugar content per serving is a bit high so keep your eye on that.
Only one size tub. no larger options which is a shame. I hope they release a larger tub of this someday.
Best price found on Amazon £22.95 but do shop around as there are a lot of deals out there. Happy hunting
So those were my 3 best tasting protein powders, have I missed one that you think is even tastier? Let me know in the comments below.
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Author
- Danny Loeb is a qualified Personal Trainer, Fitness Model and Writer. He enjoys blogging about health and fitness, messing around with Photoshop, and sharing his experiences with everyone.
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