A few years ago, I took stock of my diet and realized I was starting the day with a boatload of carbohydrates and hardly any protein. I’ve never been a fan of eating in the morning, which left me grabbing something from the coffee bar at the office, choosing from delicious bagels, croissants and muffins. When I started to look more carefully at the nutritional profile of what I was eating, I realized why I was starving by lunchtime.
I like the convenience of protein shakes that are ready to drink and require no preparation. Fortunately, there are many healthy options, so I set up a taste test with two groups: non-dairy and dairy. My nephew and I tested the non-dairy shakes, which was perfect because he is allergic to milk and I’m lactose intolerant. My friends Bea and Brandon tested the dairy-based shakes.
Non-Dairy Protein Shakes
My nephew and I both deemed Orgain Vegan as the clear winner for non-dairy shakes. He liked that it was the sweetest and had a nice vanilla flavor. I agreed and also liked the texture. It has 220 calories and only 9 grams of sugar, but it does have 22 grams of carbohydrates. It also clocks in with 16 grams of protein and is gluten free, dairy free, soy free and non-GMO.
The Kate Farms vanilla is a relatively new shake on the market. It features organic ingredients, plant-based protein and is free of dairy, gluten, soy and corn. This was my nephew’s second favorite. He liked that it was sweet and had the “second-best” vanilla flavor. This one was my least favorite. I thought it was too sweet and had a grittier taste, more like a powdered protein shake. It has 290 calories and, although it has 16 grams of protein, there are a whopping 41 grams of carbs and 18 grams of sugar. That’s way too much for my dietary goals. I’d rather save the sugar for a cookie or cupcake!
Svelte is an organic, dairy-free, gluten-free and vegan alternative made with soy milk. It has 180 calories, 11 grams of protein, 21 total carbs and 6 grams of sugar. This was my nephew’s third option and my second. I thought it had a smooth texture and a tasty vanilla flavor. I also liked that it is sweetened with stevia, organic evaporated cane sugar and non-GMO crystalline fructose.
The PlantFusion shake has 150 calories and the lowest carbohydrate count, 18 grams of protein, 9 grams of carbs and only 6 grams of sugar. This was my nephew’s least favorite, because he said it was “bitter.” That might be from the vitamins or the stevia, although the sweeteners are healthier than many other alternatives. I liked the low carbs and sugars but the liquid is a bit thinner than the others. This came in as my third option.
Dairy-Based Shakes
There was no clear winner in this grouping, however both Bea and Brandon liked different shakes for distinct reasons.
Iconic was Bea’s favorite and Brandon’s least. She liked that it was “not too sweet,” and it had a smooth texture. He thought it was bland, but he did agree that it wasn’t overly sweet and was smooth. It features grass-fed milk protein isolate and has no artificial ingredients. The shake has 130 calories (the company cautions that it makes it more of a snack than a true “meal replacement”), 20 grams of protein, 8 grams of carbs and a mere 3 grams of sugar.
They both selected Core Power as their second favorite. Bea thought it was “smooth and sweet.” Brandon agreed that it was smooth and added that it “tasted like eggnog.” That’s pretty funny considering it it was the banana flavor. The shake has 240 calories and 26 grams of protein, but also 26 grams of carbs and 25 of sugar. That’s surprisingly high, considering that it also contains stevia.
The Orgain brand also has an organic milk/whey protein-based shake. This was Brandon’s favorite for the sweet vanilla taste and its smooth texture. Bea didn’t care for the aftertaste. This shake has 255 calories, 16 grams of protein, 32 carbohydrates and 12 grams of sugar. Brandon also appreciated the paper-based packaging.
Hopefully, this will give you a starting point if you’re looking to try out some ready-to-drink shakes. Fortunately, there are several options for a variety of dietary restrictions or needs. You should be able to find a shake that suits your nutritional and weight management goals. Please add your reviews in the comments section!
- Photos: Diane Cooney
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