Clean Protein Powders...REVIEWED!

Last week I posted a writeup about protein powders and why you need protein, how much you need, and the different types of protein powder.  I also mentioned what to seek and avoid in a clean protein powder (artificial sweeteners, unnecessary additives, etc.).  I've reviewed some of the cleaner protein powders I've tried based on taste and cleanliness and provide the pros and cons of each below.

Optimum Nutrition - Gold Standard Natural - 100% Whey (Chocolate)

• Taste - 7/10 (1 meaning "tastes like death", 10 meaning "tastes like heaven!")
• Cleanliness - 6/10 (1 meaning artificial sweeteners, additives, colorings, etc; 10 meaning organic ingredients and as trustworthy as you can possibly find)
• Pros - uses whey isolate as primary protein source; does not have any artificial sweeteners; contains digestive enzymes for better absorption; uses only a few ingredients
• Cons - does not disclose whether or not milk protein source has been injected with hormones or antibiotics; contains soy (lecithin) which is used as an emulsifier; lists natural flavor as an ingredient - when listed, natural flavor can be a number of things, so I prefer to limit products using these ingredients when possible
• Overall - certainly one of the better and more prevalent natural whey products on the market...if this is all you can find, great, but it's not my first choice.
• Where to Find It - Amazon.com, $21.20 (2-lbs) (Cost per 20g = $0.63)
                         Stronger Nutrition, $54.29 (5-lbs) (Cost per 20g = $0.62)
  

Optimum Nutrition - Gold Standard Natural - 100% Casein (Chocolate Creme)

• Taste - 9/10
• Cleanliness - 7/10
• Pros - uses only a few ingredients; does not have any artificial sweeteners; chocolate tastes like brownie batter; over 9g of BCAAs
• Cons - does not disclose whether or not milk protein source has been injected with hormones or antibiotics; contains soy (lecithin) which is used as an emulsifier; lists natural flavor as an ingredient; somewhat high in carbs (7g per 37g serving); carbs are derived from honey powder and evaporated cane juice (natural, but not the most ideal); this one's nit-picky, but 210mg sodium per serving
• Overall - probably the most prevalent product choice for a natural flavored casein protein.  Tastes amazing and is good in a pinch when you're low on whole foods.  Compared to the artificial alternatives on the market, this is a very good choice.
• Where to Find It - Amazon.com, $56.75 (4-lbs) (Cost per 20g = $0.99)
          Stronger Nutrition, $34.71 (2-lbs) (Cost per 20g = $1.21)
  

Dymatize - All Natural Elite - Whey Protein Isolate (Rich Chocolate)

• Taste - 5/10
• Cleanliness - 6/10
• Pros - uses only a few ingredients; does not have any artificial sweeteners; high in BCAAs; whey protein isolate = faster and better absorption
• Cons - does not disclose whether or not milk protein source has been injected with hormones or antibiotics; contains soy (lecithin) which is used as an emulsifier; lists natural flavor as an ingredient; 4 grams of carbs and not sure where this comes from since it's an isolate
• Overall - depending on your tolerance of stevia as a sweetener, this can have a pretty good taste or can leave a bitter aftertaste that the stevia-sensitive may want to avoid.  The carbs confuse me, so I'm not sure I trust the true "cleanliness" of this product.  There are better choices on the market, but, as with the Optimum Natural Whey, if this is all you can find or all your budget allows, it's okay.
• Where to Find It - Amazon.com, $55.78 (5-lbs) (Cost per 20g = $0.68)
                         Stronger Nutrition, $45.12 (5-lbs) (Cost per 20g = $0.55)
  

MRM - 100% All Natural Whey (Dutch Chocolate)

• Taste - 9/10
• Cleanliness - 7/10
• Pros - uses only a few ingredients; does not have any artificial sweeteners; great taste; low in carbohydrates
• Cons - not sure if they use hormones or antibiotics on their cattle; natural flavors; contains soy
• Overall - great taste, but it contains soy so it's not the cleanest out there.  The stevia used doesn't provide the typical bitter aftertaste, so it's one of my favorite brands.  The chocolate is very good, but the vanilla is just okay.
• Where to Find It - Amazon.com, $14.99 (1-lb) (Cost per 20g = $0.93)
             Stronger Nutrition, $25.97 (2-lbs) (Cost per 20g = $0.80)                

SDC Nutrition - About Time - Whey Protein Isolate (Birthday Cake Batter)

• Taste - 9/10
• Cleanliness - 9/10
• Pros - uses only a few ingredients; does not have any artificial sweeteners; high in BCAAs; whey protein isolate = faster and better absorption; all natural protein and they seek milk protein from cattle not injected with hormones or antibiotics; heavy metal tests results are extremely low and they actually put the results on their site!; great product disclosure and very trustworthy
• Cons - the only reason this did not get a 10 is because it is not organic and they also use soy lecithin, which likely isn't organic either; a little more expensive than the other brands, but worth the cost
• Overall - great taste, very trustworthy, plenty of flavors, but I've only tried the birthday cake batter.  This is probably one of my favorite products on the market because of the disclosures they provide about their products...just wish it didn't have soy!
• Where to Find It - Amazon.com, $28.99 (2-lbs) (Cost per 20g = $0.75)

Only Protein - Only Protein (Chocolate)

• Taste - 9/10
• Cleanliness - 10/10
• Pros - protein is derived from grass-fed cattle from New Zealand (that just sounds clean, doesn't it?); hormone free and antibiotic free; uses only a few ingredients; does not have any artificial sweeteners; protein blend for continued release of amino acids into bloodstream; great taste; if you buy the sticks, they are very convenient
• Cons - cost and that's about it...carbs could be a little lower than 4g, but that's not a dealbreaker.  Other than that you need to be careful not to use too much water...I would start with 4-6 oz; wish they had more flavors, but then it probably wouldn't be as clean!
• Overall - by far the cleanest product on the market; tough to find and pretty expensive.
• Where to Find It - Direct at OnlyProtein.com or  Amazon.com, $32.99 (21 Servings) (Cost per 20g = $1.22)

Needless to say, there are plenty of good, clean protein powders on the market for you to choose from and this is just a sample of the products I've tried - there are plenty of other natural protein powders to choose from, but the main ingredients you want to avoid are the artificial sweeteners (Acesulfame Potassium or Ace K, Sucralose, and definitely aspartame), additives (natural/aritifical flavors) and food colorings.  As I said in my previous post, it would be ideal to get all of your protein from whole food sources, but with our busy lifestyles and hectic schedules, protein powder is sometimes necessary for active individuals.

He & She Tip:  If you order from Stronger Nutrition's website our readers can enter the referral code "EATCLEAN" under the "Coupon Codes & Discounts" section of your cart for 10% off of your first order.  You can click the banner below to link to their site.

Keep it clean!

- Scott