I'm green with. . .protein

Every once in a while I get an urge to try a protein drink, despite their notoriously gritty texture and ugly mouthfeel, mostly because I go to the gym and need the most protein without the added calories of fat and carbohydrates.  These experiments usually end with a grimace and a vow never to drink another one, but I inevitably forget and see something new.  That brings you today’s post, Mix 1 Key Lime ‘enhanced protein shake’!

Now, it isn’t fair to characterize all protein drinks as a horrible experience, that has just been my sum of experiences.  The idea behind it isn’t to enjoy a smooth, delicious beverage, it’s to pack a ton of protein into your body so you can blow out every major muscle group you have doing power cleans and bench pressing while groaning like a geriatric.  Protein builds and maintains muscle, and eating too much doesn’t necessarily harm you, your body uses what it needs and disposes of the rest.

It smells exactly how I expected it to, like a lime flavored protein shake. The taste is better than I anticipated, smooth and not as thick as I suspected it to be.  The sweetness is very light, and the lime is bold and sour, almost to the point of tasting artificial.  The ingredient list denies this, listing only juice concentrate (lime, apple) and citric acid.  This goes down surprisingly well, smooth and not a single bit of grit.  Overall this was much better than I hoped it would be, leaving only a milky feeling in my mouth due to the whey protein isolate, a milk by-product.  A large amount of vitamins and minerals was added, 23 total, with 15 g of protein and plenty of antioxidants.  Calories come in at 200 for the 11 oz bottle, but only 22 g of sugars.

Drinking this has changed my mind quite a bit on what a protein drink can be like; it doesn’t have to be a harrowing journey into an abyss of gag-inducing textures from gritty, tasteless mixes than slide down your throat like a stagnant oily slurry.  They can actually taste good.

Score: 4.5 out of 5. A tasty, smooth entry into a world of thick, gritty protein shakes.

– WiseGuise

User Ratings: Note: There is a rating embedded within this post, please visit this post to rate it.