My husband bought this protein drink. I looked at the ingredients and it looked okay to me, although I am still suspect. He said it was so delicious and wanted me to taste it. I took a swig, and it tastes just like a milkshake. He has been having two a day because he is a sugar addict. He’s been on keto for 3.5 years, like me, but he binges out on candy probably several days every month or six weeks. I’ve only gone off the rails once during that time and won’t do it. Anyway, can you share your thoughts about the ingredients/values in this? Again, it seems okay to me, but almost too good to be true. I won’t drink it because it is too much like something I would abuse or might open up other cravings for me.
Thoughts on this product
VictoriaA
#2
Hi Marianne, how are you? it’s great that you recognise it as a risk, if it was a caramel or vanilla it would sound off all alarms for me too!
gingersmommy
(Marianne)
#3
Hi @VictoriaA. I’m great; thanks for asking! How are you!?
It comes in three flavors - vanilla, strawberry and chocolate. I had a sip of the strawberry and chocolate - omg, outrageously good. I’m not going to go there, although I want to sip the vanilla when he opens it.
It’s $3.29 a bottle, which is crazy expensive. I think it’s targeted to people who work out, as a protein drink. Of course, didn’t he wind up bingeing on candy last night? I told him it’s because of the drinks. They’re a gateway, even if they are “okay.” (I’m ticked at him today because he;s crabby and being an a##hole.)
OldDoug
(Doug)
#4
Well, if we’re disregarding the fiber, then it’s 6 grams of carbs, not a huge blast but still it’s a straight-up small hit of sugar. In the grand scheme of things I think it’s up to the individual here - it’s not going to be a ‘deal breaker’ (unless it is).
Rusty
#5
6g of sugar is still a lot to have in one sitting.
I would drink that right before heavy exercise, but not light exercise.
or drinking over a few sittings.
I guess it depends on your lifestyle. looks like something I could get in the habit or drinking a let if I let myself.
Shinita
#6
Wow. I don’t know if I had many keto meals with less sugar than that before carnivore… (I go way over it on carnivore too but not always).
I don’t necessarily have problem with the tiny sugar especially before a workout (for someone who can do a workout not well-fasted) but some items I don’t know - okay, that’s not helpful… And it’s very processed stuff so nope. (And 3 of my most hated sweeteners is in it so I couldn’t drink it but it’s personal taste, obviously.)
With my limited knowledge I don’t see anything alarming (beyond being overprocessed, havin g a package etc. I would rather drink water for multiple reasons) except potentially the sweetness. It can lead some people astray.
If someone is different and needs some carbs or protein and it’s not some high level thing (I don’t know much about professional or super serious amateur workouts where one goes for the absolutely best), it’s easier just eat good, tasty food, IMO.
But it has way better macros than what one could do from milk and fruits (unless one needs more carbs) so if it scratches an itch and doesn’t cause problems and after some research the ingredients are fine for the one in question… I can accept that it’s better than grabbing a ton of sugar.
I consider it an overpriced stuff for easy to tempted folks that is hardly worth it… But maybe there is a situation where it can be a crutch for a while like my chocolate bananas in the beginning of keto. But that was natural, waaaaay less carby (per portion), less garbage (we use way too much plastic, it’s horrible. yes banana includes many things, it’s not local but I barely used any and I stopped. now if I go very off with some chocolate fruit, that’s from my own garden)…
So… It’s quite individual? I wouldn’t touch it for many reasons but I can’t say it’s super unhealthy…
Rusty
#7
Yea, but its not a meal.
It’s an extra sugar intake on top.
Unless OP is thinking of having it as a meal replacement.
For me that would be over 25% of my daily carb allowance. As a rule I save my carb allowance for ‘incidental’ carbs from salad and veg. I would rather get my sugar from a bit of green pepper, half a banana or cabbage.
I know that I couldn’t allow myself that kind of treat. I’ve lost 6inches off my waist and 10% of my body weight so far. I’ve done it by sticking strickly to keto and not having treats, and I am happier than ever.
If you have sugar as a treat, you are starting on the sugar dopamine cycle which can lead to keto being harder and harder.
Shinita
#8
Indeed and it may be a problem for someone who already eat plenty of carbs from other things but if the normal food barely has carbs, it’s small even with this 6g extra. I just wanted to say that 6g sugar at once is low, probably most of us do it all the time, it doesn’t affect us bad. So this thing alone can’t be a problem.
I have exactly nothing against getting even 90% of my carb allowance even from a 50-kcal treat if I want that 
As I don’t need much carbs for my normal food (and I don’t care about those carbs anyway. I don’t think egg and meat sugar matters, it doesn’t feel so).
I understand it’s different when one eats more than minimal amount of carbs for every meal. Like I did in the past. I needed most of my carbs for vegs and oily seeds so I couldn’t afford more than 1-3g for fruit or any extras I actually can be without. In those times this 6g would have been too much. Now it wouldn’t be a problem (I mean just the sugar) and I still could consume only a third of my old carb intake for the day and for me, that matters way more than my sugar intake per meal or per a single little treat.
Of course, it’s just me, we all have very different attitudes as we function and think differently.
Sugar puts me off from sugar very quickly so I don’t have that problem. I try to avoid eating sugar at the wrong time because it inevitably makes me eating a lot of fat and protein and I already have difficulties to keep them low enough. And because it’s better with less sugar than more sugar but the difference is negligible when it’s only 6g sugar.
So, in the end, one should decide it for themselves…
VictoriaA
#9
Wowzer! That’s pricey! I’m good thanks, you sound so well and strong!
Vanilla. Hmm, my favourite flavour, unfortunately that would lead me straight to a family packet of vanilla slices eaten in the car outside a supermarket!
My gut instinct with sweet, creamy drinks is same as yours: more trouble than they’re worth!
I’ve got a fryer coming and the hot sauce is ready, your wings recipe is happening on Saturday! 
gingersmommy
(Marianne)
#10
Agreed. It’s not a meal and being carnivore, I am zero carb. I was asking about these for my husband because he is drinking them. I must say, they are very, very delicious - sweet, satisfying and creamy. I won’t go there because they are too close to a trigger food to me. I don’t want to open that door when it has been comfortably closed for so long now. I will still have one or two pops (sodas) a day (usually diet root beer), and I enjoy it without it awakening anything bad.
gingersmommy
(Marianne)
#11
Very cool! I hope you love it. I made wings last night! So delicious. Don’t forget to toss them in bacon grease and hot sauce when they’re done, and have with home made blue cheese (if you want). Wings are a special treat for us. Please lmk how they turn out!
Not that you asked, but for about 12 large frozen wings, I cook them at 400 for 22 min., drain, turn, another 8 min., turn, and then another 3 min. After the last pass, leave them in the air fryer after it turns off for about five minutes. The residual heat continues to cook the inside without shriveling the meat to a crisp. Each time you turn them, visually inspect them for degree of doneness. You may have to adjust the cook time on the second or third pass by 1-2 minutes more, accordingly. After I toss them in the sauce, I’ll nuke them for about 35 seconds just to heat up.
These “protein” drinks are my husband’s madness. He kids himself about drinking them for the protein but he is really consuming them because they taste just like a milkshake. Interesting to me that he just recently went off the rails on candy. Coincidence? I certainly don’t think they help.
Fangs
#12
From my personal journey, I tried all that crap and in the end, I ran ran ran from that crap but key is how you incorporate them into your journey is key. for me personally, faster I ate ‘real food’ vs some ick drink the better I did…so just me and my go on it
KernCanyonCamper
(Steve L.)
#13
There are moderators and there are abstainers. I have to be an abstainer. I cannot moderate. If I started drinking or eating these kinds of tasty sugar bombs (even though a small number of carbs), I would be in the ditch in a hot second. I have learned the hard way that I can’t eat packaged stuff, either solid or liquid. If it has a label, I avoid it. Real food for me doesn’t need a label, it’s called lamb, beef, asparagus, cauliflower, butter, and so on. I have learned to call that packaged stuff “dirty keto”. I used to flirt with this packaged stuff thinking I could control my carb addiction. Wrong! Call me a slow learner, but after many attempts to moderate this packaged stuff, I don’t indulge anymore. It’s designed by the processed food industry to be super-tasty. They have plenty of experience doing this. It’s so much more relaxing for me not to dance with the devil.