
Optimum Nutrition
Gold Standard 100% Whey Protein Powder
Trusted all-rounder, but price hikes and quality decline concern.

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you should try legion, it’s amazing
i love legion and planta
Hey guys, For some reason I I don’t like some of the “goated” mainstream protein powders. I was so addicted I would just us water + ryse protein powder and that would be enough, however addictions slowly fade away and you start cravings some luxurious tasting stuff. **What I love but now kind of bored of:** * Ryse protein (Chocolate cookie blast, Peanut Butter cup, Cosmic Brownie), I have eaten 6 pints per day of these for about a year. Served me well * Ghost whey (Slowly hated the chip’s ahoy, noticed it wasn’t rly my cup of tea, I loved the Coffee Ice cream) * Muscle Sport Lean Whey (overall I did not mind the flavors, I can finish a tub even tho it wasn’t my favorite flavor) * PandaSupps (I like their formulations but need to find the perfect flavor, ordered some more) **What I tried and rly tried to love but couldn’t:** * PEScience, I tried so many times and so many flavors, they just never hit home for me. (chocolate truffle, CnC was very cream heavy) * 1up, their protein powders were rly cream flavor heavy * Axe and Sledge (C&C, Chocolate macadamia) * Legion (Salted caramel, dutch chocolate) * Transparent labs (used to love their dark chocolate but flavor was too mild after a while) * Myprotein (Several chocolate flavor, salted caramel) * Jocko Molk (chocolate, didn’t mind it but didn’t topple ryse, wasn’t worth it for me) * Applied Nutrition (Choco Beuno, White choco Beuno) * Isopure (chocolate) * Mre Lite (Chocolate, Fudge Brownie) * Clean Simple Eats (brownie batter) * Dymatize (Cocoa Pebbles, flavor weren’t rly strong for me) * Ekkovision (Tiramisu, Brownie batter) * Fairlile milk + vanilla extract was abysmal IMO * Orgain (tasted rly weird, maybe its the plant-based formulation) * Optimum Nutiriton (l was hesitant to put this, last time I used it was 2022/23, at the time it wasn’t rly good, but they could have improved so. I tried their chocolate/vanilla, milk was okay but with water, I didn’t like it) **Btw: this has been a very expensive trial and error but worth it.** **Final notes:** It sounds like I am a pain to recommend to, hopefully someone as messed up as me can be helped. As you notice I am chocolate heavy advocate, Idm a vanilla here and there if it’s amazing, lean whey and panda supps vanilla are great. **Flavors I despise, (or maybe haven't tasted good one):** * I don’t like mint (non-negotiable) * pure peanut butter flavored * fruity/cream heavy flavors as you see. For example strawberry shortcake by ryse was more cake/cream than pure strawberry. **Possible flavor/goals:** * I guess the best case scenario for me would be a great vanilla which I think I have, but have never found a good salted caramel (awaiting my panda supps order) * Also Biscoff (cookie butter) * But as you see I like chocolate, chocolate hazelnut, Ferraro Roche/Nutella vibes I get tempted to re-order most protein I don’t like from the sheer positive reviews they get. **Attempts:** I have tried normal cacao, very expensive dutch powders, black cacaos and expensive vanilla bean extracts. They all just try and mask the protein flavor and are dominant, I don’t like the intense dry pure cacao flavor For example when I use a 1Tbsp of Dutch chocolate it overrides any flavor and I just taste that powder, it doesn't seem to blend, just overpower. If i use too little, I can't even sense it's there. I like rich/luxurious gelato/Haagen-Dazs/Lindt vibes. Sorry for the long post. I hope I am not being annoying and hope someone can help me out 😭. Edit: I don’t mind other solutions as well, anything that would work and is not a calorie bomb. I am trying to replicate PinkBerry’s Chocolate Hazelnut rn, I hate normal yogurt and love Greek. I know Pinkberry uses yogurt but their chocolate hazelnut is heavenly.
Pretty much every high quality whey isolate I’ve used has made a good creami. I like Legion Athletics, RAW Nutrition and Transparent Labs for an assortment of flavors
Legion Athletics, RAW Nutrition and Transparent Labs have been my go to’s. They mix well and all have been great for making protein ice cream or mixing in with a matching flavored cream of rice. Haven’t tried baking with them yet but that’s next on the list.
They taste pretty natural, one that is on par or maybe even a little better is the Legion Athletics grass fed whey isolate vanilla. In the Creami I’d give them both about a 9.2/10
Optimum Nutrions Gold Standard and Legion Whey+ are typically my go tos.
I love Legion and Ascent protein powders. Legion is more expensive but has lots of great flavors and doesn’t give me gas. Ascent is sold at Costco - I get both vanilla and chocolate.
Legion protein powder clean and tastes good.

Optimum Nutrition
Gold Standard 100% Whey Protein Powder
Trusted all-rounder, but price hikes and quality decline concern.

Dymatize (BellRing Brands)
ISO100 Hydrolyzed Protein Powder
High-quality hydrolyzed isolate, great taste, but pricey with sucralose concerns.

Transparent Labs
Grass-Fed Whey Protein Isolate
Clean, third-party tested isolate; premium price for quality.
Kirkland Signature (Costco)
Whey Protein
Budget king; great value, but clumpy with artificial taste concerns.

Oath Nutrition
Clear Whey Protein Powder
Refreshing, juice-like fruit flavors; pricey, low carb, but gentle.

Ranked #1
PEScience - Select Protein

Ranked #1
Optimum Nutrition - Gold Standard 100% Whey Protein Powder

Ranked #1
Optimum Nutrition - Gold Standard 100% Whey Protein Powder

Ranked #1
Optimum Nutrition - Gold Standard 100% Whey Protein Powder

Ranked #1
Oath Nutrition - Clear Whey Protein Powder

Ranked #1
Equip - Prime Protein