• Nutritional info: 190 cal, 20 g protein, 8 g total fat, 13 g total carbs
• Ingredients: Organic Almond Milk (Water, Organic Almonds), Organic Pea Protein, Organic Coconut Sugar, Organic Matcha, Organic Natural Flavor, Organic Gum Acacia, Gellan Gum, Organic Sunflower Lecithin, Vitamin Blend (Calcium Derived From Seaweed, Vitamin D), Organic Spirulina, Guar Gum, Organic Turmeric, Sea Salt, Organic Monk Fruit, Organic Prebiotic Powder (Derived From Taріоса)

• Nutritional info: 200 cal, 20 g protein, 8 g total fat, 10 g total carbs
• Ingredients: Water, pea protein , cane sugar, vegetable oil (sunflower or safflowr oil), natural flavor, contains less than 0.5% of dipotassium phosphate, tricalcium phosphate, mixed tocopherols (to preserve freshness), gum arabic, sea salt, monk fruit extract, gellan gum, guar gum

• Nutritional info: 170 cal, 30 g protein, 3.5 g total fat, 8 g total carbs
• Ingredients: Filtered Water, Milk Protein Concentrate, Micellar Casein Isolate, Inulin, Contains less than 1% of: Coconut Oil and High Oleic Sunflower Oil, Natural Flavors, Potassium Citrate, Sea Salt, Gellan Gum, Stevia Extract, Sunflower Lecithin, Vitamin A Palmitate, Vitamin D3

• Nutritional info: 320 cal, 14 g protein, 17 g total fat, 31 g total carbs
• Ingredients: Filtered Water, Cashews, Dates, Coconut Cream, Rice Protein, Cocoa Powder, Organic Flavor, Vanilla Extract.

• Nutritional info: 190 cal, 18 g protein, 7 g total fat, 13 g total carbs
• Ingredients (vanilla): Almond Milk (Filtered Water, Almonds), Koia Proprietary Protein Blend (Brown Rice Protein, Pea Protein, Chickpea Protein), Koia Prebiotic Fiber Blend (Agave Fiber, Chicory Root Fiber), Organic Cane Sugar, Natural Flavors, Vanilla Extract, Sunflower Lecithin, Sea Salt, Monk Fruit Extract, Locust Bean Gum, Gellan Gum and Nutmeg. Contains: Tree Nuts (Almonds, Coconuts)

We tried both the standard 20-gram and the 32-gram Elite Pro protein shakes from OWYN and found that both varieties had a strong pea protein flavor and monk fruit aftertaste we just couldn’t get past. It might be a slightly different situation if you’re looking specifically for protein coffee, where OWYN’s Double Shot did make our short list, but there are fewer protein coffees to compare it to than there are standard protein shakes.

Slate’s canned protein shakes were drinkable, but not something we’d necessarily buy again. The chocolate had a slight monk fruit aftertaste we didn’t love, and the vanilla had a strangely fruity, cereal-milk-like undertone that was off-putting.

Muscle Milk’s Pro line has an impressive 40 grams of protein per bottle, but all three flavors we tried were cloyingly sweet, very artificial tasting, and quite viscous.

Orgain makes a few different varieties of protein shakes. We tried the one with 26 grams of protein derived from milk and whey and felt it was aiming to emulate our beloved Fairlife Core Power, and it ended up somewhere closer to Muscle Milk—too sweet, too artificial tasting.

“People may think they need really high amounts of protein because of the protein craze on products left and right, but, actually, most people are getting enough from their food,” says Kristy Del Coro, MS, RDN, LDN. That said, Del Coro explains that some individuals—such as plant-based eaters, older adults, pregnant or breastfeeding adults, people on weight loss medication, highly active/athletic people, or people recovering from an injury or illness—may need to be more mindful of keeping up their protein intake.

Both Del Coro and Jackie Newgent, RDN, CDN, encourage anyone trying to increase their protein intake to focus on whole foods first—think beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, and tofu. “After that, consider the use of protein shakes as an option, but aim to only use them as supplements, not replacements for quality whole food nutrition,” says Newgent.

Del Coro explains that the first step in choosing a protein shake is thinking about your intention: “Are you drinking it as a meal replacement? Protein booster alongside a meal? A snack between meals? Depending on what your needs are, that will determine what macronutrient breakdown you should target,” she says.

Newgent advises checking labels for real ingredients, “similar to what you might find in a recipe.” She notes that transparency is a major green flag, and that ideally you should try to “stick with brands that provide third-party testing or carry certifications, such as NSF Certified for Sport.” This is especially true if you’re concerned about heavy metals (which I’ll get into below).

Both Del Coro and Newgent advise keeping an eye on the amount of added sugar, and Del Coro notes that some non-nutritive sweeteners may have GI side effects for some.

Del Coro says that finding a protein shake with fiber is important if you’re intending to use it as a meal replacement, but warns that the form of fiber often added to a shake (typically some form of inulin or acacia gum) can cause GI symptoms for some people. “If you can find fiber added in the form of a whole food like chia, flax, or hemp, that is ideal since it mimics a homemade smoothie and is less processed,” she says.

On October 14th, 2025, Consumer Reports put out an article about its discovery of lead in certain protein powders and shakes. If you’re wondering whether you should be concerned, I would advise reading through the report and doing your own research—but I also asked Del Coro and Newgent for their thoughts on the matter as registered dietitians.

According to Del Coro, the levels of concern cited in the CR article “were measured against California’s state laws (CA Prop 65), which has a much lower maximum allowable dose level for lead compared to the FDA guidance (0.5 mcg per day vs. 8.8 mcg per day); FDA’s guidance is an ‘interim reference level’ (IRL) designed to protect against lead toxicity for adults.” No amount of lead is safe, but Del Coro explains that “the greatest health risk will come from repeated or continuous exposure at high doses.” If you’re a daily protein shake drinker, it’s worth it to seek out brands that are NSF Certified for Sport—“or at the very minimum confirm some type of third party testing for heavy metals,” Del Coro says. “Keep in mind that heavy metals can naturally occur in the soil, so it’s about selecting brands that regularly test their products for contaminants and that are transparent about findings,” Newgent says.