Just like your body needs collagen and its supplements to keep your skin beautiful, your muscle will needs protein to grow. Whether you’re a health buff looking for new protein supplement or you’re new to the whole muscle-building workout routine, Optimum Nutrition can help you out. I was introduced to this supplement by my personal trainer, and I absolutely love it.
Optimum Nutrition’s 100% Whey Gold Standard is one of the most popular whey protein supplements across the world. This product has helped change the perception of many people who avoided whey protein due to taste by offering several flavors, and I have tried them all.
So, which is the best Optimum Nutrition flavor? In this post, I’ll be walking you through all the benefits of Optimum Nutrition and giving you a description of each flavor so that you can find the best one for your taste.
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Our Top Picks for Best Optimum Nutrition Flavor Reviews on The Market Today
Rank | Image | Product Name | Score | |
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1 | 99 /100 | |||
2 | 96 /100 | |||
3 | 96 /100 | |||
4 | 96 /100 | |||
5 | 96 /100 |
*Below, you'll find our more detailed reviews, but you can also click the links above to see current prices or read customer reviews on Amazon.
About Optimum Nutrition
If you have not used any Optimum Nutrition product before, you must first learn where the product you are going to use comes from. Optimum Nutrition is part of the Glanbia family, which is a leading cheese and nutritional ingredients group with presence in multiple countries around the globe.
Since its inception in 1986, Optimum Nutrition has come a long way and now has state-of-the-art production facilities in three cities – Aurora, Illinois; Walterboro, South Carolina and Sunrise Florida. Each production unit is committed to maintain the highest quality standards.
Before any machine is even turned on at Optimum Nutrition’s production units, each raw ingredient is carefully analyzed for quality purposes. A certificate on analysis must be first generated before the ingredient can be used.
A quality assurance team performs daily inspections to ensure that Optimum Nutrition follows Good Manufacturing Practices as per guidelines laid by NSF.
Why Whey Protein?
Now that you have learned about the company that makes good quality whey protein, you must also be clear on what exactly whey protein is and how it can help you. Let’s start with all the benefits:
- Whey Protein is one of the richest sources of branched chain amino acids or BCAA, which the body requires urgently during and after heavy exercise. An active lifestyle without sufficient BCAA supplements can lead to fatigue and wear and tear across the body. Whey protein is a great way to avoid these issues in a dependable and delicious manner.
- But it’s not good just for exercising individuals. In 2009, a study done at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada observed that whey protein, when consumed by individuals at rest, helped in the repair and growth of muscles almost 9 times greater than casein and soy – other popular types of protein.
- Whey protein is also a great way to lose weight. It is used by dieters across the world to aid their weight loss program. This is mainly because it has little fat and carbohydrates and can help increase the metabolic rate of the body when combined with exercise.
- In some preclinical studies performed on rodents, it was observed that whey protein also has anti-inflammatory properties similar to certain prescription medicines. Some other studies have also indicated that whey protein may possess anti-cancer properties but further research is necessary to establish it as a fact.
- The British Journal of Nutrition published a study that observed a significant decrease in the total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels after about 12 weeks of using whey protein. The same was not observed with casein.
Possible Side Effects
Even though the lactose content in whey protein is not very high, it can still cause lactose intolerance in some highly sensitive people. Otherwise, it usually only causes side effects if consumed in excess quantity.
Some of the side effects it can cause include stomach pains, cramps, a reduced appetite, nausea, headache and fatigue. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, reduce your intake and observe for a couple of days. If it still doesn’t help, consult a doctor or medical professional before resuming use.
Some Facts about Whey Protein
Lastly, before heading on to decide the best of all Optimum Nutrition flavors available today, let’s take a look at some interesting facts about whey protein that any health enthusiast must know.
- It is mainly composed of Alpha-lactoglobulin, beta-lactoglobulin, bovine serum albumin and immunoglobins (IgG1, IgG2 and IgM).
- It is also a rich source of glutamine which helps increase the absorption rate in intestines.
- Unflavored whey protein has a taste that is commonly described using words such as brothy, sour and bitter. This is why manufacturers around the world, including Optimum Nutrition, offer various innovative flavors to consumers.
- Whey protein is also popular for reducing hunger, especially amongst people wanting to lose weight. It reduced hunger by reducing levels of the ghrelin hormone that is responsible for telling your brain that you are hungry.
One Last Tip
Introducing whey protein in your diet is a major step in terms of the benefits it has to offer. However, as with any other nutritional supplement, it only makes sense to first consult a doctor or medical professional before starting full-fledged use.
Remember to mention any allergies you may have, especially if you suffer from lactose intolerance. Once you get the go ahead from your doctor, you can choose from 21 flavors offered by Optimum Nutrition to begin your whey protein regimen.
The 5 Best Flavors on Ther Market Today
Here are the top five flavors contending for the best Optimal Nutritional flavor spot.
Chocolate is one of the most preferred flavors across various edible products including cookies, ice creams and flavored milk.
Optimum Nutrition Gold 100% Whey gold Standard is no different.
The double chocolate flavor offers an extremely rich chocolate taste and creaminess that is very similar to the taste of a chocolate thick shake.
People who prefer a slightly less rich taste can mix it with water to dull its richness.
Pros
- It is one of the few flavors that goes well with both milk and water.
- You can also find various recipes online to use this double chocolate flavored whey protein in bodybuilder desserts and bars.
- It is usually more easily available than most other flavors both online and in offline retail stores.
- Overall, it is a highly versatile flavor and may be the safest option for beginners who don’t want to experiment much initially.
Cons
- The double chocolate flavor may leave a slight bitter aftertaste in the mouth that some users reportedly dislike. Keep this in mind while making your final decision.
- You may want to consider a different flavor if you are not a fan of overly sweet or chocolatey products.
Another chocolate based flavor in the Optimum nutrition family, this product is more suitable for chocolate lovers who dislike the bitterness of dark chocolate.
People who prefer chocolate flavored drinks and desserts that have an extremely sweet taste will like this product.
The most recommended way of enjoying this flavor is to mix it in milk.
Pros
- Tastes just like a good quality milk chocolate bar – a flavor that is popular universally.
- It may be a good option for people who dislike the bitter aftertaste that comes with the double chocolate flavor.
- This is one of the few flavors that go well with soy milk.
- This is also easily available across online and offline stores compared to many other flavors.
- People who prefer consuming whey protein in the form of desserts can choose this versatile flavor.
Cons
- If you are lactose intolerant, you may try other flavors that go well with water as the extreme milk chocolate flavor is best enjoyed with milk.
- Some users who like chocolate have reported that this flavor is too sweet for their liking. You may want to take that into consideration before finalizing the flavor.
This is the most recommended flavor for all coffee lovers wanting to try Optimum Nutrition whey protein supplements.
It is considered a good option for current users who want to branch out of the chocolate flavor family. It has a rich, strong flavor that is best enjoyed with milk.
Pros
- It may be a good option for people who do not like anything that is too sweet. The mocha cappuccino flavor offers a well-balanced, sweet taste.
- If you are looking to cut back on caffeine, this may be a good flavor to choose. Enjoy the taste of coffee along with your protein drink and cut back on your daily cups of coffee.
- This flavor goes well with both hot and cold milk.
- It is readily mixable with milk without any consistency problems.
Cons
- Users have reported that this flavor does not taste as good with water as it does with milk, so people who prefer black coffee may want to consider this to make an informed decision.
- This flavor does contain a small amount of caffeine, so people who consume Optimum Nutrition at night may prefer some other option.
This is a classic flavor that is loved the world around.
It is one of the safest flavors to try and begin with, along with chocolate.
It has a natural, mild taste that is easy to get used to.
The sweetness of the French vanilla crème flavored optimum Nutrition 100% Whey Gold Standard is neither overpowering nor underwhelming – it is quite well balanced.
Pros
- The French Vanilla Crème flavor is one of the best option to pick if you are planning to bake desserts using whey protein supplements.
- It goes well with both hot and cold milk. Soy milk and almond milk go equally well with this flavor – which is great news for lactose intolerant people.
- This flavor gives more room for experimentation – it tastes good with added berries, bananas and yogurt.
- It can be easily found on e-commerce websites as well as offline retail stores at most places.
- It does not leave a bitter or unpleasant aftertaste in the mouth which can be an issue with few other flavors.
Cons
- This flavor may not be the best option for you if you plan to mix your supplements in water.
If you are a fan of dunking cookies in milk, this may just be the best option for you.
This flavor offers a rich creamy vanilla taste with small cookie chunks that add a unique texture to the drink, when mixed with cold milk.
A close comparison, taste wise, would be an Oreo and vanilla ice cream thick shake.
It is one of the highest selling flavors of Optimum Nutrition 100% Whey Gold Standard.
Pros
- The cookie chunks add positively to the taste and mouth feel of the protein drink, after mixing the supplement in milk.
- Being one of the most popular flavors, it can be easily found at most retail stores and even on online shops.
- Lactose intolerant people can enjoy this flavor by mixing it in almond or soy milk.
- The sweetness of this flavor is neither extremely high or low.
Cons
- Users don’t recommend mixing this flavor with water.
- Beginners may not like the chunky texture after mixing the cookie and cream flavored supplement in the milk. Chocolate based flavors or French crème vanilla may be a better option to start with.
Conclusion
Optimal Nutrition offers several exciting flavors to choose from for its 100% Whey Gold product. Of more than 20 flavors available, the five most popular ones have been showcased in this guide. To reiterate, the best flavors for beginners to choose from include double chocolate, extreme milk chocolate and French crème vanilla.
Coffee lovers can opt for the mocha cappuccino option, while cookie and ice cream lovers can go for the cookies and cream flavor. Overall, the cookies and cream flavor is my pick for the best Optimum Nutrition flavor, particularly because of the unique chunkiness it offers, which is absent in all other flavors.
I hope this flavor guide will help you choose the right product. If you have any questions regarding any flavor or any suggestions to make, please feel free to drop your thoughts in my comments section.
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