My husband and I have used Optimum Nutrition for years as a low carb, low fat way to hit our protein macros. Over time we've tried several different flavors and all of them taste great, though of course we have preferences. I also noticed that the sodium level went up on newer batches of the protein, but it only went from 115 to 130 - that's a difference of 15, which we consider negligible, and neither of us can tell a taste difference. If you want a good protein with low carb and fat that still tastes fairly good without breaking the bank, this is a great choice. PROTIP: If you are cutting and you don't have the calories to mix your protein with nut/soy/dairy/etc milk, do yourself a favor, purchase a $5-$9 water TDS meter, and make sure that the water you're mixing your protein with is as pure as possible. Within the last year we became very water conscious and did just that - we use ZeroWater filters now and we have noticed a definite taste difference with our protein. The same holds true for coffee. This simple change has ensured that we don't dread drinking our protein shakes any longer. Our favorite flavors are: 1) Extreme Milk Chocolate - Our favorite ON chocolate flavor. (My husband actually hates all of the chocolate flavors except for this one and double rich chocolate.) This actually tastes like you've made a glass of chocolate milk from Nesquick or something, even if you mix it with just water (which is what we do). If you blend it with ice or use it to make protein fluff it tastes like a chocolate shake. 2) Vanilla Ice Cream - I love this flavor, which is controversial because a lot of people hate it. It tastes exactly like the description - it tastes like melted vanilla ice cream, with all of the sweetness that accompanies that. If you like that flavor (and I do), then you'll like this shake. If you prefer a more traditional vanilla flavor, stick with French Vanilla. 3) Double Rich Chocolate - My husband's favorite chocolate flavor until we tried Extreme Milk Chocolate. I'm not a fan of this, however - it has a dry, chalky, almost malty taste in your mouth and is more reminiscent of dark chocolate. If you like malt and dark chocolate (which hubs does), you'll probably like this a lot. Thoughts on other flavors we have tried that were fine but not quite our favorites: >Birthday Cake - Great for making homemade protein bars and adding a little pizzazz to your shakes with the sprinkles floating around. Definitely high on the artificially sweetened taste, though, so keep that in mind. >Rocky Road - Wasn't bad! Wasn't great. Hubs absolutely hated it

Nutritionals are easy since they are clearly stated on the label, but having never tasted a whey supplement before, I didn't know what to expect taste-wise from a artificially sweetened vs. a more natural product. So I bought two tubs to compare side by side. My selections were the ON Gold Standard Mocha Cappuccino, and the NOW Sports Dutch Chocolate. Here goes a very detailed comparison of the two. * Nutritionals and label: Both pack 120 calories. ON has 24gr of proteins, while NOW has the slightly higher 25gr. Both offer some of the highest protein / calories ratio among the plethora of whey supplements available in the market. I don't think that 1gr is significant enough to sway anybody's decision, and the nutrition labels are never 100% accurate anyway. (ON = NOW) ON is a protein blend, while NOW is a whey isolate. However, going back to the nutritionals, it is obvious that the majority of the ON blend is made of whey isolate as well. At the end of the day, and given that they are both whey based, what matters is the protein / calorie ratio. (ON = NOW) Both are made in the USA, which often indicates higher quality control in production. ON however also states that they use "domestic and international ingredients", and who knows what that means. (ON = NOW) ON is flavored with cocoa, coffee, sucralose, acesulfame potassium and other undisclosed "flavorings". NOW on the other hand only has cocoa, "natural flavors", xylitol and stevia. While the latter two are not ideal, NOW at least uses all natural products and definitely has ON beat. In addition, ON has a bunch of enzyme additives, purportedly to ease digestion, but I don't see why they are needed, and I'd rather do without them. (NOW > ON) Overall: NOW > ON * Mixability: I went with the worst case scenario, and mixed both with about 6 oz of cold water in a glass, and simply hand stirred with a spoon. ON was amazing, it dissolved almost completely as soon as it touched the water, and after a few seconds of stirring it was as smooth as it gets. Mixing NOW was not as easy but still okay; it first had a sticky consistency and required about 30 seconds of rigorous stirring, but the final mixture was as good as ON. If you have a shaker or blender, you will notice absolutely no difference between the two. (ON = NOW) * Aroma: ON powder smells just like any instant hot chocolate mix. When added water, coffee becomes more pronounced, and smells of more like an instant mocha cappuccino mix. Quite pleasant, no artificial or out-of-place aromas. NOW powder smells like very mild milk chocolate, but then a more chemical, sour milk/kefir-like aroma becomes noticeable. It is by no means unpleasant, but you know right away that you are drinking a supplement product. With water the nose of the powder stays pretty much the same. Overall: ON > NOW * Texture in mouth: Both were smooth, but thin, and not oily or thick. Neither one had any hint of graininess. They pretty much kept the mouthfeel of water. (ON = NOW) * Taste: From start to finish ON is sweet. I prefer my tea/coffee/milk/etc completely unsweetened, and I definitely find ON sweet, but not cloyingly so, it is still okay. Just like the nose, the taste is very similar to mocha cappuccino mixes you can buy at your supermarket, and stays fairly one-note from start to finish. The finish fades quickly, leaving no aftertaste. Overall, I find that the artificial flavors of this one are very well crafted. It doesn't taste any worse than instant cappuccino mixes, and surprisingly you don't get the familiar acesulfame potassium taste. NOW immediately hits your tongue with a bitter and tannic taste; think a dry over-aged/over-oaked whiskey or wine. My guess is that this is xylitol and stevia playing tricks on my taste buds. However, this bitterness quickly goes away and gives way to... nothing actually. No taste, completely neutral, just like plain water. After you put down your glass and wait a second, the drink finishes with very mild and pleasant flavors of unsweetened cocoa, vanilla, and milk chocolate. The finish lingers for a good 10 minutes, but it tastes like chocolate so no problems there. Overall, although some may find ON overly sweet, I think it still has the edge in taste. It doesn't have off-notes anywhere, and at its worst, tastes like a cheaply made instant cappuccino mix. NOW is nowhere near undrinkable, in fact it is pretty good as well, but the initial sour smell and the bitter bite on your tongue will remind you that you are taking a supplement. (ON > NOW) * Overall: The differences are minor, you can't go wrong with either, and they both get 5 stars from me. But I found myself mostly going for NOW simply because it doesn't have the artificial additives, and while the taste is worse in comparison, it is also sufficiently good. In fact, this experiment encouraged me to try the completely natural unflavored variety of NOW next. I'll probably stick to NOW in the future, and throw in a tub of some crazy flavor of ON once in a while just to keep myself entertained

There are pros and cons to this protein powder. 1. It doesn't have a ton of vitamins but has a lot of protein so you can have a shake and not have to worry about too many vitamins. But then, 2. It's lacking vitamins needed in an every day meal. These shakes are pretty much a MEAL unless you burn it off, not a snack. They are meant for building muscle when you workout. NOT for someone who is struggling to eat food. This contains SOY and dairy for that matter, which is how I found out I have a HUGE sensitivity to both. In order to make this shake a meal you'd have to add in nutrients like peanut butter, spinach, kale, banana, strawberries, a probiotic. For the price, you can find something without Soy and lactose, that has vitamins so you don't have to add a ton of stuff to it. If you are using it for bulking, good for you but this was the wrong shake for me. I did enjoy the flavor A LOT and it blended together very well, not chunky or grainy. But, I would recommend this brand to someone who is working out hard and doesn't have a sensitivity to soy or lactose. My friend did do well with it

Everyone knows Optimum Nutrition is the best protein powder on the market so I'm not gonna say anything about that. My review is about the reviews claiming this is fake. Mine, too, came without a seal. This did worry me as older protein powders from ON came with one. So, when I ran out, I ordered directly from ON and it came without a seal as well. The only seal the company direct one had was on the outside of the lid and it had the normal shiny hologram on that plastic seal. So, you don't need to worry about it being real or not because it is confirmed that newer ON protein tubs come without the inner seal now

This review will be on three different flavors. Tropical Punch, Extreme Milk Chocolate, and Vanilla Ice Cream. First, I am not a gym rat or anything like that. Like many people after the new year, I decided I wanted to lose weight, but this time I actually started working out. lol. I know that protein is a great thing to have especially after a workout. I have tried Whey Protein in the past and it always tasted absolutely gross. I was shocked beyond belief when I received my first Whey Protein order of Extreme Milk Chocolate and how good it tasted. That's when I bought the Vanilla Ice Cream and then the Tropical Punch and I have placed an order for the Mocha Cappuccino. The previous protein powders that I did not like were not Optimum Nutrition if I remember correctly. I titled this Tropical Punch because I had a heck of a time finding reviews on that particular flavor. I make my mixes 8oz plus one scoop of powder. You'll understand this later. I also use one of those hand shaker blenders (I think that is right). TROPICAL PUNCH - After reading some of the reviews, I opted to try this with Gatorade (or maybe it was Powerade) first because many people said that this tasted nasty with milk. I have not tried it with milk and I don't plan to after trying it with the Gatorade and Powerade (both were fruit punch and I also tried it with the White Cherry Powerade). It tastes pretty good to me, but it doesn't taste like tropical punch or at least not any tropical punch I have ever had. I use 4 - 6 oz of either sports drink and the rest water to make 8 oz. Thus far, I have one of these after a cardio workout. I know that these sports drink have a lot of sugar (21g per serving) but that is for a serving size of 12 fl. oz. Basically, 7 - 14g of sugar is a heck of a lot better than downing a 12oz can of soda (I had a "discussion" with a friend and needed to vent that line. lol) VANILLA ICE CREAM - This also taste pretty good to me. It taste like it says. I mix this with 4 - 8oz of 2% milk (sorry fitness extremist, but skim milk is just not that great tasting to me and yes I have tried it with skim and 1%). Of course, if you use 4 oz of milk then use 4 oz more of water to make the drink. EXTREME CHOCOLATE MILK - I saved the best for last, for the ones I have tried. I love, let me repeat this, love this powder and I never thought that chocolate would be my favorite flavor (I'm one of the odd people that prefer vanilla over chocolate). If you want to try one Whey Protein to see what it is like, then you have to get this one in a 2lb jug to see if you like it. Since I'm not the only one using this powder, my first one (purchased about 3 weeks ago) is almost gone and I just ordered a 5lb jug of this because it is that awesome. I mix either soymilk (If you told me ten years ago that I would enjoy a chocolate flavored soymilk, I would have cried laughing over the improbability) or my 2% milk 4 - 8oz. When I mix this with the 2% milk, it tastes almost identical to Barber's Tru Moo Chocolate Milk. When I mix it with the soymilk, it tastes a bit off from the "Tru Moo" like chocolate milk, but not comparing it to that, it taste really good. I will add more when I get more flavors. I hope this helps people decide on this product

Great product to top up daily protein intake. I've been using it for the last few years and French Vanilla is my all time favorite!)) Just remember that all bodies are different and to know how much of the additional protein you actually need is quite important. Overloading yourself with protein without understanding and knowing your numbers is not going to make any good to your body. Threre's some tips that you might find helpful: It is not recommended to take more than 20 grams of protein per meal. Simply because most of bodies are not capable to process more protein in one sitting. Total number of daily protein intake should be calculated according to your body weight and your goals. It is not recommended to take more than 2 grams of protein per 1 kilo of body weight. // Means if my body weight is 60 kilos then 120 grams of protein per day should be more than enough when I'm gaining mass. Other than that 1 to 1.5 gram of protein per kilo of body weight works just fine.// Means 60-80 grams of protein per day for my 60 kilos work fine to train, maintain and even grow more muscles. When you calculate approx amount of whey protein you are going to take a day, keep in mind all other protein rich foods you intake with your daily meals (such as eggs, dairy, fish, chicken, beef, pork etc.) Taking more protein than your body needs may not just cause constipation and some digestion problems but it will affect your kidneys. And you don't want to slowly kill your kidneys, right? Take care of yourself and use this great product wisely to help your body, not to harm it. ;) *** Just tried Salted Cramel flavor! The taste and after taste are great. Not too sweet, not really salty, nice and mild caramel cream aftertaste. But smell .. oh dear.. it smells like brown burnt sugar with hint of curry 😆.. generally smell is strong but not too bad. If you like autumn type of spices - pumping, cinnamon, nutmeg and all that stuff, you probably won't have any issue with Salted Caramel. I personally just need to get used to it. ))) Again, taste is great.

a number of years ago I used this protein and all I remember was how horrible it was. But now, I think it may have been a bad batch. Because it was on sale and I'm out of what I was using, I went for the old faithful to most protein powder lovers. And I am so happy I did! It blends wonderfully in my almond milk and a plain shaker bottle. The taste was great, I got vanilla ice cream flavor and it tasted like any healthy version of vanilla ice cream would. I felt full past my normal point of hunger, so that was a huge bonus. I definitely will continue buying this one now, for the flavor vs. sugar idk if it can be beat

This dissolves great with cold fluids. No lumps at all with just a shaker bottle. But for the love of all that is holy, do not, I repeat DO NOT throw this in your coffee. It will curdle into an inedible gross lumpy mess that makes me want to hurl just remembering it. How hard is it to modify the instructions to say "Blend with cold water, milk or other COLD liquid"? Or add a "Do not mix with hot liquids"? I'm not even sure what it does with room temperature fluids, and don't want to find out. Now let me go brush my teeth again. Blergh. Otherwise, it was a perfectly fine (borderline bland) base blending powder

I mix the mocha flavor in a glass of raw milk, flavor is off the charts good. Like a delicious milk shake, but also good for you. Mixes well, no clumping, no blender required, I just stir it with a large spoon. I'll have one before my workout, sometimes a 2nd one right afterwards. It does have a small amount of caffeine (label says 15 mg.), so I have it early in the day (I'm caffeine sensitive). Large container, so it lasts quite a while, I'm on my 3rd one. Will definitely be reordering

----Introduction---- We all know that whey protein works. It's one of the cheapest and most convenient ways to reach your protein goals if you can't get there with meals. "Cheaping out" on your whey doesn't always pan out, as anyone who has choked down a less expensive (but clumpy) tub of protein. Paying top dollar doesn't always guarantee positive results either. I've had some "premium" protein that I didn't care for because while it mixed great, it tasted terrible! I always seem to come back to ON whey protein because it fits the bill on all accounts (at least for me). ----Ingredient Profile---- It's got whey! (hey!). Around 24g of protein per scoop (~31g) you get a fair amount of protein, with the rest left over for "other stuff". The "other stuff" being 1g of fat and 3g of carbs, with one gram of those carbs coming from sugar. All this is from ONE label that I found (chocolate malt flavor), but if you look around the net at other labels of this product, you'll see slightly different numbers. What's up with that? The variance is most likely due to the MANY different flavors ON has on the market. The flavor will also affect what sweetener is used, as I have seen acesulfame potassium and sucralose (better known as the brand name Splenda) both alone and in combination depending on the flavor. It's good to be aware that this variance exists, but for most it shouldn't matter too much. I'm sure you can find other whey's with a tighter carb/sugar/fat/protein ratio, so if you're micromanaging your macros you might be concerned. But overall I think it's pretty good. On the topic of artificial sweeteners: I feel that artificial sweeteners are safe for the most part. Some people might disagree, but much of the clinical literature I have read (regarding aspartame, saccharine, and sucralose specifically) has indicated that they are safe in most people. Most problems I have heard are that people have trouble digesting large amounts of the stuff and get diarrhea. However, I feel that they are better than the amount of sugar (I.E., empty calories) it takes to achieve a similar sweetness. These are just my own thoughts and opinions, so use your best judgment. ----Taste---- Here is where a protein powder can really shine, in my opinion. With upwards to 24 different flavors, you're bound to find one that you like. I've tried a handful of them and they were great. My go-to has been the double rich chocolate, as I can add some peanut butter to it if I want to add some more calories/make it taste even better. I would recommend that you pick a flavor that you REALLY like before investing in a 10lb bag (strawberry got old after a while). ----Mixability---- ON's Whey always mixes easily and cleanly in both milk and water, with very little (if any) clumpage. The labeling states that you can stir it up with a spoon, but I recommend sticking to a good ol' shaker bottle. Full marks here. ----Dosing---- Dosing is easy peasy, just scoop up however much you need. One scoop per serving is pretty standard for most powders, with 24g per serving being normal as well. ----Effectiveness---- I can state with great certainty that ON's protein is effective. Working in the field that I do, some jobs in the past have had me working 12 hours a day with no breaks. Oftentimes, this would be my only source of protein (and sometime my only source of nutrition, period). Despite these conditions I was still able to hit my daily protein goals. I did have some digestive issues when I first started supplementing protein, but that was mostly because I made such a drastic change in my eating habits. Those have long since subsided, and my gut bacteria enjoy processing my protein without complaint. Also, Labdoor.com (an independent supplement testing lab) gave ON's Gold Standard 100% Whey Protein an A-. I feel that the "minus" comes from the inclusion of artificial sweeteners, which labdoor.com marks as "controversial". As I've said previously, I feel these claims are overstated. ----Value---- The best value is to buy in bulk, and ON offers a whopping 10lb bag for around $110 on amazon. That averages out to about 75 cents a serving, so I feel that I'm getting my money's worth. The most commonly carried size by most brick-and-mortar stores is the 5lb tubs, but sizes go all the way down to a 1.8lb package if you aren't a monster consumer like myself. Do note that not all flavors are carried in all sizes, as the 10lb bags are limited to around 5 flavors. ----Side Effects---- You might experience some cramping if you're new to supplementing protein, but that's usually because your body is getting used to processing protein in such a large bolus. It should pass fairly quickly. For those that still have problems, you might have issues processing whey in general. I have heard of people having success in switching to other protein sources such as soy in these cases. ----Conclusion---- If you want a whey protein that is affordable, mixes well, tastes great, and works, look no further. While you can probably find some other whey's with a slimmer carb profile, it won't beat ON's Gold Standard by much. Highly recommended