Gold Standard 100% Whey Naturally Flavored Protein Powder 4.8 (Packaging May Vary), Vanilla, 76.8 Ounce

As I said elsewhere, I have been experimenting with nutrition add ons due to an upcoming post-surgical period where I will be on a 'liquid diet only' for a minute and clear liquids for a few days. And I complicate matters by being very sensitive to artificial flavors (all those years of baking and organic eating, I suppose). I also read that many protein drinks/mixes have tested high for lead (for some strange reason veg protein seems to be worst culprit) so that took me down yet another rabbit hole. Not what a cancer survivor wants to play with. I tried Quest salted caramel first. It tastes good, is very very sweet but naturally flavored (sweetened with stevia). When I first mixed it with another nutrition drink (11.5 oz carton), using a full scoop, I had to add another whole carton to temper it a bit. No aftertaste, just very sweet. Next time I used 1/2 scoop, added some cinnamon and/or pb to balance the sweetness hit. Much better. I also noticed it was very thickening when mixed with my Kate Farms drink (not a thick drink at all). That is not necessarily a bad thing and it may not be like that when mixed with water or other milks. This was just my experience. I can't have milkshake consistency post-surgery but I might want it after that. Optimum Nutrition Gold was on the list of options I read that said "safe for occasional use" as regards lead content. And whey products in general seemed to test cleaner. So a good start. I took the advice of a reviewer who said the classic vanilla is better than vanilla ice cream flavor so that is what I started with. It IS good. It isn't quite so sweet so I can put a full scoop in my nutrition shake which means more protein. It also doesn't seem to thicken my nutrition drink blend. I also noticed that a spoonful in my morning coffee dissolves better, rather than sinking to the bottom of my mug and, again, does not hit me in the face with sweetness. So I think this will be my long term choice beyond surgery while I am trying to gain weight unless I can find equivalent organic option. I look forward to trying their chocolate flavor. Very pleased with ON.

This is my first time buying protein. I've been working out for about three weeks now, trying to lose fat and gain muscle. I did a lot of research before I decided on this product, because I saw how expensive protein powders were. There's so many claims that every manufacturer make about how their product is superior to their competitors. I decided that I wouldn't base my decision on the flashy claims written on bottles, bright colors, or even on customer reviews. I did my own research online about what a GOOD protein powder should have. Here's why I love my Optimum Nutrition 100% Whey Gold Standard Natural Whey, Vanilla, 5 Pound: 1.) LOW CALORIE and LOW FAT - For me, this was probably the most important factor being someone who is try to shed fat. There are only 130 calories, 1g of fat, and 0.5g of saturated fat per scoop ( 1 scoop = 32g). This is by far the leanest protein I found. 2.) HIGH PROTEIN per scoop - If I was going to shell out over 50 bucks on a supplement, it better be worth my money. This powder packs 24g of protein per scoop. Another plus as Optimum Nutrition has made a high protein, and low calorie/fat product. You can't beat a powder which is 75% of pure protein by weight. 3.) ALL NATURAL ingredients - According to my research, the biggest dangers of protein powders were that they were chock full of artificial flavors and sweeteners which can cause harm if taken over a long period of time. This is why I opted for Optimum Nutrition's natural form of protein. This product only has natural flavorings, and natural cane juice for sweetness. Some reviews say that this powder lists stevia or Rebaudiana-A in the ingredients. This is FALSE. At least for me it is. My bottle lists evaporated cane juice as the only sweetener. No stevia in mine. I'm glad Optimum Nutrition did this, because there is still a lot of research that should be done on stevia before we can truly call it safe. 4.) Simple and versatile vanilla flavor - I must say that this product tastes fine. Its not a dessert/milkshake, and its not a treat. Its a protein powder SUPPLEMENT, and I'm satisfied with the way it tastes. I was worried about buying this because a few reviews said how this was "undrinkable" or had a "artificial sweetener aftertaste". I honestly don't have any such problem with this protein. Its very much drinkable. Even if you do somehow hate the flavor, just dilute the powder in a greater amount of liquid before you drink it. I love how this vanilla flavor is very versatile in that I am able to add it to anything and it fits. So far, I've put it in berry smoothies, oatmeal, and my morning cereal. I'm sure I won't get bored trying to find the different ways I can add this protein into my meals. 5.) A,GOOD PROTEIN BLEND with all the AMINO ACIDS I need - Through research, I found that there are so many types of protein, and the best type of protein is whey isolate or whey peptides, but these types of powder can get very expensive. I wasn't ready to spend that much money on a powder. This product lists a protein blend of whey isolates, whey concentrate, and whey peptides in each serving. Many other manufacturers only use the cheap whey concentrate in the products. I like how this is a high quality blend which keeps the cost low. ON has also put in all the essential amino acids, and BCAA's I need to help my body's muscles recover quickly after a workout. Overall, I happy I made this choice. ON has made a product which is nutritious, low calorie, high quality, and all natural. What more can I ask for in a decently priced protein powder? Get this now, and I promise you won't regret it.

Man o man, this is good stuff i take it after extensive strenght training workout and it feels good, its all natural no artificial sweetener's just like a same person would like to have in his diet, and I HAVE SEEN GOOD RESULTS taking it as a post workout protein shake. Im not lactose intolerant so I take it with 100 ml milk mixing little bit of water so avoid a think texture and ENJOY

Get the vanilla ice cream instead, this tastes like wallpaper paste. I'm stuck with a large container. I love the cinnamon roll and double chocolate of the same brand, just not this one.

I've been using this protein powder for about 3-4 years now. I've only used two other protein powders. Body Fortresses chocolate and peanut butter. (Tastes like Resses Cup.) They sell them for cheap at my local Walmart. $18 for a 2lb. As opposed to this one which has a 2lb for $31 right now. The other one was an ON protein powder as well. I used to buy the double rich chocolate flavor for that one. And it would come in the red and black case. They also had some flavors that this one doesn't have. That I've never got to try. Like the coffee and mocha cappuccino. The reason why I stopped using those other protein was because I was starting to get tired of the taste. And I started to dread taking protein shakes because of it. I used the black and red ON for about 3 years. And the Body Fortress for maybe a year and a half around the same time. The taste was just way too over powering. Especially the B.F. Which doesn't surprise me since it's so cheap. B.F has other flavors too, and 30g of protein per serving instead of ON's 24g. But their scoop is considerably bigger. And I'm honestly fine with paying almost double the price for this products quality. This one was definitely my favorite of the 3. And I plan to continue drinking it for the years to come. I believe I've only ever gotten the vanilla flavor for this one. But am so satisfied with the taste. That I don't really feel the need to switch. I'll only ever mix it with water as a last result. Like when I'm out of whole milk, or almond milk. I like how it tastes with whole milk the most. Plus, whole milk adds more protein. In my opinion, I think it tastes the worst with water. Whenever I drink it, I'll just mix it in one of my coffee mugs. And it dissolves real easily. Which is another thing I like about this powder. The taste isn't strong, but you can still taste the vanilla quite well. But sometimes, I put just a little bit of my vanilla coffee creamer to give it a boost of taste. Overall, I'm very satisfied with this protein. And never got sick of the taste so far. When I was working 11-13 hour shifts at my last job. Which was at a warehouse. I would drink 2 a day, 5 times a week. Along with some coffee during break or on my lunch. Literally, whenever I didn't the coffee and protein. I'd feel so tired and sluggish at work. As if I only had an hours sleep. I highly recommend this product and brand. I use to, and still have my other supplements. All of which, are from this Brand, ON. My creatine, BCAA, HMB, and ZMAs. I use to take all that when I worked out like every day a few years ago.j But I don't anymore. Now I'll just stick to trying to get most of my protein from real food. Like eggs, tuna, peanut butter, chicken, tilapia, ham, almonds, and cottage cheese. I've always heard it's better to get most of your protein from actual food. Even so, I'm still taking 1-2 of these protein shakes before and after I workout. :) And I suppose this is a good alternative if you don't have immediate access to a protein based food. Or you're a vegan.

Smells like vanilla. Tastes like vanilla. Really fantastic!

For me, the bottom line with whey protein is that it needs to taste good, is easy on my digestion, and has the "right stuff" without convoluting the product description with a ton of broscience BS like "You'll gain 100lbs of PURE muscle in the first HOUR after taking this!" that every consumer should avoid at all costs. So... Does it taste good? Absolutely. Mix with peanut butter or banana to add an extra flavor boost, or it's great on its own. I generally mix with vanilla flavored almond milk, so it adds richness as well. To each their own. Is it easy on digestion? When I first started taking it, I had some very frequent trips to my magazine stand (bathroom), but this went away within 1 week of consistent use. Does it have the "right stuff" without the BS claims? I believe so. I'm not going to pretend like I have a bunch of knowledge about nutrition - I just want something that will supplement my goals to live a healthy and fit lifestyle. 24g of protein per serving, no artificial sweeteners (they usually upset my stomach), no weird chemicals that I can't pronounce, and it doesn't pretend like this is God's supplement gift that will grant special powers and strength to folks who want to stay in shape. It's a product to SUPPLEMENT a healthy LIFESTYLE. I use this about twice a day - once in the morning after I workout and once in the evening (whether I get a second workout in or not). If you're very sensitive to dairy, I would seek out a whey protein isolate product. It's more costly, but I would definitely opt for it myself if cost weren't an issue. This is a reasonably priced alternative that I will be using for the foreseeable future. If you're on the fence about this stuff, just get it. You will not be disappointed.

I love the flavor and how well it mixes! I would love it if company were to sell a package with all of the different flavors they sell! I would purchase!

It doesn’t taste as good as I expected and it froths up a lot if you put it in blender.

Llego en buenas condiciones y el día que dijeron

It's nice tasting and mixes smoothly with minimal effort.

Very good whey. Tastes great.