Try our favorite, clean protein powder: See our top pick →
Try our favorite, clean protein powder: See our top pick →
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It seems strange that you can know what chalk tastes like without actually trying it, but that’s exactly the power that underwhelming protein powders will give you—a power nobody asked for.
Thankfully, this list of the 6 best tasting protein powders on the market offers proof that you no longer have to compromise on flavor to get top-quality ingredients.
Whether you stick to what you know—the standard vanilla and chocolate paradigm—or if you like to venture out with flavors like turmeric and chai, these protein powders rise way above the competition when it comes to taste.
Our personal favorite is Primal Kitchen Collagen Fuel—that chocolate is nice with it.
With this list of nutritious, surprisingly affordable protein powders, you can get rid of that chalky “meh” flavor for good.
Best Overall | Plant-Based | Best Collagen | |
---|---|---|---|
Product | Primal Kitchen | KOS Organic | Ancient Nutrition |
Key Points | 10 grams of protein per scoop; organic fair-trade cocoa powder; peptide collagen aids absorption; no added sugar | 20 grams of protein per serving; blue spirulina boosts immunity; organic blueberry flakes for flavor; USDA organic | 20 grams of protein sourced from beef and chicken bone broth concentrates; contains glucosamine, chondroitin, collagen, and potassium; low in carbs |
Price | $1.67/serving Shop Now | $2.47/serving Shop Now | $2.65/serving Shop Now |
Best for: Those looking for the benefits of a high-collagen protein supplement that doesn’t compromise at all on taste.
We don’t mean to nudge vegans out of the equation, but in every aspect outside of vegan-friendliness, Primal Kitchen Collagen Fuel is pretty much the GOAT.
As we cover more comprehensively in our review of the supplement, Collagen Fuel rides top standards of ingredient quality in both the protein and “other stuff” (flavoring, etc.) departments.
Here’s the full ingredient list for Primal Kitchen Collagen Fuel (chocolate):
Bovine Collagen Peptides, Coconut Milk Powder (Adds a negligible amount of sugar), Organic Fair-Trade Cocoa Powder (Processed with Alkali), Monk Fruit Extract, Konjac Root Gum, Sea Salt.
Immaculately clean, organic, and—thanks to the cocoa and coconut milk powders—delicious. It’s the best-tasting collagen we’ve ever had, in fact.
And while monk fruit isn’t for everyone, it’s top of our list for natural sweeteners for both its flavor and lack of negative side effects.
As for the concentration, each serving of Primal Kitchen Collagen Fuel delivers 10 grams of this key protein, which isn’t the highest around, but we give them a bump in credit for how absorbable their particular supplement is. This is thanks to the fact that the collagen is in peptide form, which means the amino acid chains have been shortened, making them easier to break down.
Overall, if you’re looking for the best-tasting collagen supplement around that doesn’t skimp on ingredient quality, Primal Kitchen Collagen Fuel is our top pick.
Best for: Those who want a vegan and/or USDA organic product; people looking for protein + immunity without any harsh preservatives.
If you’ve got half as much experience as we do sampling all manner of protein bars, powders, and pre-mixed drinks, “blueberry” might raise a red flag, but KOS Organic Plant Protein (Blueberry Muffin) defies the stereotype here.
Instead of artificial flavoring and blue food coloring, KOS actually uses organic blueberry flakes in this USDA organic, plant-based protein powder supplement—and it’s delicious.
In addition to 20 grams of protein per serving, KOS Organic Plant Protein also contains blue spirulina, which is rich in immune-boosting phytonutrients.
The protein blend itself is an all-organic combination of pea protein, flax seed, pumpkin seed, quinoa trim, and chia seed, contributing a broad panel of amino acids.
It’s vegan, extremely tasty, and one of the most nutritionally well-rounded protein powders out there—KOS Organic Plant Protein is a real one.
Best for: Those looking for a clean, well-rounded source of protein from bone broth; anyone who wants a tasty protein supplement at a competitive value.
A very close second to Primal Kitchen (see above) in the taste department, Ancient Nutrition Bone Broth Protein is also well-reviewed for its use of highly concentrated chicken and beef bone broth concentrate.
Each serving delivers 20 grams of protein, 295 milligrams of potassium, and only 2 grams of carbs.
Bone broth is a superior source of protein, contributing type II collagen, glucosamine and chondroitin, and dozens of other compounds that support gut health, inflammation control, and more.
Ancient Nutrition Bone Broth Protein uses organic cocoa powder, though there’s also some stevia and natural flavors in there.
If you’re looking for a strong, nutritionally balanced approach to protein that makes zero compromise on flavor, Ancient Nutrition Bone Broth Protein is one of our go-to choices. And yes, they have vanilla, turmeric, and salted caramel flavors too. (But, come on—chocolate).
Best for: Anyone looking for a super minimalistic, clean, and highly concentrated protein powder that doesn’t taste fake or chalky.
True to their cheeky moniker, Naked keeps the ingredient list stripped down in the case of Naked Whey—here’s the whole list:
Whey Protein Concentrate, Organic Coconut Sugar, Organic Natural Flavor
Don’t let the simplicity fool you, however—each serving of this whey protein powder delivers an above average 25 grams of protein.
We also like how Naked Nutrition sources their protein from grass-fed cows raised without growth hormones.
Though it doesn’t explicitly list real vanilla as an ingredient, the vanilla flavor is both accurate and very tasty, thanks to a complete lack of artificial sweeteners, sugar alcohols, and so on.
It does contain natural flavors, but they’re organic, which takes most of the negative connotation out of it.
If you’re looking for a simple, clean protein powder that tastes great, Naked Nutrition makes it easy with their Vanilla Naked Whey.
Best for: Anyone looking for a highly nutritious take on protein powder that still tastes great
We can put our pro-chocolate bias aside less reluctantly in the case of Garden of Life RAW Organic Meal, because the Vanilla Chai is also a crowd pleaser in the taste department.
But taste is a small footnote in the case of Garden of Life RAW Organic Meal, which boasts a 15-ingredient raw organic protein blend consisting of the following foods, to name a few:
They’re all organic, and all sourced from real foods, totaling 22 grams of protein for one scoop in addition to 130% of your daily vitamin D, 20% of the iron RDA, and more to help you build muscle.
If that isn’t enough, the raw probiotic and enzyme blend contains 3 billion CFU of benevolent bacteria in various forms, including Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus plantarum, and more.
And if that isn’t enough, the organic flavor blend uses organic cacao and chocolate or vanilla flavors. There’s some erythritol and stevia in there, but both are organic.
Whether you’re shooting for pure swole-ness above all else or simply looking for a nutritious and protein-rich supplement, Garden of Life Organic RAW Protein has all the bases covered.
Best for: Keto followers (casual or strict) looking for a protein supplement that is both very low in carbs while providing easily absorbable fats for fuel.
As they informed us when being interviewed for our brand review, Perfect Keto doesn’t play around with carbs.
In fact, they research and test hundreds of ingredients to ensure that their keto products are not only low in carbs, but in fact, do not elicit a blood sugar spike after being ingested. (Believe it or not, plenty of low-carb foods still spike blood sugar significantly).
Each scoop of Perfect Keto Whey Protein contains 15 grams of protein, as well as 5 grams of medium-chain triglycerides, a ready-to-metabolize fat that acts as an ideal fuel source for keto-friendly energy.
The protein comes in the form of a whey protein isolate, which is derived from grass-fed cows.
The vanilla version contains non-organic natural flavors and stevia, but still rivals most of the best-tasting protein powders we’ve tried to date. It’s definitely among the best-tasting whey proteins we’ve had.
You can find slightly cleaner ingredient lists with other protein supplements, but for both the taste and all the work that Perfect Keto puts in to make sure this product is truly keto-friendly, we highly recommend their Whey Protein Isolate.
Taste is obviously subjective, but for our money, Primal Kitchen Collagen Fuel and Ancient Nutrition Bone Broth Protein are the two best-tasting protein powders around.
Whatever your flavor preference is, make sure the product you’re considering is flavored with real, natural ingredients, with no corn syrup or other cheap sweeteners.
That’s what separates protein powder that tastes good from products that don’t, among other factors.
There are plenty of protein and/or collagen powders on the market available in unflavored versions.
Our personal favorite is Ancient Nutrition Multi Collagen Peptides, although this product comes in capsule form.
The most effective way to make protein powder taste better, other than choosing a powder that already tastes great like those from this list, is to add it into a shake.
The best-tasting protein shake according to our team that adds in even more protein is a peanut butter and banana smoothie: peanut butter, Greek yogurt, banana, protein powder, and anything else you want to add to spice it up!
Well, not spice it up, per se.
If you’re looking for something a bit leaner for weight loss purposes, you can still mix protein powder in with a fruit smoothie to great effect flavor-wise.
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