Sports Nutrition, Whey Protein Isolate, 25 g With BCAAs, Creamy Chocolate Powder, 1.8-Pound

This whey protein isolate from NOW Foods has been one of the cleanest and easiest proteins I’ve added to my routine. The creamy chocolate flavor is smooth without being overly sweet, and it mixes surprisingly well — no chalky texture or clumps when shaken in a simple bottle. I also appreciate that the formula is straightforward with minimal ingredients and 25g of protein per serving, which makes it perfect for post-workout recovery. It feels light on the stomach and doesn’t cause any bloating. The only thing to note is that the chocolate flavor is more subtle than dessert-like brands, but I actually prefer that. Overall, this is a high-quality, reliable protein powder that delivers exactly what it promises.

My dear lord, the taste is terrible! What kind of chocolate is this supposed to taste like?? Booty? This is by far the worst tasting protein I have had yet, but the quality of the protein and ingredients are incredible. Just wish it tasted better.

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.

I would say this is a pretty good tasting protein drink mix. It’s not super chocolatey like I wanted but still good. So for the price you get 25 servings, each serving is 25g of protein. I also like this one because for a whey protein, it’s only 5 mg of cholesterol per serving. With a lot of whey proteins usually the cholesterol level is way higher. I’ve tried the vanilla from the same brand too. It’s pretty good. The serving suggestion is one scoop, but you may need two servings a day depending upon your protein needs.

Very pleased with both the vanilla and the chocolate flavors. I have tried many kinds, this is the best so far. Whey protein powder by far the best flavor.

This is by far the worst protein powder I have ever tried. It foams like crazy, doesn't mix well at all, has a weird smell, an awful initial taste, and a lingering after taste that coats your tongue and mouth. I tried everything to get this to taste better, and I just couldn't do anything to mask the flavor. It was so bad that I couldn't even finish it. I'd recommend staying as far away from the chocolate flavor as you can. It's truly terrible.

Xylitol is a dangerous sugar substitute, and I didn't pay enough attention to the ingredients when I purchased this. Sure, it tastes fine, and dissolves well. A new study linking the low-calorie sugar substitute xylitol to an increased risk of heart attack or stroke has once again raised questions about the product. I think I'll move on to another protein powder and toss what is left of this one.

I have played sports and exercised the majority of my life. I have used a lot of different protein powders and most of them made me fell bloated. Not this one. This has been one of the best ones i have used. I am 40 yrs old and havent been re ovdring from workouts like i used to. I stopped being sore for multuple days after a tough workout. Only negative is the taste. It does not mix well in water. I mix it in milk to get best taste.