Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey Protein Powder, Extreme Milk Chocolate, 2 Pound (Pack of 1) (Packaging May Vary)

Delicious flavors and a really decent value for the cost. I was buying Kachava for a while and was fed up with the slow shipping speeds and cost to product ratio, Optimum Nutrition makes a really good product and was recently featured in a Consumer Reports article that showed it had extremely low levels of lead compared to other brands. I like when a company looks out for its customers and I’m happy I made the switch, this powder mixes well with other fresh ingredients like bananas and peanut butter. It doesn’t really get clumpy and I find that two scoops doesn’t make me feel ill like with other brands. I’m able to get a good amount of protein in one drink and I don’t get bloated. I bought Vanilla Ice Cream, Extreme Milk Chocolate and Cookies ‘N Cream…my least fave was the Cookies ‘N Cream, it’s just very sweet tasting. The other two flavors were phenomenal and taste like what they’re trying to imitate. I’ll keep buying this brand if they keep up this quality, you can’t really go wrong with the Vanilla Ice Cream or Extreme Milk Chocolate. Try it. 👍🏼👍🏼

Delicious and Effective Chocolate Protein! I love this chocolate protein: it tastes amazing, mixes very well, and has no clumps. It’s perfect for after workouts or as a quick, nutritious snack. It helps me feel satisfied and keeps my energy up throughout the day. I also appreciate that it has high-quality ingredients and doesn’t taste artificial. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a tasty and effective protein!

This is truly unreal. I’ve probably tried 20 different brands trying to find anything that works or tastes better than this—especially since I prefer plant-based options—but nothing compares. Even if I were still strictly vegan, I would still choose this. It not only tastes better than anything else on the market, but it also works better and is incredibly well-priced. Honestly, it should cost twice as much. That said, I'm a total chocolate fanatic, and while this is great, I personally like the Double Rich Chocolate even better than the Extreme Milk Chocolate. I'll never order anything else!

----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.

I bought this a month ago for my husband, and I’ve been using it myself after workouts from time to time. It mixes easily whether I use just a shaker bottle or stir it in a glass, it almost never clumps. We mainly use it post-workout, and it sits well on my stomach with no bloating or weird reactions. The flavor is fine and not overly sweet. To be honest, it’s a little mild for my taste, so if you prefer sweeter or more milkshake-like protein powders, this one might feel a bit light, especially when mixed with water. With milk, though, the flavor improves a lot and tastes much better. Other than that personal preference on sweetness, we haven’t had any issues with it so far.

Great Price! It’s my favorite flavor and it mixes very well.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Great Taste and Excellent Results! This protein powder is one of the best I’ve ever tried! The Extreme Milk Chocolate flavor tastes amazing — smooth, rich, and not too sweet. It mixes easily with water or milk, leaving no clumps at all. I use it after every workout, and it really helps with muscle recovery and strength gains. I’ve noticed better energy and faster recovery time since I started using it. Plus, it’s gentle on the stomach and doesn’t cause bloating like some other brands.

Loved this protein powder! I work nights at a hospital and having a shaker bottle of this while I'm on shift has been quite filling and helpful while I'm working. I care a lot that my protein shakes don't taste heavily of artificial sugar in the aftertaste because that tastes horrible to me and the Extreme Milk Chocolate flavor that I picked up has been really good tasting. It came in a really big bottle and I am hopeful it will last me a long time, I think with the flavor and the size it's worth the amount I got it for. I am not deep in the weeds of nutrition or things like that, so I'll let others speak more of it on those fields, but from my personal experience, it's been helpful giving me energy and protein during long overtime during graveyard shifts since I can keep it in a shaker bottle to sip from whenever I have time rather than waiting for food on my lunch break and helping me keep up on protein while trying to grow and repair my leg muscles since I work on my feet all night. Would recommend!