A few protein reviews

[roundisashape 712]

Hi,

I'm still at least 3 months pre-op (I have 3 months to go to fulfill my insurance requirements) but I have been trying some Protein samples. Thought I'd share my opinions!

Atkins Daybreak Creamy Chocolate: This is my favorite prepared drink so far, but of course lowest in protein! Not much aftertaste and a good texture.

Atkins Advantage Milk chocolate Delight: Not as good as the daybreak version, but drinkable. A little "watery" tasting.

Atkins Advantage Strawberry: Chalky, tastes like medicine. Very artificial strawberry flavor. Not good.

Muscle Milk chocolate (powder, not prepared): This, so far, is my very favorite of all of them. Least offensive smell, but a slightly gritty texture. It's better with milk than Water, and tastes a little like a melted Frosty from Wendy's. They sent me a sample of regular, not lite, but the stats on the regular one didn't seem too far off of most other Meal Replacement Protein shakes. I liked it enough to buy a whole jug of it to use pre-op. It's also good with PB2 added, and makes tolerable Cookies. Sets up like cement if you don't wash your glass immediately.

Muscle Milk vanilla Creme (powder, regular): I just don't like the taste of vanilla as much as I like chocolate, but it wasn't bad. Same gritty texture and a little too sweet, but I could drink it again. Also better with milk than Water, and I'll bet it would taste good with crushed ice and a little McCormick's root beer concentrate. Maybe I'll try that with another brand of vanilla.

Syntrax nectar strawberry Kiwi: I wish I'd known not to mix these when I'm already dressed for work - as soon as it hit water, it turned "Radiation Red". They all do that - turn shockingly bright colors. Anyway, it tasted like a cross between Hawaiian Punch and feet. Oddly enough, it was fine just eating the powder like a pixie stick. Can we do that after surgery? I know it wouldn't go towards our liquid requirements that way, but it wouldn't hurt anything if that's the only way to get it down, right? The Syntrax flavors I've tried so far seem to have the most offensive smell, and that's hard for me to get past. It could also be that I'm mentally psyched up to drink juice, and it just doesn't taste like juice.

Syntrax Nectar Fuzzy Navel: I really wanted to like this one. In fact, the first sip, I was in love. The second, I wasn't so sure. The third, I retched. It wound up going down the drain. I have no idea why I reacted this way, but I just couldn't force it down. Has anyone ever tried freezing these? For some reason I felt like I might be able to get it down if I froze it into cubes, then shaved it and ate it like a snowcone. I still have samples of other flavors left, I might try it just for giggles.

Syntrax Nectar Chocolate Truffle: Mixed this one with milk. Tasted kind of like chocolate milk - not as good as Muscle Milk, but tolerable. Lower in calories, for sure.

Chike Orange Creme: I've never really found anything orange creme / orange sherbet-y that I could get excited about. I mixed it with water, and it stayed a little lumpy but not gritty. Toothache sweet and had a strong smell (I wound up pouring it in a cup with a lid and straw), but the taste wasn't terrible. I wouldn't buy any quantity of this, but might not mind having a few packets around just to break things up later.

That's it for now, but I'm sure I'll have more later - I still have a bunch of Chike and nectar samples at home, and just ordered the powders?utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury starter pack.

I've also tried a few bars:

ThinkThin Chocolate Fudge (and caramel - my review wouldn't be different if I split up the flavors): These are the most disgusting things I think I've ever put in my mouth. Gritty, too sweet but not sweet enough at the same time and I'm not sure how that's possible, massive aftertaste - just gross. If you've been diabetic or ever spent time with one, you know that smell bottled insulin has? That's kind of what these taste like.

[smorvant22 29]

The new drink by Coca-COla is really good. ITs called Core Power. you get 20g of Protein per drink and the light version comes in choc or strawberry vanilla. THey are both really good. i'll be a month post op tomorrow and this is the first Protein Drink that i can honestly drink becuase you don't taste the protein in it lol

[roundisashape 712]

Ooh, thanks for the tip! I'll have to see if I can find some of that!

[Beach Lover 1,084]

Try Premier Protein shakes you get 30g Protein and they are 160 calories and the best one that I have tried and I have tried a lot of them. You can them at Sam's, costco, and BJ's. Really Good!!

[roundisashape 712]

Nice! I have a friend with a costco membership, I'll get her to let me tag along one day.

[Beach Lover 1,084]

Nice! I have a friend with a costco membership, I'll get her to let me tag along one day.

You will love them!! I am 4 months post op and it is the only one I will drink. I have tried many and this is the only one that still tastes good to me. I also like a cup of 1/2 caffeine cup of coffee in the morning and I put sf caramel machiatto in it with some of my Protein drink.........So Good!!! Not sure if you can drink coffee yet or if you do but if and when you can............yummy!

[RJ'S/beginning 5,357]

You will love them!! I am 4 months post op and it is the only one I will drink. I have tried many and this is the only one that still tastes good to me. I also like a cup of 1/2 caffeine cup of coffee in the morning and I put sf caramel machiatto in it with some of my Protein drink.........So Good!!! Not sure if you can drink coffee yet or if you do but if and when you can............yummy!

I gag every time I drink a Premier Protein drink..But you are right it is the best one and i still drink them when needed....We can only get chocolate here..They say the vanilla is horrible..Have you tried that type....

[AngelaTX 29]

I'm with Beach Lover...love my Premier Protein Shakes!

I also like a Protein Powder called "Pure Protein" powder vanilla cream flavor that I was excited to see at Walmart. It has 25g of Protein per scoop. I like to use it when I want a different flavored shake...and it tastes good with Water. I love to add vanilla Greek yogurt and natural applesauce plus some cinnamon....tastes like apple pie!

[Beach Lover 1,084]

I gag every time I drink a premier Protein drink..But you are right it is the best one and i still drink them when needed....We can only get chocolate here..They say the vanilla is horrible..Have you tried that type....

The vanilla is super sweet and I can't tolerate it but that goes for all vanilla drinks. I still like the Premier chocolate though. I should be sick of them but I still enjoy them. Thank God!!

[PGee 318]

Thanks for the review!

I find the Atkins and muscle milk don't have the amount of Protein that I'm looking for (I think they have between 10 & 16 grams).......I'm looking for something in the 20 -- 30 gram range for protein

Remember, you can always doctor this stuff up..... add 1/2--1 cup of weak Decaf coffee and lots of ice to a vanilla shake/drink......PB2 added to chocolate is always yummie.......I had some Bariatric Advantage i didn't like (chocolate)......and added some nonfat milk powder---12 ounces of Water and a tsp of instant coffee to make it mocha.....yum.......

Good luck on this journey, and thanks again for the reviews, they were helpful!

[roundisashape 712]

I've been hearing a lot about Premier around the board - it definitely needs to make my "try" list! Thanks for all the great tips, too. I'm really excited about the coffee idea, It's probably a bad thing, but I'm 35 and just started regularly drinking it a few months ago.

[roundisashape 712]

So I feel bad, now, saying anything bad about Chike. They're such nice people! I ordered the sample pack, and someone called me this week to talk about the order and how I liked it, etc. That kind of customer service makes the shakes taste a little better .

Tried the chocolate one the other day, mixed with milk, and it had a funny aftertaste. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't as good as some other brands of chocolate.

I also tried the coffee Chike yesterday morning, and that one was good. Strong coffee flavor - it really masked the protein!

[loveelaura 52]

Okay so I am going to piggyback on this. I bought the sample powders?utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury pack and created my own sample pack of Syntrax nectar (bob's bariatrics) and have tried a bunch this week.

So far it's the SMELL that's killing me so I'm trying my best to not breathe as I drink them.

Unjury- chocolate- tastes a little like chocolate milk. After taste was a little weird

Syntrax- Black cherry- yuck! Took one sip and dumped the rest

strawberry mousse- super sweet and kinda bland. Did not finish this one

Fuzzy navel- pretty good! So far my favorite of the fruity ones. I did add a couple pumps of cherry lime sugar free Torani Syrup

Roadside lemonade- it was okay. Added a couple pumps of sf cherry lime syrup

Double stuffed cookie- good on its own. Also added a container of vanilla yogurt to it in my Blender Bottle to add some creaminess to if and it's great! Will be buying a tub of this one

All of the Syntrax samples I mixed with Water. The Unjury sample I used unsweetened almond milk. All were mixed in a small Blender Bottle. Love this thing!

I am pre-op right now until January. Getting into the habit of drinking a shake for breakfast!! I will be picking up a couple more sf flavors of the syrup from Amazon too so I can doctor up the shakes as I go too. Nice to have sf and calorie free flavor options!

Sent from my iPhone using VST

Edited November 3, 2013 by loveelaura

[blueyed75 5]

For those of you that are pre-op just know the way the drinks taste WILL change. Drinks I liked before surgery I cant even tolerate now and they taste completely different. Its best to find one you like for your pre-op diet then try samples after surgery to see which ones you like best post-op chances are they will not be the same.

Edited November 3, 2013 by blueyed75

[Scorpion11 99]

Today is my 2bd day on pre-op liquid diet. It's much harder than I thought. My WLS is 11/15.

I don't know if I can do it feeling is on today.

However I'm liking all your post and variety if different Protein drinks.

I went with what my doctors office had listed which was the world wide 35 Protein ready to drink 11oz cans and taste good, but costly. $2.75 each can, so only bought 1wks worth and will have to go shopping during week for some of the ones listed here.

Thank you everyone.

Keep up the great success and posts.

We pre-ops look up to y'all