NOW Foods Sports Nutrition, Whey Protein Isolate, 25 g With BCAAs, Unflavored Powder, 1.2-Pound

I'm no expert but I feel like this is one of the better Whey proteins out there. No added junk, just pure whey. Others have reviewed the nutrition merits so I'll go into consumption. When taking this I recommend only 1 cup of water per scoop. If you add more water I think it tastes worse. When I first started taking this I didn't like the taste and needed to add a spoon of my hot chocolate mix to it for taste. Now I actually really like the taste of it with nothing added. If you didn't know Whey is actually the protein from milk. It doesn't taste like milk but you get maybe a hint of that taste. I can't really describe it. Another trick I use is if you mix 1 cup of fruit punch and 1 scoop of Whey you get something that tastes like a delicious berry smoothie. This will also give you a 1:1 carb / protein ratio in itself. If I'm not working out at home I take one of these drinks with me so I can take it immediately after my workout or hockey game. Now just some tips I've picked up since you're looking to get Whey - muscle bulked up. (keep in mind I'm on that route but I'm not all muscle yet) Carbs are you energy - I recommend getting your carbs in the morning, before your workout so you have enough energy to get through it, and post workout to help restore energy. Half of a PB&J sandwich is my go to energy carb right now. White bread gets absorbed and converted to energy very fast and it works well for me. Carbs are needed to get the protein where it needs to go so don't go cutting them out completely. Update - Sounds odd but don't neglect fat - you want about half as many grams of fat or less (preferably unsaturated) as you do protein. You will suffer if you don't have any fat in your diet. Sunflower seeds, nuts, peanut butter, avocados all have some fat you can use. I'm trying for somewhere around a 2:1:.5 to 1:1:.3 grams of carbs:protein:fat per pound daily. When to take your Whey? There's some debate on whether to take Whey pre-workout or post-workout. Some say both. I used to go post but I recently switched to taking it pre-workout when I take my carbs (simple carbs around 45 minutes before workout) - logic being the protein will already be in your system for muscle repair. I haven't practiced it enough to say which way is best though. I also take a scoop in the morning. If you go for the daily recommended 1 gram per pound you'll be taking it throughout the day. Burning Fat: I'm a fairly skinny guy - however I've always had fat over my lower abs. I want abs so that had to go. I've lost almost all of that fat and here's how I did it. To lose weight you simply need to burn more calories then you take in. First, small meals / I make half sandwiches instead of whole ones now - when you go out to eat take home some of your meal in a doggie bag rather than forcing it all down. I only eat when I'm hungry, wait for your hunger pangs and fight them a little. If you're preoccupied with other things you can ignore hunger pangs easier. If they get too bad go make make yourself a small meal. If you fight hunger pangs for too long your energy levels will drop so go eat some carbs and it will pick them right back up. I'd take a multivitamin to make sure you're getting everything you need. Do this and watch fat go away - it doesn't take long, I can see / feel a difference in my stomach every day. When I do have a cheat day - sometimes the stomach wins or peer pressure and you just want to eat - the extra fat added on my belly is noticeable - but don't fret, you can burn it off in a day or two. Doing the above routine I lost a lot of fat eating a small bowl of cereal in the morning and a homemade hamburger for dinner. So honestly I don't think what you eat matters so much as waiting for and resisting the hunger pangs a bit. The end goal is to just burn more calories then you take in - so simply taking in less is an easy way to do that. Eating healthy: Recently I started eating healthier. It's a lot easier then you think. Vegetables, low fat meats, egg whites. Spend some time in the produce section of the grocery store and you'll find a lot of good, quick finger food you may have not considered before. My lunches are mostly all vegetables now. Cherry tomato's, broccoli, mushrooms, baby carrots, lettuce. All things you can just grab out of your fridge and snack on. Hard boil some eggs, put them in a bag in your fridge and you'll have egg whites whenever you want. Tuna, mackerel, sardines, frozen tilapia fillets (microwave for 1:30 or so) for fish protein. Skinless chicken breasts or whatever - marinate them in Italian dressing - sprinkle some Weber Gourmet Burger seasoning on right before cooking - cover in tin foil and pop in the oven at 350 degrees for around 40 minutes - delicious. I cook extra to refrigerate and microwave later. Not as good as out of the oven but still good. I've never been much of a chef - just picking up stuff along the way. If you have other healthy foods you like please share. I'm always looking to add to my menu. Workouts: Why the heck is this last? Hah, I'll just say I've been doing the p90x routine, I'm on week 5 and loving it. I find it helps to have something guide you rather than just going to the gym and doing whatever you feel like. When you're working out you get exhausted and don't want to think so I would find a good complete routine that switches things up, allows rest days, keeps you motivated, and is easy to follow. Of course take that with a grain of salt, as I said I don't have huge muscles yet - this is just what I've learned so far.

I’ve used NOW Sports Whey Protein consistently, and it’s one of the most honest, reliable whey proteins on the market—especially if you care about ingredient quality and transparency. Protein Quality & Ingredients NOW Sports uses high-quality whey (isolate/concentrate depending on the product) sourced from reputable suppliers. It’s Informed-Sport certified, which is a big deal for athletes and anyone concerned about banned substances. There are no unnecessary fillers, and the ingredient list is refreshingly simple compared to many competitors. Taste & Mixability The taste is clean and not overly sweet. If you’re used to very sugary or dessert-style protein powders, this may taste more “natural,” which I personally prefer. It mixes well in a shaker bottle with water or milk and doesn’t clump badly. A blender makes it even smoother, especially for smoothies. Digestibility This is one of the biggest strengths. It’s easy on the stomach, even when taken daily or post-workout. I’ve experienced no bloating or discomfort, which can’t be said for many cheaper whey brands. If you’re sensitive to additives or artificial sweeteners, this is a solid option. Nutrition Profile Each serving delivers a solid amount of protein with minimal sugar and fat. It supports muscle recovery and lean muscle growth without unnecessary calories—great if you’re cutting fat or trying to stay in a caloric deficit. Value for the Price NOW Sports may not always be the cheapest option, but you’re paying for quality, purity, and trust. For what you get, the price is fair and competitive, especially when compared to trendy brands with heavier marketing and weaker formulas. Who This Is Best For • People who value clean ingredients • Athletes who want third-party tested supplements • Anyone tired of overly sweet or gimmicky protein powders • Those focused on strength, muscle gain, or fat loss Possible Downsides • Flavors are more mild than candy-like brands • Not ideal if you want a very sweet, dessert-style protein Overall Verdict NOW Sports Whey Protein is a dependable, no-nonsense supplement that delivers exactly what it promises. If you want a clean, effective protein you can trust long-term, this is an excellent choice.

I bought the 1 lb. size to try out the taste, etc of this protein. I'm no nutrician and am choosing not to offer a lot of information on the health benefits of this product. There are already other great reviews that I strongly agree with written by people that know much more than me. Now Foods appears to be, from everything I've been able to find/reseach on-line, a very good quality company that produces top notch, bio-active products that are worth spending a few extra dollars on over much of what the copetition has to offer. Whey Protein Isolate is the best, most pure quality of protein available. This particular protein appears to have been made in a way that preserves more of the bio-active nutrients (proteins and amino acids) than how some/many/most other manufacturers process their protein powders. This protein does not seem to have anything in it that is not natural. In other words, all the bad stuff, artificial flavorings, etc have been left out of this product. This protein does clump some. It does have some mild taste that is easily masked by my morning cereal or whatever you mix it with. The taste does not rival that of a chocolate shake, nor does it taste bad. It specifically does not in any way shape or form appear to be foul smelling or tasting to me. It is also hard for me to imagine how anyone could suggest this product would smell or taste foul. (I mention this only because another reviewer mentioned taste in their review.) Though to be fair, taste is a very subjective thing. For how well it dissolves... I put a scoop in my morning cereal. By the time I have made it half way through the bowl, the protein powder has completely disolved on its own. I have no negative comments to offer. I do plan to try Allmax IsoNatural Whey Protein Isolate. It is the only protein powder I've been able to find that could possibly be better than this one from Now Foods. The IsoNatural is more expensive. The two products are so close in terms of their perceived quality and nutritional content that I may opt for Now Foods in the end simply because it is cheaper. This is my two cents worth. I hope you find it helpful. Highly recommended!! ***UPDATE 3/29/11*** I tried the Allmax IsoNatural Whey Protein Isolate. Here's how they compared. I like the taste of the Now Foods whey a little better. Neither was offensive. While they were very similar, the Now Foods tasted slightly sweeter where the Isonatural (especially if you got a clump of it in your mouth) tasted a bit like (for lack of a better word) goo. The Iso natural had a slightly higher content of protein by 1 gram. (Note: Their labels use different serving sizes. So, you have to do some math to equal things out.) The Now Foods whey seemed to disolve a little easier. If you are buying small quatities (1 or 2 lbs), they are very similar in price. If you are buying 5 lb. containers, the Now Foods whey is much less expensive. I give the nod to Now Foods!!

I bought this Protein Powder because I didn't want a bunch of artificial sweeteners or other random chemical "food products" in my protein powder. That's basically what this is and it's really good but you need to know a few things before buying this: 1. This has virtually no carbs You need carbs as part of your protein shake in order to maximize the benefits of a post workout shake. There are lots of studies about the perfect ratio of carbs to protein (Google it). Since this is basically pure protein, you need to get that ratio yourself. This means you can't just mix this with water and expect a perfect product. If you want a perfect ratio, you need to do some measuring and math. I just usually mix it with milk and some healthy breakfast shake mix call it good. I've also done chocolate milk with this. 2. It tastes mildly bad by itself It has a very mild flavor but that flavor is a bad "sour milk" flavor as some other reviews have mentioned. Just mixing this and water is pretty much disgusting. However if you mix this with milk, you hardly notice it's even there. It tastes basically like whatever you put it in as there's no added flavors. Don't expect to use this like other protein drinks with just water. That's probably where most of the negative "Tastes Bad" reviews come from. You can't treat this like another protein mix. They have a lot of flavors to mask any bad tastes. This is pure Whey Protein. You have to add your own flavoring. 3. It mixes OK but not great This is my only real complaint about the product. It's really really fine (think flour) and you'd think it'd mix well. Not so much. It does mix eventually but it takes a while. I've had some powders that clump no matter how much you mix it. This isn't like that. It will eventually mix (I use both and electric blender and the BlenderBall cup) but it takes a while. Since it is fine, any clumps you do get don't have that grainy texture. They actually kind of tend to melt in your mouth (sort of a weird way to describe it but the best I can do). Final Verdict: I would recommend this product to just about anyone, but you just have to remember what you are purchasing when you use this product. It's a great healthy alternative to the hundreds of "chemically enhanced" protein powders out there. Just remember that you will be responsible for adding your own flavoring and carbs. Don't mix with only water.

I ONLY buy all-natural protein (NO Aspartame/Acesulfame-k/Sucralose, NO chemicals or artificial colors/flavors/colors)! And anyone consuming protein is presumed to be inherently health-conscience, so why would anyone consider ANY protein powder with this crap in it? That is beyond me. There are 1,000 flavors (double-chocolate chip cookie dough, triple espresso fudge cake, cake batter, blue lemon truffle punch, etc...) I mean seriously? Are there millions of morbidly obese body builders out there who need their protein shake to taste like their favorite candy-bars and screw their health in the process?? Anyway, I'll get off my soapbox, but for the rest of you who don't want cancer or brain-tumors and actually care about what they shove into their bodies, then look no further than this protein powder! Ok, I've spent many days doing the research to see if I can de-throne my current protein king powder ("Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Natural Whey Protein Powder") which I absolutely love! But wanted to see if there was something better or just as good for cheaper. Enter this product. Now, this review is to compare these two highly rated kings! These 2 powders are the best of the best when it comes to All Natural. To help with the analysis, please refer to the attached diagram. So, the bottom line is that for $1.00... NOW=39g protein, ON=30.9g protein. So, with NOW, you get 26% more protein for the same buck! Hows that for a "dollar menu" analysis. They are both highly rated and are both EXCELLENT choices... however, the difference is the ON has sugar (yes, natural sugar!) and has natural flavoring, so of course humans like sweet things so it gets the edge on taste (10/10 in my book... I literally love it just as much as a milkshake and it isn't that sweet, just enough to be lightly evident but not unhealthy). Now, the reviews for this NOW said it tasted horrible and bitter and I was really afraid to buy it but due to the $ per gram of protein and appearing an even healthier choice compared to the ON, I thought I'd try it. Let me tell you, it is totally awesome! Now, not as awesome as the sugar sweetened ON, but for having nothing in it but 100% protein (no sweetner/flavors) it is totally OK!!! Now... let me preface these "taste" statements with one thing... I ALWAYS use milk in my protein shakes (16 oz milk - fat-free / 1% / 2% / whole) with 2 scoops protein, blend 20-seconds, drink. I thought I'd have to mix half/half of NOW/ON but I really don't. The NOW tastes just neutral, like I'm just drinking milk (which I love) but the same or even a little better than just plain milk. Now, given that NOW has no sugar/flavoring, it is a "more" natural choice compared to the ON.. and on top of that, has 26% more protein per $1.00 spent... I'm totally sold! If I'm in the mood I can flavor it with vanilla, honey, chocolate, peanut butter, bananna. Or, it tastes neutral enough to where I don't feel I have to drown the flavor out with any of those things... because at least with milk, it tastes great just by itself!! Plus, the NOW has the added benefit of being flavor-neutral for usage in recipes (w/o inadvertantly adding sweet/flavored(vanilla/chocolate) flavor to your favorite recipes. Another fringe benefit worth noting is that the NOW is still a 5.0 lb jug. It is not trying to sneakily down-size to 4.8lb (like the ON)... this is how manufacturers do it slowly so you're still paying the same $50/tub but the tub is now a wee-bit smaller... evil, evil, I say. Anyway, both of these are my absolute favorite proteins, but taking a deep-dive into the nitty gritty details... there has emerged one-clear winner to rule all of the natural proteins out there (IMHO). Thanks for reading and I hope this helps you (I took out 3 hours on my day off to put this review together for you!). Let me know if this was helpful to you or if you have any questions. thanks!

I'm posting this to help educate some folks who are new to protein powders. It seems like most protein powder ads (hence information) is geared toward people who work out and want to build muscle. That's not me. I am a middle aged woman, and added protein powder to my diet because it was brought to my attention that some of my weight and hunger issues were due to insufficient protein in my diet. This turned out to be accurate. The older we get, the less efficiently our bodies process protein. I found an online calculator that takes gender, age, height, weight, activity level and so forth into account and spits out the average macronutrient count for someone like you. So first, after doing scads of reading, I chose whey protein because it is "complete," meaning it has all the amino acids that make for a full protein, and I've tried both the isolate and the concentrate. I just finished a 5 lb container of concentrate (Naked Whey), and have decided to go back to isolate. But that's just me. Isolate requires a smaller amount of powder (one scoop) to get the same protein as concentrate (two scoops) but there are some other differences that might matter to you. A couple I'll mention are (1) if you're lactose intolerant (I'm not), the isolate is your go to product, and (2) the concentrate apparently has more "bioactive peptides." If you want to understand all this before deciding, here's a good place to start: [...] Now, what I really want to address is the confusion around taste and mixability. First let's start with "taste." Obviously, if the product has been flavored, it will taste like the added flavor, but I'm talking about "unflavored" product. All that is meant by that is that no flavoring has been added. Although the unflavored version's flavor is relatively underwhelming, there is no such thing as taste-free whey. If you've ever tasted dry coffee creamer powder, it has a taste similar to coffee creamer but less sweetness. If you hate that taste, you will not like the flavor of whey - isolate or concentrate. I happen to like the flavor of coffee creamer (confession: i'm pretty sure my freshman 15 was because i ate coffee creamer out of the jar in college - but that was a long time ago). On the other hand, the flavor is not overt. Many flavors either compliment it or are strong enough to cover it - fruit, avocado, coco powder, peanut butter, yogurt, rice pudding, oatmeal, creamy soups, etc. I've even mixed protein powder into guacamole without being able to taste it over the other flavors (avocado, lime, green chilis, cilantro, garlic). I've mixed protein powder into egg omelets (the concentrate) with the added advantage of stretching the eggs into the most fluffy omelets you've ever seen. Mostly though, I mix it into yogurt and toss a few berries on top. On the other hand, there are things you definitely don't want to mix it into, and these are things that are "thin," like water, iced tea, lemonade, miso and other clear broths, etc. For example, people here have asked whether you can blend protein powder into your iced tea. If you like your iced tea asian style, creamy with milk, then possibly. But if you do not like thickened, creamy tea, no way. Mixing: Blender or fork or whisk? I use a fork because it's easier to clean and faster to grab. But unless lumps are something you enjoy, you still have to put some energy into it. Isolate is easier to mix into your liquid. It just is. Maybe because half the quantity takes half the energy, or maybe due to property differences in the products. If anyone knows, please do tell. Concentrate, is most easily mixed into creamy or thick things like yogurt. If you're a body builder and need constant protein in the form of shakes, beverages, etc, a blender is recommended. If you hate cleaning your blender then I'd probably go isolate. Whey - both types - mixes better into cool liquids than warm ones. However, I've discovered that you can overcome this problem by "tempering" your whey mixture the way you would temper eggs. Thoroughly mix your whey into a cool liquid first, then slowly mix in a little warm liquid until the the temperature has warmed up, and then add the warmed mixture to your hot liquid. I used to do that to add whey and milk into my tea (I learned milk in tea in Nepal) but in the end I rejected this because whatever it is I personally like - pretty sure it's the fat content - of putting milk into tea is undermined by the presence of the whey. So now I just dump my morning whey into yogurt and drink my tea the way I like it. I hope this information about the two types of whey, their taste and mixability is helpful to some of you.

Blends well with lactose free milk (Fairlife Fat free milk)! The only tasteless protein that I’ve tried so far that has blended this well and is almost tasteless in my iced matcha lattes. I make the same sugar free protein matcha at home (Starbucks copycat) and it tastes the same as Starbucks. I’ve read some reviews about this hurting people’s stomach? It’s protein, drink water, have soluble fiber…you should be fine unless you specifically have digestion issues. It keeps me full for a while and no clumps when I use my frother to mix the protein/milk solution. Higher quality than some of the other protein powders out there.

I’ve used other whey isolates without issue, and I have other vitamins in my cupboard from Now that I’m happy with, but this whey isolates protein powder felt like poison. I am an experienced supplement user. My first time taking them, I make sure everything else I consume that day is within my normal routine so I can tell if a reaction is from the product. I bought this protein powder because it was a little more reasonable of a price and it had clear third party testing labels because that consumer reports article about heavy metals in some brands had me a bit spooked. I also was looking specifically for an unsweetened powder so my choices there are limited. Yesterday morning was my first time trying it so I thought I’d play it safe and just do half a scoop for my first time to Mae sure if there was any issue it could be minimized by the smaller dose. I mixed it exactly how I’ve done with previous whey isolate powders without issue - in my decaf coffee with soy milk and sipped on it over a couple hours. By noon, I was curled on the floor in the fetal position, writhing in such intense pain from gas and bloating that every time I stood up I immediately went clammy and felt both nauseous and like I was going to faint. Dear reader, that was the rest of my day. Laid up, in so much pain that any shift of position had me crying out in startling pain. I spent the evening drinking ginger tea with a heating pad on my belly. I’m writing this about noon the next day and still have a painful bubble trapped deep in my belly that is maybe somewhat smaller, but still preventing me to freely move about my day, and this is just from a half serving. The main takeaway from this experience: don’t try to save a couple bucks. Not all whey isolate is made the same.

思ったより匂いがきつかったが飲めないことでもない。 溶けにくいのはどのプロテインでも一緒ですね。

The items received were quite satisfactory and started using them. Very good! 👍👍👍😍😊

Best RAW protein powder with minimum ingredients unlike others with tons of extra waste ingredients

Excellent product with no artificial sweetener or unwanted additives. Perfect for the optimum result. However, shipment takes ages to reach you!

Muy buen producto, se lo estoy dando como complemento a mi madre anciana y lo ha tomado y tolerado muy bien.