HealthForce SuperFoods Elite Green Protein Cool Green 500 Grams Powder

***UPDATE*** 08/24/2013This product has grown on me (not literally), since I first tried it. I actually like it now.I still wouldn't recommend mixing it with only water, but maybe you would like it like that. When I drink it I still almost always add a banana, blueberries or some type of fruit, and I use almond or coconut milk as the liquid.I mentioned in the original review that I would not order it again, but now it's quite possible that I will.***Original Review Below***You may not like the taste if you are not used to a diet of mainly vegetables. Also, you will NOT like this if you do not like peppermint. Peppermint is extremely palpable in this protein concoction. The texture is smooth and it blends easily, but by itself and mixed with water, Cool Green tastes nasty. It's like iodine (because of the spirulina, I assume) with peppermint. The only way I have been able to enjoy Cool Green is by blending in a couple tablespoons of raw cacao powder and using almond or coconut milk. Adding a banana and/or other fruit helped, too. Of course, this is all just my opinion. Perhaps you will absolutely fall in love with this product.I really like HealthForce Nutritionals, but this is one of their products I will not order again.

If you are shopping for delicious flavors then look elsewhere. This doesn't taste truly awful like some brands but it is no slice of cheesecake. But if you want a nutritionally over-the-top green powder to make a powerful breakfast smoothie then this is it. It is vegan, it is overwhelmingly, unrelentingly, and energetically green, and (as another reviewer correctly pointed out) you will walk around work with what looks like green mold all over your face if you don't check the mirror after drinking it. Also your bowel movements will look like moss.I bought my first jar two years ago, left it sit opened and unrefrigerated for almost two years before getting myself together enough to resume my morning smoothie routine. That was three weeks and 11 pounds ago -- and they weren't the easy "first" pounds either, these were extra pounds that I couldn't get rid of even after losing most of my "other" excess weight (I once had plenty; now I'm 209.2 pounds and 6'3"). And I come into work all powered up and raring to go, too, which is helpful for gentlemen such as myself who are of a certain age.I usually use some sort of vegan milk (homemade soy or almond usually but sometimes oat milk or rice milk or whatever I have) plus the Elite Green, a banana and an apple. I sometimes add the Macro Reds or fresh berries if I haven't had those sorts of nutrients in my diet otherwise.

Not sure what all the fuss is about over the taste. I think if you have an already clean diet low in sugar, fats and salt, you will not find this to taste bad. However, if you don't eat clean and then suddenly put this in your mouth, it's not going to be sweet enough for you, your taste buds adjust over time and renew every 10 days. Juicers will find this to taste as earthy as a fresh juice, which is normal in our sugar addicted world.As for the product, I put it in smoothies and it's great. I do notice a difference in my energy and will continue to use this product and buy more. It's not a supplement or a vitamin, it's ground up superfood that are rich in nutritional value. It's also a great way to get protein without having to eat meat. You can build muscle on green protein. I did not have the clean out deal that others describe, but again, we eat pretty clean as it is so perhaps that is why. The bottle is huge, the size of my head, this should last awhile.

Being active in the gym for years, I have run the gauntlet on protein and workout supplements. I love the concept here. Having a natural, sustainable source of protein to supplement my diet is something of great value to me. It is also concerning that some of the bigger names in the business have come under recent scrutiny for allowing trace amounts of toxic metals to wind up in their products. Needless to say, I am completely on-board with what Warrior Force is doing. So I decided to order the Elite Green Protein. I assumed I was getting the Cool Green version as pictured above, but received the Mesquite version instead. Not a big deal, I was anxious to try the product. The serving size is listed as two tablespoons, but the recommendation given was to start with a teaspoon to get used to the product. I split the difference and did one tablespoon in water. What ensued was one of the most upsetting taste experiences I have ever endured with a protein (or any) supplement. The taste is impossible to describe, and it took everything I had to get the glass down. It left a horrendous after taste, and I felt somewhat ill for about an hour afterward. It was also recommended to try mixing the powder with fruit juice or in a smoothie. The next day I mixed the powder with apple juice and pineapple chunks, and blended the mix. It was better, but still far from a pleasant experience. The realization set in that I would need a lot more fruit to make the taste reasonable, and the amount of sugar that comes with that would render this an unhealthy mix. Again, I love what the company values (as they are my own), but until something is done to address the taste, I simply can't justify spending $30-50 on this product.

I have not yet experienced the "cleans you out" aspect of the product - I was prepared to be near a bathroom at all times of the day but that has not happened...yet!Regarding the taste - people need to get over it. Because it is not filled with a bunch of crap and sugar, it should not expected to taste like a delicious chocolate milk shake. It is healthy and whole and bright green - if you are buying this product, then you are interested in the well being of your body by trying to support it to function as optimally as possible. You should not be buying it to enjoy it as a flavorful drink that resembles a McDonalds shamrock shake. Mix it with some water, chug it, and call it a day.