Optimum Nutrition 100% Whey Gold Standard Review

I’m an active person and have enjoyed consistent involvement in sports and exercise for most of my life. And while I spent years running half marathons (and one full marathon), immersing myself in the practice and teaching of yoga, and enjoying phases with trendy workouts like Orangetheory Fitness, new motherhood is easily my body’s biggest challenge yet.
Between serving as the primary source of nutrition for my daughter, navigating postpartum recovery and doing my best to stay consistent with strength training workouts, my body’s demand for high-quality protein is at an all-time high. Although I prioritize a variety of whole-food protein sources in my diet, such as chicken, fish, beans and nuts, there are days when a supplemental protein powder can make all the difference.
Optimum Nutrition’s Gold Standard 100% Whey protein powder arrived via Amazon within two days of ordering, thanks to my Prime subscription. If purchased from the company’s website, you can expect delivery within three to eight business days. I opted for the vanilla ice cream flavor (and have enjoyed the double rich chocolate flavor as well in the past). The 5-pound container is very large, so finding an appropriate storage spot in a standard kitchen can be challenging, though I eventually found a home for it in a cabinet above the refrigerator.
I typically prepare a protein shake as a mid-afternoon snack to bridge the gap between lunch and dinner, especially when I’m able to squeeze a strength training workout into my day, in which case I drink it as part of my post-workout recovery. It also serves as a nutritional boost on days where time gets away from me and I inadvertently skip a proper lunch, which leaves my energy waning.
For this review, I first tested Optimum Nutrition’s protein powder by mixing it with cold water in a BlenderBottle shaker as a post-workout snack in the late afternoon. The company says the powder mixes easily in a glass with a spoon, but I’m accustomed to using a BlenderBottle instead. The powder blended well and maintained a fairly smooth consistency as I drank it, and the taste pleasantly resembled that of vanilla ice cream.
Next I tested it when I needed a high-protein afternoon snack by blending it with homemade almond mylk (I use an Almond Cow milk maker to combine almonds, water and a dash of sea salt). I easily preferred that texture over the water-based shake. It maintained a creamier, more indulgent feel while not altering the nutritional profile of the drink in a negative way, and it made the vanilla ice cream flavor more closely resemble the real deal.
Finally, following another afternoon workout, I tried the protein powder by blending it with homemade cashew mylk (also made with my AlmondCow using cashews, water and a dash of sea salt), which was my favorite preparation method. The smooth texture and sweet-but-not-too-sweet flavor was both satiating and satisfying.
Generally, I’ve used this protein powder as needed for a couple of years now, and I plan on continuing to supplement my diet as needed with it. It’s a quick, healthy solution for post-workout nutrition or a high-quality midday snack, and the vanilla ice cream flavor makes it taste more like a treat than a protein supplement. It’s also a win when my husband and I can enjoy the same shake and limit the amount of bulky containers occupying space in our kitchen.
Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey: What I Liked
The inclusion of nearly 25 grams of high-quality protein in a single scoop of powder feels like an excellent nutritional value when looking for a fast and easy snack. Not to mention, its low sugar content means I don’t experience any energy spikes or crashes.
The vanilla ice cream flavor makes for a smooth and tasty shake on its own, so I don’t feel the need to incorporate it into more complex recipes or create more work for myself. I can simply toss it in my shaker bottle with water or a plant-based dairy alternative and I’m all set.
Finally, I appreciate the overall value of this protein powder. With our 5-pound container, we’re spending $1.18 per serving on the powder alone, so it’s not an addition to my day that breaks the bank.
Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey: What I Didn’t Like
While I didn’t experience any gastrointestinal symptoms related to the protein powder’s use of artificial sweetener sucralose, I’d prefer that the product include a more natural alternative, such as stevia or monk fruit.
Despite the impressive flavor variety, I often feel that when I mix a flavored protein powder into existing recipes, the overall taste takes a hit, which can make my meal less enjoyable than it would be without the protein powder addition. Prior to this review, I tried the vanilla ice cream-flavored protein powder in a fruit smoothie, and the result was too sweet and too far removed from what I expect a fruit smoothie to taste like. An unflavored option may be a better fit for my preferences.