Answer: Protein powder is so sweet because of the additives (natural sweeteners, artificial sweeteners, natural flavourings and flavour enhancers), the specific flavour you choose, the company manufacturing methods and the sensitivity of your tastebuds. All of these factors interact with one another to make the protein powder so sweet, however, you can counter the sweetness of the protein powder by using ingredients such as oats and plain Greek yoghurt.
Key takeaways
- Company choice is very important
- Different sweeteners have different levels of sweetness
- People’s tastebuds respond differently to the sweetness in protein powders. Some will find a protein powder very sweet, whilst some will find it less sweet.
- Oats, plain Greek yoghurt, nut butter and ice cubes can lower the strength of the sweetness and make it more tolerable.
The Ingredients
Many ingredients are used to create specific flavours with protein powders. To create such sweet flavours, ingredients such as the following are used: Natural sweeteners, artificial sweeteners, natural flavourings and flavour enhancers. These are the primary reason for the sweet taste.
You may not even notice these on the back of your protein powder because of your focus on the protein amount, which is understandable.
- Natural sweeteners include Stevia, Monk fruit extract, Erythritol and Xylitol. These are considered a ‘healthy’ alternative to sugar.
- Artificial sweeteners include sucralose, aspartame, and acesulfame potassium (Ace-K). These are very common.
- Natural flavourings include vanilla extract, cocoa powder, fruit powders and spices. These usually depend on the particular flavour that you choose. For example, vanilla extract for a vanilla flavoured protein powder.
- Finally, flavour enhancers include natural flavours and artificial flavours.
These are only some, but if you see these, you can attribute a large reason of the sweetness to these additives.
Unless you have a raw protein powder (one that does not have any sweeteners and is less processed), you will be seeing at least some of these ingredients in your protein powder.
Now this isn’t to say that these sweeteners are bad for your health.
In large quantities, of course they’re not good for your health. However, in small portions they can be beneficial because they can help with your blood sugar levels and provide energy. Although these sweeteners can contribute to the overall odour (insert internal link) of your protein powder, they can provide some benefits.
Some manufacturers use more artificial sweeteners than others, and if you want to identify the specific amount, you can look at the ‘carbohydrates’ section of the nutritional label and under that, there is a ‘sugar’ subsection that tells you how many grams of sugar are in that protein powder.
Sweet Flavours
Some flavours are sweeter than others. For example, a strawberry flavour is sweeter than a vanilla flavour. I remember when I tried a strawberry flavour from a company, I frowned and questioned why it was so sweet. I then switched to a vanilla and the difference was immense. When wondering why your protein powder is so sweet, ask yourself “is it just my flavour choice that is so sweet”.
Strawberries are already sweet fruits, so when making a protein powder with that flavour, more sweeteners are going to be added to replicate a similar flavour. This is not the same with other items that are vanilla-flavoured, as it does not have a strong sweet taste.
Actionable step: Go to your favourite protein powder manufacturer, pick two flavours and compare the sugar amount.
The sweetest protein powder flavours include:
- Strawberry
- Chocolate
- Salted Caramel
- Birthday cake
Your company choice
The methods of manufacturing between companies differ. Some companies are more generous with their sweeteners whilst others provide a more minimal amount. A good example is ‘Myprotein’ and ‘Bulk Nutrients’.
I had purchased Myprotein’s banana flavour and found it too sweet for my liking. I then came across bulk nutrients and tried their banana flavour. The sweetness was lowered significantly and I enjoyed it much more.
Companies will use different manufacturing methods, different types of sweeteners and have their own ideas of different flavours. No two companies are the same, so it’s important to try different companies, rather than being so quick to label protein powder as ‘sweet’. It could just be a specific manufacturer that emphasises sweetness.
Sensitive tastebuds
Everyone’s tastebuds are different. Some people are more sensitive to sweet foods, some are more sensitive to bitter foods, some really like sweet foods and some people just don’t. Although we all carry the same types of taste buds, the strength and sensitivity vary.
A person with a sweet tooth would love a sweet protein powder. Additionally, those who aren’t particularly sensitive to sweet foods would tolerate a sweet protein powder fine.
However, those who don’t have a sweet tooth and are very sensitive to sweet foods would find such a protein powder unnecessarily sweet.
So a reason that you find a protein powder so sweet could simply be because you’re very sensitive to sweet foods and don’t have a sweet tooth.
Countering the Sweetness
To counter the sweetness, use other ingredients that aren’t sweet to balance the flavour. Instead of using milk in your protein powder, use water.
When you use milk, it can enhance the sweetness of your protein powder. To counter this, use water instead. You can use a lot more water than the recommended amount if you wish.
No, this will not make the protein less effective, it will only water down the level of sweetness and make it more tolerable for you. You’re essentially diluting it.
Another step is to blend it with ingredients that don’t have a strong sweet taste. You can use the following:
- Oats
- Plain Greek yoghurt
- Ice cubes
- Nut butter
Using these in large quantities can increase the protein amount, lower the sweetness and make the experience more enjoyable when consuming the protein powder.
Action step: Use water instead of milk, then compare the level of sweetness.
