Short answer: To compare protein drinks, check three things first: whether the protein is whey isolate or concentrate, whether the sweetener is clearly named, and whether the serving size matches the container. Those details tell you more than most front-of-package claims.
Protein drink labels are designed to be read from the front, where the number is large and the claims are short. Almost everything that distinguishes one product from another is on the back. These three questions will get you most of the way.
This is one of the most informative details on the panel, and it’s often printed once, in small type, in the ingredient list.
Whey concentrate retains more of the milk fat and lactose it started with. Whey isolate is filtered further, removing most of both. That distinction can affect what you experience when you drink it, including how thick it is, how heavy it feels, and whether it causes trouble if lactose is an issue for you.
If the label won’t clearly say which form it uses, that’s useful information too.
Every protein drink without sugar has something else doing that job, and the label should tell you what. A product that names its sweetener plainly, with the ingredient spelled out, is making a checkable statement.
A product that hides it behind “natural flavors” or a proprietary blend is making an unfalsifiable one. You don’t have to have a view on which sweeteners you prefer for this to be useful. The willingness to name the sweetener is the signal.
Check the grams and the ounces, then check how many servings the manufacturer says are in the bottle or can. A protein figure is only meaningful next to the volume you have to drink to get it.
A “serving” that is two-thirds of the container is a different product from what the front of the label may suggest. This question also helps you judge whether you’ll actually finish it, which is the variable that determines how much protein you get.
Use this quick checklist when comparing products:
You can read our full list on the MYND ingredients page, which is the standard we’d apply to anyone else’s protein drink too.
The MYND takeaway: The front of the can is marketing. The back is the product. Three questions on the back tell you more than any claim on the front.
Whey concentrate retains more of the milk fat and lactose from the original milk. Whey isolate is filtered further, removing most of the fat and lactose. The right choice depends on your preferences and individual tolerance.
Compare the grams of protein with the serving size in ounces or milliliters, then check how many servings are in the container. A higher protein number isn’t automatically better if it requires a much larger serving you won’t finish.
A clearly named sweetener helps you understand what is in the product and compare it with other labels. Vague terms or proprietary blends make that comparison harder.
Related reading: What’s Really in Your Protein Water? A Label Breakdown
