The Truth About Protein Drinks - Consumer Reports (2024)

If you’re looking to get more protein in your diet, you may have considered adding a protein powder or a protein drink, such as Ensure Max Protein, to your daily routine. It used to be that protein products were marketed only to athletes and bodybuilders, but now they’ve gone much more mainstream. Ads depict regular people who look healthy and vibrant, presumably thanks to the protein drinks they’re sipping.

It’s wise, of course, to make sure you’re getting enough protein each day. Adults need 0.4 gram of protein per pound of body weight per day. If you weigh 150 pounds, that’s 60 grams.

Protein powders have a high concentration of the nutrient—more, in some cases, than even high-­protein foods such as chicken. Depending on the drink and the serving size, you may get more than your body can use effectively—around 25 to 30 grams per meal, according to research from the University of Texas Medical Branch. What’s more, if you have any kidney damage, too much protein over the course of the day can cause waste to build up in your blood. Almost 40 percent of people ages 65 and older have chronic kidney disease, and about 90 percent of them don’t even know they have it, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

A 2018 study from the nonprofit Clean Label Project of 134 popular protein powders found detectable levels of heavy metals such as arsenic, cadmium, mercury, and lead, and toxins like bisphenol A in nearly all of them. Exposure to these substances has been linked to cancer, brain damage, heart disease, and stroke.

Protein powders and drinks can pack more added sugars than you’d expect, which can lead to weight gain and make it harder to manage blood sugar if you have diabetes. For example, vanilla Spiru-Tein Sport protein powder has 13 grams of sugars in two scoops. And a single-serving bottle of Bolthouse Farms Protein Plus Strawberry shake has 26 grams of added sugars—more than what’s in a cup of Breyers strawberry ice cream. Protein products may also contain non-nutritive sweeteners like stevia or sucralose, or sugar alcohols such as erythritol.

According to the Food and Drug Administration, a protein powder or liquid can be a supplement or a food depending on how the manufacturer markets it. The distinction is important because, as with all supplements, the FDA doesn’t verify that protein supplements contain what they claim to, while foods are subject to more regulation. If it’s clearly a beverage—for example, it’s called a drink or smoothie or the directions say “mix with milk,” it’s probably considered a food. If not, the manufacturer may choose to call it a supplement. “Label accuracy with supplements is entirely reliant on the company,” says Pieter Cohen, M.D., an associate professor at Harvard Medical School and supplement researcher. One way to tell what the manufacturer considers its product to be is to see whether the package has a “Nutrition Facts” panel or a “Supplement Facts” one.

Not in the mood to clean the blender? The refrigerated smoothies and protein drinks you find in the supermarket, such as those by Naked or Odwalla, usually have cleaner ingredients lists than the shelf-stable ones, but many still contain isolated proteins, lots of added sugars, and unwanted additives. So read labels carefully, or you can opt for a yogurt or kefir drink or even soy milk, which are natural sources of protein and supply other nutrients.

Here are some blenders that performed well in CR's tests. They're particularly good for making smoothies—all aced our icy-drinks test and some are even rated Excellent at puréeing. Check out our blender ratings for the details.