I Tried EVERY Transparent Labs Protein Flavor: Here’s The Best

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There are ten Transparent Labs protein flavors, and I tested every single one.  

The goal was to find a flavor I could truly love taking every day without getting sick of it.

So I set out on a 1-month taste-testing journey and mixed each of the flavors with water, milk, and various foods like oatmeal and yogurt.

Below are the details of my full experience, which hopefully helps you decide which flavor is right for you!  

Note: Please read my taste testing methodology and the criteria I used to rank flavors because it may impact your final choice.

In a Hurry? Here’s My Top Picks!

• Peanut Butter, Dark Chocolate, and Mocha Latte were the obvious top 3 favorites for me when it came to the strength of flavor, balanced sweetness, and being true to taste. 

• I didn’t find any of the Transparent Labs Protein powders gross or undrinkable, but there were some definite front runners. 

• Unfortunately, a ranking list of flavors must have a bottom spot, and the “worst flavor,” according to my criteria, was Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie. 

Why Trust My Recommendation? 

I have managed a supplement store for over a decade and have been using protein powder as an athlete for nearly two decades. As such, I have tasted more than 100+ protein powders across dozens of brands (I’ve literally lost count at this point). This gives me great insight into what makes a good-tasting and high-quality protein powder. Also, I’ve personally tested the Transparent Labs products below, so you are getting a first-hand account from somebody who has ACTUALLY used the products.

Taste Testing Methodology Explained

Honest Review Guarantee from FeastGood: Our testing team purchases each product 100% independently and uses the product for several weeks up to several months before writing a review. Learn more about our review process here.

I followed a pretty methodical process for testing out these protein powders. 

Step 1: I mixed each protein powder according to the instructions on the tub for consistency. It says to mix with 6-8oz of water or your favorite beverage. I chose 7oz. 

Step 2: I compared each protein powder head to head when mixed just with water to see who came out #1.

Step 3: I repeated this process with the protein powders mixed with milk to see if that affected the rankings.

Step 4: I tested the products in a variety of other potential mediums, such as mixed with coffee, yogurt, oatmeal, smoothies, and baking, to adjust the rankings based on whether some items were more versatile than others.

Step 5: I then dragged my husband along for the taste tests. While I’ve been using protein for 20+ years and tend to be more forgiving when it comes to taste, he is a very infrequent protein user and, therefore, more judgemental. We also have slightly different palates, so I got a second opinion to create a more accurate list. 

Criteria For Comparing Flavors

After going through the process above, here were the exact criteria I used to rank the protein flavors: 

• Was the product true to taste? The most significant criterion overall was whether the powder actually tasted as advertised. 

• How strong was the flavor? This evaluates how strongly the flavor came through when mixed with water and milk. Some flavors were more strong, while others felt slightly watered down or mild.

• Was there a good balance of sweetness? I evaluated whether the products had a good balance of sweetness without being overpowering. A rating of 5/5 for sweetness does not mean this product is the most sweet but has the best balance of flavor and sweetness. A lower rating means a product was too sweet or not sweet enough.

• How did the flavor smell? Recognizing that some individuals are sensitive to smells, I evaluated whether the dry powder and liquid shake had an appealing smell and whether the smell matched the taste.

Want to learn more about Transparent Labs protein beyond just the flavors?  I wrote a complete review of Transparent Labs Grass Whey Protein, which includes my analysis of the ingredients, protein percent of calories, mixability, satiety, and more.  

RANKED: Transparent Labs Protein Flavors

1. Peanut Butter

Overall rating: 5/5

Features:

• Overall flavor rating: 5/5
• Grams of carbs: 3 g (2g from sugar)
• Grams of fat: 2g
• Total calories: 140
• Ingredients used to flavor: Peanut Flour, Natural Flavors, Himalayan Rock Salt, Stevia Extract

Highlights

• Tastes like peanut butter cookies
• Tastes good mixed with water, milk, and added into baking or recipes where peanut flavor is desired
• Strong flavor without being overly sweet

Drawbacks

• Has a slightly bitter aftertaste when mixed with just water
• Contains peanuts, may not be suitable for people with allergies

My Thoughts:

When comparing two flavors head to head, Peanut Butter came out on top every single time (but in the case of the top 3, it was very close).  

I found this flavor to be the most true to taste and likely to be a favorite for peanut butter lovers. 

Transparent Labs has managed to pair the peanut flavor with a nice mix of sweet and salty, reminding me of classic peanut butter cookies that my parents made growing up. 

When deciding my overall rankings, one key factor that came into play was the question, “Could I drink this every day for a month” since many consumers only invest in one protein powder at a time. 

I felt like the overall balanced flavor, and good taste made this an option that would be enjoyable day after day. 

Of course, if you don’t like peanut butter or have a peanut allergy, this option might not be suitable for you, despite it making my number one spot. 

2. Dark Chocolate

Overall rating: 5/5

Features:

• Overall flavor rating: 5/5
• Grams of carbs: 3g (1g from sugar)
• Grams of fat: 1g
• Total calories: 130
• Ingredients used to flavor: Cocoa Powder, Natural Flavors, Himalayan Rock Salt, Stevia Extract

Highlights

• Strong cocoa flavor
• Tastes great in water or milk
• Tastes good hot or cold

Drawbacks

• Can overpower some recipes where you want other flavors to shine through

My Thoughts:

Transparent Labs Dark Chocolate delivers a delicious, rich chocolate flavor that tastes great in milk, water, and when added to some of my go-to snacks like Greek yogurt and oats. 

This one was a surprise for me! 

I don’t generally consider myself a chocolate fan, and chocolate protein powder is usually the last one I go for. While I ranked Peanut Butter in the #1 spot, this protein is a close contender. 

The smell when I opened the container was incredible, I felt like I had just opened a tin of sugary hot chocolate powder. 

This protein powder is not very sweet and retains more of the cocoa powder’s natural richness and bitterness. 

When comparing the Dark Chocolate flavor to the Milk Chocolate flavor, Dark Chocolate had a much stronger chocolate flavor, and it made the milk chocolate seem a bit bland in comparison. 

One of my favorite experiences throughout this testing process was using the Dark Chocolate protein as a hot cocoa powder. I am not exaggerating when I say that I genuinely preferred this taste over the packets of hot chocolate we had on hand.

I mixed one scoop of Dark Chocolate protein with 4oz of water and 4oz of milk for added creaminess and microwaved it after shaking it. 

(Note: adding protein powder to a liquid that is too hot can cause the milk to curdle, so I microwave my hot beverages to avoid this happening) 

3. Mocha Latte

Overall rating: 4.5/5

Features:

• Overall flavor rating: 4/5
• Grams of carbs: 2g (0g from sugar)
• Grams of fat: 0g
• Total calories: 120
• Ingredients used to flavor: Cocoa Powder, Natural Flavors, Sodium Chloride, Stevia

Highlights

• A protein powder for coffee lovers
• Tastes great on its own or mixed with coffee

Drawbacks

• Is the least sweet of all of the protein powders
• Less versatility than traditional flavors like vanilla and chocolate

My Thoughts:

Transparent Labs Mocha flavor is the ideal protein powder for coffee lovers. A mocha is traditionally a blend of coffee, chocolate, and milk. In this case, the coffee flavor definitely comes through. 

I felt like Transparent Labs did great at balancing the coffee and chocolate flavors and providing a protein powder that had just enough sweetness. 

The big disclaimer here is that if you don’t like coffee, this protein likely falls to the bottom of your list.

I am a coffee lover, and if you’ve read any of my pre-workout reviews, I will often critique a product if it has so much caffeine that I cannot safely have a cup of coffee throughout my day. 

I tried this product with water and milk, and I tried it hot and mixed with coffee. 

I loved it when I mixed it with coffee because the protein powder provided enough flavor and sweetness that I didn’t have to add any additional cream or sugar. 

I found when I drank it in hot water, the chocolate flavor came through more, and it seemed more like hot chocolate with a subtle coffee undertone. 

When mixed with milk, I felt like both the chocolate and coffee flavors got subdued a little bit, and it reminded me of a Coffee Crisp chocolate bar. 

A potential downside is that the coffee flavor limits the overall versatility of the protein powder. It doesn’t tend to mix well into fruit smoothies or other recipes the way that the more common flavors do. 

• Related: Check out my Best Coffee Flavored Protein Powders article – I tried 10 different brands, and Transparent Labs Mocha Flavor came out on top.

4. Milk Chocolate

Overall rating: 4/5

Features:

• Overall flavor rating: 4/5
• Grams of carbs: 1g (0g from sugar)
• Grams of fat: 0g
• Total calories: 120
• Ingredients used to flavor: Cocoa, Natural Flavors, Sodium Chloride, Stevia

Highlights

• Mild overall flavor
• Tastes really good when added to milk/milk substitute
• Very versatile as the mild taste doesn’t overpower items
• Pairs really well with Peanut Butter to make a Chocolate Peanut Butter

Drawbacks

• Bland when mixed with just water

My Thoughts:

Above, I mentioned that the Dark Chocolate flavor made the Milk Chocolate flavor seem bland in comparison. 

While that’s true regarding the strength of the chocolate flavor, I found that Milk Chocolate had better versatility when added to smoothies or other recipes because it didn’t completely take over the flavor in the way that dark chocolate did. 

I found this flavor to be really mild when mixed just with water, which might be appealing to those looking for a more mild flavor. 

This is one of the first flavors that I noticed had a really significant flavor change when mixed with water instead of milk. I found that milk brought out the sweet chocolate flavor and provided a bolder overall taste compared to it being mixed with water. 

I found that mixing the Milk Chocolate with Peanut Butter for chocolate peanut butter fans provided the best overall flavor combination. 

5. Vanilla Peanut Butter

Overall rating: 4/5

Features:

• Overall flavor rating: 4/5
• Grams of carbs: 3g (1g from sugar)
• Grams of fat: 2.5g
• Total calories: 150
• Ingredients used to flavor: Peanut Flour, Natural Flavors, Himalayan Rock Salt, Stevia Extract

Highlights

• Has a mild peanut taste and creamy mouth feel
• Great versatility for smoothies, oatmeal, or yogurt

Drawbacks

• Has a slight aftertaste
• Has less overall flavor than the Peanut Butter flavor
• Contains peanuts, may not be suitable for people with allergies

My Thoughts:

Before testing the protein powders, I knew this would have been my number one pick. 

I compared the Vanilla Peanut Butter and Peanut Butter head-to-head and found them both very similar. Ultimately, Peanut Butter came ahead with a stronger overall flavor and more balanced sweetness. 

While the Vanilla Peanut Butter flavor still had a nice peanutty taste, I found it had a bit of a weird aftertaste.

This aftertaste is something I found to be consistent for several of the protein powders that feature a vanilla flavor, like french vanilla and strawberry milkshake. My best guess is that a specific “natural flavor” type is used for these flavors that cause this aftertaste. 

I found this flavor versatile, adding a pleasant taste and sweetness to yogurt, smoothies, and oatmeal without completely taking over the flavor. 

6. French Vanilla

Overall rating: 3.75/5

Features:

• Overall flavor rating: 3.75/5
• Grams of carbs: <1g (<1g from sugar)
• Grams of fat: 0.5g
• Total calories: 120
• Ingredients used to flavor: Natural Flavor, Stevia Extract, Sodium Chloride

Highlights

• Mild vanilla taste
• Best option for smoothies, oatmeal, and baking

Drawbacks

• Doesn’t have a strong flavor when mixed with just water

My Thoughts:

Like the Milk Chocolate flavor, French Vanilla on its own mixed with water was unremarkable. 

I don’t necessarily mean that in a bad way, just that it was an overall mild tasting vanilla flavor that wasn’t overly sweet. It had a much more ice cream-y taste when mixed with milk or a milk substitute like almond milk. 

While the overall flavor of the French Vanilla protein wasn’t necessarily something to write home about, it ranks higher up on this list due to its great versatility. 

The light flavor makes this the perfect option for somebody looking for a mild vanilla that mixes really well. 

It is also the perfect flavor to mix into smoothies or recipes where you want to add a touch of vanilla flavor but want other flavors to shine through. 

This flavor would be my number one choice for fruit smoothies and oatmeal/overnight oats, where I want the flavors of my fresh fruit to be the main feature.

I found this flavor to have the same slight aftertaste that I experienced with the Vanilla Peanut Butter flavor. 

7. Cinnamon French Toast

Overall rating: 3.75/5

Features:

• Overall flavor rating: 3.5/5
• Grams of carbs: 1g (1g from sugar)
• Grams of fat: 0.5g
• Total calories: 120
• Ingredients used to flavor: Natural Flavors, Himalayan Rock Salt, Stevia Extract, Cinnamon Powder

Highlights

• Strong cinnamon flavor
• Great for use in french toast, pancakes, and oatmeal

Drawbacks

• Not very sweet
• Has a chemically smell and slight aftertaste

My Thoughts:

This protein is ranked lower on this list due to a personal bias. I have never been a fan of cinnamon-flavored protein powders, and this isn’t a flavor I would personally choose to drink every day. 

However, I love this protein for its versatility in adding flavor to breakfast foods. I enjoyed using this as a French toast batter, added to pancakes, and stirred into oatmeal. 

Despite being French toast flavored, I felt like there was an aspect of sweetness missing. The cinnamon flavor definitely comes through, but for being described as “french toast,” I was left wanting a bit more syrup or icing sugar sweetness to come through. 

This is probably why I enjoyed using it for french toast and pancakes, since other aspects of those foods, like some syrup or vanilla extract, helped add the sweetness component I felt was missing. 

This protein powder has a very strong, almost chemical smell. The taste, fortunately, was much better. 

8. Strawberry Milkshake

Overall rating: 3.5/5

Features:

• Overall flavor rating: /5
• Grams of carbs: 1g (1g from sugar)
• Grams of fat: 0.5g
• Total calories: 130
• Ingredients used to flavor: Natural Strawberry Flavor, Himalayan Rock Salt, Natural Vanilla Flavor, Stevia Extract 

Highlights

• Has a strong flavor when mixed with just water
• Mostly sweet with a slightly tart aftertaste
• Beetroot for color making a really nice pink color

Drawbacks

• Flavor varies greatly depending on what it is mixed with

My Thoughts:

The placement of these bottom three flavors (Strawberry Milkshake, Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie, and Blueberry Pancakes) is where my husband and I couldn’t agree. 

We agreed that we liked the other flavors more, but we both had strong feelings about where these three should sit. 

I placed Strawberry Milkshake in the #8 spot where it was at the very bottom of the list for him. 

The powder had almost no smell, and I was surprised at how strong the strawberry flavor came through when mixed with water. When mixed with milk, the flavor was even more pronounced and hit very strongly – almost sour – before subsiding into a pleasant strawberry aftertaste.

It’s worth noting that the strawberry flavor, despite using “Natural Strawberry Flavor” in its ingredient list, tasted much more like the Strawberry Nesquik syrup than tart, real strawberries. 

There is also some bias here since sweet fruit/milkshake-flavored protein powders are not what I typically go for, so I can appreciate that if you generally enjoy fruit-flavored protein powders, you will probably really like this one. 

Transparent Labs uses beetroot powder for color in this one, and it makes for a beautiful pink color. 

9. Blueberry Pancakes

Overall rating: 3.5/5

Features:

• Overall flavor rating: 3.5/5
• Grams of carbs: 1g (0g from sugar)
• Grams of fat: 0.5g
• Total calories: 130
• Ingredients used to flavor: Natural Flavors, Himalayan Rock Salt, Stevia Extract

Highlights

• True to taste, very reminiscent of a blueberry muffin or blueberry pancakes
• Strong flavor when mixed with water
• Versatile for smoothies, baking, and yogurt
• Grape Fruit powder for color makes a lovely blue/purple shade

Drawbacks

• Does not taste as good mixed into milk/milk substitutes

My Thoughts:

While I initially had this flavor at the bottom of the list, I ended up moving it up due to having (in my opinion) more overall versatility than the Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie flavor. 

Both Blueberry Pancake and Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie make nice additions to baking pancakes, oatmeal, and yogurt, but Blueberry has the added bonus of mixing nicely into fruit smoothies 

While I found that milk brought out a stronger flavor for many of the protein powders, Blueberry Pancake got lost a little bit when mixed with a milk or milk substitute. 

This could be a good thing for somebody looking for a flavor that is not a traditional chocolate or vanilla but doesn’t want something that will be excessively sweet or overpowering. 

The Blueberry Pancake flavor had a floral aftertaste, which is the best way I can think to describe it. The flavor reminds me very much of pancakes or the taste of a blueberry muffin rather than raw, tart blueberries.

Similar to the Strawberry Milkshake flavor, Transparent Labs uses grape powder to color the Blueberry Pancakes protein, which gives it a nice purple color. 

10. Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie

Overall rating: 3/5

Features:

• Overall flavor rating: 3/5
• Grams of carbs: 2g (1g from sugar)
• Grams of fat: 0g
• Total calories: 120
• Ingredients used to flavor: Natural Flavors, Cocoa Powder, Himalayan Rock Salt, Stevia Extract

Highlights

• Provides a nice sweetness and subtle flavor when added to oatmeal and baking
• Good balance of flavor and sweetness 

Drawbacks

• Was the least “true to taste” of all of the flavors
• Had the most artificial smell and aftertaste

My Thoughts:

It felt odd to put this flavor at the bottom of the list, because it didn’t seem right to have a flavor at the bottom that I didn’t dislike. But like I said above, somebody always has to hold the bottom spot when ranking products. 

This was the ranking where my husband and I disagreed the most. He found this flavor to be good overall and ranked it alongside the Cinnamon French Toast Flavor. 

Personally, I found this one to have the strongest chemical smell and aftertaste. Since its closest comparisons were Rich Chocolate and Milk Chocolate, the Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie flavor fell to the bottom of all three. 

This protein powder would make a nice, subtle addition to baking or oatmeal for those who want a flavor slightly stronger than French Vanilla, but not as strong as the other chocolate or fruity flavors. 

One main reason for putting this at the bottom is that I feel like is the least “true to taste” meaning that I feel the taste and description match less than any of the other proteins. 

With every other flavor, I am confident that I could do a blind taste test and come very close to guessing the name of the protein powder. Without knowing beforehand that this was supposed to be an oatmeal chocolate chip cookie, I don’t think there’s any way I ever would have guessed its flavor. 

The Bottom Line

I found it difficult to rank them from “best” to “worst,” but there was a clear separation among some of the flavors for me. 

My top 3 without a doubt were Peanut Butter, Dark Chocolate, and Mocha. 

Then I had a group that we can call “middle of the pack”, whereby depending on how I drank them (e.g. with milk or with water) or prepared them (e.g. in a smoothie, recipe). I ranked these higher because they had more total versatility but weren’t necessarily ones I would want to just drink every single day. 

These include: Milk Chocolate, Vanilla Peanut Butter, and French Vanilla. 

From there, I have the grouping that technically fell to the bottom of the pack: Cinnamon French Toast, Strawberry, Oatmeal Cookie, and Blueberry Pancakes. 

It’s not that I found any of these flavors to be gross. For me, it was more that these flavors were so strong and distinct that they weren’t something I would look forward to drinking daily. I did enjoy incorporating these into my week in things like smoothies and recipes, but they ultimately fell to the bottom due to reduced versatility, in my opinion. 

I don’t think you should rule out any protein powder flavor on this list, especially if it sounds like a flavor you typically enjoy. 

Overall, Transparent Labs did a great job of creating good-tasting protein powders without the use of artificial sweeteners.

How Does Transparent Labs Flavor Their Protein?

Transparent Labs uses a combination of three key ingredients to naturally flavor their protein powders: Stevia, Himalayan Rock Salt, and Natural Flavors. 

To enhance a few of the flavors, you might also see one or more of the following listed under non-medicinal ingredients: Peanut Flour, Cinnamon, or Cocoa. 

• Stevia: Stevia is a calorie-free sweetener that is harvested from the stevia rebaudiana plant of South America. Stevia is around 250-300 times sweeter than table sugar. This is listed on the ingredient panel as either Stevia or Stevia Extract.

• Salt: In the Transparent Labs protein powders, you will find this listed as either Sodium Chloride or Himalayan Rock Salt. While both are technically salt, Himalayan Rock Salt specifically is known for its light pink color and has higher amounts of some minerals and trace elements compared to regular salt, such as iron, copper, and zinc.

• Natural Flavors: Natural Flavors is an all-encompassing term by the FDA for flavoring derived from spice, fruit, vegetable, yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf/plant material, meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, or dairy. Where stevia will provide sweetness for the protein powders, Natural Flavors are responsible for the overall taste.

References

Peteliuk V, Rybchuk L, Bayliak M, Storey KB, Lushchak O. Natural sweetener Stevia rebaudiana: Functionalities, health benefits and potential risks. EXCLI J. 2021 Sep 22;20:1412-1430. doi: 10.17179/excli2021-4211. PMID: 34803554; PMCID: PMC8600158.

DRAKE, S.L. and DRAKE, M.A. (2011), COMPARISON OF SALTY TASTE AND TIME INTENSITY OF SEA AND LAND SALTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD. Journal of Sensory Studies, 26: 25-34. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-459X.2010.00317.x

U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2023). CFR – Code of Federal Regulations Title 21. Retrieved from https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/cfrsearch.cfm?fr=101.22