Happy Viking is a meal replacement brand founded by the famous tennis player Venus Williams. The brand claims their products can support digestive health and the immune system, among other health benefits.
But what's actually in Happy Viking? Does it contain research-backed ingredients for promoting optimal health? Does it contain any questionable additives? And how do real users rate and describe its effects?
In this article we'll answer all of these questions and more, as we analyze the ingredients in Happy Viking to give our take on whether or not it's healthy.
We'll also feature real customer reviews, and provide a cost comparison to show which retailer sells this product for the best price.
Ingredient Analysis
Happy Viking contains a very large number of ingredients, so we'll analyze them in two sections.
The first section of ingredients in the Iced Coffee flavor are shown below:
Yellow pea protein and brown rice protein are used as vegan protein sources, and the 20 gram (g) protein dose per-serving is clinically shown to support muscle building after exercising.
Vitamin and Mineral Blend contains the majority of ingredients in this section, and we generally prefer getting vitamins and minerals from whole foods than synthetic additives outside of specific deficiencies.
There are two ingredients in this section that we consider to be unhealthy.
Erythritol is a sweetener that's clinically shown to increase the risk of stroke, as we documented in our is Bai good for you article.
Cane sugar is included at a relatively low dose of 2 g, but we recommend avoiding refined sugar sources entirely, and choosing whole food sources like maple syrup or raw honey instead.
The remaining ingredients in Happy Viking Iced Coffee flavor are shown below:
The majority of ingredients come from the vitamin and mineral blend.
Amaranth is a fibrous grain described as a "nutraceutical" in a 2023 medical review due to its "protection against various ailments."
Acerola is a potent anti-inflammatory according to a medical review published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences.
However, the individual dose isn't listed for these ingredients.
One serving of Happy Viking provides 5 g of fiber, which can be a good thing for weight management, because dietary fiber intake is clinically shown to reduce overall calories consumed.
Natural flavor is the only ingredient in this section that we consider to be questionable from a health perspective, because this term may include preservatives, according to a medical review published in the Food and Chemical Toxicology journal.
Overall, we consider Happy Viking to be better-formulated than the average meal replacement product we've reviewed to date on Illuminate Health.
However, we don't consider it to be healthy and don't currently recommend it, due to the inclusion of several inactive ingredients we consider unhealthy; erythritol in particular.
Real People Try Happy Viking
A TikTok creator named "tylarsimone" had a positive experience with Happy Viking:
@tylarcimone im in love with this superfood protein powder!🤎| Happy Viking Superfood Review #proteinpowder #foodreview #happyviking#superfood #superfoodsmoothie #plantprotein #plantproteinshake #healthyliving #blackgirltiktok #blackgirlfollowtrain #proteinrecipe ♬ original sound - tylar cimone
A TikTok creator named Cass claims that Happy Viking is a good option for people who are dairy-free:
@cassie.meschke ‼️CALLING ALL DAIRY FREE/ LACTOSE INTOLERANT GYM RATS‼️ who want a delicious, clean, & smooth protein powder!! @Happy Viking is where it’s at 💯 #foodreviews #proteinpowder #plantprotein #vegan #lactoseintolerant #dairyfree ♬ original sound - Cass
Where to Get the Best Price
Happy Viking is sold at a variety of online retailers.
Here's a price breakdown for a one-time purchase at the time of publishing this article:
Brand website: $60 (free shipping, link)
Amazon: $49.99 (free shipping, link to official Amazon listing)
Walmart: $49.94 (free shipping, third-party seller, link)
Happy Viking is currently around 17% cheaper at Amazon and Walmart than the brand's website.
The Walmart listing is from a third-party seller, which may increase the risk of counterfeit product, so we recommend purchasing either from Amazon or the brand's website.
What's Venus' Supplement Routine?
Venus Williams breaks down her own supplement routine in a video with over 65,000 views:
Our Clean Meal Replacement Picks
Bulletproof Collagen Powder is our top overall meal replacement pick.
As the core structural protein in skin, supplemental collagen is clinically proven to reduce visible signs of skin aging like wrinkles, which is a secondary benefit not offered by other types of protein like pea protein or whey.
Complement Organic Protein is our top vegan meal replacement pick.
The only ingredients in this protein powder are a blend of nutritious plant proteins: organic yellow pea protein, organic pumpkin seed protein, organic almond protein, organic sunflower seed protein and organic chia seed protein.
Both of the products recommended in this section are entirely free of ingredients we consider to be unhealthy.
Happy Viking Pros and Cons
Here are the pros and cons of Happy Viking in our opinion:
Pros:
- High fiber dose
- Many nutrient-rich ingredients
- Could double as a multivitamin
- Free shipping from brand's website
- Favorable customer reviews on TikTok
Cons:
- Contains erythritol
- Contains refined sugar
- Contains natural flavors
- Relatively expensive
- Some "superfoods" may be dosed very low
