Premier Protein Shake is one of the most popular protein brands in the U.S. The shakes are ready-made which is great for convenience, and the brand describes them as perfect for "winding down after a workout or fueling up between plans."
But what's actually in Premier Protein Shakes and are they healthy? Does the product contain enough protein to cause muscle gain? What was our experience purchasing and trying it for post-workout recovery? And is Premier Protein better or worse than other popular protein shakes like Nurri?
In this article we'll answer all of these questions and more, as we analyze the ingredients in Premier Protein Shake to give our take on whether or not the product is likely to support muscle gain, and whether or not it's healthy.
We'll share our honest experience purchasing and trying this product, explain why some of the brand's products were recalled, and compare Premier Protein Shake to other popular protein shakes to pick our winners (and losers) from a formulation quality perspective.
Key takeaways:
- Contains effective protein dose for muscle-building
- Contains many inactive ingredients we consider unhealthy
- We do not currently recommend Premier Protein Shake
Is Premier Protein Shake Good for Workouts?
Milk protein concentrate is the protein source in Premier Protein Shakes, and according to research this ingredient is a split of around 80% casein protein to 20% whey protein.
A medical review published in the PNAS journal found that casein is much slower-digesting compared to whey protein.
This suggests that Premier Protein Shake may be more optimal for post-workout recovery rather than pre-workout or during workouts to fuel performance.
But does Premier Protein Shake contain an effective protein dose to maximize muscle gain?
As we documented in our review of the healthiest protein powder brands, the minimum effective threshold for protein to maximize muscle synthesis appears to be 20 grams (g) according to clinical studies.
All flavors of Premier Protein Shake contain 30 g of protein, and this is an effective dose for optimizing muscle gain.
Overall we consider Premier Protein Shake to be a good option for building muscle, and especially for post-workout recovery.
Questionable Additive Ingredients
The below ingredients list is from the caramel flavor of Premier Protein Shake:
Artificial flavors are synthetically-derived food additives.
In 2018, the FDA removed seven artificial flavorings from the approved food additives list, after they were associated with carcinogenicity (promotion of cancer to living cells).
Sucralose is an artificial sweetener that was shown in a clinical trial published in the Nutrition Journal to cause negative changes to insulin and blood sugar levels in healthy, young adults.
Acesulfame potassium is another artificial sweetener which is 200 times sweeter than table sugar.
As we documented in our review of Fairlife Protein Shake, acesulfame potassium was shown to damage gut function in an animal study.
Vitamin A palmitate and vitamin B12 are part of a vitamin and mineral blend.
While these nutrients are included at modest doses (none exceeding 50% of the Recommended Daily Value), it seems illogical in our opinion to regularly consume synthetic vitamin and mineral supplements without evidence of a deficiency in those vitamins and minerals.
Overall, we do not currently recommend Premier Protein Shakes due to the ingredients discussed above.
We Tested Premier Protein Shake
As one of the authors of this article, I wanted to purchase Premier Protein Shake myself and try it to give my thoughts on its taste and effects.
I purchased a 4-pack of the Strawberries & Cream flavor and had one of the drinks after my post-workout meal.
The taste was horrendously artificial and the texture was also thick and off-putting. This is genuinely the worst-tasting protein drink I've consumed in years.
I dislike artificial flavorings and typically just use whey protein powder mixed into water, so maybe that's why I found this to be so sickly sweet and awful.
As far as the convenience and recovery effects, I have no issues with the brand. It's great to get 30 g of protein in one small serving, and my muscles don't feel sore even though I played tennis and basketball for over two hours straight this evening.
I would never buy this product again though due to the taste, and due to all of the weird additives it has that I personally prefer avoiding.
Overall, I would rate this product 2/10.
Do Premier Protein Shakes Cause Weight Loss?
Many consumers are curious about whether or not Premier Protein Shakes can cause weight loss, given that the brand markets the fact that their product "Keeps You Feeling Full."
Medical research does show that higher-protein calorie restricted diets are more effective for weight loss than lower-protein calorie restricted diets. The above-linked review, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, recommended at least 25 g of protein per restricted-calorie meal, which Premier Protein Shake provides.
Relatively high protein intakes are effective for weight loss because they increase satiation (the sense of "fullness"), thus reducing cravings for high-carb foods.
However, since the potential weight loss effects of Premier Protein Shake in overweight and obese individuals comes from the protein content and not any unique ingredients, we would recommend the protein options in our clean protein recommendation section above.
Why Were Premier Protein Shakes Recalled?
In 2022, Premier Protein Shakes were recalled from the market due to potential contamination from a bacteria called Cronobacter sakazakii, according to CNN.
There is not an active recall for Premier Protein Shake at the time of updating this article.
It doesn't appear that any consumers were harmed, and other brands like Oatly were also affected.
This doesn't necessarily suggest any risk moving forward, but it does raise red flags about the quality control of Premier Protein Shakes in our opinion.
Premier Protein Shake vs. Popular Protein Shakes
Here's how Premier Protein Shake compares to other popular protein shakes in terms of potential effectiveness and healthiness, in our opinion:
Fairlife Protein Shake
Contains the same artificial sweeteners as Premier Protein, but contains fewer synthetic vitamin additives, and Fairlife is free from artificial flavors.
Winner: Fairlife Protein Shake
Nurri Protein Shake
Like Premier Protein Shake, this brand provides a protein dose within the effective range but also contains several ingredients we consider unhealthy, as we documented in our Nurri Protein Shake review article.
There are fewer ingredients in Nurri that we consider questionable, so it gets a (slight) edge in regard to overall healthiness.
Winner: Nurri Protein Shake
OWYN
This plant-based protein shake contains soluble fiber, which is clinically shown to be associated with improved weight loss outcomes.
Mostly nutritious, whole food ingredients.
Contains a few flavoring ingredients we consider unhealthy, but none as unhealthy as artificial flavors.
Winner: OWYN
Our Clean Protein Picks
MBG Whey Protein Isolate+ is our top overall protein powder.
Whey protein is a "complete" protein, meaning it contains all nine essential amino acids.
Anthony's Organic Hemp Protein is our top vegan protein powder.
It's extremely nutrient-dense, providing 25% of the Daily Value (DV) of iron and 8% of the DV of potassium.
Both of the products recommended in this section are free of ingredients that we consider to be unhealthy.
Premier Protein Shake Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Effective protein type
- Effective protein dose
- Convenient
- Can help build muscle
- Affordable
Cons:
- Contains artificial flavors
- Contains artificial sweeteners
- Packaged in plastic
- Company recalled products from market in 2022
- Doesn't appear to be clinically tested
Premier Protein Shake FAQs
Are Premier Protein Shakes healthy?
We do not consider Premier Protein Shakes to be healthy due to the artificial flavors, artificial sweeteners and blend of synthetic vitamin additives.
Are Premier Protein Shakes safe during pregnancy?
It may be best to consume whole foods during pregnancy rather than processed food products with artificial flavoring agents, but only a doctor or dietitian can provide specific nutritional advice to a pregnant woman.
A 2021 meta-study found that artificial sweetener consumption during pregnancy may be associated with increased risk of pre-term delivery and increased birth weight.
Are Premier Protein Shakes lactose free?
Premier Protein Shakes are not lactose free. They contain milk protein, which contains lactose. We would recommend that consumers who are lactose-intolerant or lactose-sensitive avoid Premier Protein Shakes.
Are Premier Protein Shakes keto friendly?
Premier Protein Shakes contain only 5 grams of carbs, so they can be incorporated into a keto diet. Most keto diets allow for up to 50 grams of carbs per day.
Whey protein will contain slightly less carbs per 30 g protein serving according to the USDA, and we believe whey protein is a better option for keto dieters.
