{"id":556987940937,"title":"Ghost Protein Review: The Best Protein or Overpriced?","created_at":"2022-09-25T23:51:01-04:00","body_html":"\u003cscript type=\"application\/ld+json\"\u003e\/\/ \u003c![CDATA[\n{\n \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n \"@type\": \"Article\",\n \"headline\": \"Ghost Protein Review: The Best Protein or Overpriced?\",\n \"keywords\": \"ghost, ghost protein, ghost protein reviews, ghost protein reviews, ghost protein powder, ghost whey protein, ghost whey protein review, ghost whey protein reviews, is ghost protein good, ghost chips ahoy protein powder\",\n \"description\": \"Our research team reviews every ingredient in Ghost protein to give our take on whether the products have an effective protein dose and a healthy formulation. We highlight some questionable additive ingredients and a lawsuit Ghost is facing.\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/ghost-protein-review\",\n\"author\": {\n \"@type\": \"Person\",\n \"name\": \"Calloway Cook\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/calloway-cook\",\n \"sameAs\": \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/calloway-cook\/\",\n \"jobTitle\": \"President\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"entrepreneurship, dietary supplements, herbal supplements, eCommerce, medical research\",\n \"alumniOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"EducationalOrganization\",\n \"name\": \"S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University\"\n },\n \"memberOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\"\n }\n},\n\"creator\": {\n \"@type\": \"Person\",\n \"name\": \"Calloway Cook\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/calloway-cook\",\n \"sameAs\": \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/calloway-cook\/\",\n \"jobTitle\": \"President\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"entrepreneurship, dietary supplements, herbal supplements, eCommerce, medical research\",\n \"alumniOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"EducationalOrganization\",\n \"name\": \"S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University\"\n },\n \"memberOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\"\n }\n},\n\"editor\": {\n \"@type\": \"Person\",\n \"name\": \"DJ Mazzoni\",\n \"honorificSuffix\": [\n \"M.S.\",\n \"R.D.\",\n \"C.D.N.\",\n \"C.S.C.S.\"\n ],\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/dj-mazzoni\",\n \"sameAs\": [\n \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/dj-mazzoni-rd-cdn-cscs-00a33038\/\",\n \"http:\/\/djmazzoni.com\/\"\n ],\n \"jobTitle\": \"Medical Reviewer\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"food, nutrition, health, wellness, microbiome, exercise, workouts, strength and conditioning, probiotics, metabolism, obesity, weight loss, science, medical research, clinical trials, cardiovascular health, diet\",\n \"alumniOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"EducationalOrganization\",\n \"name\": [\n \"State University of New York College Oswego\",\n \"D’Youville College\"\n ]\n },\n \"memberOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\"\n }\n},\n\"image\": {\n\"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n\"url\": \"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Ghost_Protein_Thumbnail.png?v=1664164745\",\n\"width\": \"3079\",\n\"height\": \"3079\"\n},\n\"citation\": [\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/23899756\/\", \n\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6434678\/\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/19424216\/\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/20424937\/\",\n\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/herbalife-review\",\n\"https:\/\/www.classaction.org\/news\/ghost-greens-supplements-falsely-advertised-as-naturally-flavored-class-action-alleges\",\n\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC4270274\/\",\n\"https:\/\/www.fakespot.com\/product\/ghost-100-whey-protein-powder-2lb-tub-chips-ahoy-2lb\"\n],\n\"mentions\": [{\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"grass-fed\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"artificial flavors\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"high fructose corn syrup\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"soy\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Fakespot\"\n }\n],\n\"datePublished\": \"2022-09-25\",\n\"copyrightHolder\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\"\n},\n\"publisher\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/\",\n \"description\": \"Illuminate Labs is the most transparent supplement company in the U.S., and is a leading publisher of research-based health information.\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"supplements, science, nutrition, exercise, health, medication, pharmaceutical, wellness, diet, weight loss, medical research\",\n \"publishingPrinciples\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/editorial-guidelines\",\n \"memberOf\": [\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"U.S. Chamber of Commerce\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.uschamber.com\/\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Certified B Corp\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.bcorporation.net\/en-us\/\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Natural Products Association\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.npanational.org\/\"\n }\n ], \n \"logo\": {\n \"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Illuminate_Labs_Favicon_48x48_7595c3cc-e27b-47b8-a4fe-edcc7ed9b29a.png?v=1666502785\", \n \"width\": 48,\n \"height\": 48\n},\n \"foundingDate\": \"2019-01-30\",\n \"sameAs\": [\n \"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/illuminatelabs\",\n \"https:\/\/twitter.com\/illuminatelabs\",\n \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/illuminate-labs-supplements\",\n \"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCpgSJAsIPb-fZ25djtTxBEA\"\n ]\n }\n}\n\/\/ ]]\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Ghost_Protein_Review_Article_Header_Image_Optimized.png?v=1664164390\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"dc\"\u003eG\u003c\/span\u003ehost protein is a popular whey protein powder brand, and while they have great branding and marketing, consumers are often curious about whether their ingredients are actually clean and effective.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIn this article we’ll review every ingredient in Ghost protein powder based on medical research to give our take on whether it’s a healthy and effective option. We’ll also share a real user review of the brand.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eIngredient Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Ghost_Protein_Ingredients_Optimized.png?v=1664164535\" alt=\"Ghost protein ingredients\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eGhost protein powder contains a surprising number of ingredients, but the first and most important is \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003ewhey protein powder\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe 25 grams (g) of whey protein provided by Ghost protein is an optimal dose for muscle building and post-workout recovery. A \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/23899756\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emeta-study\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e on dietary protein for muscle hypertrophy found that 25 g is the maximally-effective dose for muscle protein synthesis after a workout.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe will assume that the whey protein in Ghost is sourced from conventionally-raised animals, which we consider a less healthy option than protein from grass-fed animals. A \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6434678\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emedical review\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e published in the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eFrontiers in Nutrition\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e journal documented that animal products sourced from conventionally-raised animals contain a less optimal ratio of fatty acids than that from pastured animals.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThis whey powder contains a number of additive ingredients we recommend avoiding, which we’ll highlight below.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eGhost contains 4 g \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003esugar\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, and we see no need for sugar in a simple protein powder formulation. We know from decades of medical research that consuming sugar in excess is likely harmful for human health, and many Americans already consume too much sugar from their diet. This is why we recommend avoiding all supplements containing added sugar.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ePartially hydrogenated cottonseed oil\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is a strange choice for a whey protein product. We have never noted partially hydrogenated oil as an ingredient in any Illuminate Health protein review until this review. A \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/19424216\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emeta-study\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e published in 2009 found that reducing partially hydrogenated vegetable oil intake may reduce cardiovascular disease risk.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eHigh fructose corn syrup\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e intake is associated with obesity in \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/20424937\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emedical research\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThere is legitimate medical research suggesting that \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eartificial flavors\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e may have toxicity concerns, as we documented in our \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/herbalife-review\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eHerbalife reviews\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e article.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe final questionable additive ingredient we want to highlight is \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003edigestive enzymes\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e. We don’t understand why digestive enzymes would be added to a protein powder, nor could we locate any explanation on Ghost’s site. We haven’t come across any medical studies suggesting that people without digestive disorders benefit from supplemental digestive enzymes.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOverall we consider this to be one of the worst protein powder formulations we’ve reviewed on Illuminate Health.\u003c\/strong\u003e The whey appears to be sourced from conventionally-raised animals, and there are five separate added ingredients we recommend avoiding.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOur review was of the ingredients label from Ghost Protein Chips Ahoy flavor, but our general comments hold for all flavors of Ghost protein powder, as they have similar formulations.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eGhost Protein Real User Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOne of the most popular reviews of Ghost protein on YouTube is published by a channel called “Brady Oak Fitness” and appears unsponsored. The creator tries Ghost Chips Ahoy flavor (the same one we reviewed the ingredients of above) and shares his honest opinion:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/VzXysh3CanY\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eGhost Protein Lawsuit\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA recent \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.classaction.org\/news\/ghost-greens-supplements-falsely-advertised-as-naturally-flavored-class-action-alleges\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eclass-action lawsuit\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e was levied against Ghost. The plaintiffs allege that Ghost falsely advertised their products as “naturally flavored” while they were flavored with synthetic additives (as we noted in our ingredient review).\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe lawsuit is in regard to Ghost Greens, their green powder product, and not Ghost protein. However we consider this a red flag about the brand generally and believe this information is relevant to consumers of Ghost protein.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eTo our surprise, at the time of writing this article Ghost Greens still has a “Naturally Flavored” description on the brand’s website.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eQuestionable Health Claims on Ghost Website\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eGhost advertises that their protein powder is “Soy Free” on the product page of their Coffee Ice Cream flavor whey protein, and claims that \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e“soy contains phytoestrogens that mimic the body's natural estrogen hormones, which isn't great for men OR women, we'll pass.”\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe find this statement highly questionable for two reasons. The first is that some of the products they sell contain soy. The ingredient label we reviewed contained both soy and soybean oil.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eGhost provides no citation for their claim that soy phytoestrogens are bad for humans, and we disagree with this claim. A \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC4270274\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emedical review\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e published in 2014 found that consumption of soy products was associated with “favorable health effects.” \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eWe have not come across any convincing medical evidence that soy consumption is unhealthy, nor does Ghost appear to cite any.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eGhost Protein Customer Reviews\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eGhost Protein Chips Ahoy flavor has been reviewed over 1,000 times on Amazon, which we consider to be a more objective source of user reviews than a brand’s website. The average product rating is 4.5 out of 5 stars.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThis protein powder receives a “B” grade \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.fakespot.com\/product\/ghost-100-whey-protein-powder-2lb-tub-chips-ahoy-2lb\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003efrom Fakespot\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, which is a software tool that detects potentially fraudulent Amazon reviews. This suggests that the reviews of Ghost protein are legitimate.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe top positive review from a verified purchaser is written by a user named “TaraG” who likes the taste:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e“You get a lot for the price. The little chunks of oreo in it are really good. Slight chemical taste but I’m trying to find other things to mix with. Blended with ice and milk is good.”\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe top negative review from a verified purchaser comes from a user named “Reno Nichole” who claims the powder failed to dissolve in milk and tasted bad:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e“I wanted to like this sooooo bad. Seen and read so many reviews saying how good it was. So I splurged and bought it. Tried it with milk and it didn't blend very well. There were clumps no matter how much I shook it. Which were sooo gross. The smell was awful and the taste was just as bad. I took a few drinks and the longer I sat there the worse the taste in my mouth got.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cb\u003eOur Clean Protein Powder Recommendation\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Protein_Powder_Image_Optimized.png?v=1664075597\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe recommend \u003ca rel=\"sponsored\" href=\"https:\/\/bulletproof.fdf2.net\/illuminatelabs\"\u003eBulletproof Collagen Protein\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eas our top protein powder.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFirst, let's discuss the formulation: \u003cstrong\u003eBulletproof's protein powder only contains one single ingredient: collagen protein sourced from grass-fed animals. No questionable additives at all.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003eAs the core structural protein in skin, supplemental collagen is also\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/30681787\/\"\u003eclinically proven\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eto reduce visible signs of skin aging like wrinkles, which is a beneficial secondary benefit not offered by other types of protein like whey.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003eInterested consumers can check out Bulletproof Collagen Protein\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca rel=\"sponsored\" href=\"https:\/\/bulletproof.fdf2.net\/illuminatelabs\"\u003eat this link\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eto the product page on Bulletproof's website.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eConclusion\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe do not recommend any Ghost protein powders, and we consider their formulations to be some of the worst protein powder formulations that we’ve reviewed. We don’t understand why a brand would add ingredients like high fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors and partially hydrogenated cottonseed oil to a protein powder.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIn our opinion, using whey protein powder sourced from grass-fed animals with no additive ingredients is a healthier option.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eGhost has been sued over claims of false advertising, and makes questionable health claims on their website.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eTheir protein powders do appear well reviewed on Amazon, and many consumers report that they taste good.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","blog_id":49281925193,"author":"Calloway Cook","user_id":26601750601,"published_at":"2022-09-25T23:56:08-04:00","updated_at":"2022-11-07T21:15:38-05:00","summary_html":"We review every ingredient in Ghost protein to give our take on whether the products have an effective protein dose and a healthy formulation. We highlight some questionable additive ingredients and a lawsuit Ghost is facing.","template_suffix":"","handle":"ghost-protein-review","tags":"_related:protein"}

Ghost Protein Review: The Best Protein or Overpriced?

Ghost Protein Review: The Best Protein or Overpriced?


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Read our Editorial Guidelines to learn more about what makes our site the premier resource for online health information.

Ghost protein is a popular whey protein powder brand, and while they have great branding and marketing, consumers are often curious about whether their ingredients are actually clean and effective.

In this article we’ll review every ingredient in Ghost protein powder based on medical research to give our take on whether it’s a healthy and effective option. We’ll also share a real user review of the brand.

Ingredient Review

Ghost protein ingredients

Ghost protein powder contains a surprising number of ingredients, but the first and most important is whey protein powder.

The 25 grams (g) of whey protein provided by Ghost protein is an optimal dose for muscle building and post-workout recovery. A meta-study on dietary protein for muscle hypertrophy found that 25 g is the maximally-effective dose for muscle protein synthesis after a workout.

We will assume that the whey protein in Ghost is sourced from conventionally-raised animals, which we consider a less healthy option than protein from grass-fed animals. A medical review published in the Frontiers in Nutrition journal documented that animal products sourced from conventionally-raised animals contain a less optimal ratio of fatty acids than that from pastured animals.

This whey powder contains a number of additive ingredients we recommend avoiding, which we’ll highlight below.

Ghost contains 4 g sugar, and we see no need for sugar in a simple protein powder formulation. We know from decades of medical research that consuming sugar in excess is likely harmful for human health, and many Americans already consume too much sugar from their diet. This is why we recommend avoiding all supplements containing added sugar.

Partially hydrogenated cottonseed oil is a strange choice for a whey protein product. We have never noted partially hydrogenated oil as an ingredient in any Illuminate Health protein review until this review. A meta-study published in 2009 found that reducing partially hydrogenated vegetable oil intake may reduce cardiovascular disease risk.

High fructose corn syrup intake is associated with obesity in medical research.

There is legitimate medical research suggesting that artificial flavors may have toxicity concerns, as we documented in our Herbalife reviews article.

The final questionable additive ingredient we want to highlight is digestive enzymes. We don’t understand why digestive enzymes would be added to a protein powder, nor could we locate any explanation on Ghost’s site. We haven’t come across any medical studies suggesting that people without digestive disorders benefit from supplemental digestive enzymes.

Overall we consider this to be one of the worst protein powder formulations we’ve reviewed on Illuminate Health. The whey appears to be sourced from conventionally-raised animals, and there are five separate added ingredients we recommend avoiding.

Our review was of the ingredients label from Ghost Protein Chips Ahoy flavor, but our general comments hold for all flavors of Ghost protein powder, as they have similar formulations.

Ghost Protein Real User Review

One of the most popular reviews of Ghost protein on YouTube is published by a channel called “Brady Oak Fitness” and appears unsponsored. The creator tries Ghost Chips Ahoy flavor (the same one we reviewed the ingredients of above) and shares his honest opinion:

Ghost Protein Lawsuit

A recent class-action lawsuit was levied against Ghost. The plaintiffs allege that Ghost falsely advertised their products as “naturally flavored” while they were flavored with synthetic additives (as we noted in our ingredient review).

The lawsuit is in regard to Ghost Greens, their green powder product, and not Ghost protein. However we consider this a red flag about the brand generally and believe this information is relevant to consumers of Ghost protein.

To our surprise, at the time of writing this article Ghost Greens still has a “Naturally Flavored” description on the brand’s website.

Questionable Health Claims on Ghost Website

Ghost advertises that their protein powder is “Soy Free” on the product page of their Coffee Ice Cream flavor whey protein, and claims that “soy contains phytoestrogens that mimic the body's natural estrogen hormones, which isn't great for men OR women, we'll pass.”

We find this statement highly questionable for two reasons. The first is that some of the products they sell contain soy. The ingredient label we reviewed contained both soy and soybean oil.

Ghost provides no citation for their claim that soy phytoestrogens are bad for humans, and we disagree with this claim. A medical review published in 2014 found that consumption of soy products was associated with “favorable health effects.” We have not come across any convincing medical evidence that soy consumption is unhealthy, nor does Ghost appear to cite any.

Ghost Protein Customer Reviews

Ghost Protein Chips Ahoy flavor has been reviewed over 1,000 times on Amazon, which we consider to be a more objective source of user reviews than a brand’s website. The average product rating is 4.5 out of 5 stars.

This protein powder receives a “B” grade from Fakespot, which is a software tool that detects potentially fraudulent Amazon reviews. This suggests that the reviews of Ghost protein are legitimate.

The top positive review from a verified purchaser is written by a user named “TaraG” who likes the taste:

“You get a lot for the price. The little chunks of oreo in it are really good. Slight chemical taste but I’m trying to find other things to mix with. Blended with ice and milk is good.”

The top negative review from a verified purchaser comes from a user named “Reno Nichole” who claims the powder failed to dissolve in milk and tasted bad:

“I wanted to like this sooooo bad. Seen and read so many reviews saying how good it was. So I splurged and bought it. Tried it with milk and it didn't blend very well. There were clumps no matter how much I shook it. Which were sooo gross. The smell was awful and the taste was just as bad. I took a few drinks and the longer I sat there the worse the taste in my mouth got.”

Our Clean Protein Powder Recommendation

We recommend Bulletproof Collagen Protein as our top protein powder.

First, let's discuss the formulation: Bulletproof's protein powder only contains one single ingredient: collagen protein sourced from grass-fed animals. No questionable additives at all.

As the core structural protein in skin, supplemental collagen is also clinically proven to reduce visible signs of skin aging like wrinkles, which is a beneficial secondary benefit not offered by other types of protein like whey.

Interested consumers can check out Bulletproof Collagen Protein at this link to the product page on Bulletproof's website.

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Conclusion

We do not recommend any Ghost protein powders, and we consider their formulations to be some of the worst protein powder formulations that we’ve reviewed. We don’t understand why a brand would add ingredients like high fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors and partially hydrogenated cottonseed oil to a protein powder.

In our opinion, using whey protein powder sourced from grass-fed animals with no additive ingredients is a healthier option.

Ghost has been sued over claims of false advertising, and makes questionable health claims on their website.

Their protein powders do appear well reviewed on Amazon, and many consumers report that they taste good.




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