Ghost is a popular supplement brand that sells both whey protein and vegan protein. The company describes their whey protein as "a premium 100% whey protein blend with natural digestive enzymes and...authentic flavor collabs."
But does Ghost Protein provide an effective protein dose for muscle-building? Does it contain any unhealthy additive ingredients? How do real users rate and describe its taste and effects? And which retailer sells Ghost Protein for the best price?
In this article we'll answer all of these questions and more as we analyze the ingredients in Ghost Protein based on research studies to give our take on whether the protein is effectively dosed for growing muscle, and to give our take on whether or not it's healthy.
We'll feature unsponsored user reviews and provide a cost comparison to show which retailer sells Ghost Protein for the best price.
We'll also explain why Ghost was sued in a class-action lawsuit.
Ingredient Analysis
The ingredients in the Chips Ahoy flavor of Ghost Whey Protein are shown above.
Whey protein is included at a dose of 25 grams (g) per serving, which 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.
Ghost fails to clarify whether their whey is sourced from pastured or conventionally-raised animals. A medical review published in the Frontiers in Nutrition journal suggests that animal products from conventionally-raised animals are less healthy than pastured.
This protein powder contains a number of additive ingredients that we consider to be questionable from a health perspective, discussed below:
Sugar is included at a dose of 4 g, and while this is a relatively low dose, diets high in added sugar are clinically shown to promote obesity.
Many Americans already consume a high level of added sugar in their diet, so we recommend avoiding refined sugar from supplements.
Partially hydrogenated cottonseed oil is a strange choice for a whey protein product in our opinion. A 2009 meta-study 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.
Artificial flavors are clinically shown to pose toxicity concerns, as we documented in our Herbalife reviews article.
Digestive enzymes is included and we're unsure why, 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 to date. The whey appears to be sourced from conventionally-raised animals, and there are five separate added ingredients that we consider to be questionable.
But how do real users rate and review Ghost Protein? We'll feature some video reviews in the next section of this article.
Real People Try Ghost Protein
A YouTube creator named “Brady Oak Fitness” reviewed Ghost Chips Ahoy flavor (the same flavor we analyzed above):
A YouTube creator named Shannon Andersen has an unsponsored review of various types of Ghost Protein supplements:
Why Was Ghost Sued?
As we detailed in our review of Ghost Greens (another supplement sold by the brand), Ghost Lifestyle was sued over its ingredient disclosures.
In the class-action lawsuit levied against Ghost Lifestyle, the plaintiffs allege that Ghost falsely advertised their products as “naturally flavored” while they were flavored with synthetic additives.
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 potential consumers of Ghost Protein.
At the time of updating this article, we cannot find any information about whether the lawsuit was settled, or is ongoing.
How to Use Protein Powder to Build Muscle
A YouTube creator and fitness influencer named Jeremy Ethier has a video on how to use protein powder to build muscle that discusses form, timing and dosage:
Our Clean Protein Picks
Bulletproof Collagen Protein is our top overall protein powder pick, and costs only $1.32 per serving at the time of updating this article.
The main reason is its formulation: Bulletproof's protein powder only contains one single ingredient: collagen protein sourced from grass-fed animals.
As the core structural protein in skin, supplemental collagen is clinically shown to reduce visible signs of skin aging like wrinkles, which is a secondary benefit not offered by other types of protein like whey protein.
Promix Whey Protein is our top whey protein powder, and costs only $0.93 per serving at the time of updating this article when you purchase the 5 pound bag.
This brand uses grass-fed whey protein and no sweeteners or flavoring additives. Whey protein is a "complete" protein, meaning it contains all nine essential amino acids.
Complement Organic Protein is our top vegan protein powder.
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.
All three of the products mentioned in this section are entirely free of additive ingredients that we consider to be unhealthy or unsafe.
Real Customers Review Ghost Protein
Amazon is a better resource for unbiased customer reviews than a brand's website in our opinion. The Chips Ahoy flavor of Ghost Protein has been reviewed over 8,000 times on Amazon, with an average review rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars at the time of updating this article.
The top positive review from a verified purchaser is written by a user named “TaraG” who gives the product a 5/5 star rating, and 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 gives the product a 1/5 star rating, and claims it 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.”
Where to Buy Ghost Protein for the Best Price
Ghost Protein is sold at a variety of online retailers. Here's a price breakdown for a one-time purchase at the time of updating this article:
Whey Protein
Walmart: $54.44 (link)
Brand website: $44.99 (plus $9.49 shipping, link)
Amazon: $44.99 (free shipping, link to official Amazon listing)
Vegan Protein
Walmart: $54.99 (link)
Brand website: $49.99 (plus shipping, link)
Amazon: $49.99 (free shipping, link to official Amazon listing)
Ghost Protein is currently around 20% cheaper on Amazon than on the brand's website or Walmart.
Pros and Cons of Ghost Protein
Here are the pros and cons of Ghost Protein in our opinion:
Pros:
- Effective protein dose
- Should support muscle building
- Favorable Amazon customer reviews
- Comes in a variety of flavors
Cons:
- Contains artificial flavors
- Contains hydrogenated oil
- Contains sucralose
- Contains high fructose corn syrup
- Unhealthy formulation in our opinion
- Brand website charges for shipping
- Brand was sued over ingredient disclosures in another product
