{"id":606279041330,"title":"OWYN Review: Overpriced Plant Protein?","created_at":"2023-09-13T23:48:37-04:00","body_html":"\u003cscript type=\"application\/ld+json\"\u003e\/\/ \u003c![CDATA[\n{\n \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n \"@type\": \"Article\",\n \"headline\": \"OWYN Review: Overpriced Plant Protein?\",\n \"keywords\": \"owyn, owyn review, owyn reviews, owyn protein shake, owyn protein shakes, owyn protein drink, owyn protein shake review, owyn shakes\",\n \"description\": \"Our research team analyzes the ingredients in OWYN protein shakes based on medical studies to give our take on whether they're healthy or not. We highlight two questionable additive ingredients, feature unsponsored customer reviews and discuss issues with vegan omega-3s.\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/owyn-review\",\n\"author\": [\n {\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],\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\": \"exercise, drugs, pharmaceutical, health, workout, strength and conditioning, nutrition, dietetics, medicine, medical research, scientific research, scientific method, healthcare, patient care, wellness\",\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\/OWYN_Thumbnail.png?v=1694750551\",\n\"width\": \"3584\",\n\"height\": \"3584\"\n},\n\"citation\": [\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/23765352\/\", \n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/33576691\/\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/33576691\/\",\n\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/is-muscle-milk-good-for-you\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/24493081\/\",\n\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/high-impact-protein-review\",\n\"https:\/\/truthinadvertising.org\/class-action\/owyn-vanilla-protein-drinks\/\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/30681787\/\",\n\"https:\/\/www.walmart.com\/ip\/OWYN-Plant-Based-Nutrition-Drink-Chocolate-20g-Protein-11-15-oz-12-Pack\/907158064\",\n\"https:\/\/liveowyn.com\/products\/protein-shakes\/?sku=0424\"\n],\n\"mentions\": [{\n \"@type\": \"Brand\",\n \"name\": \"Only What You Need\"\n},\n{\n\"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"omega-3\"\n},\n{\n\"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"added suagr\"\n},\n{\n\"@type\": \"Brand\",\n \"name\": \"Truth in Advertising\"\n},\n{\n\"@type\": \"Brand\",\n \"name\": \"Brew\"\n},\n{\n\"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Vitacost\"\n},\n{\n\"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Walmart\"\n},\n{\n\"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Amazon\"\n},\n{\n\"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Facebook\"\n},\n{\n\"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Google\"\n}\n],\n\"datePublished\": \"2023-09-13\",\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 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/OWYN_Review_Article_Header_Image_Optimized.png?v=1694663700\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"dc\"\u003eO\u003c\/span\u003eWYN, which is an acronym for “Only What You Need,” is a protein shake brand that’s available in-person and online. The brand claims to use “plant protein,” “superfood greens” and “omega-3s.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eBut is OWYN actually healthy? Does it contain effective doses of its active ingredients? Does it have any questionable additive ingredients? And how do real users rate and describe the effects of this protein shake?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIn this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more, as we analyze the ingredients in OWYN based on medical studies to give our take on whether the brand is healthy or not.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe’ll feature unsponsored customer reviews, and provide a price comparison to show which retailer sells OWYN for the best price.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eIngredient Analysis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cimg data-mce-fragment=\"1\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/OWYN_Dark_Chocolate_Ingredients.png?v=1694663667\" alt=\"OWYN Dark Chocolate ingredients\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" data-mce-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/OWYN_Dark_Chocolate_Ingredients.png?v=1694663667\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe ingredients in the Dark Chocolate flavor of OWYN are shown above.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003ePea protein\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eorganic pumpkin seed protein\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e serve as the primary plant protein sources, and this shake provides 20 grams (g) of protein per serving, which is a dose \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca data-mce-fragment=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/23765352\/\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/23765352\/\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eclinically shown\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e to be effective for muscle building after exercise.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eOrganic flax oil\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is a vegan omega-3 fatty acid source, and a nutritious one, although it’s worth noting that vegan sources of omega-3 are not nearly as well-absorbed as animal sources, according to a 2022 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca data-mce-fragment=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/33576691\/\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/33576691\/\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emedical review\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eSoluble fiber\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is a healthy choice for an additional active ingredient, as fiber intake has been associated with weight loss in overweight and obese individuals in a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6768815\/\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emedical review\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e published in \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe Journal of Nutrition\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eBroccoli\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003espinach\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003ekale\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e are included as part of a “Greens Blend,” but \u003cstrong\u003ethese ingredients are included at an equal or lower dose than salt, since ingredients on a Nutrition Facts label must be listed in order of relative concentration.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eSince one serving of OWYN Dark Chocolate provides 350 milligrams (mg) of sodium, this suggests that there is 350 mg or less of these vegetables, and we haven’t come across any clinical research suggesting such a low dose of vegetables provides any health benefits.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe urge OWYN to publish the individual doses of these veggies, in the interest of transparency, given that the brand uses them in marketing materials.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe good news is that this is a substantially healthier formulation than commercial protein shakes like \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca data-mce-fragment=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/is-muscle-milk-good-for-you\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/is-muscle-milk-good-for-you\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eMuscle Milk\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e that contain artificial sweeteners and artificial flavors.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOWYN’s protein shake does contain two inactive ingredients that may be questionable from a health perspective.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eAdded sugar\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is positively associated with increased mortality and increased cardiovascular disease risk, according to a 2014 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca data-mce-fragment=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/24493081\/\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/24493081\/\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emedical review\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThere is only 4 g of added sugar in OWYN, but health-conscious consumers may benefit from limiting added, refined sugar intake as much as possible.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eNatural flavor\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e may have toxic effects depending on the flavoring additives used, according to at least one medical review, as we discussed in our \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca data-mce-fragment=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/high-impact-protein-review\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/high-impact-protein-review\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eHigh Impact Protein reviews\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e article on another protein shake brand that contains this ingredient.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOverall, we consider OWYN likely to support muscle growth and to be a healthier alternative to most commercial protein shakes, but we don’t currently recommend the brand due to the use of added sugar and flavoring additives.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBut why was the brand sued over its marketing related to one of its ingredients? We'll answer that question in the next section of this article.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhy Was OWYN Sued?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIn 2020, OWYN was sued over allegations of misleading marketing.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe company marketed vanilla as the only flavoring ingredient, but natural flavors were also included in their formulations at the time\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/truthinadvertising.org\/class-action\/owyn-vanilla-protein-drinks\/\"\u003eaccording to\u003c\/a\u003e Truth in Advertising.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAt the time of publishing this article, it's unclear if this lawsuit is ongoing, settled or was dropped.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe consider this to be a red flag of brand quality, but \u003cstrong\u003ewe do not consider this to be a serious risk to consumers, given that there are no allegations that the brand failed to list all of the ingredients on the Nutrition Facts label.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe recommend consumers read all of the ingredients in any food or health product they plan on using, rather than relying on marketing messages to make a purchase decision.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eReal People Try OWYN\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA TikTok creator named “branneisha” compares the taste of OWYN to Fairlife:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote style=\"max-width: 325px; min-width: 325px;\" data-video-id=\"7271704401629203743\" cite=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@branneisha\/video\/7271704401629203743\" class=\"tiktok-embed\"\u003e\n\u003csection\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@branneisha?refer=embed\" title=\"@branneisha\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e@branneisha\u003c\/a\u003e the battle of the protein shakes \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/proteinshake?refer=embed\" title=\"proteinshake\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e#proteinshake\u003c\/a\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/fairlifeprotein?refer=embed\" title=\"fairlifeprotein\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e#fairlifeprotein\u003c\/a\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/owynproteinshake?refer=embed\" title=\"owynproteinshake\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e#owynproteinshake\u003c\/a\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/protein?refer=embed\" title=\"protein\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e#protein\u003c\/a\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/weightloss?refer=embed\" title=\"weightloss\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e#weightloss\u003c\/a\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/music\/original-sound-7271704454867471134?refer=embed\" title=\"♬ original sound - BEE • PCOS\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e♬ original sound - BEE • PCOS\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/section\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cscript src=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/embed.js\" async=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA YouTube creator named “Crunchy Scott” compares OWYN to other vegan protein shakes:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/TNtNDMHkg94?si=0PDcrxIaYeVPY5Zw\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eOur Clean Protein Picks\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\u003eThe main reason is its 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 secondary benefit not offered by other types of protein like milk protein.\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 official website.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/lovecomplement.com\/products\/complement-organic-vegan-plant-based-protein-unflavored?utm_source=illuminate\u0026amp;utm_medium=blog\u0026amp;utm_campaign=protein_un\u0026amp;utm_content=\u0026amp;aff=446\" rel=\"sponsored\"\u003eComplement Organic Protein\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eis our top vegan protein powder.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe only ingredients in this protein powder are a blend of nutritious plant proteins and zero unhealthy additives: organic yellow pea protein, organic pumpkin seed protein, organic almond protein, organic sunflower seed protein and organic chia seed protein.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe brand also publishes third-party test results for label accuracy and contaminants which ensures product quality and is not common in the vegan protein market.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInterested consumers can check out Complement Organic Protein\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/lovecomplement.com\/products\/complement-organic-vegan-plant-based-protein-unflavored?utm_source=illuminate\u0026amp;utm_medium=blog\u0026amp;utm_campaign=protein_un\u0026amp;utm_content=\u0026amp;aff=446\" rel=\"sponsored\"\u003eat this link\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eto the product page on the brand's official website.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eCan You Live Off Protein Shakes?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA fascinating YouTube video from the “Brew” channel explores whether it would be possible to live entirely off protein shakes, and has over 1.7 million views:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003ciframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/yowo5KlYYpI?si=jdtFnwlUL2VMmrHf\" height=\"315\" width=\"560\" allowfullscreen=\"\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eWhere to Buy OWYN for the Best Price\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOWYN is sold at a variety of online retailers. Here’s a price breakdown for a 12-pack at the time of publishing this article:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eVitacost: $37.99\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWalmart: $36.99 (free shipping, lower dose, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca data-mce-fragment=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walmart.com\/ip\/OWYN-Plant-Based-Nutrition-Drink-Chocolate-20g-Protein-11-15-oz-12-Pack\/907158064\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/www.walmart.com\/ip\/OWYN-Plant-Based-Nutrition-Drink-Chocolate-20g-Protein-11-15-oz-12-Pack\/907158064\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003elink\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBrand website: \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e$36.99 (free shipping\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca data-mce-fragment=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/liveowyn.com\/products\/protein-shakes\/?sku=0424\" data-mce-href=\"https:\/\/liveowyn.com\/products\/protein-shakes\/?sku=0424\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003elink\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAmazon: \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e$36.99 (free shipping\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/OWYN-Chocolate-supplements-Superfoods-nutritional\/dp\/B0764GPB51\/\"\u003elink\u003c\/a\u003e)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe bottles on Amazon and the brand’s website currently have a slightly larger size, which makes them a better deal than the OWYN products on Walmart.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReal Customers Review OWYN\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAmazon is a better resource for honest customer reviews than a brand's website in our opinion.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOWYN Dark Chocolate has been reviewed over 1,700 times on Amazon at the time of publishing this article, with an average customer review rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe top positive review from a verified purchaser comes from a user named \"Corin\" who gives the product a 5\/5 star rating and likes the taste:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eTook it from box , shook it and put tons of ice in big cup and poured the coffee shake into it and savored it with a straw . \u003cstrong\u003eTook me couple hours to enjoy it since I went so slow with it. Savor my caffeine and yummy coffee taste.\"\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe top negative review from a verified purchaser is written by a user named \"Whitney Wilson\" who gives the product a 1\/5 star rating and suggests it can cause side effects in those with IBS:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eFor me the issue came about an hour after I drank it. I was at work and my guts started bubbling — loudly. I have IBS so I’m well aware of what comes next and I quickly got to a bathroom. \u003cstrong\u003eThe next three days I felt like I was prepping for a colonoscopy. Every 90 minutes or so I’d have to rush to the bathroom.\"\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eOWYN currently has a rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars on Facebook.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eOWYN Dark Chocolate currently has an average review rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars on Google.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003ePros and Cons of OWYN\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eHere are the pros and cons of OWYN in our opinion:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003ePros:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\n\u003cli data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eEffective protein dose\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eShould support muscle building\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ePositive user reviews of taste\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eContains omega-3 fatty acids\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eContains green powders\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eContains fiber\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eLower sugar than competitors\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eCons:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\n\u003cli data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eContains refined sugar\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eContains flavoring additives\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eExpensive per-serving\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eDoesn’t appear clinically tested\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eVegan omega-3 sources may be less bioavailable\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eQuestionable veggie doses\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eConclusion\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOWYN is a healthier option than the average ready-to-drink protein shake brand that we’ve reviewed to date on Illuminate Health like Premier Protein Shakes and Muscle Milk, because it contains fiber and veggies, provides an effective protein dose and is relatively low in added sugar.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe don’t currently recommend this brand due to the refined sugar and the natural flavor. It’s also quite expensive per-serving.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOWYN should support muscle growth in athletes and can be a convenient protein option for vegetarians and vegans, given that it provides a dose of protein that’s clinically shown to support muscle growth.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\" style=\"font-weight: 400;\" data-mce-style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eMost of the online customer reviews we came across had favorable things to say about the taste of these protein shakes.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","blog_id":49281925193,"author":"Calloway Cook","user_id":26601750601,"published_at":"2023-09-13T23:56:58-04:00","updated_at":"2023-09-24T10:59:28-04:00","summary_html":"We analyze the ingredients in OWYN protein shakes based on medical studies to give our take on whether they're healthy or not. We highlight two questionable additive ingredients, feature unsponsored customer reviews and discuss issues with vegan omega-3s.","template_suffix":"","handle":"owyn-review","tags":"_related:protein, _related:vegan"}

OWYN Review: Overpriced Plant Protein?

OWYN Review: Overpriced Plant Protein?


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

OWYN, which is an acronym for “Only What You Need,” is a protein shake brand that’s available in-person and online. The brand claims to use “plant protein,” “superfood greens” and “omega-3s.”

But is OWYN actually healthy? Does it contain effective doses of its active ingredients? Does it have any questionable additive ingredients? And how do real users rate and describe the effects of this protein shake?

In this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more, as we analyze the ingredients in OWYN based on medical studies to give our take on whether the brand is healthy or not.

We’ll feature unsponsored customer reviews, and provide a price comparison to show which retailer sells OWYN for the best price.

Ingredient Analysis

OWYN Dark Chocolate ingredients

The ingredients in the Dark Chocolate flavor of OWYN are shown above.

Pea protein and organic pumpkin seed protein serve as the primary plant protein sources, and this shake provides 20 grams (g) of protein per serving, which is a dose clinically shown to be effective for muscle building after exercise.

Organic flax oil is a vegan omega-3 fatty acid source, and a nutritious one, although it’s worth noting that vegan sources of omega-3 are not nearly as well-absorbed as animal sources, according to a 2022 medical review.

Soluble fiber is a healthy choice for an additional active ingredient, as fiber intake has been associated with weight loss in overweight and obese individuals in a medical review published in The Journal of Nutrition.

Broccoli, spinach and kale are included as part of a “Greens Blend,” but these ingredients are included at an equal or lower dose than salt, since ingredients on a Nutrition Facts label must be listed in order of relative concentration.

Since one serving of OWYN Dark Chocolate provides 350 milligrams (mg) of sodium, this suggests that there is 350 mg or less of these vegetables, and we haven’t come across any clinical research suggesting such a low dose of vegetables provides any health benefits.

We urge OWYN to publish the individual doses of these veggies, in the interest of transparency, given that the brand uses them in marketing materials.

The good news is that this is a substantially healthier formulation than commercial protein shakes like Muscle Milk that contain artificial sweeteners and artificial flavors.

OWYN’s protein shake does contain two inactive ingredients that may be questionable from a health perspective.

Added sugar is positively associated with increased mortality and increased cardiovascular disease risk, according to a 2014 medical review.

There is only 4 g of added sugar in OWYN, but health-conscious consumers may benefit from limiting added, refined sugar intake as much as possible.

Natural flavor may have toxic effects depending on the flavoring additives used, according to at least one medical review, as we discussed in our High Impact Protein reviews article on another protein shake brand that contains this ingredient.

Overall, we consider OWYN likely to support muscle growth and to be a healthier alternative to most commercial protein shakes, but we don’t currently recommend the brand due to the use of added sugar and flavoring additives.

But why was the brand sued over its marketing related to one of its ingredients? We'll answer that question in the next section of this article.

Why Was OWYN Sued?

In 2020, OWYN was sued over allegations of misleading marketing.

The company marketed vanilla as the only flavoring ingredient, but natural flavors were also included in their formulations at the time, according to Truth in Advertising.

At the time of publishing this article, it's unclear if this lawsuit is ongoing, settled or was dropped.

We consider this to be a red flag of brand quality, but we do not consider this to be a serious risk to consumers, given that there are no allegations that the brand failed to list all of the ingredients on the Nutrition Facts label.

We recommend consumers read all of the ingredients in any food or health product they plan on using, rather than relying on marketing messages to make a purchase decision.

Real People Try OWYN

A TikTok creator named “branneisha” compares the taste of OWYN to Fairlife:

@branneisha the battle of the protein shakes #proteinshake #fairlifeprotein #owynproteinshake #protein #weightloss ♬ original sound - BEE • PCOS

A YouTube creator named “Crunchy Scott” compares OWYN to other vegan protein shakes:

Our Clean Protein Picks

We recommend Bulletproof Collagen Protein as our top protein powder.

The main reason is its 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 secondary benefit not offered by other types of protein like milk protein.

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

Complement Organic Protein is our top vegan protein powder.

The only ingredients in this protein powder are a blend of nutritious plant proteins and zero unhealthy additives: organic yellow pea protein, organic pumpkin seed protein, organic almond protein, organic sunflower seed protein and organic chia seed protein.

The brand also publishes third-party test results for label accuracy and contaminants which ensures product quality and is not common in the vegan protein market.

Interested consumers can check out Complement Organic Protein at this link to the product page on the brand's official website.

Can You Live Off Protein Shakes?

A fascinating YouTube video from the “Brew” channel explores whether it would be possible to live entirely off protein shakes, and has over 1.7 million views:

Where to Buy OWYN for the Best Price

OWYN is sold at a variety of online retailers. Here’s a price breakdown for a 12-pack at the time of publishing this article:

Vitacost: $37.99

Walmart: $36.99 (free shipping, lower dose, link)

Brand website: $36.99 (free shipping, link)

Amazon: $36.99 (free shipping, link)

The bottles on Amazon and the brand’s website currently have a slightly larger size, which makes them a better deal than the OWYN products on Walmart.

Real Customers Review OWYN

Amazon is a better resource for honest customer reviews than a brand's website in our opinion.

OWYN Dark Chocolate has been reviewed over 1,700 times on Amazon at the time of publishing this article, with an average customer review rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars.

The top positive review from a verified purchaser comes from a user named "Corin" who gives the product a 5/5 star rating and likes the taste:

" Took it from box , shook it and put tons of ice in big cup and poured the coffee shake into it and savored it with a straw . Took me couple hours to enjoy it since I went so slow with it. Savor my caffeine and yummy coffee taste."

The top negative review from a verified purchaser is written by a user named "Whitney Wilson" who gives the product a 1/5 star rating and suggests it can cause side effects in those with IBS:

"For me the issue came about an hour after I drank it. I was at work and my guts started bubbling — loudly. I have IBS so I’m well aware of what comes next and I quickly got to a bathroom. The next three days I felt like I was prepping for a colonoscopy. Every 90 minutes or so I’d have to rush to the bathroom."

OWYN currently has a rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars on Facebook.

OWYN Dark Chocolate currently has an average review rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars on Google.

Pros and Cons of OWYN

Here are the pros and cons of OWYN in our opinion:

Pros:

  • Effective protein dose
  • Should support muscle building
  • Positive user reviews of taste
  • Contains omega-3 fatty acids
  • Contains green powders
  • Contains fiber
  • Lower sugar than competitors

Cons:

  • Contains refined sugar
  • Contains flavoring additives
  • Expensive per-serving
  • Doesn’t appear clinically tested
  • Vegan omega-3 sources may be less bioavailable
  • Questionable veggie doses
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Conclusion

OWYN is a healthier option than the average ready-to-drink protein shake brand that we’ve reviewed to date on Illuminate Health like Premier Protein Shakes and Muscle Milk, because it contains fiber and veggies, provides an effective protein dose and is relatively low in added sugar.

We don’t currently recommend this brand due to the refined sugar and the natural flavor. It’s also quite expensive per-serving.

OWYN should support muscle growth in athletes and can be a convenient protein option for vegetarians and vegans, given that it provides a dose of protein that’s clinically shown to support muscle growth.

Most of the online customer reviews we came across had favorable things to say about the taste of these protein shakes.




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