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The Top 11 Protein Powders, According to My Stomach

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The Top 11 Protein Powders, According to My Stomach


Compare Top 11 Protein Powders

More Protein Powders to Consider

Photograph: Boutayna Chokrane

Naked Casein: With only one ingredient—micellar casein sourced from hormone-free skim milk—it’s about as clean as it gets. No added sugar, no artificial sweeteners, and no unnecessary additives. It’s cold-processed, to avoid any nastiness from chemicals or synthetic fillers, and it’s independently tested for both heavy metals and gluten. Each serving packs 26 grams of protein and 618 milligrams of calcium (about 48 percent of your daily value). But Naked Casein doesn’t contain lecithin, so it won’t dissolve as smoothly as other powders. The best way to mix is with a blender, but I couldn’t stomach the taste of this one.

Seeq Clear Protein Powder: I was skeptical when I purchased Seeq Clear Protein, but I’m a sucker for anything watermelon-flavored. I was pleasantly surprised. It tastes like a creamier sports drink (I promise it’s better than that description sounds), and each serving has 22 grams of protein and 4.5 grams of BCAAs. There are zero grams of sugar. Like a lot of other clear protein powders, it’s often more expensive than its counterparts. But if lactose irritates your stomach or you want something more like juice and less like a milkshake, it’s worth trying—especially if you mix it with extra water, since it’s on the sweet side. Worth noting is that it takes forever to dissolve, so use a frother or allot extra shaking time. —Louryn Strampe

Ghost Whey Protein Powder: Ghost is the protein powder for people who want their post-workout snack to taste like dessert. With flavors like Oreo, Cinnabon, and Chips Ahoy!, it’s arguably one of the best-tasting whey proteins on the market. Each scoop delivers 26 grams of protein (50 percent of the daily value) and blends well in shakes, oats, or even DIY protein ice cream. The trade-off here is a longer ingredient list that includes gums, high-fructose corn syrup, and titanium dioxide—a whitening pigment banned as a food additive in Europe.

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Photograph: Boutayna Chokrane

Sakara Protein + Greens Super Powder: With 17 grams of plant-based protein per serving, Sakara’s Protein + Greens is just three shy of the 20-gram benchmark we aim for. The blend of pea, hemp, and pumpkin proteins is bolstered by a “super greens” mix of spirulina, wheatgrass, barley grass, and chlorella. Is it dramatically transforming my gut health? Probably not. But on days when my vegetable and protein intake is low, a scoop of this in my smoothie (plus some Greek yogurt for an extra 18 grams of protein) makes me feel a little less like a goblin surviving on iced coffee and string cheese.

Wavelength Vanilla Protein Powder: In addition to 20 grams of pea protein per serving, Wavelength’s plant-based powder boasts trendy adaptogens and nootropics like maca root, ashwagandha, and Chaga mushroom extract. The brand doesn’t disclose how much of each is in the mix, so it’s hard to say if they’re doing much beyond adding to the price tag. The taste is deeply earthy, which makes it better suited for baking than chugging. Wavelength also makes Little Ripples, a protein powder formulated for kids. Reviews editor Adrienne So made a shake with it for her 8- and 10-year-olds, but it had a strange, chalky texture and a bit of a barnyard funk smell. They refused to drink it.

BSN True-Mass Weight Gainer, Muscle Mass Gainer Protein Powder: If you’re trying to bulk up or struggle to hit your calorie goals, BSN True Mass is worth considering. This mass gainer packs 1,200 calories per serving, with 50 grams of protein and 215 grams of carbohydrates. Its protein blend includes whey concentrate, casein, milk protein isolate, whey protein isolate, hydrolyzed whey isolate, and micellar casein, so you get a mix of fast and slow-digesting proteins. It also delivers 450 milligrams of calcium and 880 milligrams of potassium, which is a bonus if you want to squeeze in some micronutrients. It tastes great—the strawberry milkshake flavor is spot-on—but these are two scoops at 310 grams, so you’ll need to be comfortable with the jumbo serving size. I can’t fully endorse the formula because it’s packed with artificial sweeteners like sucralose and acesulfame potassium, as well as some iffy additives, including maltodextrin and a gum blend (cellulose, guar, gum Arabic, and xanthan) that might not sit well with everyone. If you have a sensitive stomach, you might want to pass. This one brings protein farts to a new level.

Aloha 12oz Chocolate Sea Salt Protein Drink (Pack of 12): Aloha’s protein powder is still on my testing docket, but I have tried the brand’s ready-to-drink shakes. The chocolate sea salt is surprisingly tasty; it’s creamy and rich, but there’s a faint aftertaste. I sometimes use the vanilla flavor as a milk base for smoothies, and there’s also a coconut flavor I haven’t gotten my hands on yet. Each serving packs 20 grams of plant-based protein.

Accessories to Try

The Beast personal blender and cup

Courtesy of Beast

Beast Mega 1200 for $199: If you’re looking to level up your smoothie game, Mega’s 1,200-watt motor cuts through frozen fruit, powders, and fibrous foods with an ease that personal blenders can’t match. One button, a timed cycle, and consistent chunk-free results. The three included Tritan vessels are designed with ribbed interiors that boost turbulence for silkier smoothies. Plus, the drinking lid and straw system transforms your blender into a travel cup without the extra dishes. It’s available in five colors—cloud white, carbon black, navy, sand, sage, and charcoal—and backed by a two-year warranty.

Vitamix Ascent X5 for $750: The Vitamix Ascent X5 is expensive, but if you’re in the market for an all-purpose blender, this is the one that makes smoothies feel like an art form. It’s got 10 preset programs (smoothie bowls, nut butters, nondairy milks, and more), which means your protein recipes can get as creative as you want. It has a tamper for the thickest of shakes, and the on-screen indicator tells you exactly when to step in. Plus, if your blend needs more mixing, hit the “add 15 seconds” button. The self-cleaning mode is my favorite feature; it’s not groundbreaking, but I’d rather gouge my eyes out with a dull chopstick than scrub post-smoothie gunk off a blender. Plus, it’s backed by a 10-year warranty, which makes it an investment worth considering.

Ninja Blast Portable Blender for $53: Finally, for an affordable option, you might want to consider Ninja’s tiny portable blender, which charges via USB-C. The motor isn’t super powerful, and the battery isn’t long-lived (one charge lasts long enough to thoroughly blend one yogurt smoothie with frozen berries), but this blender is affordable, the vessel and lid are dishwasher-safe, and it’s tiny enough to have a permanent home on editor Adrienne So’s counter. She has been using this daily for a year to make morning smoothies from Greek yogurt, milk, and frozen berries and bananas with no issues.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Protein Powder Good for You?

It depends. If you’re eating a balanced diet, you’re likely getting all the protein your body needs. Whole foods—nuts, seeds, eggs, low-fat dairy, legumes, and lean meats—offer protein along with fiber, vitamins, and other nutrients that a scoop of powder simply can’t match. Protein powders are not meal replacements.

That said, high-quality protein powder may be beneficial if you are recovering from surgery or an injury, have difficulty eating due to illness or aging, or need extra protein for wound healing. It’s also useful if you’re following a strict diet (like veganism) and aren’t getting enough protein through food alone. For athletes, protein powder can be a convenient way to refuel post-workout because the body absorbs liquid protein quickly. Unless you fall into one of these categories, you don’t need a protein powder.

Which is the Best Type of Protein Powder?

When you’re looking at different protein sources, also keep in mind whether you’re getting a complete or incomplete protein. All of our picks are complete proteins, meaning that they provide all nine essential amino acids that the body doesn’t product itself.

Whey protein: Whey protein comes from milk during the cheese-making process, and it’s one of the most efficient ways to get protein into your system. It’s packed with essential amino acids, meaning your body can absorb and use it quickly—great for muscle recovery and growth. There are three whey subtypes, each with its own pros and cons.

  • Whey protein concentrate: The least processed version, typically 70-80 percent protein, with the rest made up of carbohydrates, fats, and lactose. It retains beneficial compounds like immunoglobulins and lactoferrin, which may support immunity. It’s also the cheapest.
  • Whey protein isolate: Most of the fat and lactose is filtered out, leaving a protein that’s about 90 percent protein and lower in carbohydrates. This is a solid choice if you want more protein per scoop or have a mild lactose intolerance.
  • Whey protein hydrolysate: Whey protein hydrolysate is predigested using enzymes, making it the quickest to absorb. It’s often used in medical nutrition and by elite athletes who need rapid muscle recovery. It’s also the priciest.

Casein protein: Casein is the other major protein in milk. When consumed, it forms a gel in your stomach, meaning your body gets a slow, steady release of amino acids. This makes a great option for pre-bedtime protein or keeping hunger at bay between meals. There are two main subtypes:

  • Micellar casein: The least processed, offering sustained protein release.
  • Casein hydrolysate: Predigested for faster absorption, though still slower than whey.

Pea protein: This plant-based protein is made from ground yellow split peas and is high in essential amino acids, including BCAAs. It’s dairy-, gluten-, and soy-free, making it great for people with allergies. Technically, it’s a complete protein, but it’s lower in methionine, so some experts would argue it’s not as complete as whey.

Brown rice protein: Brown rice protein is high in fiber, easy to digest, and hypoallergenic, but it lacks some essential amino acids (specifically lysine), making it an incomplete protein. That’s why it’s often blended with pea protein for a more balanced amino acid profile. It’s gentle on the stomach and good for people with food sensitivities.

Beef protein isolate: Meat contains protein! Beef protein isolate is made from cow tissue that has been extracted and filtered into powder.

What Are the Potential Harms of Protein Powder?

While high-protein diets have been studied extensively, the long-term effects of regularly consuming protein in powdered form remain unclear.

  • If you’ve ever chugged a protein shake and immediately regretted it, you’re not alone. Dairy-based blends (whey and casein) can cause bloating, gas, and other gastrointestinal issues—especially for those with lactose intolerance or sensitivities. Plant-based protein powders aren’t always more digestible, as some contain sugar alcohols, gums, or thickeners that can also upset your stomach.
  • Because it’s classified as a dietary supplement, the FDA doesn’t regulate protein powder the way it does food or medication. That means it’s up to manufacturers to evaluate their own products for safety, which leaves plenty of room for inconsistencies and contamination.
  • A report from the Clean Label Project tested 160 powders for contaminants and found that many contained heavy metals like lead, arsenic, and cadmium, as well as BPA (a plastic additive) and pesticides. Organic powders showed three times more lead and twice as much cadmium compared to non-organic options. Plant-based powders averaged three times more lead than whey-based alternatives. And cocoa-containing powders contained four times more lead than vanilla. These toxins can creep into powders through contaminated soil (since many plant-based proteins come from crops) or manufacturing processes that introduce pollutants along the way.

Not all protein powders are contaminated, but it’s worth checking third-party testing results (like those published by Clean Label Project) before incorporating one into your diet.

What Factors Should I Consider When Choosing A Protein Powder?

Protein source: Whey, casein, soy, pea, brown rice, egg white—protein powder comes in many forms and caters to different needs (build muscle, weight loss, weight gain, post-workout recovery, etc.). Your choice depends on dietary preferences and your personal goals.

Protein content: If your goal is muscle growth, aim for 20 to 30 grams per scoop. Otherwise, match the amount of protein to your dietary or fitness needs.

Processing method: Concentrates are the least processed and have more nutrients. Isolates tend to have higher protein content and fewer carbs and fats, while hydrolysates digest the fastest.

Allergens and dietary preferences: Make sure your protein powder aligns with your diet. If you’re allergic to dairy, soy, gluten, or nuts, double-check labels as many powders sneak in allergens. If you’ve had digestive issues before, start with a small quantity to test your tolerance before going all in.

Additives and fillers: Watch for artificial sweeteners, gums, and thickening agents that can cause bloating and other gastrointestinal issues.

Flavors: Powders now come in every flavor from matcha to fruity cereal milk. Choose a flavor you’ll actually drink.

Brand reputation and certifications: Some brands are rigorous about quality control, third-party testing, and ingredient sourcing, and others aren’t. If you want peace of mind, look for certifications like Informed Sport and NSF Certified for Sport, which verify that the product contains what it advertises and is free of banned substances.

Cost: Compare cost per serving instead of just the upfront price.

How We Test Protein Powders

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Photograph: Boutayna Chokrane

I’ve been downing protein powders for years, but for this guide, I put each one through a fresh round of testing. Each powder was sampled at least three times to assess taste, texture, and mixability. I mixed them with water, milk, and non-dairy alternatives. I also baked them into muffins and blended into the occasional smoothie because not all of us like our protein straight.

I prioritized powders with minimal to no additives and full transparency in sourcing—no unnecessary fillers, gums, or questionable sweeteners. Solubility was a major consideration, too. I also scrutinized manufacturing practices and third-party testing. Certifications (like NSF Certified for Sport or Informed Choice) mattered. Every pick is also a complete protein, meaning it contains all nine essential amino acids.

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Greg Brockman Officially Takes Control of OpenAI’s Products in Latest Shakeup

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Greg Brockman Officially Takes Control of OpenAI’s Products in Latest Shakeup


OpenAI told staff on Friday that it would reorganize the company as part of an ongoing effort to unify its product offerings, WIRED has learned. OpenAI cofounder and president Greg Brockman will now lead the company’s product strategy, in addition to his work on AI infrastructure, OpenAI confirms to WIRED. Brockman was previously assigned to oversee OpenAI products on an interim basis while CEO of AGI deployment, Fidji Simo, was on medical leave; the change is now official.

“We’re consolidating our product efforts to execute with maximum focus toward the agentic future, to win across both consumer and enterprise,” Brockman said in a memo to staff seen by WIRED. Brockman added that OpenAI’s products are naturally converging, and that the company has decided to merge ChatGPT and Codex into one unified experience.

OpenAI says it’s folding ChatGPT, its AI coding agent Codex, and its developer-facing API into one core product team. The company says that Codex is increasingly powering its consumer and enterprise offerings, which are gaining the ability to perform digital tasks autonomously on behalf of users.

Two other OpenAI leaders are also taking on larger roles at the company as part of the changes. OpenAI’s head of Codex, Thibault Sottiaux, has been tapped to lead the core product and platform across consumer, enterprise, and developer surfaces. Sottiaux was a key leader in building Codex into one of the company’s fastest-growing products of all time. OpenAI’s longtime head of ChatGPT, Nick Turley, is moving to a new role at the company that aims to revamp enterprise products. OpenAI says Turley will continue his work on ChatGPT, which he has helped grow to more than 900 million weekly active users since he took over in 2022.

The changes are the latest shakeup for OpenAI as leadership aims to refocus the company on a few key product areas, including ChatGPT, Codex, and its forthcoming “everything app.” Last month, OpenAI announced many executive changes, including that CEO of AGI dDeployment, Fidji Simo, was taking a medical leave to focus on her health. OpenAI previously said Brockman would oversee product strategy in her absence. The company tells WIRED that Simo remains on medical leave, and worked directly with Brockman on these organizational changes and product strategy.

In the last year, OpenAI has faced increasing pressure from competitors, including Anthropic in coding domains and Google in consumer chatbots. OpenAI leaders are hoping to simplify product offerings ahead of its plan to file for an IPO, which could happen later this year.

Other OpenAI executives left the company entirely last month, including the head of its AI workspace for scientists, Kevin Weil; head of Sora, Bill Peebles; and its chief technology officer of enterprise applications, Srinivas Narayanan.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.



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Companies Keep Slashing Employees’ Benefits for the Worst Reasons

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Companies Keep Slashing Employees’ Benefits for the Worst Reasons


Employee benefits are in the spotlight this week, and that’s because of three recent stories about US companies cutting back on non-wage compensations for workers.

A Texas tech consulting firm with a forgettable name—TTEC—suddenly became a lot more memorable when it suspended its discretionary 401(k) match program for 16,000 employees through at least the end of 2026. According to Business Insider, which viewed an internal TTEC memo, the company plans to invest in AI certifications, AI tools and training, and automation, among other things.

The auditing and consulting giant Deloitte is also reportedly slashing benefits for some workers starting next year. This includes reducing PTO, halving parental leave, and eliminating a $50,000 reimbursement for family planning services such as adoption, surrogacy, and IVF. San Francisco-based Zoom, meanwhile, has made a smaller-scale change and reduced its parental leave for employees from 22 weeks to 18 weeks for birthing parents.

So what’s the driving force behind this? And are there more cuts to come? The latter is impossible to answer, and the former is unfortunately more complicated than “corporate ghouls go AI.”

First off, “what Deloitte did is completely unconscionable,’” says Joan C. Williams, a professor at UC Law San Francisco, the author of several books on work culture and class dynamics, and an oft-cited scholar on these topics. The consulting firm is cutting the benefits of a specific class of internal workers—in admin, IT support, and finance—while leaving intact benefits for people in client-facing roles. An affected worker will see their parental leave cut from 16 weeks to just eight weeks.

“It treats people differently based on the type of job they’re in, and cutting any mother down to eight weeks of paid leave is just outlandish,” Williams says. “When labor is tight, employers are more generous. But once the power shifts, the benefits contract.”

AI certainly is a convenient excuse these days for any corporate decision that harms workers. But the impetus here is also the cost of the benefits themselves. Earlier this year subsidies from the Affordable Care Act lapsed, and people began dropping out of health care plans entirely. Insurers have cited this as one reason they’ve raised premiums.

Sarahjane Sacchetti, a former top executive at benefits administration companies Cleo and Collective Health, who is working on a new health care initiative, told me that the costs of employer-sponsored health plans have increased significantly over the past five years. A survey last year of over 1,700 US employers by the Mercer health care consulting group found that the health care cost per worker was expected to rise on average 6.5 percent in 2026, the highest since 2010. And this was after factoring in cost-reduction measures; otherwise, the cost of a plan would go up by nearly 9 percent.

“This just starts to eat into how you think about total compensation as an employer,” Sacchetti says. That doesn’t mean the corporation is the ‘good guy,’ she says, but the poor state of American health care policy and lack of safety net are responsible for a lot of the stress that plagues undercompensated or laid-off workers.

Williams points out that the US is one of the few countries that doesn’t offer a federal paid maternal leave—putting it in league with Papua New Guinea and Suriname. “This just shows how crazy it is to provide employee basics like pension and paid parental leave through private employers rather than how other industrialized countries do it,” Williams says. Her proposed solution? “The US needs to join the rest of the universe.”

The irony, of course, is that the US government professes to be obsessed with women having more babies. If women in the US are—as celebrity doctor Mehmet Oz put it this week in the Oval Office—“underbabied,” a comprehensive paid federal leave policy would be the obvious place to start. (Oz also said that “making babies” is “the most creative thing the universe knows.” Don’t tell the AI CEOs.)



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Gantri’s 3D-Printed Lamps Are Going Wireless

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Gantri’s 3D-Printed Lamps Are Going Wireless


Gantri, a San Francisco-based company known for making soft, stylized 3D-printed lamps, is going wireless. That’s thanks to a new partnership with the design firm Ammunition.

Gantri 3D-prints its lamps using plastics made from corn-based polylactic acid (PLA) in its Bay Area facilities. The result is a collection of carefully designed light fixtures with gentle curves that aim to make luxury-style lighting feel somewhat affordable. (Prices range from $200 to $500.)

Last year, the company introduced a program called Gantri Made, which allows shoppers to customize their lights and gives third-party designers the ability to build their own designs using Gantri’s foundational pieces.

Courtesy of Gantri

Gantri first partnered with Ammunition in 2020, developing a line of stylish lamps aiming to highlight what premium light pieces could look like. You’ve almost certainly seen something built with Ammunition’s flair. The firm designed Beats by Dre headphones, the Square point-of-sale tablets you see in shops everywhere, and many other projects, from robot coffee machines to Jay-Z’s failed weed vape cartridges.

This Gantri new collab is a range of lamps that include floor lamps, table lamps, and ones small enough to hold in your hand. (Those are rectangular, with designs inspired by piers around San Francisco.) All the lights are wireless and can be removed from charging ports to run for what Gantri says is 10 or more hours of battery life. Gantri is also developing an app to control the lights. They will work with Matter, the connectivity standard that aims to make smart home tech from different companies work together, but that compatibility isn’t expected until next year.

Gantri CEO Ian Yang points out that for most of human history, light sources were something people carried with them—torches, candles, lanterns. Lights staying in fixed places has become the norm, but he wants these wireless lamps to show there’s another way.

“I really think this product is going to change the way that people think about lighting, but also think about the power of digital manufacturing, about this new material that’s plant-based,” Yang says.

The lamps have a custom charging port, which allows them to stand upright and face any direction while still receiving a charge. They also require a custom charger and cannot be charged via USB-C or another cord in a different room. That may inhibit the mobility the lamp promises, as you won’t be able to move them from room to room and plug them in with any USB-C cord lying around—you’d have to bring that proprietary cable with you. But Yang says this was a deliberate choice, even though it was much more difficult than finding a spot for a USB-C connection. He wanted the lamps to feel portable while also having a place for them to become a fixture in a home.



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