If you exercise, there’s no question that protein powder is a good addition to your nutritional program.
Whether your goal is fat loss, muscle mass, or both, a good protein powder will help you reach your goals.
While there’s a wide variety of flavors to choose from, sometimes vanilla protein powder fits the bill. You can do anything with vanilla, it tastes great with any beverage or recipe.
Some vanilla protein powders fall a little short in the taste department, still, others taste like a malt shop milkshake.
This guide will help you choose the best tasting vanilla protein powder for your needs.
Let’s get started!
In a Hurry? Here is our top pick:
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Quick Answer – The Best Tasting Vanilla Protein Powders
- Ascent Native Fuel Whey Protein Powder – Vanilla Bean – Best Overall
- Chef Robert Irving’s Fit Crunch Whey Protein Powder – Vanilla Milkshake – Most Versatile
- Premier Protein 100% Whey Protein Powder – Vanilla Milkshake – Best Value
- Six Star Pro Nutrition 100% Whey Protein – Vanilla – Most Accessible
- BSN Syntha-6 Vanilla Ice Cream – Best Meal Replacement
- PEScience Select Vanilla – Best Tasting Keto/Low-Carb-Friendly Vanilla Protein Powder
- MusclePharm Combat 100% Casein Protein Powder – Vanilla – Best Tasting Casein
- Martyn Ford Ignite Nutrition – Iso-Up Protein Isolate Vanilla – Best Tasting Isolate
- PEScience Select Vegan Protein Powder – Vanilla Indulgence – Best Tasting Vegan Protein
- JayRobb Egg White Protein Vanilla – Best Tasting Egg White Protein
Reviews – The Best Tasting Vanilla Protein Powders
1. Ascent Native Fuel Whey Protein Powder – Vanilla Bean – Best Overall
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Ascent Native Fuel Whey Protein Powder is an absolutely delicious protein that contains all-natural ingredients. There’s 25g of whey isolate and whey concentrate per serving.
The only other ingredients are natural flavoring, sunflower lecithin, and monk fruit extract. This is a fast-digesting protein that’s naturally high in BCAAs.
What about the taste?
Users overwhelmingly single out this product as the best tasting vanilla protein powder they’ve tried. It’s not too sweet and mixes well in water or the beverage of your choice.
That makes Ascent Native Fuel Whey is the overall best tasting vanilla protein powder.
PROS
- Delicious Taste
- 25g Protein Per Serving
- All Natural Ingredients
CONS
- A Little Expensive
2. Chef Robert Irving’s Fit Crunch Whey Protein Powder – Vanilla Milkshake – Most Versatile
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Some protein powders are meant to be mixed in whole milk for the best taste. Chef Robert Irving’s Fit Crunch Whey Protein Powder can be used in any beverage but tastes exceptional in whole milk.
It brings back memories of the malt shop shakes from the 1950s. Fit Crunch provides 25g of whey & casein protein per serving. The great thing about this product is that it can be used for shakes, baking, or cooking.
You can use it for pancakes, muffins, or virtually any recipe you want. It also works well as part of a coffee latte recipe. Mix it with real coffee, or use the Fit Crunch “flavor mixology” and mix it with the Fit Crunch flavors of your choice.
Chef Robert Irving’s Fit Crunch Whey Protein is the most versatile best-tasting vanilla protein powder.
PROS
- Most Versatile – Bake With It, Cook With It, Make A Shake With It
- 25g Fast & Slow Digesting Protein
- Features Chef Irving’s “Flavor Mixology” Concept
CONS
- There’s Only One Size Available
3. Premier Protein 100% Whey Protein Powder – Vanilla Milkshake – Best Value
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Premier Protein is known for making good tasting RTD’s and protein bars. Their 100% Whey Protein Powder is another example of a good tasting vanilla protein powder.
One serving supplies 30g of whey protein, just like their RTD’s. It’s also low sugar, low carb, and low fat, again just like the popular RTD’s.
Like some vanilla protein powders, Premier Protein 100% Whey can be used for shakes or mixed into yogurt. You can also use it for baking. On top of all of these benefits, it comes in at a good price point.
That makes Premier Protein 100% Whey Protein Powder the best value in a great tasting vanilla protein powder.
PROS
- 30g Whey Protein Per Serving
- Excellent Flavor
- Mix Up A Shake Or Bake With It
CONS
- May Have To Be Mixed Longer Than Other Vanilla Protein Powders
- Contains Artificial Ingredients
4. Six Star Pro Nutrition 100% Whey Protein – Vanilla – Most Accessible
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Six Star Pro Nutrition 100% Whey Protein is another good tasting vanilla protein powder that’s also very accessible.
You can find it in virtually any chain discount store, drug store, as well as online.
One serving provides 32g of a whey protein blend consisting of whey concentrate, isolate, and hydrolysate. Six Star also has a special blend of BCAAs, glutamine, and creatine.
This is a protein that’s designed for serious bodybuilders and athletes.
It’s a good tasting protein and on top of that, it’s instantized for easy mixing.
Since it’s available virtually anywhere, Six Star Pro Nutrition 100% Whey Protein is the most accessible best tasting vanilla protein powder.
PROS
- 32g Whey Protein Blend Per Serving
- High BCAA/Glutamine/Creatine Content
- Instantized
CONS
- Contains Artificial Ingredients
5. BSN Syntha-6 Vanilla Ice Cream – Best Meal Replacement
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BSN was one of the first companies to make a protein that tasted noticeably better than most other powders.
Syntha-6 advertises itself as “ridiculously delicious”. That may be hyped a little bit but it is a great tasting protein powder.
One serving provides 22g of whey, casein, and egg protein per serving. Syntha-6 is a little different because it also contains 14g of carbs, which is a lot for a protein powder.
There’s also 6g of fat, mostly from MCT’s. It makes a great recovery shake with the fast, medium, and slow-digesting proteins.
You can also use it as a quick and easy way to replace a meal. You can mix it with anything for a thick, rich tasting shake or smoothie.
The macronutrient profile and taste make BSN Syntha-6 the best tasting vanilla protein powder that can be used as a meal replacement.
PROS
- 22g Protein Blend Per Serving
- Designed To Be Used Anytime
- Works Great As A Meal Replacement
CONS
- Contains Artificial Ingredients
- May be Too High In Carbs & Fat For Some Users
6. PEScience Select Vanilla – Best Tasting Keto/Low-Carb-Friendly Vanilla Protein Powder
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PEScience Select provides 24g of milk and whey protein per serving. There’s 5g BCAAs with added leucine peptides.
Also, PEScience Select is low carb, low sugar, and low fat. It sets a high-quality standard with 3rd party testing for label accuracy.
Select Protein is a keto-friendly and low carb friendly protein that works well for anyone following a fat loss diet and exercise program.
PEScience Select uses premium crafted gourmet flavorings to create a high quality protein powder that users will enjoy.
A well-thought-out low carb protein blend combined with 3rd party testing and a good flavoring system makes PEScience Select the best tasting keto/low-carb-friendly diet vanilla protein powder.
PROS
- 24g Whey & Milk Protein Per Serving – Fast & Slow Digesting
- Designed To Support Low Carb & Keto Diets
- Gourmet Flavoring
CONS
- Contains Artificial Ingredients
7. MusclePharm Combat 100% Casein Protein Powder – Vanilla – Best Tasting Casein
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MusclePharm Combat 100% Casein Protein Powder supplies 28g of micellar casein per serving.
Casein is known as a slow-digesting protein. For this reason, it’s often used at night before going to bed.
Combat 100% Casein is banned-substance tested and approved by Informed-Choice. This ensures the quality and label accuracy of the product.
This is a great tasting 100% casein protein that’s not just for bedtime use.
It also makes a great on-the-go snack or can even be used as a meal replacement.
MusclePharm Combat 100% Casein is a good value, it’s high in quality protein and it’s a great tasting product. That makes it the best tasting casein vanilla protein powder.
PROS
- 28g Of Slow Digesting Protein Per Serving
- 100% Micellar Casein
- Tested For Quality
CONS
- Uses Artificial Sweeteners
8. Martyn Ford Ignite Nutrition – Iso-Up Protein Isolate Vanilla – Best Tasting Isolate
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Whey isolate can be a very thin, watery tasting protein.
Martyn Ford Ignite Nutrition Iso-Up is a pure isolate protein that blends whey and milk isolates to create a thick, milkshake-like protein shake.
Iso-Up provides 25g per serving with coconut oil powder added to help enhance the flavor, texture, and thickness.
The goal of this product was to take the highest quality protein sources and make it taste great.
To achieve that goal, a lot of effort went into getting past the taste and texture problems that often plague other isolates.
That makes Martyn Ford Ignite Nutrition Iso-Up the best tasting vanilla isolate protein powder.
PROS
- 25g Whey & Milk Isolate per Serving
- Added Coconut Milk Powder For Thickness & Texture
- Low Sugar – Low Carb
CONS
- Not As Clean Of A Formula As Other Isolate Protein Powders
9. PEScience Select Vegan Protein Powder – Vanilla Indulgence – Best Tasting Vegan Protein
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PEScience Select Vegan Protein Powder contains 20g of protein per serving.
Select Vegan uses pea and brown rice proteins and also uses natural flavoring. It’s sweetened with stevia and contains a small amount of guar gum and 290mg of sea salt. That’s it for ingredients.
PEScience put a lot of effort into creating a vegan protein powder that tastes good. Their Vanilla Indulgence is just one of several exceptionally good flavors.
According to the company, they spent months crafting a vegan protein that had good texture and great taste. That makes PEScience Select Vegan the best tasting vanilla vegan protein powder.
PROS
- Clean, All Natural Formula
- 20g Vegan Protein Blend Per Serving
- Sweetened With Stevia
CONS
- A Little High In Sodium
10. JayRobb Egg White Protein Vanilla – Best Tasting Egg White Protein
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JayRobb Egg White Protein provides 24g of egg white protein per serving.
This product is naturally flavored and sweetened with stevia. There are recipes provided on the back of the container and you can send an email for more shake recipes.
This is a good keto-friendly, low-carb protein that fits well into a fat loss program of diet and exercise. JayRobb makes very good tasting protein powders of all types and typically uses no artificial ingredients.
One downside is that although this is an egg white protein, it doesn’t seem to be a good choice for baking like other egg white proteins are.
Still, users seem to agree that JayRobb Egg White Protein is the best tasting vanilla egg white protein powder.
PROS
- 24g Egg White Protein Per Serving
- Use It In Any Smoothie Recipe
- All Natural
CONS
- This Product Apparently Can’t Be Used For Baking
Buying Guide – How to Choose The Best Protein Powder?
Why Is Protein Important
Protein, carbohydrates, and fats are the three primary macronutrients that the body needs to function every day. Of these three, protein is the most important. After water, our bodies are made of protein.
One of the components of protein is amino acids. They are known as the “building blocks” of protein and in various sequences control hundreds of daily functions required by the body.
This means that daily protein needs must be met, and to do that, adequate-protein must be ingested every day. Adequate daily protein is important for everyone, especially anyone that regularly exercises. (1, 2)
Benefits Of Protein
In terms of exercise and fitness, protein provides the following benefits:
- Promotes Recovery
- Supports Muscle Growth
- Supports Fat Loss
- Helps Prevent Catabolism – This is especially important during a fat loss program because as users lose fat they will maintain muscle. This creates a more pleasing look than merely losing “weight”.
Types Of Protein
Whey is a fast-digesting protein and the highest quality protein you can buy. There are primarily 2 types of whey:
Whey Concentrate – This is as much as 80% protein with the remaining 20% carbs and fats.
Whey Isolate – This is at least 90% protein. The carb and fat content of isolate is much lower, thereby creating a higher quality protein source. One of the taste complaints about isolate is that it can be thin and watery. The best tasting vanilla isolate protein powders have created a thick, rich-tasting isolate product.
Casein is a high-quality protein that is well known as a slow-digesting protein. There are mainly two types of casein:
Calcium Caseinate – This is taken from the insoluble part of milk and then undergoes a purification process to make it usable. It’s the most common form of casein used in protein supplements.
Micellar Casein – This is the purest form of casein protein and absorbs more easily than other types of casein. This is the type of casein to look for in a good protein powder.
Milk Protein Isolate – This is a high-quality blend of casein and whey. This offers the benefits of both.
Egg – Before the introduction of whey, egg white protein was considered the best protein on the market. This is a medium digesting protein. Even the best tasting egg white protein may still have a strong egg-like flavor.
Beef – This has become more common in recent years and is a popular protein source used in paleo protein powders. It’s also considered to be a good protein for bodybuilding and powerlifting.
Plant – This is a medium digesting protein powder that has become very popular in recent years. Taste has not been a high point but the best tasting vanilla plant proteins have found a way to taste good.
What To Look For In A Vanilla Protein Powder
Here’s what to look for in a good vanilla protein powder:
- Quality Ingredients – What protein source or sources are in the product? Regardless of your preferred protein source, you should look for high-quality protein, low sugar, and the cleanest possible formula.
- Protein – Look for at least 20g. Most protein powders range from 20g to as high as 32g.
- Value – There’s no reason to pay more than necessary. To find the best deal, compare the cost per serving with how many servings you are getting.
- Taste/Texture – To some, the taste is not the most important aspect when choosing a protein. Still, it should taste good if you’re going to use it 1-2 times a day. The best tasting vanilla protein powder should be thick with a rich, milkshake-like flavor that mixes up easily with no clumps.
How To Use A Vanilla Protein Powder
Always follow label directions. Any protein powder can be mixed with virtually any beverage. Most protein powders can be mixed with yogurt or oatmeal. You can bake with some of them but make sure you read the label for suggested recipes. Use a vanilla protein powder 1-2 times per day to help meet your protein requirements.
On exercise days, have one serving within 30 minutes of working out. It’s also a good idea to have a shake first thing in the morning everyday. This is because you’ve just spent the last 7-10 hours sleeping and when you wake up, your body needs to be replenished with the macronutrients.
A protein timing suggestion is to have a quick shake right when you first wake up. Then drink your coffee and fulfil your morning obligations. As your schedule permits, about an hour or two after that initial shake, sit down to your first meal of the day.
Conclusion
The addition of a good protein powder can help anyone reach their personal exercise and diet goals faster. Protein powder is a convenient and easy meal replacement or snack. You can take the powder with you, and add water or the beverage of your choice later. Or if you prefer, you can pre-make your shake and take it with you. You can’t beat the convenience.
The best tasting vanilla protein powders give you a lot of room to work with in terms of the flavor. You can drink it just like it is for a great malt shop-style shake, or you can add pretty much anything to it. We’ve found that Ascent Native Fuel Whey Protein Powder is the best overall. It tastes delicious and contains all-natural ingredients. One serving provides 25g of whey isolate and whey concentrate, and it’s naturally sweetened with monk fruit extract.
If you’re looking for the best tasting vegan vanilla protein powder, PEScience Select Vegan Protein Powder is the way to go. It’s a combination of pea and brown rice protein, it’s 100% natural and it tastes great. PES put a lot of effort into the flavoring of this product.
Finally, if value is what it’s all about for you, Premier Protein 100% Whey Protein Powder is the best choice. It tastes great, supplies 30g of protein per serving, and it comes in at a great price point.
The choice is yours, add the best tasting vanilla protein powder of your choice to your regimen today!
References:
- https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/primer/howgeneswork/protein
- Tarnopolsky, M. A., MacDougall, J. D., & Atkinson, S. A. (1988, January). Influence of protein intake and training status on nitrogen balance and lean body mass. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3356636
