TOP Pick
Almost no other product represents its category worldwide like Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Whey does. For many athletes, this whey has been the benchmark against which competition is measured for years. For over 10 years, it has continuously won the award for best whey protein at the Mr. Olympia event and was again named "Supplement of the Year" in the U.S. in 2016. This support from consumers is unique in the world and shows the importance of Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Whey. It represents quality at a fair price, a premium whey that offers a lot of protein and great taste.
Perfect solubility and taste
If there is one reason for the popularity of Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Whey, it is the perfect solubility of the powder and the taste of the finished shake. Many athletes say that Optimum Nutrition's protein powder tastes better than any other whey protein. Whether that is true, everyone must decide for themselves, as there are magnificent options such as:
- French Vanilla
- Double Rich Chocolate
- Extreme Milk Chocolate
- Strawberry
- Rocky Road
Despite the great taste, Optimum Nutrition pays attention to the quality of its whey protein. This means that the powder contains the least possible amount of carbohydrates, fats, and sugars, and still tastes very good in water.
Thus, the taste can also convince when you are out and about, when you don't have milk on hand. Whether at work, after training, or on vacation. You can always enjoy a shake that mixes well and tastes great. Every ingredient and raw material is thoroughly checked and only enters your whey powder if the professionals at Optimum Nutrition are satisfied with it.
Protein for your muscles
To build new muscle tissue, you need enough protein each day. How much protein you need depends on your conditions and goals. Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Whey can help you meet your daily needs deliciously and conveniently. However, you should try to cover most of it through your adjusted diet. But regardless of the source, protein can help you build new muscle mass and, in a diet, contribute to maintaining existing muscle mass.
If you can't get enough protein through your diet in the form of meat or dairy products, a supplement like Optimum Nutrition protein can be a quick solution. Still, you should work to get most of your daily protein intake from food. It's not just about meeting your protein needs solely with powder.
The Trinity: Concentrate, Isolate, and Hydrolyzed
Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Whey consists of a protein content of approximately 78% (up to 81.6% depending on the flavor) and is made up of three high-quality protein components:
- Whey protein concentrate
- Whey protein isolate
- Hydrolyzed isolate
The base is always the best of milk, namely whey protein. It is rich in essential amino acids like BCAAs, lysine, and tryptophan, and is often referred to as whey protein. The isolate offers more protein and less fat due to a different filtration process, resulting in a better overall nutritional profile. The hydrolyzed isolate is a pre-digested form that prevents additional strain on the digestive organs.
Highlights of Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Whey:
- Up to 81.6% protein
- 5.5g of BCAAs per serving
- Better solubility
- Fabulous taste
- Enzymatic complex with lactase
- Globally recognized quality
Better tolerance thanks to enzymes
To offer its Gold Standard Whey protein in addition to a high protein content and great taste, also good tolerance, Optimum Nutrition goes a step further than many competitors and adds additional ingredients. The added enzymatic complex contains enzymes that help your body better break down the three macronutrients:
- Lactase
- Lipase
- Protease
- Cellulase
Therefore, the powder is also suitable for athletes with sensitive digestion.
Looking at the ingredients and nutritional values of the Gold Standard Whey, it becomes evident why it is so popular. In addition to the already mentioned ingredients like whey protein isolate and concentrate, we also find soy lecithin. This further improves solubility and ensures that it dissolves well even in a simple shaker. Depending on the flavor, there is also a flavor or defatted cocoa powder and the mentioned digestive enzymes along with two sweeteners: sucralose and acesulfame-K.
It is important to mention what we do not find in the packaging. The manufacturer does not use additional carbohydrates like sugar or maltodextrin as fillers. It also does not add BCAAs to improve nutritional values. And it does not engage in what is known as "spiking" with amino acids. Every gram of protein in the shake comes exclusively from the base ingredient: whey.
Flavor selection
Not only the taste itself but also the variety of flavors makes the Gold Standard Whey so popular worldwide. The options include not only Vanilla Ice Cream, Double Rich Chocolate, and Extreme Milk Chocolate, which are very popular flavors in Germany, but also Mint Chocolate or special editions like Birthday Cake that have their followers.
Quality comes at a price
Those who want consistent quality in raw materials, who demand that their whey always tastes good and dissolves well, will eventually have to pay a little more.
Especially in the field of sports nutrition, the price of whey has been falling for a long time: downwards. However, the truth is that every step of the processing that ensures quality also raises the price. This includes subsequent analyses as well as long-term planning that sometimes requires paying higher prices for a raw material.
Whether the Gold Standard Whey is the best protein or if it tastes the best, we cannot definitively answer you. But buyer ratings and comments worldwide ensure that it is among the absolute leaders in the sports world. So if you need a protein to gain muscle mass or to support your diet, the Gold Standard is perfect for that. It convinces with consistent quality, good solubility and taste properties, and contains a lot of protein, little fat, and almost no sugar. Those who accept a slightly higher price will get a very good whey protein here.
