Arbonne Protein Powder Reviews

Arbonne Protein Shake Reviews

Aside from a few minor differences, the two flavors that make up my Arbonne Protein Shake reviews are fairly similar in nutritional composition. While there’s a lot of good stuff in these products, there’s also a few questionable ingredients that you should be aware of.

Nutrition Review: What Are Arbonne Protein Shake Ingredients?

Both products contain the Arbonne Protein Matrix Blend, which is a basic mix of pea protein isolate, cranberry protein, rice protein. There are 20 grams of protein per serving and 30 total servings in a hefty 3lb package.

Overall, this not the highest quality blend of vegan protein powder that you can buy, as protein isolates are less than ideal when comes to getting all (or most) of the nutritional co-factors in a protein.

Additionally, pea protein and brown rice protein are both sources that offer marginal concentrations of amino acids. So if optimal athletic cover is your priority, Arbonne products probably may not be your top pick (If you’re an athlete, see sport vegan protein powder reviews with great amino acid profiles).

Arbonne Essentials also infuses its products with INNER G-PLEX®, which is a blend of Coenzyme Q10, alfalfa (leaf) powder, kelp powder, ginseng (root) powder. The Coenzyme Q10 (or “CoQ10”) is a natural antioxidant synthesized by the body. It plays a vital role in the chain of metabolic chemical reactions that generate energy within cells. Dr. Andrew Weil has a nice write-up on CoQ10 if you’re interested in exploring this further.

For a complete overview, below are the specific ingredients found in each flavor of Arbonne Protein Shake products.

Arbonne Vanilla Protein Shake Ingredients:

Arbonne Protein Matrix Blend, sugar cane, sunflower oil, natural vanilla flavor, corn starch, inulin, xanthan gum, flax seed, stevia leaf extract, gum acacia, guar gum.

Arbonne Chocolate Protein Shake Ingredients:

Arbonne Protein Matrix Blend, sugar cane, cocoa powder, natural chocolate flavor, sunflower oil, corn starch, inulin, xanthan gum, stevia leaf extract, flax seed, gum acacia, guar gum.

There are a few ingredients that may raise a red flag to some consumers. While these aren’t huge concerns (as they are common in a lot of food products), you may want to be aware of them if you plan to use Arbonne protein powder on a daily basis.

• Corn Starch – Corn starch is a highly-processed carbohydrate that is usually derived from genetically modified corn. Not only does it contains no nutritional value, but corn starch can be disruptive to one’s digestive tract, particularly if consumed on a regular basis. In the case of Arbonne, it isn’t clear whether the corn is genetically modified.
• Sunflower Oil – While sunflower oil isn’t as bad as soy oil, corn oil, or canola oil, it isn’t the best type of oil to be consuming on a regular basis. As you may already know, one needs to consume a proper balance of omega-3 to omega-6 fats. Because there’s an overabundance of omega-6 fats in sunflower oil (which leads to inflammation) this oil can be highly inflammatory (which has been linked to a wide variety of issues ranging from heart disease to cancer.)
• Sugar – Unlike most vegan protein powders with stevia, Arbonne Protein Shake products also contain a fair amount of sugar (9 grams per serving). While this might make the product taste better, I personally prefer protein powders that do not add sugar to the mix. This variable is completely contingent on the individual, as some people thrive on a diet rich with natural sugar. It’s just not for me.

Many of the other Arbonne protein powder reviews throughout the web rant about the issue of natural flavors. But I am not going to go there. There’s just too many vegan protein powders on the market with natural flavors in the ingredients. Yes, these are always questionable, as “natural” doesn’t mean anything in the food world. Unfortunately they are very common in protein powders. It’s completely contingent on individual preferences whether or not you want to consume products that have mysterious “natural flavors.”

Nutritional Review Rating: 2 out of 5

Flavor Reviews: Does Arbonne Protein Shake Taste Good?

Now that we got the long-winded nutrition review out of the way, now it’s time to get into the flavor reviews. I was little apprehensive to spend the money on two full sized products of Arbonne Protein Shake just to review the flavor, but fortunately a good friend of mine uses this product regularly, and let me sample both.

Arbonne Chocolate Protein Shake Review

In review of Arbonne Chocolate Protein Shake’s taste, I tried it first mixed with unflavored/unsweetened almond milk and again in a simple smoothie with spinach, avocado, and coconut milk. The flavor has a deep, bold cocoa taste reminiscent of Dutch chocolate. Mildly earthy (in a good way, like that of most 70{6f6325e81006090c67b24799731aac0121cbc6cbed9a6704f5a30a9474cd8037}+ dark chocolates), is more savory than sweet.

All in all, I enjoyed Arbonne Chocolate Protein Shake and found the taste to be more natural and raw. While I usually stick to vanilla flavored protein powders for personal preference, after my Arbonne Protein Shake review of both flavors, I would opt for the chocolate.

Arbonne Vanilla Protein Shake Review

When taste testing Arbonne Vanilla Protein Shake, I used the same protocol as I did the chocolate. From the initial tasting of just milk and Arbonne protein powder, I was displeased by the strong aftertaste. Somewhat smooth from the start, the vanilla finishes with a weird, unnatural flavor that may the result of too much stevia or some other flavoring agent. Even when mixed in a smoothie, I found the powerful aftertaste to be ever present and distasteful.

Flavor Review Rating 3 out of 5

Arbonne Daily Protein Boost Review

Arbonne Daily Protein Boost is a modest and underrated plant-based protein powder that’s less common on the shelves of most health food stores. Unlike the latter Arbonne Protein Shake reviews, Daily Protein Boost is a modest supplement that’s designed for general wellness and proper nutrition (as opposed to athletic performance and muscle gains).

Nutrition Review: What Arbonne Daily Protein Boost Ingredients?

Unlike most other vegan protein powders, Arbonne Daily Protein Boost suggests a small 13 gram serving with a moderate protein dose of 10 grams. And yet, there are 30 servings in a tub, making the protein density of the entire product similar to other plant-based protein powders. (Other brands often suggest a 30-40+ gram protein serving).

Arbonne Daily Protein Boost carries the same Matrix blend of pea protein, rice protein, and cranberry protein (the latter being less common in most vegan protein powders). However in this product, the blend contains no added sugar or flavors, “for maximum flexibility” as mentioned on the website.

The nutritional composition of Arbonne Daily Protein Boost is very, very minimal. While it offers the latter mentioned protein blend, there isn’t much else going on the product. For some, this may be ideal, as a lot of vegan protein powders seem to go over-the-top with all the supplementary ingredients.

Nutritional Review Rating: 3 out of 5

Flavor Review: Does Arbonne Daily Protein Boost Taste Good?

In my Arbonne Daily Protein Boost review, I found it challenging to describe the flavor. In short, I found this protein powder to be pleasantly transparent and clean with no flavor at all.

Compared to other unflavored vegan protein powders that I have reviewed, this product is tops when it comes to flavor and texture (that is, if you’re seeking an unflavored option). Arbonne Daily Protein Boost is universally-applicable in just about anything. It’s velvety smooth with no signs of having a chalky, gritty, or pasty texture, and it blends into smoothies with stealth presence that’s difficult to detect.

All in all, Arbonne Daily Protein Boost is a great plant-based protein powder that’s very simple in nutritional content and highly versatile in its application. It may not be the best option if you’re supplementing for elite athletics, bodybuilding, or high-end sports performance. But it’s a perfect option if you’re looking for an unflavored, good-tasting vegan protein powder for general supplementation, mild exercise and strength training. The only downside is that this product is not cheap, nor Organic Certified.

There are several other products on the Arbonne Daily Essentials line, many of which are vanilla and chocolate flavored. I hope to review these eventually in my queue of plant-based protein powder reviews. In the meantime, let me know what you think of Arbonne products, or if you have any specific questions about Arbonne Daily Protein Boost.

Flavor Review Rating 5 out of 5

Price Review: How Much Do Arbonne Protein Powders Cost?

Because the price of Arbonne protein powders depends on the seller or what website you’re shopping from (especially if you want to see the price on Amazon), I am unable to mention any specific price. However, I can provide a value rating of how much this product costs versus comparable pea and brown rice protein powders.

In short, Arbonne protein powder products are expensive. Based in Switzerland, Arbonne boasts a boutique vibe and an elegant display of nutrition products that’s geared for wealthy, health-minded individuals. As such, the price is quite high compared to most other vegan protein powders on the market. And given that the nutrition and taste is marginal at best, the overall value of these Arbonne protein powders seems a little overpriced.

Price Review Rating: 2 out of 5

Related Vegan Protein Powder Reviews

• Sunwarrior Classic Plus Protein Review
• Garden of Life Raw Fit Protein Powder Review
• Vega Protein Smoothie Review