Wired Reveals Top 10 Protein Powders After 3 Years of Testing: What to Choose?
After three years of testing, Wired has compiled a list of the best protein powders, highlighting differences in composition and price, while also warning about lead contamination in some products.
Wired magazine has published a review of the best protein powders based on three years of testing. The list includes ten products that stand out for their protein content, flavor, and price.
Among the recommendations are Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard, which provides 24 grams of protein per serving and is available in over 12 flavors, priced between $1.37 and $2.00 per serving. Transparent Labs Grass-Fed Whey Protein Isolate offers 28 grams of protein, while Ritual Protein Daily Shake 18+ provides 20 grams from organic yellow peas.
Wired also included several additional products, such as Naked Casein (26 g protein, single ingredient) and Ghost Whey Protein Powder with dessert flavors but a longer ingredient list. Seeq Clear Protein is a clear protein drink with watermelon flavor and 22 grams of protein.
In contrast, some products are advised against. Consumer Reports testing found that more than two-thirds of 23 tested protein powders contained more lead than considered safe for daily consumption. Plant-based powders had the highest lead levels, about nine times more than dairy-based ones. Specifically, Naked Vanilla Vegan Mass Gainer and Huel Black Edition Chocolate contained 7.7 and 6.3 micrograms of lead per serving, respectively.
Wired also recommends accessories like the BlenderBottle Classic V2 shaker and Vitamix Ascent X5 blender, and answers frequently asked questions about protein powder use, emphasizing that they are not meal replacements.
