Iced Coffee, explained
High Protein Iced Coffee is a powdered iced latte made with whey protein and Robusta espresso coffee. Coffee drinkers use it as a chilled mid-morning or mid-afternoon drink with 15g of protein.
From Herbalife, tap to play
What Iced Coffee is
You shake about 22g, roughly two scoops, into 250ml of cold water and pour it over ice. Each glass has 80 kcal, 15g of protein and 80mg of caffeine.
Whey protein concentrate makes up 85% of the powder and soluble coffee makes up 12%. A coconut oil creamer, sea salt, flavourings and stevia make up the rest.
It comes in one flavour, Latte Macchiato, in a 308g pouch that holds 14 servings.
Herbal Tea is the other caffeinated drink in the range, with 87.5mg of caffeine and 6 kcal but no protein. Protein Drink Mix is the protein option without coffee.
What's in it, ingredient by ingredient
Whey protein concentrate (milk)
85% of the powder, giving 15g of protein per servingMilk contains two main kinds of protein, casein and whey. Whey is a complete protein, and it is the protein used in most protein powders and drinks.
Because whey comes from milk, the pack carries a milk allergy warning.
15g of protein is 30% of the 50g daily reference intake used on UK labels. Protein supplies about three quarters of the calories in a glass.
Why it's in Iced Coffee: Herbalife formulates each serving with 15g of whey protein, which is what makes this a high protein drink rather than a plain iced coffee.
Protein contributes to a growth in muscle mass. Protein contributes to the maintenance of muscle mass.
UK law allows the words high protein when at least 20% of a food's energy comes from protein. Here the figure is 75%.
Soluble coffee powder
12% of the powder, about 2.6g per serving, giving 80mg of caffeineSoluble coffee is coffee in a powder that dissolves in water. Herbalife says it is brewed from 100% Robusta espresso coffee beans.
Each glass holds 80mg of caffeine. The Food Standards Agency puts a mug of tea at about 75mg and a mug of coffee at 100 to 140mg, so a glass sits between the two.
Caffeine is a natural compound found in coffee beans, tea leaves, cacao and guarana. Coffee is the only caffeine source in this drink.
Why it's in Iced Coffee: It is the coffee in the drink and the only source of its caffeine.
EFSA says healthy adults can have up to 400mg of caffeine a day from all sources, and up to 200mg in one go. One glass is a fifth of that daily figure.
Coconut oil creamer
The creamer is a blend of coconut oil, maltodextrin and sodium caseinate. Sodium caseinate is a form of casein, the main protein in milk.
Even with the creamer, a glass has only 1g of fat, half of it saturated.
Why it's in Iced Coffee: It gives the drink a creamy, latte-style body when made with water.
The sodium caseinate is a second milk ingredient, so the drink is not suitable for anyone with a milk allergy.
Steviol glycosides
Steviol glycosides are sweet compounds taken from the leaves of the stevia plant. On labels they can also appear as E960.
Because the sweetness comes from stevia, there is no added sugar. The 0.7g of sugars in a glass occur naturally in the ingredients.
Why it's in Iced Coffee: It sweetens the latte without adding sugar.
All sweeteners sold in Great Britain go through a safety assessment before they can be used.
Sea salt and flavourings season the coffee and give the latte macchiato taste. A glass contains 0.2g of salt, about 3% of the 6g adult maximum.
Reading the label
Per 22g serving shaken into 250ml of water
- Energy: 80 kcal (336 kJ). 4% of the 2,000 kcal adult reference intake.
- Protein: 15g. 30% of the 50g reference intake. About three quarters of the calories come from protein.
- Carbohydrate: 3g. That is a small amount of carbohydrate.
- Sugars: 0.7g. All naturally occurring. No sugar is added.
- Fat: 1.0g, of which saturates 0.5g. Some comes from the coconut oil creamer and some from the whey protein concentrate.
- Fibre: 0.5g. There is only a trace of fibre.
- Salt: 0.2g. About 3% of the NHS adult maximum of 6g a day.
- Caffeine: 80mg. Between a mug of tea and a mug of coffee. This figure comes from Herbalife's product information, not the nutrition panel.
These figures assume the drink is made with water, as Herbalife directs. Any other liquid would change them.
The per 100g column describes the dry powder, so its numbers look much larger. A serving is 22g.
How to use it
Cold water in the shaker
Fill your shaker cup with 250ml of cold water.
Add two scoops
Gently shake the pouch, then add about 2 scoops (22g) of powder.
Shake and pour over ice
Shake, then pour over ice. If you have no shaker, blend on low speed for 5 seconds instead.
Herbalife suggests it as a mid-morning or mid-afternoon drink, at home or on the go.
Count its 80mg of caffeine alongside any tea or coffee you have that day. Keep the pouch sealed and somewhere cool and dry.
Good to know
Who it suits
- Herbalife states it is suitable for vegetarians.
- It has no added sugar, and a glass has 0.7g of naturally occurring sugars.
- With 15g of protein for 80 kcal, it is a high protein drink.
Check first
- It contains milk, from the whey protein and the sodium caseinate, so it is not suitable for a milk allergy or for vegans.
- Herbalife makes no gluten-free statement for it.
- Each glass has 80mg of caffeine. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, EFSA's figure is 200mg a day from all sources, so check with your midwife or GP.
- It is not made for children, because of the caffeine.
Questions people ask
How much caffeine is in a glass?
There is 80mg per serving. The FSA puts a mug of tea at about 75mg and a mug of coffee at 100 to 140mg, so it sits between the two.
Can I make it with milk?
Herbalife's method uses 250ml of cold water, and the nutrition figures assume water. Milk would add calories, protein and milk sugar, so the label would no longer match.
Can I have it hot?
Herbalife only gives a cold method, shaken and poured over ice. We stick to that.
Is it a meal replacement?
No. It is an 80 kcal drink with 15g of protein, which Herbalife suggests for mid-morning or mid-afternoon.
Does it have added sugar?
No. It is sweetened with stevia, and the 0.7g of sugars in a glass occur naturally in the ingredients.
How many servings are in a pouch?
A 308g pouch holds 14 servings of about 22g each.
Where these facts come from
- label_012K: herbalife.com/assets/regional-reusable-assets/emea/images/nutritional-
- factsheet_012K: Herbalife product information and label
- factsheet_178K: Herbalife product information and label
- calc: Herbalife product information and label
- fsa_caffeine: gov.uk/government/publications/food-supplements-containing-caffeine/fo
- efsa_caffeine_2015: efsa.europa.eu/sites/default/files/corporate_publications/files/efsaex
- ods_caffeine: ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/ExerciseAndAthleticPerformance-HealthProfess
- legis_annex_xiii: legislation.gov.uk/eur/2011/1169/annex/XIII
- legis_nutrition_claims: legislation.gov.uk/eur/2006/1924/annex
- gb_nhc_register: gov.uk/government/publications/great-britain-nutrition-and-health-clai
- nhs_sweeteners: nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/food-types/are-sweeteners-safe/
- nhs_salt: nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/food-types/salt-nutrition/
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**It is recommended not to exceed a daily intake of 400mg of caffeine from all sources (200mg for pregnant or breast-feeding women). A single dose of 200mg caffeine should not be exceeded. Enjoy as part of a varied, balanced diet and a healthy, active lifestyle. Herbalife images and video are the property of Herbalife. Speak to your GP before changing your diet if you have a medical condition, take medication or are pregnant.
