Protein Drink Mix, explained
Protein Drink Mix is a vanilla protein powder that you mix with water as a snack or blend into a Formula 1 shake. It comes in two versions: Original, with soy and milk protein, and Vegan, with soy protein only.
From Herbalife, tap to play
What Protein Drink Mix is
A 28g serving mixed with 250ml of water gives 15g of protein for 108 calories in Original or 109 in Vegan. Original is measured with two tablespoons, and Vegan with two scoops.
The Original 588g tub holds 21 servings and the Vegan 560g tub holds 20. The Original label lists 20 vitamins and minerals, and the Vegan label lists 22.
It is a snack, not a meal. Formula 1 is the meal replacement shake, and Vegan Protein Drink Mix is how Herbalife makes a Formula 1 meal without milk.
What's in it, ingredient by ingredient
Soya protein isolate
47% of Original; the first ingredient and only protein in VeganSoya protein isolate is the protein from soya beans, separated out and dried into a powder. Soya supplies all nine essential amino acids, which makes it a complete protein.
For comparison, the BDA puts 75g of firm silken tofu at 17.6g of protein. One serving of Protein Drink Mix gives 15g for around 108 calories.
Why it's in Protein Drink Mix: It is the main protein in both versions.
Protein contributes to a growth in muscle mass. Protein contributes to the maintenance of muscle mass.
Soya is one of the 14 allergens that must be declared on UK labels, so both versions say they contain soy.
Calcium caseinate and sodium caseinate (milk), Original only
Caseinates are forms of casein, one of the two main proteins in milk alongside whey. Herbalife's nutrition team notes that casein is digested more slowly than whey.
Why it's in Protein Drink Mix: They add milk protein alongside the soy in Original, and sodium caseinate is part of the creamer.
These milk proteins are why Original is suitable for vegetarians but not vegans. Vegan leaves them out.
Sweetener: sucralose (Original) or steviol glycosides (Vegan)
Sugars 0.3g per serving with water in Original and 0.2g in VeganSucralose is a sweetener that adds sweetness without adding calories. Steviol glycosides are the sweet compounds taken from the leaves of the stevia plant.
Because the sweetness comes from these rather than sugar, a serving made with water has almost no sugar.
Why it's in Protein Drink Mix: They sweeten the vanilla flavour.
Sugar-free on a label means no more than 0.5g of sugars per 100ml. That holds when you make it with water, but not when you mix it with milk or into a Formula 1 shake. EFSA's acceptable daily intake is 15mg per kg of body weight for sucralose and 4mg per kg for steviol glycosides.
Vitamins and minerals mixture
Most at about 38% of the reference intake per serving with waterOriginal lists 12 vitamins and 8 minerals. Vegan lists the same 12 vitamins and 10 minerals, including 326mg of calcium.
Vitamin B12 is a useful example. A serving gives about 1µg, and the NHS says adults need about 1.5µg a day.
Vitamin C comes to 30mg per serving, against the 40mg a day the NHS says adults need.
Why it's in Protein Drink Mix: Herbalife adds them so the drink provides key vitamins and minerals as well as protein.
Vitamin B6 contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. Vitamin B12 contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. Vitamin C contributes to the normal function of the immune system.
Only the Vegan label lists calcium. A serving gives 326mg, almost half the 700mg a day the NHS says adults need.
Thickeners: guar gum and xanthan gum
Xanthan gum is made by fermenting a carbohydrate with a bacterium called Xanthomonas campestris. Guar gum is ground from the seeds of the guar bean.
Both soak up water, which is what gives a drink made with plain water a creamier body.
Why it's in Protein Drink Mix: They thicken the drink so it doesn't taste watery.
EFSA re-evaluated both gums in 2017 and found no safety concern for the general population at the levels used in food.
Maltodextrin is a carbohydrate, which is why a serving has 6g to 7g of carbohydrate but almost no sugar. Sunflower oil adds a little fat, and soy lecithin is an emulsifier that keeps it mixed. Salt, potassium chloride and flavourings complete the recipe, and Original also has silicon dioxide to stop the powder clumping.
Reading the label
Per 28g serving with 250ml of water (Original first, then Vegan)
- Energy: 108 kcal / 109 kcal. Three Vegan scoops in 375ml come to 163 kcal.
- Protein: 15g / 15g. Three Vegan scoops give 23g.
- Carbohydrate: 7g / 6g. Almost none of this is sugar.
- of which sugars: 0.3g / 0.2g. That is low enough to count as sugar-free, but only when you make it with water.
- Fibre: 0.4g / 0.9g. That is only a small amount of fibre.
- Fat: 2.3g / 2.6g, of which 0.3g saturates. That is a small amount of fat.
- Salt: 0.7g / 0.6g. About a tenth of the NHS adult maximum of 6g a day.
- Vitamin B12: 0.95µg / 1.0µg (38% / 41% RI). About two thirds of the 1.5µg a day adults need.
- Calcium (Vegan only): 326mg (41% RI). Almost half of the 700mg a day adults need.
%RI is the share of the reference intake, a standard daily amount used on food labels. Original's label uses the term NRV, which means the same thing.
The figures assume water. Mixed with milk or into a Formula 1 shake, the calories, protein and sugar all go up.
Pick a version
Protein Drink Mix 588g
Vegan Protein Drink Mix 560gHow to use it
On its own
Gently shake the tub, then mix one serving with 250ml of cold water. A serving is two tablespoons of Original or two scoops of Vegan.
A bigger Vegan glass
For more protein, mix three scoops (42g) of Vegan with 375ml of cold water.
In a Formula 1 shake
For a Formula 1 meal without milk, blend two scoops of Vegan Protein Drink Mix and two scoops of Formula 1 with 300ml of water.
Herbalife suggests a serving mid-morning or mid-afternoon as a snack, to help meet your daily protein needs. You can also stir it into a shake or smoothie.
Have it as part of a balanced and varied diet. Keep the lid closed and store the tub somewhere cool and dry.
Good to know
Who it suits
- Original is suitable for vegetarians.
- Vegan is 100% plant-based, gluten-free and naturally lactose-free.
- Both are sugar-free when made with water, but not when mixed with milk or a Formula 1 shake.
Check first
- Both versions contain soy. Original also contains milk.
- If you take medication or have a medical condition, speak to your GP before changing your diet.
Questions people ask
What is the difference between Original and Vegan?
Original uses soy and milk protein and is sweetened with sucralose. Vegan uses soy protein only and is sweetened with steviol glycosides. Both give 15g of protein per serving.
Is it really sugar-free?
It is only sugar-free when made with water. A serving then has 0.3g of sugars in Original and 0.2g in Vegan. Milk or a Formula 1 shake adds sugar.
Can it replace a meal?
No. It is a high-protein snack of around 108 calories. Formula 1 is the meal replacement, and Vegan Protein Drink Mix can be blended with it to make a meal without milk.
How much protein do I need in a day?
UK guidance is 0.75g per kg of body weight. The BDA puts that at about 55.5g a day for men and 45g for women aged 19 to 64, so one serving gives about a quarter to a third.
Why does Original list 20 vitamins and minerals and Vegan 22?
Vegan's mineral mix adds calcium, potassium and molybdenum, but it has no magnesium, which Original does list. Both carry the same 12 vitamins.
Can I mix it with milk?
You can, but the label figures are for water. Milk adds calories, protein and sugar, and the drink is no longer sugar-free.
Where these facts come from
- nhs_calcium: nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/calcium/
- nhs_vitb: nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/vitamin-b/
- nhs_vitc: nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/vitamin-c/
- bda_protein: bda.uk.com/static/61ad81e4-ea30-41d3-a03717a2467754d9/Practical-guide-
- fsa_allergens: food.gov.uk/business-guidance/allergen-guidance-for-food-businesses
- nhc_reg_432: legislation.gov.uk/eur/2012/432
- nhc_reg_1924: legislation.gov.uk/eur/2006/1924/annex
- efsa_steviol: efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/9045
- efsa_sucralose: efsa.europa.eu/en/plain-language-summary/re-evaluation-sucralose-e-955
- efsa_xanthan: efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/4909
- efsa_guar: efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/4669
- hl_protein_shakes: herbalife.com/en-gb/wellness-resources/articles/what-are-protein-shake
- hl_balancing_protein: herbalife.com/en-gb/wellness-resources/articles/balancing-protein-and-
- hl_label_article: herbalife.com/en-gb/wellness-resources/articles/how-to-read-a-nutritio
- pdm_fs: Herbalife product information and label
- pdmv_fs: Herbalife product information and label
- pdm_pn: Herbalife product information and label
- pdmv_pn: Herbalife product information and label
- f1_fs: Herbalife product information and label
- store_live: lose-weight-feel-great.co.uk/products.json
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Enjoy Protein Drink Mix 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.
