I Tried the Viral Protein Soda So You Don’t Have To
Have you seen the latest viral drink that’s been making the rounds of TikTok and Instagram? With the current popularity of dirty sodas (thanks in part to #momtok and the Secret Lives of Mormon Wives TV show), it feels a bit like we just had to go and add some protein to dirty soda to call it healthy (?!), but truth be told, I haven’t seen anyone claim it’s a health drink – yet.
And, it is kind of fun! Even though I’m not a huge soda drinker, I was intrigued enough to try it out and I’ll fill you in on my opinions. I’m going to share my thoughts from both a flavor and a nutrition standpoint, as well as how to make it yourself if you want to also give it a try.
Protein Soda Video
Flavor
It didn’t have a strong flavor, other than the soda, which in my case was Diet Coke. The protein shake did add a creamy texture to the drink and a creamy-ish color. However, the color was not appealing to me personally as it reminded me of watered-down coffee with skim milk and I’m a full-fat milk cappuccino girl.
While I wouldn’t go out of my way to have it, I do have to admit that it tasted good and I found myself making it the next few days. Partially to finish up the ingredients and partially because it was tasty. My family also enjoyed it. It is reminiscent of a soda float, and if that’s the flavor you’re going for, the more protein shake you add, the more of that creamy flavor you will get.
There are also so many opportunities to try out different flavor combinations – try root beer for a root beer float vibes or a strawberry shake with a lemon-lime soda for a fruity twist.
Nutrition
Now, let’s get to the nutrition. I have a Bachelor of Science degree in Nutrition and I’m also a certified Intuitive Eating Counselor, which means I do my best to keep food neutral – soda included! And it also means that I like to add IN nutrition to meals in a way that supports health, without sacrificing flavor.
So I’m not going to tell you this is bad for you and I’m also not going to tell you that it’s a really nutritious drink option. It is in the elusive grey area of nutrition. And it’s where I would put this back on you – do you enjoy it? Then it can easily fit into an overall healthy diet.
If you are trying to consume more protein, it’s probably not the fastest way to get there as my guess is I only used a quarter or so of the protein drink, though you could add more if that was your goal.
And on the other side of the argument, if you love a sweet soda drink in the afternoons, then why not add in a bit of protein to it?
How to Try It Yourself
It’s simple! Find a protein shake you like, I would recommend vanilla to start, but feel free to get creative with your protein and soda combinations! And then pick your soda. You can use anything here – traditional sodas or some of the new, prebiotic sodas like Olipop or Poppi.
Pour soda over ice and top with the protein shake. I would recommend a ratio of 2/3 soda to 1/3 protein shake to start, but you do you!
Now I want to know…are you going to try it out?
