Vega Whole Food Optimizer Review
As part of my search to find a good, clean protein shake/meal replacement product which does NOT contain any artificial sweeteners, I’ve tried a few products this week.
I already wrote about another product called Veganique from North Coast Naturals, so you can read my review of it if you’d like. Another product that I also picked up to try out at the same time as the Veganique product is called Vega Whole Food Optimizer.
Very similar to the Veganique product, this is a natural product that is not sweetened with any artificial sweeteners and much like the Veganique product it does not derive it’s protein from animal sources (Whey Protein). Instead it uses all plant-based proteins, combining protein from multiple sources like Hemp Protein, Rice Protein etc. to create a complete protein source for you.
Unfortunately, for me this product had the same pitfall as Veganique. The taste of it for me is so “weird” that I can’t even stomach it.
There must be something in these products that I am just not liking at all. If I had to guess, I’d say that maybe it’s the Hemp Protein inside or perhaps the natural Stevia sweetener. Maybe other people will find this product actually tastes good to them, but for me it just tastes like crap, and I can’t imagine ever wanting to make a shake with it.
I tried it by itself and I also tried blending it into a blueberry / banana smoothie and I still can’t stomach it.
It’s weird because I used to eat these green bars at one time that everyone else thought were totally gross and disgusting because they tasted so “grassy” but I was totally fine with them. I mean, they didn’t taste like candy or anything like that, but I’m usually “tough” enough to stomach things like that while most people would run screaming for the hills so it’s really weird for me not to be able to stomach this stuff.
I had a similar problem before with a few Creatine powders and then I switched to a different brand and I was fine. So there has to be some kind of ingredient or two in these that my body just won’t allow to pass through my lips.
Oh well…I’ll keep looking.
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I have the same experience – the taste is gross. The weird ingredient in this case, I suspect is stevia. As natural as it may be, the artificial slightly bitter sugar replacement is repellent to me.
I have now been drinking Vega for a week, and I HAVE to mix it with vanilla whey protein powder for a smoother taste, as well as almond milk to make it drinkable. I love the results, I have more energy since I drink it, I sleep less, I have the stamina to get through tough workouts, and I recover faster.
I’m lobbying the company now to tweak their product and make it more palatable since I definitely noticed a difference since I started using it.
it’s much better mixed with soy milk than it is with water. i’ve gotten used to it…but i only like the chocolate kind
I looooove Vega. I drink the berry flavor mixed with one cup orange juice and one cup unsweetened soymilk, that way it tastes awesome. As far as the chi one goes, it tastes good with soymilk and hazelnut chocolate milk with cinnamon. I still haven’t found a way to drink the chocolate one. :/
I just started taking it and am going through a bit of a detox with it. I’m loving it so far. Tastes a little like a “diet” drink I believe the stevia gives it that kinda fake taste. Nevertheless I enjoy it. I use So Delicious Vanilla coconut milk, 3-4 strawberries & half a banana & 1 teaspoon of coconut oil. (in the Vega Chocolate shake)
@Cassie & Monica – you should really look into the soy milk dangers. It’s really really bad for you. Like scary bad. I recommend coconut milk or almond milk
I just started taking the Vega Whole Food Health Optimizer, Vanilla Chai flavour and I am in love. I just put it in my magic bullet and blend it with a ton of ice to make it more like a “frosty” than a smoothie and it is like having a “frappuccino”. I usually have it between 730 and 8 am and I am full for hours! I have recommended this product to a few friends already and can’t wait to try the berry and chocolate flavours!
I have either the chocolate or berry flavor with Chocolate soy and a banana (if I have a banana handy). I prefer Vega this way over cereal or toast. I have it every morning. I blend it in my Magic Bullet too. I will try it with ice as well.
I started using Vega about two months ago, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t horrified by the taste at first. It definitely takes some getting used to. But especially when I compared the nutritional value of it to other protein powders (I used to drink Muscle Milk’s Mocha Latte every day), I felt it was worth trying to aquire a taste for it. That said, the chocolate flavor is still horrible to me. But I actually enjoy both the natural or the berry flavor mixed into half water, half orange juice, then throw in some ice. (I’m sure it would be even better blended, but with two small children to tend to in the morning, I just stir it in). I feel good and have been progressing very well with my workouts. And yes, it’s expensive, but again, the nutritional value of it is so impressive, I feel like it’s worth it.
I find the Vanilla Chai to be palatable. The other flavors made me gag but I can drink this one daily with no problem…
The vanilla chai flavour is delicious. I tried the chocolate also and didn’t like it but I actually ENJOY drinking the chai one. I simply mix it with cold water using an immersion blender and gulp. Give it a try!
I have only been taking this product for 1 week, but I can already notice a difference in my energy and stamina levels. I mix it with just water and it taste fine to me(I have the Berry flavour). I have herd that the original “plain” flavour taste horrible. I love this product, however I do not love the price!
I’m Sorry But I CANNOT tolerate the taste of this! I have the Vanilla Chai because of many people saying that flavour is tolerable- but I just can’t go through a whole glass of this….I start to Gag big time! There has to be an easier way to be healthier…this is NOT for me. Maybe in a different form or taste I can use it- but NOT with it tasting this way!
The flavour definitely takes some getting used to, but the benefit of the product outweighs the flavour.
I drink the berry flavor with a blueberry/blackberry juice watered down. It is actually pretty good (better than the vanilla chai) and mixes better with juice than milk/soy milk. My daughter has Celiac disease so I am always on the look-out for gluten-free products….even if she isn’t the one consuming them!!
the chocolate one is pretty good when its mixed with almond milk and a banana. Like all supplement drinks you just have to shoot it down tho. I’ve been drinking it for a week and i feel great. Also detoxing slightly due to the alkalizing, but i feel good!
After seeing numerous ads in Oxygen and Clean Eating magazines and reviewing the nutritional information, I thought I would try out this product. I ordered it online from GNC and got it Buy One get the 2nd half off. I got it in the mail yesterday and was pumped to try it out immediately. I made a berry one with 1 scoop of powder and 8oz water and blended it in my Magic Bullet. It was HORRIBLE. I can’t even really begin to describe the taste except that it tasted “green” and was extremely granular. I didn’t finish more than just a sip. I went online to look at other ways to try to drink it and then tried the Vanilla Chai this morning after my workout. I blended it with 1 scoop of powder, 8oz of Unsweetened Almond Milk and a splash of cold coffee. It was bearable but not enjoyable. I had to chase each sip with a swig of water to get the glass down. I had the shake at about 6:30 am and wasn’t hungry again for 4hrs which is a bonus. I am though, having a cleansing reaction – which I expected. I’ll try to come up with some healthy clean additives so that I can actually consume this product.