The best protein powders, tried and tested

• Protein: 75 per cent (30g of whey concentrate and whey isolate)
• Carbohydrates: 5 per cent (1.25g per 25g serving, of which 0.8g sugars)
• Calories per 25g serving: 92 kcal
• What else is in it? Nothing of note

Reviewed by Leon Poultney

Although made famous for its fat-torching, ‘metabolism-boosting’ Thermo Detonator pills, Grenade is a brand now more synonymous with very tasty, surprisingly low in sugar and staggeringly expensive protein bars. If you’ve been to a petrol station recently, it’s highly likely a Grenade White Chocolate Salted Peanut bar is sitting invitingly in front of the tills.

It comes as no surprise that the brand is now pedalling protein powders (alongside ready-made drinks) that come in the same, saccharine-packeted flavours as its popular bar-based treats. Birthday Cake, Fudged Up and Strawberries & Cream are just a few examples and predictably, they’re all about as sickly as the retina-searing packaging would suggest.

The 20g serving spoon is a bit measly and even the nutritional information housed on the rear of the pack is based on doubling-up. Two scoops result in an impressive 30g of protein, while eating into 147 kcal of your daily allowance. It’s certainly not the ‘lightest’ on this list, but the calorie count isn’t bad, either.

Both carbohydrates and sugars are also low, while the ingredients list is reassuringly free of too much junk. However, it is still littered with several sweeteners (Acesulfame K and Sucralose) and thickeners, as well as emulsifiers and a digestive enzyme blend to make it easier on the stomach.

The shake mixes incredibly easily, leaving nothing in the way of nasty pastes on the beaker spout or floating chunks in the liquid. However, the flavour is incredibly synthetic and overly sweet. The Fudged Up version we ordered left an intense, almost sticky caramel flavour in the mouth for a long time after drinking.

Compared to others reviewed, the resulting shake (mixed with same parts water and almond milk) was a little on the thin side and lacked the delectable thickness offered by the Per4m Advanced Protein powder and other rivals.

If you’re a fan of very sweet flavours, this will likely be a hit and we actually found it could turn boring old low-fat Greek Yoghurt into something resembling a Rolo Caramel dessert. But whether the novelty will last an entire packet of this stuff remains unclear.