These vegan shakes are a fast, easy, and low-calorie way for me to get almost a quarter of my daily protein
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- Each bottle of OWYN delivers 20 grams of plant-based protein designed to be easily digested and metabolized.
- The company offers four different flavors, one of which has the bonus of a caffeine bump, thanks to added cold brew coffee extract.
- OWYN protein shakes are free of most major allergens, including soy, tree nuts, peanuts, egg, and dairy.
I'm not a fan of most protein drinks. In theory, they're great: what could be an easier way to get a hefty dose of the protein on which muscle growth, hair and nail health, hormone production, and so many other body parts and processes depend than by sipping it?
The problem is that most protein beverages are terrible. They're thick and lumpy with a chalky mouth feel and taste more akin to sweetened ash than a desirable foodstuff. So with a few exceptions, I have generally avoided the product category entirely.
OWYN plant-based protein drinks fall very much into that exception. An acronym for "Only What You Need," the company has managed to create a slate of protein-rich beverages that not only deliver plenty of protein while also tasting relatively good, but that do so in a recipe that delivers a surprisingly small amount of calories.
Nutritional density:
Each 12-ounce OWYN bottle has 20 grams of protein, yet only 180 calories. Being a rather active guy in his mid 30s and tipping the scales at 183 pounds, I need about 110 grams of protein each day. (If you are an active, relatively in-shape person who exercise regularly, multiply your body weight by 0.6 to get your approximate protein need in grams - if you're less active, use 0.35.) That means a bottle of OWYN delivers 18.1% of my needed protein.
Yet with only 180 calories in the bottle, that's just nine percent of my daily calories based on the standard 2,000-calorie diet. For reference, let's use the egg - one of the most common protein sources out there. To get the same 20 grams of protein, you'd need to eat 240 calories worth of eggs. If you're on a strict diet, whether for fitness goals, to lose weight, or to maintain your current BMI, these numbers matter.
What's in a bottle of OWYN?
First, here's what's not in OWYN: animal products, gluten, dairy, peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, soy, artificial coloring, and preservatives. What you will find is protein derived from peas, pumpkin seeds, and flax oil, along with vegetable fibers, a bit of organic cane sugar, and a few other choice ingredients, including kale, spinach, and broccoli.
And while not a meal replacement beverage loaded with all sorts of vitamins and nutrients, it happens to have some vitamin C and calcium and it delivers a hefty 35% of your recommended daily iron.
How does it taste?
You might think a protein drink made with greens like kale and spinach would be something you'd have to suck down quickly, possibly with your nose pinched to minimize the taste. That's what I thought, for sure. Then I tasted the stuff.
Look, OWYN drinks don't taste like a milkshake or anything, but I've tried all four OWYN flavors - Cold Brew Coffee, Vanilla, Dark Chocolate, and Strawberry Banana - and all of them are pretty good. I wouldn't choose Strawberry Banana for pleasure, as it's cloyingly sweet, but I wouldn't reject it if offered, either. Ditto with the Vanilla variety.
But the Cold Brew Coffee and Dark Chocolate blends? They're actually enjoyable.
The bottom line:
Pros: High in protein and low in calories, free of common allergens, available in four flavors
Cons: Flavors are palatable but not great
If you want a protein shake with a reliably smooth, light consistency and a taste that's more than palatable, if not sublime, then OWYN is a brand to check out. And that protein to calorie ratio is solid.