Levels Grass Fed Whey Protein Powder, No Artificials, 24G of Protein, Pure Chocolate, 5LB

This protein powder is one of the best on the market in terms of ingredients, taste and texture. I wanted to do an in-depth review of this product because I'm pretty sure there are plenty of folks like myself who are constantly looking for a healthy great tasting protein supplement without all the "junk" its made with. It's gets tiresome searching for that one protein powder that hits all the marks (including price point) and at the end of the day, you settle for the powder that has the least amount of sugar (or artificial sweeteners) for a decent price and just forget about it. As long as it tastes good and mixes well, all is good in the valley.I've had my share of trolling Amazon for that perfect powder, sometimes spending up to an an hour at a time to find one that I can live with long term. I've tried tons of different brands and some were awesome while others were not so awesome. Either way, the powders I chose had the least amount of artificial sweeteners and relatively low carbs. The taste and texture were the only elements that separated the good from the bad...that is...until I did a little more research on those "other" ingredients you usually see on labels. You know.....the ones with ingredient names that are nine syllables long and a bit of struggle to pronounce. I can honestly say, I disregarded those other ingredients for a long time as I figured they were just there to make up the composition of the powder. Never bothered with finding out what they actually were.There's one ingredient I found to be in all the powders I'd been consuming over the years that instantly changed the game for me. And that ingredient is Acesulfame Potassium (or Ace-K).This artificial sweetener is so bad for you healthwise, that it's actually banned in some countries. It's 200X sweeter than sugar and, needless to say, spikes your insulin levels ridiculously high and wreaks havoc on your liver. Consuming this ingredient (in any food product for that matter) is basically a health hazard and sadly, it's found in a majority of those "great tasting" protein powders we love, rant and rave about. This ingredient is most likely the cause of complaints I see about powders being overly sweet. I actually discarded a couple tubs of powder after discovering they both contained Acesulfame Potassium. Not this protein powder.Natural sweeteners like stevia leaf extract, monk fruit, cacao etc. are the best ingredients from a health standpoint (in my opinion). This protein powder is not candy sweet and doesn't taste what some would call "incredibly delicious" like a liquid dessert but it does offer a mild natural sweet taste that can be modified to suit your taste buds, if you prefer more sweetness. I actually prefer the mild sweet taste from the natural sweeteners because it doesn't overpower my tase buds with sugar to the point where dopemines are released and it just tastes natural, like I should be drinking this, that it was meant to be. There's a sense of comfort knowing that your protein drink is optimized for your best health. That's what this protein powder offers. Just as it says on the label "Nothing Fake. Ever"The texture is very fine, almost dust-like, so it mixes extremely well. Clumps are nonexistent. I got the Chocolate Mocha flavor and let me tell you...the mocha coffee taste is real. Mildly sweet and just a joy to drink alone with almond milk, water, mixed into a smoothie or in your coffee.Compare the ingredients of this powder to the article of ingredients you find on most other powders and ask yourself the obvious. I'll say it again, this powder is the real deal in every aspect from the cost to the texture to the taste to the ingredients. I highly recommend.The most important takeaway from this is whether you decide on this powder or another, just make sure whatever you choose doesn't contain Acesulfame Potassium. Your health will thank you later.All the best

I'm on my third container of this brand of whey protein powder, and I am such a fan of it! I'm awful about making sure I'm getting enough protein in my diet, this has really helped me to up my protein intake and make sure I'm hitting my goals.A lot of protein powders tend to not mix well, or have a grit to them that I just can't get past. This blends smoothly and evenly in under a minute with my blender and the flavor is great. Not odd tasting, and despite having stevia in it, which I normally can taste both during and after drinking something with it, it doesn't have that odd aftertaste, or flavor. I think it may be in part due to the addition of the monk fruit extract, and frankly, I'd pay more to have this with ONLY the monk fruit extract as it's sole sweetener since that's the closest to a "real" sugar taste that I've experienced.One of the main reasons why I really like this particular brand is the ingredient list. I have tried so many protein powders, and so many of them were full of ingredients that I had no idea what they were, or why they were needed. Now look at the ingredient list on Levels Grass Fed Whey Protein. 8 ingredients, all things I readily recognize.One container lasts me about a month if I'm only having 1 shake per day, less if I'm having 2, but compared to some of the other protein powders out there, or the pre made protein shakes in stores that are grab and go, I feel like this is really far more cost effective and affords me more control over my total calorie count depending on what I mix it with. Especially since 1 scoop of Levels Whey Protein Powder is 24 grams of protein, and other powders you need 2 scoops.Speaking of the container, the 2lb container is big and I hate the amount of plastic that I'm going through with these. There's only so many ways I can repurpose them. I hope that future offerings from Levels will include a 2lb mylar bag instead, so I can cut down on the amount of waste.The vanilla cinnamon flavor is great for protein coffees in the morning, blended with black coffee and a touch of a creamer or 2% milk, it's like having a latte. It's even good with warm coffee, although I prefer it iced. I am not a breakfast person, but it's so important for me to get my protein in the mornings, and this has helped me so much!I've also tried the Strawberry, which is very mild in flavor but it plays really well with other fruit flavors.For fun - some of my favorite ways to blend these powders:Protein coffee: 8-10 ounces cold (or hot, if you prefer) black pumpkin spice coffee, a splash of 2% milk, 1 scoop Levels, sugar free cinnamon dolce or pumpkin spice syrup to taste, blend, and enjoy. Add mini ice cubes if you want to make it more of a Frappuccino style drink. If I'm going to be out for the majority of the day, I double this recipe to fit into my 40 oz tumbler.If you want a thicker, higher in protein shake that's more like a milkshake, add 3/4 of a cup of whole fat plain Greek yogurt, 1 scoop of Levels, a splash (1/4 cup or less) of 2% milk to make for easier blending, and a quick pour of sugar free cinnamon dolce syrup. I swear if it doesn't taste like a cinnamon dolce cheesecake!I do a similar spin with the strawberry powder, blending it with frozen strawberries or peaches, Greek yogurt, a bit of sugar free peach or strawberry syrup, and I tend to forget that I'm having a protein drink and not an actual milkshake.