Levels Nutrition Grass Fed 100% Whey Protein, No Hormones, Unflavored, 5LB

Very tasty and works well in a protein smoothie.

I have sought high, low and all places betwixt for a whey protein powder that mixes well, is pleasing to the taste buds and doesn’t create digestive fireworks. In the Levels grass-fed protein I have finally found these three criteria fulfilled. Mixing: even in a cheap old shaker bottle filled with cold almond juice, this powder requires minimal effort to get into non-gritty solution. I have yet to encounter a glob of unmixed powder that needs chewing. Taste: the Unflavored version has, when mixed by itself, a sort of whole-milk taste. Though it is quite palatable, it becomes an absolute fricken’ delight when a half-packet of stevia and several drops of organic Madagascar bourbon pure vanilla extract are added (I know that makes it sound like I eat avocado toast every morning, but I really don’t). Digestibility: I’ve always been somewhat sensitive to high amounts of dairy and whey powders in particular, and even vegan protein powders cause bloating when I consume them quickly. Levels Grass Fed Whey, on the other hand, has had no discernable effect even when I drink it quickly. This is due, I assume, to either the environmentally-synergistic way the cows live and produce, or to the placebo effect. Either way I’m happy. All in all, I love this stuff. As someone who has recently cut meat consumption by 95% and who needs to maintain protein and amino acid intake, I will continue to buy this Levels product until they stop making it. Or until the government realizes that sustainable, humane farming encourages human health and discourages bloated corporations with formidable lobbying power and makes it illegal.

I received this today (the unflavored whey) and tried it right away. I put it in hot tea. Very disappointed!! It did not mix well at all. I finally had it mixed somewhat decently and tried it. The taste is not acceptable. I tried to return it and was told I couldn’t. I feel very ripped off. This product is approximately $90.00 - expensive! - and now I have to throw it away. Because I can’t return it? Money down the drain. I wish I would have purchased the vanilla flavor at Costco (much cheaper there by the way) because at least Costco would have let me return it. If this company believes in their product so much they should refund me in full for being unhappy. Otherwise they are not very reputable. This will be going in the trash. And I will be buying another product from a different company. I will update this to let you know whether I receive a refund in full. Not holding my breath. Update on 4/27: Changed from a 1-star to a 4-star review. I gave this a better try using it in smoothies. It works well for this when blending it in a blender. However I do not think you could use this in a jar and shake it for a smoothie. It just doesn’t blend up that well and needs a powerful blender to do the trick. Also - and this is important - if you are buying strictly to use in your coffee or tea, I wouldn’t buy this. If you want the full protein benefits of a full scoop, this does not work in a hot beverage. It doesn’t dissipate like some powders do. For the good news, as I said, this absolutely works in my smoothies. I have to assume anyone buying this wants unflavored. This is that powder. If you want your smoothie to be a bit sweeter add nicely ripened bananas. Also, I added some maple syrup. Very good! Extremely filling! Which is great. I think you will be happy if you are buying this to use in smoothies. I can’t comment on how it works in oatmeal as I haven’t tried that yet, but I think it would work well. And give that needed protein boost. So sorry for my first 1-star rating! That was pre-mature and unfair. But I do stand by my opinion not to buy this if “strictly” using in hot beverages. I think it will be a disappointment. However, consider buying it and making smoothies with it. I made a very large smoothie with 2 scoops of the powder and two bananas, 1 T of Maple syrup, 1 tsp. of vanilla and 2/3 cup of high quality plain Greek yogurt. I then divided this evenly for two servings for two days. This helps make it not so time intensive to do daily. The banana got a little brown the second day, but who cares! Tasted just as good. If you like things a bit sweeter you could always use 2T Maple syrup. Or just make sure the bananas are nice and ripe. Mine weren’t as ripe as they could have been.

First I will state problematic facts about the product’s labeling that I arrived at after purchasing this product and tasting it (which raised eyebrows), followed by my qualitative assessment. Truth in labeling?: 1. Questionable amount of stated protein: Label says this is a whey concentrate, yet it states each serving is 86.7% protein (=26g-protein/30g-serving), which is a percentage of protein more likely to be found in a whey isolate with no additives (ex. NOW whey isolate, unflavored 25g/28g= 89.3% protein/serving). 2. Questionable label claim of being undenatured: similarly, undenatured means as much of the raw whey material (its “nature”) has been retained vs. removed, which necessarily reduces the percentage of a serving that is protein (ex. Well Wisdom Vital Whey, natural/no-additives is 16g/20g= 80% protein, NAKED WHEY Undenatured 100% Grass Fed Whey is 25g/30g= 83.3%). 3. Erroneous Label: says "AMINO ACIDS PER SERVING" totals 28.6g (see sum below), yet Nutrition Facts says "Protein 26g" in "Serving size 1 Scoop (30g)". So the former is really a listing amino acid totals as if the whole 30g serving were 100% protein; clearly erroneous since the sum should total to 26g of the 30g total as stated (if that can be believed to begin with per the above). Sum of amino acids from label (copy to calculator if want to check it)*: 28.6g =(1719+675+2940+1048+4988+609+513+272+1302+3298+2778+730+901+2247+1660+1767+579+864+1284)-272-1302. *Note: must subtract back off "HYDDROXYPROLINE 272" and "ISOLEUCINE 1302" since they are already included as components of "VALINE" and "LEUCINE" respectively. Qualitative assessment: The color of this product is slightly yellowish, and unlike a natural non-denatured whey protein which is more like the color of milk (white; duh) and has a tendency to pack like snow underfoot and thus also not mix well, this Levels product seems like it is a high percentage of something else... In fact it has a strong smell and taste very similar to soy lecithin. Go to your local health store and pick up a bag of soy lecithin granules and run them through your coffee grinder, then add a dusting of whey concentrate and I would guess you have duplicated the Levels formula. Suffice it to say that I would assert you would do much better looking elsewhere, unless you like the taste of lecithin vs. being interested in a true undenatured whey or a whey isolate (totally different products). Update: I uploaded a picture comparing Levels (on the left) and Muscle Feast Hormone Free Grass Fed Unflavored Whey Protein Isolate for comparison. Which one has color more like a milk based product and which one is more yellow like lecithin granules? Granted, the one on the right is a whey isolate, but I have never seen any whey powder as lecithin yellow as this Levels ... whatever it is.

High quality product