A health expert recently showcased all the ingredients added to Premier Protein shakes—and viewers were fairly grossed out.
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In a recent video, the content creator behind the TikTok page for Jigsaw Health (@jigsaw_health) suggested he wanted to show viewers what’s “REALLY” in Amazon’s No. 1 selling protein shakes.
Most protein shakes, he says, can get away with just a handful of ingredients. But he alleged that Premier Protein shakes have a ton of unnecessary additives that might make them less healthy than some other popular brands.
“Bottoms up… or nah?” @jigsaw_health asked viewers in the caption. As of this writing, @jigsaw_health’s TikTok had amassed more than 708,500 views.
Premier Protein is packed with ingredients—not all good
It’s no secret what’s in each Premier Protein shake. The manufacturer makes the drink’s various ingredients available on the back of each bottle.
But some of the more wonky-sounding additives (such as “carrageenan”) aren’t exactly household names.
That’s where @jigsaw_health comes in.
“What is actually in Premier Protein shakes?” he asks viewers before diving into his nearly minute-long video.
First up, the shakes, he says, contain water, milk protein concentrate, calcium caseinate, cocoa powder (for flavor), inulin (prebiotic fiber), and salt. @jigsaw_health says a “mediocre protein shake” could probably stop there, but notes that Premier Protein’s shakes include more ingredients.
Premier also includes additives, such as carrageenan, which @jigsaw_health says thickens the shake. In addition, the shakes include soybean and sunflower oil, several preservatives, synthetic vitamins and minerals, and artificial sweeteners.
“Here’s the crazy part: Food manufacturers are not required to put how much artificial sweetener they’re using in their products on the label,” he says. “They’re only required to put how much sugar content is in something.”
As a result, @jigsaw_health says “protein shake” is too good a label for Premier products. Then he coined a new phrase for the drink: “milk-derivative-oil-water with extra sweetener and essence of multivitamin.”
Is Premier Protein bad for you?
While these shakes are a good source of protein (containing a whopping 30g per bottle), some dietitians have pointed out that they contain a bunch of artificial sweeteners to help keep sugar content low.
Those sweeteners include Sucralose (aka Splenda) and Acesulfame (or, Sweet One).
According to Jamie, a registered dietitian for The Balanced Nutritionist, these additives are safe in small amounts. She notes, however, that some customers may want to avoid them “due to personal preference.”
Similar to @jigsaw_health, Jamie also took issue with the lengthy list of processed ingredients that go into a Premier Protein shake.
“While these are generally recognized as safe, they may not align with everyone’s definition of healthy eating,” she writes.
Of course, that doesn’t mean protein shakes—especially those from Premier Protein—are all bad or should be purged from your refrigerator. Jamie notes that Premier Protein shakes, in particular, have several good qualities to them, too. For instance, they have a long shelf life, come in a variety of flavors, and are packed with essential vitamins and minerals.
@jigsaw_health 🚨 What’s REALLY in Premier Protein Shakes? 🚨 This is the #1 selling protein shake on Amazon… but wait ‘til you see what’s actually inside 👀 Let’s break it down: 💧 Water 🥛 Cheap milk protein concentrate & Calcium caseinate 🍫 Tiny bit of cocoa, fiber & salt Could’ve stopped there for a basic shake… but nope. They went all in with: - High-Oleic Sunflower or Soybean Oil – Carrageenan, Phosphates, Gums & Chemical Additives – Synthetic vitamins & minerals – “Natural & Artificial Flavors” – Sucralose + Ace-K (Artificial Sweeteners) That “1g of sugar” claim? Clever marketing. If we’re renaming this, let’s call it: Milk-Derivative-Oil-Water with extra sweeteners & essence of multivitamin. Bottoms up… or nah? 🤔 #proteinshake #cleaneating #cleaningredients #ingredientsmatter #readthelabel ♬ original sound – Jigsaw Health
Long ingredients list scares some customers
In the comments section of @jigsaw_health’s video, several viewers said that Premier Protein’s long list of additives led them to stop buying the drinks.
“I quit drinking them,” one woman proclaimed.
“I no longer include these as one of my protein drinks,” another added.
“Our food industry is so disgusting,” a third viewer wrote.
Meanwhile, some viewers said they didn’t care about the ingredients as long as the shake does its job: providing them with more protein.
“I only care for protein,” one viewer said.
“Tastes good enough,” another commented.
“Are you saying this is bad? I’m confused,” a third viewer wrote. “Sounds delicious & safe to me.”
Meanwhile, some viewers called out @jigsaw_health for not providing alternative, healthier options.
“Please recommend a cleaner version,” one person asked.
“I am searching for a healthy chocolate protein shake that does not have all these bad ingredients,” another wrote.
The Daily Dot has reached out to @jigsaw_health via TikTok comment and to Premier Protein through its online contact form.
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