Are Fairlife Protein Shakes Good for You?

📌 Overview and Key Takeaways

Are Fairlife protein shakes good for you?

Learn whether or not you should add these popular shakes to your diet.

Last Updated
Jan 24, 2026

Author and Medical Reviewer

Written by Jack, Founder

Jack is the Founder of Drink Wholesome.

Medically reviewed by Brittany, MS, RD and Jenn, PA-C

Kayla is a Registered Dietitian with a MS in Nutrition.

Jennifer is a Physician Assistant with a BA in Nutritional Sciences.

Fairlife Protein Shake Analysis

Are Fairlife Protein Shakes Healthy?

Fairlife is a brand of ultra-filtered milk distributed by the Coca-Cola Company.

Their Core Power protein shakes, which can be found at most big-box retailers and gas stations in the United States, are cheap, convenient, and among the most popular protein supplements.

But are they healthy?

Although Fairlife makes it easy and affordable to supplement your protein intake, they use a long list of problematic ingredients.

In particular, it uses ingredients known to cause painful digestive issues and even long-term gut health problems.

Fairlife Nutrition Facts

Fairlife protein shakes contain more protein and less sugar than ordinary milk.

A 14oz Fairlife Core Power Vanilla Protein Shake, for example, contains 170 calories, 26 grams of protein, and 5 grams of sugar.

From a Nutritional Standpoint, this looks like a good source of dietary protein.

But just because its Nutrition/Supplement Facts looks good does not mean that a protein supplement is good for you.

Fairlife Ingredients

The ingredients list is by far the most important indication of whether or not a protein shake is good for you, so let us take a close look at Fairlife’s ingredients.

Filtered Lowfat Milk

The first ingredient and main source of protein in a Fairlife Core Power Vanilla Protein Shake is Filtered Lowfat Grade A Milk.

To make filtered milk, cow’s milk is passed through a semipermeable membrane which removes water and lactose (sugar).

What is left behind is milk with more protein and less sugar per ounce than ordinary milk.

It is important to note that Fairlife protein shakes still contain some lactose, which 36% of American adults cannot fully digest (NIDDK, 2018)..

For this reason, they tend to cause digestive issues like bloating and diarrhea.

Thickeners

A Fairlife Core Power Vanilla Protein Shake contains three thickeners:

Carrageenan, Cellulose Gel, Cellulose Gum

They are added to Fairlife protein shakes to replicate the creamy mouthfeel of whole milk.

Remember, Fairlife is made with low fat milk, which is not creamy, so to improve the texture, it adds a cocktail of thickeners.

Although not necessarily bad for you in small quantities, thickeners are notorious for causing painful digestive issues.

Regularly eating thickeners and other additives can also alter the composition of your gut microbiome (North Clin Istanb, 2019).

This can lead to gut dysbiosis, or an imbalance in gut bacteria, which is linked to a number of chronic gut health problems (Microorganisms, 2022; JGH Open, 2021).

Remember, your gut microbiome affects various physiological processes, including immune function and inflammation.

So, when the balance of bacteria therein is disrupted, it can have a huge impact on your digestive health.

Natural Flavors

Natural flavors are used to give Fairlife protein shakes their vanilla flavor.

Fairlife probably does not use real vanilla because real vanilla is expensive.

It is also worth adding that while food manufacturers are required to disclose their ingredients, natural flavor manufacturers are not.

They can add solvents, preservatives, emulsifiers, carriers and other additives to a flavor that qualifies as “natural” under current regulations.

Artificial Sweeteners

Fairlife Core Power protein shakes are sweetened with two artificial sweeteners: acesulfame potassium and sucralose.

This will probably not come as a surprise, but artificial sweeteners are not good for your gut.

Like many food additives, they can wreak havoc on your gut microbiome (Adv Nutr, 2019).

Vitamins

Vitamin A is added to Fairlife Core Power Vanilla Protein Shakes to replace the vitamin content lost through the removal of milk fat.

Vitamin D is added to help with the absorption of calcium and phosphorus in the small intestine.

Enzymes

Lactase is added to Fairlife Core Power Vanilla Protein Shakes to help with the absorption of lactose, the sugar in milk.

Summary

All in all, a Fairlife Core Power Vanilla Protein Shake contains 12 ingredients, none of which, aside from milk, contain any significant nutritional value.

Moreover, half of these ingredients are added to make up for the nutrients, taste, and texture lost due to food processing.

And worst of all, most of these ingredients are known to cause painful and even long-term digestive issues!

Are Core Power Protein Shakes Good for You?

While Fairlife protein shakes may seem like a tempting option for your daily nutrition, these protein supplements are not as good for you as they claim to be.

In fact, I would argue that Fairlife protein shakes are NOT GOOD FOR YOU period based on the ingredients alone.

Sure, they contain lots of protein and no added sugar, but they are also full of added junk.

If I were you, I would just drink a glass of whole milk!

It contains 15 grams of protein and none of the extra processing and additives.

Sources

1. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). Definition & Facts for Lactose Intolerance. 2018.
2. Northern Clinics of Istanbul (North Clin Istanb). Food additives and microbiota. 2019.
3. Microorganisms (Microorganisms). Gut Microbiota Dysbiosis: Triggers, Consequences, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Options. 2022.
4. JGH Open: An Open Access Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology (JGH Open). Gut microbiota dysbiosis in functional gastrointestinal disorders: Underpinning the symptoms and pathophysiology. 2021.
5. Advances in Nutrition (Adv Nutr). Effects of Sweeteners on the Gut Microbiota: A Review of Experimental Studies and Clinical Trials. 2019.

Editorial Guidelines

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This article was written by a Registered Dietitian and reviewed by a Physician Assistant. We rely on peer-reviewed research and trusted medical sources, and regularly update our content to ensure accuracy and clarity.