Ghost Protein Review

An in-depth review of Ghost protein powder 

Ghost protein powder Nutrition Facts

Ghost protein powder ingredients

Ghost protein powder taste and texture

Ghost protein powder vs drink wholesome

Ghost protein powder Nutrition Facts

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Ghost makes several different flavors of whey and pea protein powders. For the sake of simplicity, I am going to review their whey-based Cereal Milk Flavor, which is one of their best sellers. Although every flavor/type of Ghost protein powder is different, their Cereal Milk flavor will give you a good idea of what to expect from their other products.

Ghost protein is a protein supplement, so I am going to start my Ghost whey protein review by talking about the Nutrition Facts. 1 serving of Ghost Cereal Milk Whey Protein Powder contains 130 calories, 1.5g of total fat, 4g of total carbohydrates, 2g of sugar, and 25g of protein. From a nutritional standpoint, this looks like a healthy source of dietary protein.

There is a high protein to calorie ratio, meaning you get a lot of bang for your buck. The primary source of protein is whey, which is complete protein, meaning it contains all of the amino acids that your body needs, but cannot produce on its own. 

There is no fiber, which is not ideal for digestion, but there is also no Added Sugar. In general, limiting the amount of Added Sugar in your diet is a good thing. Replacing Added Sugar with artificial sweeteners and other sugar substitutes, however, is not a healthy alternative. We will have to wait until the next section to see what Ghost does. 

In summary, the nutritional profile of Ghost Cereal Milk Whey Protein Powder looks good. It is a classic protein supplement designed to help you boost your protein intake. I would not recommend using it as a meal replacement, as it does not have a balanced nutrition profile, but it could make for a nice high protein snack.

Ghost protein powder ingredients

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The Nutrition Facts are really only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to protein powder. In order to understand if a protein powder is actually good for you, you have to look at the ingredients. In other words, the ingredients list is by far the most important indication of whether or not a protein powder is good for you.

There are over 10 ingredients in Ghost Cereal Milk Whey Protein Powder, which is not a good sign. Generally speaking, when it comes to protein powder, the fewer ingredients the better.

whey protein

The first ingredient is whey protein, which is a blend of 90% whey protein isolate and 10% whey protein concentrate. Whey protein isolates and concentrates are made by removing the non-protein components of milk, thereby concentrating the protein components to higher levels. The difference between isolates and concentrates is that isolates have more protein and fewer carbs (lactose) and fat per serving.

While whey is a quality source of protein, it is notorious for causing digestive issues. Most adults cannot fully digest lactose, and therefore experience side effects like bloating and diarrhea when they consume whey. To be fair, whey protein concentrates and isolates are less likely to cause digestive issues than plain whey because most of the lactose has been removed. That said, both protein sources undergo so much processing that they look nothing like real food. This itself is a problem because the more processed a food is, the harder it is to digest.

Before moving on, I would like to point out that the whey protein in Ghost Cereal Milk Whey Protein Powder is “sunflower lecithinated.” Sunflower lecithin is a group of fatty substances derived from sunflower seeds. It is added to processed foods like protein powder to prevent separation and improve solubility. While these are good things, sunflower lecithin is not good for you.

food additives

Most of the ingredients in Ghost Cereal Milk Whey Protein Powder are food additives: Sunflower Lecithin (emulsifier), Natural and Artificial Flavors, Cellulose Gum (thickener), Xanthan Gum (thickener), Sucralose (artificial sweetener). Even in small quantities, ingredients like these can cause gastrointestinal (GI) side effects like bloating, constipation, diarrhea, gas, and stomach pain. 

Additives are such a problem because they are not real food and are hard to digest. As a result, they linger in your gut, which can lead to two unpleasant outcomes. On the one hand, food additives can cause your colon to absorb too much water, triggering diarrhea. On the other hand, food additives feed your hungry gut bacteria, which release gas as they eat. Too much gas can cause bloating and stomach pain. It can also slow colonic transit – the amount of time it takes food to travel through the colon – leading to constipation.

Worst yet, regularly eating certain food additives can disturb regulatory pathways in your intestines, triggering the development of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and other systemic inflammatory disorders. Some food additives, namely artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols, can also disrupt your gut microbiome – the collection of microorganisms living in your gut. An unhealthy gut microbiome is a leading cause of inflammation and linked to the onset and progression of several chronic diseases.

Did you know 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. This means that the Natural Flavors in Ghost Cereal Milk Whey Protein Powder could be a catch-all term for everything that the manufacturer would rather not spell out on the ingredient list.

Ghost vs drink wholesome

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So, is ghost protein good for you? Ghost protein powder is one of the most popular protein powders due to its fun flavors like Cereal Milk, Oreo, and Chips Ahoy. As you just learned, however, it is not good for you. Its biggest weakness, which is a weakness for most protein powders, is that it is full of additives and so processed that it hardly resembles real food. 

If you have a sensitive stomach, or if you want a protein boost without extra processing and added junk, then Ghost is not the brand for you. Instead, you should reach for a protein powder like drink wholesome.

Hi! My name is Jack. A few years ago, I was so sick of protein supplements that upset my stomach, that I made my own with a short list of simple ingredients. Instead of protein concentrates or isolates, I used egg whites and almonds. Instead of artificial sweeteners, I used monk fruit and maple sugar. Instead of artificial flavors, I used real vanilla beans. As a result, my customers have experienced fewer digestive issues with my protein powder than with any other protein supplement. 

To feel and taste the difference real foods make, order samples. You will not be disappointed.

my ingredients: 

egg whites, coconut, vanilla, monk fruit

Ghost Cereal Milk Whey Protein Powder ingredients:

Whey Protein (Whey Protein Isolate 90% (Sunflower Lecithinated), Whey Protein Concentrate 80% (Sunflower Lecithinated), Hydrolyzed Whey Protein Isolate), Natural and Artificial Flavor, Salt, Digestive Enzymes (Proteases, Bromelain, Lactase), Cellulose Gum, Xanthan Gum, Sucralose.

As you can clearly see, drink wholesome is made with a short list of simple ingredients. Given that protein powder is something you use regularly, if not every day, this makes a huge difference for your gut and overall health. It also makes a huge difference for your taste buds. 

In closing, I hope that my Ghost whey protein powder review was helpful, and that you are now able to make more informed decisions about the foods you eat.

I also had a chance to try a few other Ghost flavors, including Chips Ahoy, which was by far my favorite!