{Product Review} Vega One Nutritional Shakes

Vega One was created by Brendan Brazier, vegan, professional Ironman triathelete and author. He wanted to formulate a plant-based nutritional protein shake that would adhere to his vegan diet.

Vega One Shakes come in a convenient packet and each serving contains 15 g of protein, 6 g of fiber, 50% of your daily intake of vitamins and minerals plus 3 servings of greens. A pack also has less than 150 calories. What Vega One does not contain is dairy, gluten, soy, added sugar, artificial flavors, colors or sweeteners. To read more about the benefits or get more nutritional information, please visit the Vega One website here.

A few weeks ago, a Vega One Starter Kit arrived in my mail. The starter kit contains 5 packets of Vega One shake (2 chocolate flavored, 2 French vanilla and 1 berry) and a brochure with three smoothie recipes.

I have tried Vega One two times so far. I tried the French vanilla flavor as a shake with 1.5 cups of ice water as directed on the back of the packet. It can also be mixed with juice or any other beverage.

The first thing I noticed was that I really had to mix it a lot to get the powder to dissolve into the water. Once it was completely dissolved, you can see that even though the flavor is French vanilla, the shake is a green color. This was a little disconcerting to me, but I guess that's what happens with plant-based, non-artificial- colored shakes.

In terms of taste, I wasn't too huge of a fan of the taste. One of the ingredients of Vega One is stevia extract and I really find the taste of stevia to be unpleasant. With just water and the Vega One powder, I could really tell there was stevia in there.

I can say that I had much better luck with using Vega One in a smoothie though. I just used whatever I had around the house.

Here is Irene's Chocolate Banana Blueberry Smoothie:
- 1 serving Vega One Chocolate
- 1 cup cold soy milk
- 1 banana
- handful of fresh blueberries
Blend until smooth

As you can see from the picture, the blueberry skin didn't quite blend all of the way. I found the smoothie to be quite tasty, and I think the fresh fruits help to mask the stevia taste.

What's my take? Although I am not a vegan and don't have many dietary restrictions, I think it is great that those who are have different options available to them to fit their differing lifestyles. I like how Vega One is packaged in a way that makes it easy for someone who is on the go or on the road to have a protein shake without having to cart around a huge tub of powder. As far as my use of Vega One, I am definitely going to stick to making smoothies!

Disclosure: Vega One provided me with a complimentary Vega One Shake Starter Kit for the purpose of this review. No compensation was received. All opinions are my own. Read my full disclosure here. 

{Product Review} NeoCell Collagen Sport

Back in the summer, NeoCell reached out to me and asked if I wanted to try out their Collagen Sport Ultimate Recovery Complex protein powder. You may recall, in a previous post, I talked about NeoCell's Beauty Burst Soft Chews, which I received as part of my May 2013 Bulu Box, so I was happy to try out another one of their products.

Collagen Sport contains 30 grams of protein per serving, consisting of 15 grams of whey protein isolate and 15 grams of Super Collagen™ 1 & 3 Protein. It is also a good source of L-Glutamine, multi-vitamins and antioxidants from pomegranate extract. 

Additionally, Collagen Sport has:

• No Gluten
• No Wheat
• No Sugar
• No Lactose
• No artificial sweeteners or flavors
• No fillers or synthetic ingredients 

Here is a look at the nutritional facts on the back of the container. 

To read more about the benefits of collagen or more product information, please go here.

NeoCell sent me a 1.5 lb. container of Collagen Sport in the French Vanilla flavor, and so far, I have been using it in a variety of ways. First, I tried it just mixed with water. I have also tried it blended with soy milk. But by far, my favorite thing to do with it is to sprinkle it onto my Greek yogurt.

Here I made it with 1 cup of nonfat Greek yogurt, fresh mango cubes and slivered almonds. I have also added chia seeds on occasion.

This is my favorite breakfast at the moment. I'm hoping that my next concoction will be to use Collagen Sport in a protein ball recipe. 

As recommended, I typically have it in the mornings or after a workout. Unlike some protein powders that I have had in the past, Collagen Sport is easy to get down even just mixed with water or milk. It dissolves quickly and doesn't have a horrible after taste. 

What's my take? Although I can't attest to the fact that Collagen Sport has made my recoveries easier, I love having it as an extra source of protein and vitamins. And of course, having it taste good is definitely important to me. Otherwise, I wouldn't continue to take it! Now, where is my shake? 

Disclosure: NeoCell provided me with a 1.5 lb container of Collagen Sport Ultimate Recovery Complex for the purpose of this review. No compensation was received. All opinions are my own. Read my full disclosure here.