Optimum NutritionProtein Powders#33 of 34 in categoryRating 2.7/5

Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey Protein (Vanilla Ice Cream)

Red flags

No major red flags on the label.

Green flags

  • Green flag: High protein (79g per 100g)
  • Green flag: No added sugar

Ingredients, decoded

5 listed
  • Protein Blend (93%) (Whey Protein Isolate, Whey Protein Concentrate, Hydrolysed Whey Protein) (Emulsifier: INS 322i)
  • Artificial Flavours (Vanilla, Cream, Cookie, Waffle Cone)
  • Thickeners (INS 466, INS 415)
  • Sodium Chloride
  • Sweeteners (INS 955, INS 960)
ConcernWorth watchingIn label order. Tap a highlighted one to learn more.

Nutrition per 100 g
CNutritionDIngredients3Risk
Energy398 kcal
Protein79 g
Carbohydrates13 g
Total sugars3 g
Added sugars0 g
Total fat3 g
Saturated fat2 g
Trans fat0 g
Cholesterol148 mg
Sodium329 mg
Highlighted values exceed FSSAI and UK FSA front of pack thresholds.

Our take

CleanPlate review

Sucralose, stevia and two gums in a vanilla whey

Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey Protein (Vanilla Ice Cream) is a 907 g tub of a whey protein blend (93%) of isolate, concentrate and hydrolysed whey with artificial flavours (vanilla, cream, cookie, waffle cone), two thickeners (INS 466, 415), salt and two sweeteners (sucralose and stevia). One 31 g scoop gives about 24 g of protein.

CleanPlate scores it CD3. The C for nutrition is middling: 79 g protein per 100 g. The D for ingredients reflects mostly refined or industrial ingredients (led by whey protein isolate, whey protein concentrate and hydrolysed whey protein), with additives that cost points: carboxymethyl cellulose, sucralose, flavouring and xanthan gum. The 3 for risk comes mainly from sodium (329 mg per 100 g) and calories (398 kcal per 100 g).

Claims vs reality

What the pack says, checked against the ingredient list and nutrition panel.

  • On the pack

    “Vanilla Ice Cream”

    Partly true

    The vanilla and cream are artificial flavours, not vanilla or cream.

  • On the pack

    “100% of the protein from whey”

    Holds

    The protein blend is whey isolate, concentrate and hydrolysed whey.

  • On the pack

    “No sugar added in the product”

    Holds

    Added sugar is 0 g and sweetness comes from sucralose and stevia.

  • On the pack

    “Contains non-caloric sweeteners”

    Holds

    Sucralose (INS 955) and stevia (INS 960) are listed.

How CD3 breaks down

Each grade is scored on its own. Here are the label numbers behind each one, per 100 g.

How we score →
01 Nutritional valueA to E
C

Adequate nutrient density

Protein
79 g
Fibre
Not declared
Vitamins and minerals
None declared
Energy
398 kcal

Scored on protein, fibre and twelve vitamins and minerals, against the Codex and FSSAI "source" and "high" levels, per 100 g and per 100 kcal.

02 Ingredient & label integrityA to E
D

Heavily processed or flagged substances

Base
Protein Blend
Sweeteners
None added
Additives
4
Flagged
None
Artificial flavour or colour
Yes

Scored on how processed the ingredients are, which additives are used and why, and whether the label keeps its promises.

03 Risk nutrients1 to 5
3

Moderate risk

Added sugar
0 g
Sodium
329 mg
Saturated fat
2 g
Trans fat
0 g

Scored on free sugar, sodium, saturated fat and trans fat, each weighed by how strong the evidence of harm is.

A closer look

Does the label add up?

Protein blend 93% (whey protein isolate, whey protein concentrate, hydrolysed whey protein, emulsifier lecithin), artificial flavours (vanilla, cream, cookie, waffle cone), thickeners (INS 466, INS 415), sodium chloride and sweeteners (INS 955, INS 960).

Per 100 g: 398 kcal, 3 g fat of which 2 g saturated, 3 g sugar of which 0 g added, 79 g protein, 329 mg sodium. The pack prints Vanilla Ice Cream; the listing says Vanilla. The vanilla and ice cream names are flavour names and the list shows artificial flavours for both, so they are not scored as a missing ingredient. The blend is 93% with no split among the three whey forms, which is hand-estimated.

Ingredients to watch

  • ThickenerConcern

    Carboxymethyl cellulose (INS 466) costs 6 points and xanthan gum 2 points.

  • SweetenersWorth watching

    Sucralose costs 4 points and stevia 2 points.

  • Artificial flavoursWorth watching

    Four artificial flavours are listed as one flavouring class.

  • SodiumWorth watching

    329 mg per 100 g, about 102 mg a scoop.

Common misconceptions

Myth: "Vanilla ice cream flavour means real vanilla"

The list shows artificial flavours, not vanilla or cream.

Myth: "No sugar added means unsweetened"

Two non-sugar sweeteners are used.

How often, and how

  • Healthy adultsA scoop a day at most, if food protein falls short
  • ChildrenNot needed
  • Diabetes or prediabetesFine in moderation

Smarter ways to eat it

One scoop

A 31 g scoop is about 123 kcal with 24 g of protein and 102 mg of sodium.

Compare with plain

The unflavored tub of the same brand has one additive, lecithin.

Common questions

Is Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey Protein (Vanilla Ice Cream) healthy?

Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey Protein (Vanilla Ice Cream) scores CD3 (Fair) on CleanPlate, which makes it an occasional-use product, where the concerns start to outweigh the positives. We found no major red flags on its label. On the plus side: High protein (79g per 100g); No added sugar.

What does the CD3 score mean?

The first letter (C) grades nutritional value: adequate nutrient density. The second letter (D) grades ingredient and label integrity: heavily processed or flagged substances. The number (3) grades risk nutrients (sugar, sodium, saturated fat): moderate risk.

Last reviewed October 17, 2026. Scored with the CleanPlate method from the published label.

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