2026 Taiwan Top 10 Whey Protein Recommendations | PTT and Dcard Users' Hottest Flavors, High Cost-Performance Ratio, and Ingredient Comparison Summary

Summary and recommendations:

• For those with no special health needs and a limited budget: whey protein concentrate
• For those with lactose intolerance who want to quickly supplement their protein intake: whey protein isolate.
• For those who need rapid recovery after high-intensity training or even two training sessions a day: hydrolyzed whey protein.
• For vegetarians and those allergic to dairy products: plant-based protein.

4 Key Points for Beginners in Choosing Whey

1. Check if you will experience breakouts or diarrhea.

This is the most important point! If you experience diarrhea after drinking milk, please choose "whey isolate" or "plant protein" directly. Don't buy whey concentrate to save money, otherwise gastrointestinal discomfort will affect your training. In addition, some people are sensitive to dairy products, and long-term consumption may lead to acne breakouts on the face or back. If this occurs, it is recommended to switch to plant protein.

2. Examine the "Protein Content" and "BCAA" of each serving.

Don't just look at the price per package; look at "how many grams of protein per serving." High-quality whey should contain at least 20-25 grams of protein per serving (approximately 30-35g of powder). If you have high-intensity training needs, check the packaging for BCAA (branched-chain amino acids) content; generally, a serving containing more than 5g of BCAA is better for muscle repair.

3. Buy a sample bag first to try the flavors.

Taste is highly subjective! What tastes good online might taste like cold syrup to you. I strongly recommend that beginners not buy a 1kg or 5lb tub on their first try. Buy individual packets first to try and see if the sweetness and chemical taste are to your liking.

4. Pay attention to "artificial additives" and "sweeteners".

To make whey taste better, many brands add artificial sweeteners (such as aspartame and sucralose). If you are sensitive to the taste of artificial sweeteners or prefer natural ingredients, you can choose products that are labeled "no artificial sweeteners" or "original flavor". Although the taste is milder, they are less burdensome on the body.

1. MARS God of War

Editor's Drinking Experience

The first whey protein brand in Taiwan, Ares has been well-known since I first started working out. Their most outstanding feature is their delicious milk tea. However, the downside is that it's a bit more expensive than other whey protein brands. But I can guarantee how delicious it is; it's not too sweet.

Whey protein information

• Whey protein weight: 35g per packet
• Protein content: 26g per pack
• Types of whey protein to choose from: hydrolyzed whey, other types are also available in stores.
• Origin: Taiwan
• Whey protein flavors: Milk tea, Jasmine milk green tea, Oolong milk tea, Yuanyang milk tea, Pure milk tea, Jasmine milk tea, South African national treasure milk tea, Taro milk, Cantaloupe milk, Strawberry milk, Honey milk, Black cocoa, Chocolate, Vanilla, Banana, Caramel Macchiato.

2. Myprotein

Editor's Drinking Experience:

About five years ago, when there weren't many whey brands to choose from, MyProtein was almost every fitness beginner's first choice. Although it wasn't cheap on their official website, they always had discount codes. Back then, I would often wait for discounts of 50% or more before making a big purchase. MyProtein had a wide variety of flavors to choose from. I tried more than 10 flavors, and the three best-tasting flavors were strawberry cream, chocolate, and supposedly their best-selling brown sugar bubble tea. If you don't like those three flavors, I'll also provide three flavors that I personally dislike to avoid making a mistake. The first is the original flavor, which is extremely unpleasant and I would never recommend it. The second is the peanut chocolate flavor, which tastes like rotten nouveau riche juice. The last is the tiramisu flavor, which is just weird (all of the above are my subjective opinions).

Whey protein information

• Whey protein weight: 250g, 1kg, 2.5kg
• Protein content: 23g protein per 30g
• Whey protein selection: Concentrated whey protein is also available, along with hydrolyzed whey protein.
• Country of origin: United Kingdom

Whey protein flavors: Danish Cinnamon Roll, Upgraded Hokkaido Fresh Milk, Upgraded Matcha Latte, Natural Chocolate, Natural Vanilla, Natural Banana, Natural Strawberry, Peach Iced Tea, Milk Cereal Cream Biscuits, Chocolate Brownie, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Chocolate Banana, Chocolate Coconut, Chocolate Orange, Chocolate Mint, Iced Latte, Mango Yogurt, Smooth Chocolate, Red Bean Milk, English Milk Tea, Vanilla, Vanilla Raspberry, Banana, Original, Sea Salt Caramel, Strawberry Cream, Tiramisu, Dark Chocolate, Brown Sugar Bubble Tea.

3. Notorious

Editor's Drinking Experience:

I bought their sports brand after watching Chen Zhihan, a popular online influencer, and his training sessions. I haven't tried all the flavors, but I have tried the papaya milk and cocoa. Both were quite delicious and didn't have too much of a powdery taste. Online reviews generally say that the sesame flavor is also very good, with a texture similar to commercially available sesame paste. At NT$990 per kg, it's quite affordable.

Whey protein information

• Whey protein weight: 1 kg
• Protein content: Each 40g serving contains 27g of protein.
• Whey protein selection: Concentrated whey protein is also available in hydrolyzed whey and plant-based protein options.
• Origin: Taiwan
• Whey protein flavors: cocoa, milk tea, sesame, papaya milk, Thai milk tea, latte, apple milk, fruit juice milk, pudding, taro, caramel macchiato, matcha, nougat flavor, malt milk.

4. ON whey protein

Editor's Drinking Experience:

I first learned about this brand because Costco only sold its Gold Medal chocolate back then, so many gym-goers at Costco would buy it. I often borrowed a spoonful from a friend to drink, so I drank it for a while. Overall, it was a pretty good chocolate whey, just average and tasty. I haven't tried other flavors, but you readers can try them out.

Whey protein information:

• Whey protein weight: 2 lbs, 5 lbs
• Protein content: Each 30g serving contains 24g of protein.
• Types of whey protein to choose from: whey protein concentrate (hydrolyzed whey and whey isolate are also available).
• Country of origin: USA
• Whey protein flavors: Double Chocolate, Mint Chocolate, Butter Cookie, French Vanilla, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Strawberry Banana, Fruit Chocolate, Chocolate Milk.
  

5. StepV

Editor's Drinking Experience:

I first learned about this brand because I regularly watch PEETA's YouTube videos and absorb a lot of fitness knowledge from his channel. Since he opened the STEPX gym, he's also launched his own STEPV and PEETA TAKE TAKE healthy meal brands. Since I couldn't travel from Taichung to northern Taiwan just for healthy food, I thought I'd try his whey tea. I initially tried the brown sugar latte flavor, which was really delicious. Later, I also tried the caramel macchiato, which was also good, but I still prefer the brown sugar latte. They often have it on sale now, so readers who want to try delicious whey tea should definitely check it out!

Whey protein information:

• Whey protein weight: 30 packets per box, 35g per packet
• Protein content: Each 35g serving contains 25g of protein.
• Whey protein options: Whey protein concentrate (hydrolyzed whey and plant-based whey are also available).
• Origin: Taiwan
• Whey protein flavors: Rich Cocoa, Dark Roasted Milk Tea, Taro Milk, Papaya Milk, Yogurt, Thai Milk Tea, Caramel Macchiato, Brown Sugar Latte

6. Fruit Energy

Editor's Drinking Experience:

This is a relatively new whey brand in recent years. Their official website offers a variety of products, including high-protein whey and high-protein potato chips. The high-protein potato chips are quite tasty. As for the whey protein products, I've tried the Red Delicious Au Lait, Purple Sweet Potato Taro, Sesame Latte, and Thai Milk Tea. Personally, I think the sesame flavor is the best, although it's a bit sweet. I did some research and found that most people prefer the yogurt and sesame flavors. The Thai milk tea is super sweet, which is perfect for those with very limited stomachs.

Whey protein information:

• Whey protein weight: 500g, 1kg
• Protein content: Each 25g serving contains 18g of protein.
• Types of whey protein to choose from: whey protein concentrate (hydrolyzed whey, whey isolate, and plant-based whey are also available).
• Origin: Taiwan
• Whey protein flavors: Jasmine Green Casserole, Red Casserole, Sesame Latte, Malt Cocoa, Classic Milk Tea, Thai Milk Tea, Oolong Milk Tea, Purple Sweet Potato and Taro, Strawberry Milk, Pure Latte, Yuan Yang Milk Tea, Japanese Matcha, Caramel Macchiato, Banana Chocolate, Amber Casserole, Red Bean Casserole, Winter Melon Milk, Good Peanut, Mango Pomelo Sago

7. Body goal

Editor's Drinking Experience:

I knew they were there because they hadn't been to Costco in a while. When they got to the high-protein section, they found Costco had a lot more high-protein products than before, so they chose the cheapest one, which is the one I'm introducing now. Costco included 15 packets each of chocolate and milk tea. I thought the chocolate one was better, but honestly, it's better than any plant-based protein drink I've had before. I've tried other brands of original plant-based protein drinks before, and even dogs wouldn't drink them! This brand is one I can accept! Since I've only tried two flavors, I did some research online and found that everyone thinks the sesame flavor is the best, so you can try it too. But the slightly grainy texture really takes some getting used to XD

Whey protein information:

• Whey protein weight: 30 packets, 31g per packet
• Protein content: Each 31g serving contains 20g of protein.
• Types of whey protein to choose from: Plant-based protein (concentrated whey is also available on the official website).
• Origin: Taiwan
• Whey protein flavors: Dark cocoa, sesame au lait, rich milk tea, Shizuoka matcha, taro au lait, and wild berry.

8. The Vegan

Editor's Drinking Experience:

I initially saw a recommendation from a fitness influencer. Since they offered individual packs, I bought five flavors to try: Miancha (a type of porridge), Tieguanyin (a type of yin tea), Brown Sugar Milk Tea, Jasmine Green Tea, and Sesame. I thought the Tieguanyin flavor was very well-reproduced and was one of my favorites. The Miancha flavor, which I was most looking forward to, tasted different because the Miancha I drank as a child was very sweet, but it still had the aroma of Miancha. The others were just so-so.

Whey protein information:

• Whey protein weight: 40g/packet, 1kg
• Protein content: Each 40g serving contains 21g of protein.
• Types of whey protein to choose from: plant-based protein
• Origin: Taiwan
• Whey protein flavors: Unsweetened Sesame, Unsweetened Almond, Unsweetened Coffee, Unsweetened Soy Milk with Calcium, Unsweetened Almond with Calcium, Unsweetened Peanut, Peach with Fiber, Oat Milk with Calcium, Matcha Milk, Classic Milk Tea, Taiwanese Noodle Tea, Sugar-Free Milk Tea, Black Tea Soy Milk, Taiwanese Sesame, Brown Sugar Milk Tea, Yuan Yang Milk Tea, Caramel Macchiato, Jasmine Green Tea, Unsweetened Soy Milk

9. Red Bull

Editor's Drinking Experience:

I noticed this whey drink because I ran out of whey once, and ordering more online would take time. Costco was a bit far from home, so I went to the nearby PX Mart and found they only had this one Red Bull whey drink. Plus, it wasn't expensive; I bought it for 899 yuan.
When I saw the store at PX Mart, they had bubble tea and cocoa flavors. I bought the bubble tea flavor to try and found it to be quite delicious, one of the top-rated milk tea flavors. Later, I bought their travel bag from Shopee, and I also thought the Mandheling and honey milk tea were good. The Mandheling is similar to Coffee Plaza, and the honey milk tea is very sweet but has a nice aroma.

Whey protein information:

• Whey protein weight: travel-sized packets 35g, 500g, 907g
• Protein content: Each 35g serving contains 28g of protein.
• Types of whey protein to choose from: Whey protein concentrate (also available on the official website are whey protein concentrate and plant-based protein).
• Origin: Taiwan
• Whey protein flavors: Cocoa, Taro Au Lait, Mandheling, Matcha, Pearl Milk Tea, Lactic Acid, Original, Peanut Chocolate, Honey Milk, Oolong Milk Tea, Rich Cocoa, Triple Action, Sugar-Free Coffee Latte, Sugar-Free English Milk Tea, Sugar-Free Dark Chocolate

10. ALL IN

Editor's Drinking Experience:

I noticed this whey product because I saw an ad for it on Instagram. I thought the packaging design was quite pretty, and I figured I'd try it since I'd never had it before. However, when I checked their website, the concentrated whey was sold out, so I opted for the whey protein isolate, which was a little more expensive. The concentrated whey was $40 on their website, so it wasn't too pricey. I also bought Thai milk tea, milk tea, and honey milk flavors. I found both the Thai milk tea and honey milk a bit too sweet and wouldn't recommend them. But I really liked the milk tea because it had an Assam milk tea flavor. Since they have many other flavors, I also looked up other people's reviews online. The lactic acid flavor is quite refreshing with ice in the summer, and I highly recommend giving it a try.

Whey protein information:

• Whey protein weight: 35g/packet, 1kg
• Protein content: Each 35g serving contains 28g of protein.
• Types of whey protein to choose from: whey protein isolate (concentrated whey and hydrolyzed whey are also available on the official website).
• Origin: Taiwan
• Whey protein flavors: Taro milk, peanut sesame, milk tea, chocolate, matcha, lactic acid, strawberry milk, malt milk, white peach oolong, sesame milk, unflavored, caramel sea salt, winter melon lemon, honey milk, unsweetened milk tea, mocha cocoa, Thai milk tea, millet porridge, red bean milk, black tea milk, purple sweet potato taro milk, nut cocoa, ice cream black tea.

Summary of Top 10 Whey Protein Recommendations

The protein content mentioned above is calculated based on the calorie table listed on each brand's official website. Since the protein content varies from brand to brand, the price per gram is calculated by substituting the protein content per gram into the table and is for reference only.

Whey Protein FAQ

Q1: Are there any side effects from drinking whey protein? Will it damage my kidneys?

For healthy adults with normal liver and kidney function , moderate consumption of whey protein will not harm the kidneys . However, if you already have kidney disease (such as chronic renal failure), a high-protein diet will increase the burden on your kidneys, and you must consult a doctor.
Common side effects include:
1. Bloating/diarrhea: This is usually caused by lactose intolerance. It is recommended to switch to "whey isolate" or "plant protein".
2. Acne breakouts: Some studies indicate that dairy products may stimulate sebum secretion. If you experience severe breakouts, please stop drinking dairy products or switch to plant-based ones.

Q2: How much whey protein should I drink a day?

Intake varies from person to person; the calculation formula is as follows:

• For the average person/those who sit for long periods: 1.0 times your body weight (e.g., 60kg x 1 = 60g protein).
• Light exercise/maintaining body shape: 1.2~1.5 times body weight
• Muscle building/high-intensity training: Body weight x 1.6~2.2 times
• Fat loss phase: Weight more than 2.0 times your body weight (to prevent muscle loss)

After calculating the total amount, deduct the meat, eggs, and soy milk consumed in three meals, and then supplement the remaining gap with whey protein. It is not recommended to completely replace regular meals.

Q3: Can I drink whey if I don't exercise? Will it make me gain weight?

Yes, you can drink it! Whey protein is simply a "convenient protein source," just like eating chicken breast. If your daily diet is low in protein (for example, if you often eat dry noodles or braised pork rice), drinking whey protein is a good way to supplement your nutrition. However, be aware that whey protein also contains calories (about 100-140 calories per tablespoon). If you drink whey protein but don't reduce your intake of other high-calorie foods, you will still gain weight if your total calorie intake exceeds your limit.

Q4: Can whey protein be soaked in hot water?

Never use boiling water! Water above 70-80 degrees Celsius will denature the protein and cause it to clump together (becoming like egg drop soup), making it difficult to swallow and ruining the texture. If you want to drink it warm in winter, it is recommended to first shake the powder with a little cold water to disperse it, and then add warm water (not exceeding 50 degrees Celsius) to mix.

Q5: When is the best time to drink whey protein?

1. Within 30 minutes after exercise: the golden period when the body needs the most nutrition to repair muscles.
2. Breakfast: To replenish the energy consumed during a night's sleep.
3. Between meals: Serve as a snack to increase satiety and reduce the chance of snacking unnecessarily.

Summary of 10 whey protein products

Actually, I think all 10 flavors have their own delicious taste, and each one is worth trying to find the one that suits you best. This article is entirely based on my personal taste and may not represent yours. You really have to try them yourself to know. This article simply selects a few flavors that I like and recommends them to you. Although the prices of each brand and each protein supplement are different, I believe that as long as you find a brand that suits you best and that you like to drink the most, and consistently maintain the habit of supplementing with protein, that's a good choice!

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