NOW Foods Sports Nutrition, Sprouted Brown Rice Protein, 80% Protein, Unflavored Powder, 2-Pound

Yeah it tastes like cardboard but what do you expect it's UNFLAVORED PROTEIN ISOLATE not creme brulee. I mix 50/50 with Now Pea Protein and two tablespoons of pure maple syrup and pound it down as soon as I hit the locker room after my workout. It's not bad. Not good but not bad. You want bad? Try pounding down citruline malate. I'm not sipping this in a Paris cafe. I'm using it to make gains without eating a lot of weird additives or gross flavorings and sweeteners like stevia (barf). If you want something that doesn't taste like cardboard out of the container, buy something else.

1) I like the performance I get with this protein, especially when I mix it with pea protein. 2) This is raw rice protein - it's going to taste like earth or rice bran regardless of who makes it. It will also be hard to mix, so use a blender. 3) I notice that the serving size is 5g, delivering 4g of protein. I'm convinced this is because of palatability; most people won't use much more than this without feeling overwhelmed by the flavor. 4) You'll need to work on different recipes to hide the flavor, but this product delivers a hearty, healthy, protein source. Chocolate hides the flavor well, and banana/cinnamon can distract the tongue too!

1. I read the reviews and thought others just hadn't tried stuff to mask the flavor. WRONG (or maybe right, but nothing can :). See below). 2. It doesn't come with a scoop. (What protein powder doesn't come with a scoop?? One whose serving size is only 1Tbsp because of the inhumane flavor :) ) 3. 1 Tbsp is the serving size. And 1 Tbsp in 20oz water, and it just tastes a little nutty. Like nutty mixed with dirt lol (not kidding tho) Not the greatest, but definitely tolerable. **However, 1 Tbsp is only 4g protein.** 4. 5 Tbsp in 32oz water (to get to 20g protein) and this product is irredeemable. I literally tried 10 Tbsp pure Hershey cocoa powder and 6 Tbsp Stevia powder to mask this horrible idea, and even those didn't work. I eventually just threw it out. I think it's been too long for me to get my $$ back, but I'm going to check. DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY unless you already know you like the taste, or it will be bypassing taste buds like through a feeding tube or something. Because it's seriously that bad.

Wow. The other reviewers were not kidding when they said this stuff tasted straight-up "foul." It really is some of the nastiest-tasting protein powder I have ever had. I tried mixing it with something sweet, and it has this tangy/bitter during-and-aftertaste that refuses to fade. It's absolutely horrendous. I think maybe it might work well under grapefruit juice... maybe? It would still be chalky, so that would still be totally gross. Like a chalky, grainy glass of bitter grapefruit juice with a hint of old cheese and aloe. I would want to return it, but I have already opened it. I'm glad it wasn't so expensive, but it was more than I would ever volunteer to pay for it given the circumstances. I was mixing this with the pea protein powder of the same brand (which is not so bad as this one) to get a complete protein source. It tasted so bad, and I had to figure out which one of them was ruining my drinks/meals. Definitely this one. For the love of Pete, get a different rice protein powder. The low carbs do not make up for anything. UPDATE (08/12/2016): Based on my previous review, I was able to concoct a somewhat acceptable sauce/soup using this protein powder. I made it into what tastes like a Creamy Citrus Parmesan Soup, using lemon flavoring along with some spices and coconut milk. It made sense out of all those flavors that I couldn't quite enjoy. Holy crap, I'm glad I can cook. Since I have figured out a somewhat decent way to utilize it, I will up my rating to at least 3 stars. UPDATE (08/13/2016): Just tried making a "Citrus-Vanilla Shake," but the bitterness is overwhelming. It's just palatable enough that I can get it down. It really does taste like aloe. Yuck. The "cheesy" flavor is only highlighted when it is mixed in with something savory. I guess, I was just determined to see if I could make it taste good, but I've failed. It cannot taste "good"... only "tolerable." I, at least, was able to get the "Citrus-Vanilla Shake" down faster than the soup. I'll use the rest of it because I don't want to be wasteful, but I'm so not purchasing this powder again. UPDATE (08/22/2016): Okay, so I figured out the fastest way to consume this stuff if you HAVE TO do it for the nutritional value... DON'T TRY TO MAKE IT TASTE GOOD. Just mix it with a good amount of water, and chug. Then you can enjoy whatever you were going to mix it into without it, and you get closer to your water requirement for the day. Problem solved. I appreciate the price and the nutritional profile, so maybe I'll give it one more star. The taste is downright appalling, but it serves its purpose, and keeps me satisfied for hours.

Pros: Sprouted grain so there are zero carbs. Zero total sugars. Unflavored. Good protein source. 80% protein. No dairy. No soy. Value for money. Cons: Not organically grown. Notes: I use this everyday for my morning smoothie. LOL a morning without my smoothie is like a day without sunshine! My smoothie recipe follows. THESE INGREDIENTS ARE ALL AVAILABLE ON AMAZON Sharon’s Superpowers Smoothie Makes 1 Serving - ½ before exercise and ½ after. Approximately 29.5 grams of protein. 12 oz water 3 Tbs NOW brand Sprouted Brown Rice Protein Powder, unflavored 1 Tbs NOW brand Yellow Pea Protein Powder, unflavored ¼ c Oat Groats or steel cut or rolled oats 1 Tbs Flax seeds, whole or ground 1 Tbs Chia seeds 1-¼ tsp Turmeric, ground 1 Tbs Raw Cacao Powder 1/8 tsp ground ginger or ¼ tsp fresh grated 1 Tbs Nettle Leaf (optional) 1 medium stalk of Kale 2 Ripe bananas in pieces (really ripe frozen bananas work best because they get sweeter when frozen) 2 – 4 Tbs beets, roasted or raw OR ¼ c beet greens with stems (I prep in bulk & freeze these) 1 c frozen berries For a blender of medium power this is what works for me: 1) Place the first group of ingredients in blender jar. I use Ice Crush to break down kale; Chop; Puree for 30 seconds; liquify 15 seconds. 2) Add bananas one at a time if frozen. Use Ice Crush, Chop, Puree. 3) Add beets and berries. Ice Crush; Chop; Puree 30 seconds; Liquify 15 seconds. *********** For a bulk supply of dry ingredients (@ 45-day supply) mix the following together thoroughly in a VERY large bowl and store in tightly sealed container in frig. Use 1/2 cup + 2 Tbs mix per smoothie: 2 lb jar NOW brand Sprouted Brown Rice Protein Powder 12 oz jar NOW brand Pea Protein Powder 12 c Oat Groats or steel cut or rolled oats 3 c Flax seeds, whole or ground 3 c Chia seeds 1-¼ c Turmeric, ground 3 c Raw Cocoa Powder 6 tsp ground ginger 16 Tbs Nettle Leaf (optional)

It is very difficult to mix manually with any liquid (it might be more workable with a blender). I've never seen a protein powder so difficult to work with. The taste is bad, but by itself that's not something I'd hold against an otherwise-valuable protein powder... the hydrophobic way it resists mixing with water, the way it puffs up into airborne clouds of ultrafine powder whenever you stir it into a liquid, combined with the bad taste and unfortunate texture, make this one of the only nutritional supplements that I know I won't ever try a second time. I even used to take l-ornithine powder (notorious as one of the worst-tasting and most overpriced supplements around) mixed with water, so I'm very prepared to drink bad tasting stuff if it has a distinct health benefit, but this brown rice protein powder isn't something I can see any justification for using over other protein powders, *unless* you have serious enough allergies that this is the only protein powder you can use without having allergic reactions.

I like the taste and mix it with cereal and almond milk.

Reviews about a "strong flavor" had me worried, but this stuff has no real taste, it tastes of dust. The flavor of whey protein makes me sick to my stomach, and gives me heartburn when I work out. This stuff has no flavor, which is perfect. It's flower. It tastes like flower. When you mix it with water you get a simple flower suspension. If it weren't so good for you, you could use it for paper mache. Combine with flavorless pea protein for a super shake.

For my taste this is incredibly bitter. Doesn’t matter what I mix it with, the bitterness is still there and makes it inedible. Would not buy again or recommend.

Tried this instead of why protein for intolerance and allergies reasons It does not dissolve well, and tastes like concentrated rice. Stopped using it.