Gold Standard 100% Whey Protein Powder
Optimum Nutrition's Gold Standard 100% Whey is a whey protein isolate-based supplement marketed for post-workout muscle recovery and lean muscle building. Each 30.
Why this verdict
Context-dependent. Not an automatic no, but the watch points matter if this is a frequent buy.
This is not an automatic no, but regular use can crowd the broader sugar, sodium, or processing budget.
This card is the decision shortcut. The detailed evidence and citations live in the six-axis cards below.
Green threshold applies because the available nutrition info indicates "No added sugar" and the ingredient list does not place sugar among the top ingredients (sweetener listed is INS 955 (sucralose)).
Yellow threshold applies because this is effectively NOVA Group 4 (ultra-processed) (whey isolate/concentrate/hydrolysed blend plus additives like emulsifier INS 322i and sweetener INS 955), but it does not clearly fail the other nutrition-risk axes (sugar load appears low; fat appears low; sodium not quantified). Evidence comes from the ingredient panel showing industrial protein fractions and permitted additives.
Based on this limited evidence, it fits the Green threshold (no PHO indicated and very low total fat), though saturated fat
Yellow is assigned due to insufficient quantification: "Sodium" is listed as "Not disclosed" in the research nutrition table, while sodium chloride is present in ingredients. Without mg sodium per 100g, it cannot be confidently placed below or above the 300–625 mg/100g threshold; this axis is flagged yellow for missing/insufficient sodium data.
Yellow threshold applies because the product makes sports-performance/cleanliness framing (e. g.
, recovery/muscle-building positioning, "no added sugar" and other purity-style claims in listings) but the research notes absence of independent third‑party certification/testing data in the available sources, limiting verifiability. No formal ruling is cited, so this does not meet Red.
Green threshold applies on the provided research: no major regulatory controversies, recalls, or ASCI rulings for this specific variant were found in the available sources. However, this is based on absence of findings in the supplied research rather than an exhaustive regulator database check.
Per 100 g
| Protein (per 100g) | 79g ⚑ Calculated from 24g per 30.4g serving (79% protein by weight). |
| Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) (per 100g) | 18.1g ⚑ 5.5g per 30.4g serving. |
| Carbohydrates (per 100g) | <3g ⚑ As provided in research nutrition summary. |
| Fat (per 100g) | <1g ⚑ As provided in research nutrition summary. |
| Sodium (per 100g) | Not disclosed ⚑ As provided in research nutrition summary. |
As declared on pack
Protein Blend 93% (Whey Protein Isolate, Whey Protein Concentrate, Hydrolysed Whey Protein), Emulsifier (INS 322i), Cocoa Powder (Processed with Alkali), Flavours, Sweetener (INS 955).
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No notable controversies, regulatory notices, or news events on record yet for this product.
Sources of truth
- [1]Optimum Nutrition ON 100% Whey Gold Standard 5 lbs Double Rich Chocolate - Apollo PharmacyApollo Pharmacy
"Protein Blend 93% (Whey Protein Isolate, Whey Protein Concentrate, Hydrolysed Whey Protein), Emulsifier (INS 322i), Cocoa Powder (Processed with Alkali), Flavours, Sweetener (INS 955)."
- [2]Optimum Nutrition (ON) Gold Standard 100% Whey Protein for Muscle Recovery No Added Sugar Flavour Powder Double Rich Chocolate - 1mgTata 1mg
"Each 30.4g serving delivers 24g of blended whey protein (isolate, concentrate, and hydrolysed forms) plus 5.5g of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs)."