1st Phorm vs Optimum Nutrition: Which Protein Powder Wins?

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If you’re trying to choose between 1st Phorm Phormula-1 and Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Whey, this article will save you a bunch of overthinking.

I tested both, along with dozens of others at Feastgood, and ranked them on:

• Ingredients
• Quality Assurance (brand trust)
• Protein Percentage
• Cost
• Taste
• Texture & Mixability

And after going through everything, 1st Phorm comes out on top in most categories.

You pay more per serving, but you’re getting better quality control, slightly higher protein percentage, and a noticeably better texture when you mix it.

Key Takeaways

• 1^st Phorm falls just shy of the Excellent protein percentage range at 84% protein per scoop, compared to Optimum Nutrition at 80% protein per scoop.

• The one category where Gold Standard Whey is the clear winner is cost, since it costs only $1.23 per serving, compared to 1^st Phorm at $2.00-$2.17 per serving.

• Both protein powders do their due diligence to undergo third-party testing for their product to help provide quality assurance to the customer, making them both good options for athletes who want to ensure they are avoiding banned substances.

What Is 1^st Phorm Protein Powder?

1st Phorm Protein Powder is a whey protein made by 1st Phorm, one of those brands that’s built a strong reputation for quality and has a big athlete/fitness community behind it.

One thing they really lean into is third-party testing. They use two of the most recognized names in the space: NSF Certified for Sport and Informed Choice. That’s meant to give you peace of mind that what you’re buying is free from banned or harmful substances.

As for the protein itself, Phormula-1 is made from cross-flow microfiltered whey isolate, which helps remove impurities. It’s also processed at a low temperature, which helps prevent the protein from being damaged during production. The end result is a clean whey isolate that tends to digest quickly and is usually easy on the stomach.

Now, the downside: it’s pricey. The cost per serving is about $2.17, which is higher than the industry average (around $1.50). If you use their subscription program, you can bring that down to about $2.00 per serving, but it’s still not a budget pick.

Something I appreciate is that they keep their ingredient list pretty simple. Most flavors stick to a short list like whey isolate, natural flavor, sunflower lecithin, sea salt, and sucralose, with some flavors adding one or two extra ingredients.

And if you like dessert-style protein, you’ve got options: 10+ flavors, including ones like Chocolate Milkshake, Cookies & Cream, and Salted Caramel.

Macronutrient Breakdown of 1^st Phorm Phormula-1 Protein Powder

*Calories and macros below are for the Chocolate Milkshake Flavor

Calories	110 calories
Protein	23 grams
Carbs	1 gram
Fat	0.5 grams
Sugar	0 grams

Phormula-1 Protein Powder has a very impressive protein content, containing 23g of protein per 29g scoop. This equates to 84% of calories from a 110-calorie scoop coming from protein. This ranks as “Good” on the FeastGood protein percentage ranking system, and just shy of “Excellent”

For reference, the FeastGood protein percentage ranking system is:

• Excellent: More than 85% per scoop
• Good: 75-84% per scoop
• Acceptable: 65-75% per scoop
• Inadequate: Less than 65% per scoop

Pros:

• Product Transparency and High-Quality Ingredients: 1^st Phorm clearly labels the ingredients in their product, and sticks to a short, simple ingredient list. They do a great job of thoroughly testing their product to give the consumer a peace of mind about what they are purchasing and consuming.

• Tasty Flavors That Mix Easily: Phormula-1 protein powder offers a variety of delicious flavors that will mix easily in both liquid and foods like yogurt, oatmeal, or smoothies. While taste is subjective, the vast majority of reviews on this product have good things to say when it comes to flavor.

• Minimal Lactose: For anyone who struggles to digest high amounts of lactose, Phormula-1 is a great choice, since the way that it is processed helps to remove the lactose making it easier to digest.

Cons:

• Contains Artificial Sweeteners: I found it unfortunate that after all of the effort 1^st Phorm goes to in order to provide a product with high quality ingredients and processing, that they use sucralose in their formula.
  
  With that said, 1^st Phorm now offers their Phormula-1 protein powder in a natural version where they replace sucralose with rebaudioside A (derived from stevia). The Phormula-1 natural protein powder comes in 3 flavors: Chocolate, Strawberry, and Vanilla.

• Higher in Cost: The cost of this protein powder is much higher than the industry average, meaning that it may not be the best choice if you are on a tighter budget. Choosing the subscription option does make it better, but still a full $0.50 higher than the industry average.

Who Should Take It?

Phormula-1 Protein Powder is a great choice for competitive athletes who don’t mind a higher price point if it adds confidence for athletes who want to reduce the risk of banned substances.

It can also be a fantastic protein powder option for non-competitive athletes who prefer a high-quality product with a simple ingredient list and tastes great.

Want more info?  Read my full review on 1^st Phorm Phormula 1 Protein Powder here.

What is Optimum Nutrition Protein Powder?

Optimum Nutrition is the brand behind the super popular Gold Standard Whey, and if you’ve been around supplements for any amount of time, you’ve probably seen that tub. It’s one of the most recognizable proteins out there, and the packaging has looked pretty much the same for years.

On the quality side, Optimum Nutrition leans on third-party testing through organizations like Informed Choice/Informed Sport, and their manufacturing facility is certified to NSF GMP standards, which helps with transparency and consumer trust.

Formula-wise, Gold Standard uses a blend of whey isolate and whey concentrate, which makes it a solid “any time of day” protein, not just post-workout. Whey isolate tends to digest faster (why people like it after training), while whey concentrate digests a bit slower and can feel more filling and satisfying.

The biggest reason Gold Standard is so popular is simple: price. It comes in well below the industry average at around $1.23 per serving, which is a great deal considering you’re still getting 24g of protein per scoop.

Another big win is flavor variety. There are 23 flavors to choose from, including some fun ones like Rocky Road, Cinnamon Roll, Fruity Cereal, and Chocolate Coconut.

That said, the ingredient label is definitely busier than some “cleaner” proteins. It includes a few things I generally try to avoid, like maltodextrin, artificial flavors, and two artificial sweeteners: acesulfame potassium and sucralose.

Optimum Nutrition does have a naturally flavored version that uses stevia, but it’s limited to chocolate and vanilla.

And depending on the flavor, you may also see extras like gums (carrageenan, cellulose gum, xanthan gum) and even food dyes like Yellow 5 and Red 40.

Macronutrient Breakdown for Optimum Nutrition Protein Powder

*Calories and Macros below are for the Extreme Milk Chocolate Flavor

Calories	120 calories
Protein	24 grams
Carbs	3 grams
Fat	2 grams
Sugar	2 grams

Based on Optimum Nutrition’s Extreme Milk Chocolate flavor, this protein powder contains 80% protein per 120 calorie scoop. While this is not the highest we have seen, it still easily falls into the “Good” range in our FeastGood Protein Percentage Ranking System.

Pros:

• Contains Two Different Protein Sources: The fact that this protein powder contains a combination of both fast and medium release protein makes it a really great option for post workout as well as any time of the day when you want to add some protein to a meal. It will help to keep you more full compared to a whey isolate alone.

• Many Flavors To Choose From: With an impressive 23 different flavors, it is highly unlikely that you don’t find one you enjoy. There are many dessert-like flavors offered, along with some fruitier flavors like strawberries and cream, banana cream, delicious strawberry, and strawberry banana.

• Very Affordable: This protein is a great option if you aren’t super picky on ingredients and want a good amount of protein per scoop for an affordable price. If you buy the smallest tub (2lb), the price does go up to $1.73 per serving (still just above industry average). But, if you invest in the 5lb tub the price comes down to $1.23 per serving.
  
  

Cons:

• Contains Artificial Flavors and Ingredients: In my opinion, one of the main drawbacks of Gold Standard Whey is that some flavors include artificial dyes like Yellow 5 and Red 40. These dyes have raised concerns for some people and may be linked to sensitivity reactions in certain individuals. On top of that, the added gums, artificial flavors, and artificial sweeteners are a negative in my book and could increase the chance of digestive discomfort, especially if you’ve got a sensitive stomach.

• Mixability is Poor: Unfortunately, when I mixed it with water, it came out thin and left clumps and residue on the cup. Even with milk, I still noticed clumps and a gritty texture, which made it less enjoyable to drink.

Who Should Take It?

Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Whey is a good option if you are looking for a decent quality protein powder on a budget. 

It is also a good option for anyone looking for a wide variety of flavors in a protein powder, and want a protein option that is more satiating than a whey isolate.

Want more info? Read my full review on Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Whey here.

Main Differences: 1^st Phorm vs. Optimum Nutrition

Ingredients

The Winner: 1st Phorm

1^st Phorm wins this category because of its use of simple, mostly clean ingredients, without using any gums or harmful food dyes. While it does use artificial sweeteners, you can opt for a naturally sweetened option. It also wins this category because of the high-quality whey protein processing method that it uses.

Protein Percentage

The Winner: 1st Phorm

The obvious winner of this category was Phormula-1, since it contains 4% more protein per scoop compared to Gold Standard Whey Protein.

Quality Assurance

The Winner: 1st Phorm

While both companies do a good job to ensure third party testing and quality assurance for the customer, 1^st Phorm wins out in this category only because they use NSF Certified for Sport, which is considered slightly more rigorous testing specifically for athletes.

Cost

The Winner: Optimum Nutrition

The clear winner in this category is Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Whey. The cost is a full $0.77 less per serving compared to 1^st Phorm even if you signed up for the Phormula-1 subscription.

Taste

The Winner: Tie

I decided to make it a tie between the two protein powders for a few reasons. When I was testing Gold Standard Whey, I did find the taste to be a bit bland compared to Phormula-1.

With that said, Gold Standard does offer over two times the number of flavors to choose from, and since taste is a subjective experience, I think that the variety of flavors made up for the more bland taste of the one I tested, which tied it up with Phormula-1

Texture & Mixability

The Winner: 1st Phorm

This category also had the clear-cut winner being 1^st Phorm, since I found that Phormula-1 mixed up easily and seamlessly with no clumps or gritty texture. On the other hand, I had quite the opposite experience with Gold Standard Whey, to the point that it made me not really want to drink it.

References

Orellana-Paucar AM. Steviol Glycosides from Stevia rebaudiana: An Updated Overview of Their Sweetening Activity, Pharmacological Properties, and Safety Aspects. Molecules. 2023 Jan 27;28(3):1258. doi: 10.3390/molecules28031258. PMID: 36770924; PMCID: PMC9920402.

Kobylewski, S., & Jacobson, M. F. (2012). Toxicology of food dyes. International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health, 18(3), 220–246. https://doi.org/10.1179/1077352512Z.00000000034