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- Daily Harvest, the startup that sends frozen, low-maintenance superfoods to your doorstep, just launched three protein smoothies: Cold Brew + Cocoa, Strawberry + Vanilla Bean, and Black Sesame + Banana.
- Each smoothie has at least 10 grams of plant-based protein thanks to ingredients like almond butter and black sesame (rather than artificial powders). They’re perfect for post-workouts or quick breakfasts.
- I tested the three new smoothies, and they stack up to the rest of its options: healthy, easy to make, and tasty.
- If you ask me, you should order the Cold Brew + Cacao first, the Strawberry + Vanilla Bean second, and the Black Sesame + Banana third, at least as far as taste goes.
Daily Harvest, the startup that delivers little pre-portioned cups of frozen superfood to your door, recently launched protein smoothies.
Perfect for post-gym, pre-work, or as a blurry-eyed weekend morning meal, each one has over 10 grams of protein without any fillers, added sugars, protein powders, or anything artificial. Like all of Daily Harvest’s foods, the recipes are crafted by a chef and a nutritionist to ensure a balance between taste and efficacy. For this reason, you’ll find some more obscure ingredients like sacha inchi, pine pollen, lion’s mane, and ashwagandha alongside classics like strawberries and bananas.
They retail starting at $6.99 per cup and, as always, require the most minimal of prep. Simply take the top of the cup, fill it to the brim with your choice of a liquid base (Daily Harvest recommends a creamy base like almond milk, I second that), and toss it in the blender. Pour the smoothie into the same cup it came in, pop in a reusable straw, and head out the door. While taste-testing these, my morning breakfast ritual took under a minute to do.
What do they taste like?
If you’re expecting them all to taste like dessert smoothies, you’ll probably be surprised — though not necessarily in a bad way. Paired with a creamy base like almond or oat milk, the Cold Brew + Cocoa and Strawberry + Vanilla Bean taste like a luxury, and one that isn’t so sweet you grow sick of drinking it. The Black Sesame + Banana will taste most like a protein shake. If you don’t like sesame or more savory drinks, you should skip this one in favor of the other two.
Does it keep you full?
Surprisingly, yes. As someone who typically skips breakfast because to eat a bowl of cereal is to awake some insatiable primordial hunger within me, I was very surprised to find that one smoothie around 9 a.m. kept me full until lunch, hours later. It can be tough to justify spending $6.99 on a smoothie even if it’s full of the kind of ingredients you’d never be able to afford to source yourself, but this longevity is one of its best arguments. It was the same deal post-workout.
All in all, if you’re able to foot the cost and are looking for a great post-yoga protein smoothie without dumping powder into a blender, these are certainly worth a try. They taste good, have inventive, optimal ingredients, and kept me full for hours.
Below are the new protein smoothie flavors and which ones taste the best:
Cold Brew + Cacao
Daily Harvest
Shop the Cold Brew + Cacao
This is supposed to taste like a mocha frappé and keep your energy levels up for hours. It wasn’t the same to me as drinking a cup of cold brew, but it did taste like coffee and cacao and keep me full and alert. The mix includes cold-brewed coffee and magnesium-rich cacao as well as ashwagandha (an adaptogenic herb used to relieve stress).
If you’re looking for flavors that won’t pack any surprises, this is the best place to start.
Strawberry + Vanilla Bean
Daily Harvest
Shop the Strawberry + Vanilla Bean
Daily Harvest’s take on a classic pairing is more savory and cherry-forward than you may be used to. The good news is that it’s still delicious, though you may want to use a creamy base like oat or almond milk if you want to hide the taste of plant-based proteins like rich, creamy almond butter and sacha inchi (a Peruvian seed that contains all essential amino acids as well as omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids).
Black Sesame + Banana
Daily Harvest
Shop the Black Sesame + Banana
Daily Harvest describes the flavor as "a nutty, semi-savory flavor" which is accurate, with a sesame-forward taste. It’s packed with black sesame, blueberries, banana, and pine pollen, which has over 20 amino acids as well as minerals like copper, manganese, and zinc. It’s believed to have adaptogenic properties. However, pine pollen may cause similar reactions for those who have a pollen or nut allergy.
Pro tip: this smoothie can taste savory and salty when mixed with water. Add a creamy base like oat or almond milk to cut the taste if that’s going to bother you.
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Source: Business Insider – feedback@businessinsider.com (Mara Leighton)