The protein craze is far from over. Bodybuilders have long sought out protein to build muscle, but even those who don’t lift weights are seeking out more protein nowadays. The protein-heavy keto diet has been popular for years now. And as weight-loss drugs like Ozempic continue to grow in popularity, high-protein foods are getting another boost, especially since a recent study from Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School showed that increasing protein intake while taking GLP-1 drugs for weight loss could help prevent muscle loss.
But as those who add protein to their beverages know only too well, there’s a recurring problem: Protein powder can be nasty if it doesn’t blend well. It can taste powdery and chalky, which is enough to chase protein-seekers away. However, there’s now a new protein-packed beverage that some people on social media are raving about. Sparkling protein blue raspberry lemonade from Genius Gourmet is now being sold exclusively at Costco, and social media users are taking notice.
Naturally, we had to try it for ourselves!
What is the Costco protein sparkling water?
Gael Cooper for Taste Of Home
The Genius Gourmet sparkling protein blue raspberry lemonade comes in 12-ounce cans and is sold at Costco in a pack of 15 cans. My local Costco is selling it for $28.99, which is just under $2 a can.
It’s a zero-sugar drink, but that doesn’t mean it has zero calories. Each 12-ounce can has 130 calories and 30 grams of that much-sought-after protein. And technically there is a sweetener—sucralose—in the ingredients list.
The full list includes carbonated water, whey protein isolate, bovine collagen peptides, l-malic acid, citric acid, phosphoric acid, natural flavors, sucralose and mushroom extract as a preservative. The can also notes that it contains milk.
Blue raspberry lemonade is the only flavor that Genius Gourmet sells at the moment, but the company says that this flavor is just the beginning. Costco is currently the only place to buy it. You can sign up on the company’s website to get $10 off your first order.
What does the Costco protein sparkling water taste like?
Gael Cooper for Taste Of Home
If you absolutely love zero-sugar energy drinks, this might be for you, because it tastes just like one. It’s very, very sweet. When I tested it, I chilled the cans well and served the drink over plenty of ice. I kept trying it over a series of days, but could never drink more than a few sips.
People seeking out protein drinks seem thrilled that this sparkling water exists. And I will give Genius Gourmet this: I did not taste any chalky, powdery protein-drink residue, which seems like a big accomplishment. If non-powdery protein in a drink is your holy grail, you might love it. But I cannot in good conscience recommend this as a tasty drink on its own. For me, adding protein to my diet at the expense of taste is a no-go.
I’ve read enough reviews on social-media sites to know that my opinion isn’t universal, but there also opinions online like the following: “I’ve gotten to the point where I dread protein shakes, and this is amazing,” one Reddit user wrote. “Tastes like a zero-sugar energy drink, though, so if that’s not something you like, pass on it.”
If you’re going to try it yourself, here’s one shopping tip: I searched the beverage section of my Costco, near the Spindrift sparkling water and soft drink cases, and worried that my store didn’t have it. But then I remembered there’s a whole protein bar and snack section closer to the checkouts, and, yep, there was the Genius Gourmet: sitting not with regular soft drinks, but chumming with its protein-packed gym buddies.
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