Quest Protein Shake Chocolate
At a glance
Summary
Quest Protein Shake Chocolate scores 31/100. RTD with milk protein concentrate + isolate at 30 g protein per carton, 1 g sugar. Formula stacks an undisclosed sunflower/canola/soybean oil blend, sucralose, gellan/cellulose gums, sodium polyphosphate, and natural flavors. Independent third-party lab testing (Consumer Reports, January 2024) detected 0.79 mcg lead per serving. Cadmium 1.85 and arsenic 0.50 mcg also detected. Owned by The Simply Good Foods Company.
Contaminants 4
Source: Consumer Reports January 2024
Lead 0.79 mcg per serving Moderate
A moderate level of lead — elevated enough to be a real sourcing concern; cleaner-tested options exist.
Independent third-party testing.
Cadmium 1.85 mcg per serving Moderate
Detected at a moderate level — a meaningful fraction of health-based exposure limits. Worth factoring in if this product is used regularly. Cadmium is an IARC Group 1 carcinogen that accumulates in the kidneys over a lifetime.
Consumer Reports January 2024 detected 1.85 mcg cadmium per serving.
Arsenic 0.5 mcg per serving Low
A low level of arsenic — present but modest; a sourcing-quality note rather than a safety concern at typical intake.
Consumer Reports January 2024 detected 0.5 mcg arsenic per serving.
Mercury not detected Not detected
Not detected — below the laboratory's detection limit. This is the strictest possible result: no measurable amount was found.
Consumer Reports January 2024 reported mercury below the lab's threshold of detection — no mercury measurable in this product.
Key ingredients 14
Vegetable OilVery Bad
Sources: Sunflower, Canola, and/or Soybean Oil. Refined seed/soybean oil blend high in inflammatory omega-6 linoleic acid. Heavily processed with hexane extraction and the unspecified blend (and/or soybean) hides what's actually in the bottle.
See more about Vegetable Oil →Natural FlavorsBad
Proprietary flavor blend; can hide dozens of synthetic aroma chemicals and phthalate carriers under FDA trade-secret rules.
See more about Natural Flavors →LecithinBad
Sources: Sunflower, Canola, and/or Soy Lecithin. Unspecified-source emulsifier; the 'and/or soy' wording allows GMO soy lecithin without disclosure on the front label.
See more about Lecithin →Sodium PolyphosphateBad
Industrial phosphate emulsifier/preservative. Excess phosphate intake from processed foods is associated with cardiovascular and kidney concerns.
See more about Sodium Polyphosphate →Trisodium PhosphateBad
Strongly alkaline pH adjuster (also used as an industrial degreaser). Used here as a stabilizer; raises total phosphate load.
See more about Trisodium Phosphate →SucraloseBad
Chlorinated artificial sweetener linked to disruption of gut microbiome, potential insulin response issues, and generation of harmful chlorinated compounds during metabolism.
See more about Sucralose →Invert SugarBad
Refined added sugar.
See more about Invert Sugar →WaterNeutral
Solvent base for the ready-to-drink shake.
See more about Water →Cocoa (Processed with Alkali)Neutral
Dutch-processed cocoa has reduced flavanol and antioxidant content compared to natural cocoa. Cocoa itself is also a known cadmium accumulator.
See more about Cocoa (Processed with Alkali) →SaltNeutral
Sodium for flavor balance; minimal contribution to total sodium intake.
See more about Salt →Gellan GumNeutral
Microbial-fermentation-derived thickener; inert and safe at typical concentrations.
See more about Gellan Gum →Stevia SweetenerNeutral
Natural zero-calorie sweetener from the stevia leaf. No significant health concerns, but Scout treats all stevia forms as neutral — neither penalized nor counted as a beneficial ingredient.
See more about Stevia Sweetener →Milk Protein ConcentrateGood
Complete dairy protein providing whey and casein fractions; higher bioavailability than any plant protein.
See more about Milk Protein Concentrate →Milk Protein IsolateGood
Higher-purity milk protein with minimal lactose and fat; supports muscle recovery.
See more about Milk Protein Isolate →Processing
Ultra-Processed Foods
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