New Protein: Vega One Shake

A few months ago, I had the opportunity to try the VegaSport line which I enjoyed, so I was anxious to try the company's newest addition.

Vega has launched a new line of nutritional shakes jam packed with plant based, protein goodness.   Vega One: All-in-One shakes have the following in every serving:

• 50% daily intake of vitamins and minerals
• 15 g protein
• 6 g fiber
• 1.5 g Omega-3
• Antioxidants
• Probiotics
• Greens
  

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The Vega One shakes are between 125-140 calories and come in vanilla chai, chocolate, berry and natural flavors and should be added to water, juice or another liquid option.

The premise behind Vega is using complete, whole foods to create an entirely plant-based nutritional supplement. The line allows athletes to fuel on the go with healthy, natural ingredients free of gluten, soy and animal products.

Vega One also offers recipes on the website like the Ginger Pear smoothie or Energy Pudding. Or, you can let your creative juices flow and come up with your own!

I used Egg Beaters egg whites (since they are pasteurized) and blended with ice cubes and the vanilla chai. 

I realize adding egg whites to Vega One defeats the vegan concept; I simply wanted more protein on this occasion.  I also used almond milk which worked equally well.

All of the shakes have a green hue, reminiscent of the popular green monsters.  Certainly not distracting, and a friendly reminder of the added greens which include alfalfa sprouts, spinach, kale, broccoli, and chlorella.

Additionally, those looking to clean up their diet and incorporate more fiber will appreciate the Vega One shakes. With the addition of fiber and probiotics, many will experience cleansing symptoms.

My Favorite:  Vanilla Chai for the win! This one was so delicious and had none of the sugar that my beloved chai tea lattes have. I like a thicker smoothie, so I always prefer to blend with ice cubes.  Seriously. I'm head-over-heels-in-love with this flavor!

Just okay: Chocolate. I think I will add more peanut butter next time, and really make it a treat. Maybe a frozen banana too!

Least Favorite: Berry. This tasted too sweet for me despite having no added sugar. I'm sure there is a way to "doctor" it up though. It simply wasn't for me.

Most versatile: Natural. I added it to my Pumpkin Smoothie which allowed the pumpkin & cinnamon flavors to shine. 

Conclusion: 

This product packs a powerful punch. You cannot argue with the ingredients.  And, for athletes following a strict vegetarian or vegan diet, Vega One is the way to go. Whole, plant-based nutrition sounds like the optimal way to fuel.

I love the convenience of getting balanced nutrition in an easy-to-make shake.  The Vega One product does the thinking for me, and I would happily consume the vanilla chai on a daily basis and continue to experiment with the other flavors.

*Vega One provided me with samples, but all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.