Herbalife Protein Drink Mix vs Vegan Protein Drink Mix: What's the Difference?

What is the difference between Herbalife Protein Drink Mix and the Vegan Protein Drink Mix?

On the outside the two tubs look almost identical. On the label, four things separate them.

• Protein source. The standard Protein Drink Mix is built on soya protein isolate (47%) plus calcium caseinate and sodium caseinate, both of which come from milk. The sodium caseinate sits inside a sunflower-oil creamer, which is part of why it tastes so creamy. The Protein Drink Mix (Vegan) uses soya protein isolate on its own, with no milk-derived ingredient at all.
• Sweetener and flavourings. The standard tub is sweetened with sucralose and lists "flavourings". The vegan tub uses steviol glycosides, extracted from the stevia leaf, and lists natural flavourings only, with no artificial colours or flavours.
• Allergens. Standard: milk and soya. Vegan: soya only. Both milk and soya are among the 14 allergens that must be declared under UK food law, according to the Food Standards Agency.
• Tub size. The standard tub is 588 g (21 servings). The vegan tub is 560 g (20 servings). The vegan formula is also sold as a pack of seven sachets, which is a cheap way to try it before committing to a tub.

Everything else is remarkably close. Both are vanilla, both mix with water, both deliver 15 g of protein per serving and both list 22 added vitamins and minerals. The line-up is not quite identical, though. The standard tub includes magnesium (143 mg per serving) where the vegan tub has potassium (610 mg) instead, and the vegan tub carries more calcium (326 mg against 209 mg). Both cover the same 12 vitamins, from vitamin A through to B12 and biotin, at roughly 38% of the reference intake each.

Is Herbalife Protein Drink Mix vegan?

No. This is the question people search for most, so let's be blunt. The standard Protein Drink Mix contains calcium caseinate and sodium caseinate, which are milk proteins, and the milk allergen is printed in bold on the label. It is suitable for vegetarians, not for vegans, and not for anyone avoiding dairy.

If you want the same product without the dairy, the Vegan Protein Drink Mix is the one to buy. It is labelled 100% vegan, gluten-free and naturally lactose-free. Bear in mind that "vegan" does not mean "soya-free" here: it is a soya-based powder. If soya is your issue, Herbalife's pea-based Tri Blend Select is the better fit. Our guide to which Herbalife products are vegan covers the full range.

Side by side: nutrition per serving

Figures below are per 28 g of powder (two scoops) mixed with 250 ml of water, taken from the UK labels.

	Protein Drink Mix (588 g)	Protein Drink Mix Vegan (560 g)
Energy	457 kJ / 108 kcal	456 kJ / 109 kcal
Protein	15 g	15 g
Carbohydrate	7 g	6 g
of which sugars	0.3 g	0.2 g
Fat	2.3 g	2.6 g
of which saturates	0.3 g	0.3 g
Fibre	0.4 g	0.9 g
Salt	0.7 g	0.6 g
Vitamins and minerals	22 (includes magnesium)	22 (includes potassium)
Calcium	209 mg (26% RI)	326 mg (41% RI)
Protein source	Soya isolate + milk caseinates	Soya isolate
Sweetener	Sucralose	Stevia (steviol glycosides)
Allergens	Milk, soya	Soya
Suitable for	Vegetarians	Vegans, vegetarians, dairy-free, gluten-free
Servings per tub	21	20

The gaps are tiny. The vegan version has a touch more fibre and fat and slightly less carbohydrate and salt, but nobody will notice a gram here or there. What matters is that 15 g of protein per serving is the same in both. Protein contributes to the growth and maintenance of muscle mass and to the maintenance of normal bones, which is an authorised claim under Regulation (EU) 432/2012 as retained in UK law.

For context, the British Nutrition Foundation puts the UK reference intake at 0.75 g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. One serving of either mix covers roughly a quarter of that for a 75 kg adult, within a balanced diet and a healthy, active lifestyle.

What do they taste like?

Both are vanilla, but they are not the same vanilla.

The standard mix is the creamier and sweeter of the two. The milk caseinates and the creamer give it body, and sucralose delivers a clean, fairly sweet finish. Mixed with water it tastes closer to a milkshake than most whey powders do.

The vegan mix is lighter and noticeably less sweet. Stevia has a softer, slightly herbal sweetness, and without caseinate the texture is a little thinner. UK reviews of the vegan tub tend to say the same two things: it mixes smoothly with no grittiness, and it is "not as sweet as the non-vegan". If you have a sweet tooth you may prefer the standard tub. If you find most protein shakes cloying, the vegan tub might be the one you actually finish.

A practical tip from our own kitchen: the vegan mix comes alive with a shot of espresso or half a frozen banana, and both versions blend well into porridge or overnight oats.

How do you use them, and can you add either to Formula 1?

The two labels word things slightly differently, but the measures are the same.

• On its own: 28 g of powder in 250 ml of cold water, shaken. The standard label calls that two tablespoons, the vegan label two scoops. Either way it is your 15 g protein snack.
• Higher protein: the vegan label also gives a three-scoop option: 42 g in 375 ml of water for 23 g of protein. The standard label does not print it, but the arithmetic is the same, and three scoops of the standard mix give around 22 g.
• With Formula 1: two scoops of Protein Drink Mix plus two scoops of Formula 1 Nutritional Shake Mix in 300 ml of water. This is the classic Herbalife "shake with PDM" and it takes the protein of a meal-replacement shake made with water to around 24 g.

Here is the detail that catches people out. The current UK Formula 1 shake mix is made with vegan ingredients, so if you pair it with the standard Protein Drink Mix you have quietly added milk protein to an otherwise vegan shake. Pair it with the vegan mix instead and the whole shake stays vegan. That is the single most useful reason to pick the vegan tub even if you are not vegan yourself: it keeps every combination dairy-free. Our guide to which Formula 1 flavours are vegan and gluten-free has the flavour-by-flavour detail.

Herbalife also recommends giving the tub a gentle shake before each use, because the powder settles. Store it sealed and dry.

Which Herbalife Protein Drink Mix should I buy in the UK?

Use this quick decision list.

• You eat dairy and like a sweet, creamy shake: the standard Protein Drink Mix (588 g). It is the original, it is the creamiest, and it gives you one extra serving per tub.
• You are vegan, lactose-intolerant or avoiding dairy: the Vegan Protein Drink Mix (560 g). Same protein, no milk.
• You dislike sucralose or artificial sweeteners: the vegan tub, because it uses stevia and natural flavourings.
• You need gluten-free: the vegan tub is labelled gluten-free. Check the current label on the standard tub if gluten matters to you.
• You avoid soya: neither. Look at Tri Blend Select or the pea-protein Formula 1 Free From instead.
• You are unsure: buy the seven-sachet vegan pack. It costs a fraction of a tub and tells you within a week whether the stevia taste suits you.

On price, the two tubs sit within a couple of pounds of each other at recommended retail, and the vegan tub is usually the marginally cheaper one. At HLF Online Store both are genuine Herbalife products dispatched directly by Herbalife UK, with up to 35% off and free UK shipping on orders over £79. Our UK price guide has the current per-serving maths.

For a deeper look at the standard tub, including how it fits into a day of eating, read our Protein Drink Mix review. You can also browse every plant-based option in the Vegan Herbalife Products collection.

FAQ

Is the Herbalife Vegan Protein Drink Mix soya-free?

No. The vegan version is made from soya protein isolate and also contains soya lecithin. It is dairy-free and gluten-free, but not soya-free. For a soya-free Herbalife protein, look at Tri Blend Select, which is based on pea protein.

Does the Vegan Protein Drink Mix have the same protein as the standard one?

Yes. Both deliver 15 g of protein per 28 g serving (two scoops), and three scoops give around 22 to 23 g. Calories are almost identical at 108 kcal versus 109 kcal, and both list 22 vitamins and minerals.

What is Herbalife Protein Drink Mix sweetened with?

The standard Protein Drink Mix is sweetened with sucralose. The vegan version is sweetened with steviol glycosides from the stevia plant, which is why it tastes a little less sweet.

Can I mix the Vegan Protein Drink Mix with Formula 1?

Yes. Two scoops of each in 300 ml of water makes a shake with around 24 g of protein. Because the current UK Formula 1 is made with vegan ingredients, using the vegan mix keeps the whole shake vegan.

How many servings are in each tub?

The standard 588 g tub contains 21 servings of 28 g. The vegan 560 g tub contains 20 servings. The vegan formula also comes in a pack of seven single-serve sachets.

Ready to choose? Both tubs, the vegan sachets and Formula 1 are in our Essential Herbalife Nutrition collection, with secure payment via Shopify Payments and PayPal.