Which Whey Protein Powder is Really the Best on the Market? Rule 1 R1 Protein vs ON Gold Standard Review
***Updated for 2023***
A quick Google search of “Top 10 Proteins on Amazon” and you can see that Optimum Nutrition 100% Whey Gold Standard is far and away the number one selling product on the largest e-tailer on the internet.
It is also #1 on the second largest e-tailer (and JMFN's largest competitor), Bodybuilding.com.
You can go on any number of fitness nutrition websites, or protein review websites, to find ON Gold Standard Protein and see that it is number one on those websites too. On its own site, Optimum Nutrition claims that it is the number one selling protein in the world. This is probably true, but have you ever questioned why ON protein is so highly touted?
I believe it is simply because they were the first premium whey protein manufacturer to brand their protein powder as “Gold Standard” and have done a great job marketing this message to fitness industry.
In any instance, when I have asked someone why they chose ON 100% Whey Gold Standard over another sports nutrition supplement brand, more often than not I simply hear “They are the gold standard of protein powder”, not because they're searching for the cheapest whey protein for sale on the market, the best tasting, or even the best quality protein.
Of course the top medal to win in the Olympics or any sporting competition where medals are handed out is obviously the Gold Medal.
I did some research, I found that there are quite a few protein powder brands on the market that rival 100% Whey Gold Standard in quality.
If I were to hold a Protein Powder Olympics - Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard could win the bronze, maybe even the silver. But they wouldn’t get the gold at my games. The gold would be crowned on the makers of R1 Protein by Rule 1. Therefore, the remainder of this blog post is dedicated to anyone looking for an in-depth Rule 1 protein reviews.
Rule One Proteins was founded in 2014 under the parent company Nutrivo, LLC – the brain trust of Tony Costello Sr. and his son, Tony Costello Jr. Tony Sr is one of the two founders of what is now known as Optimum Nutrition; yes I typed that right, the same company that used to have the best protein on the market.
Brothers Mike and Tony Costello (Sr.), sold Optimum Nutrition to Glanbia Nutritionals in 2008 for $315 million. They both had intentions of walking away from the sports nutrition supplements industry entirely, but when Tony Sr had the opportunity to start Rule One, and create Rule 1 protein powder, it was something he couldn't pass up.
So in creating the number one fitness supplement brand over 22 years, if they were starting over certainly they thought they could create a better version of protein then Optimum Gold Standard Whey.
Would you want to create a better #1 seller than the version you just left? The answer to that question is a resounding YES!
In comparing the contents of these whey powder products, both Rule 1 protein powder and Optimum Nutrition 100% Whey Gold Standard are gluten free, have similar consistency and similar flavoring which is good because I think they both taste great.
Being gluten free and having similar consistency are both very important to me as well, but that is where the comparison ends.
In all other major metrics that we should be looking at in determining the quality of our protein powders; like protein per serving, additional BCAAs per serving (super important if you are using your shake as an immediate post-workout recovery drink), and the macro make-up of the powder such as fat and carbohydrates (sugar).
In these "Olympics of Whey Protein Powders", R1 Protein by Rule 1 receives the gold without question!
So, which protein powder do you think is truly the gold standard of whey protein in your rankings of Rule 1 vs Gold Standard?
Let me know which whey protein powder is your favorite in the blog comments below!
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