I Made Four Variations Of The Viral "Proffee" Drink, And Found Out From Experts If It's Actually Good For You
It's time to talk about proffee.
Any time I open TikTok, I easily get sucked into wanting to try a new hairstyle on myself or a new recipe that has my mouth watering.
And recently, my For You Page has been filled with videos of people making delicious-looking protein coffee drinks — or Proffee, as it's officially tagged. Being both a coffee lover and a gal who tries her best to incorporate protein into every meal, this is a trend I knew I had to try.
After going down a ~proffee rabbit hole~, I picked four different recipes I wanted to try. But before I jumped into trying and reviewing the drinks, I first asked a few experts to weigh in on this trend.
Joe Johnson, certified nutritionist and owner of 9 to 5 Nutrition, recapped the potential benefits of combining protein and coffee prior to a morning workout.
Megan Wong, registered dietician at AlgaeCal, said that proffee could be a fine choice for coffee drinkers who typically skip breakfast — but if you already eat a balanced breakfast, you probably don't need extra protein in your coffee. "Most Americans get more than enough protein in their diet," she told BuzzFeed.
Carissa Galloway, registered dietitian and nutrition consultant for Premier Protein, emphasized guidelines around daily caffeine consumption — as well as who should avoid proffee.
With all of this in mind, below is the rundown of the different proffee recipes I tried and my honest thoughts on how they tasted — as well as whether or not they gave me a boost of energy and/or kept me full. Despite the experts' advice on avoiding added sugars, I still wanted to make these drinks as written so this could be a true review. I figured I would try the recipes as is, and if needed, I would modify them going forward.
RECIPE #1: Three shots of espresso over ice + a pre-made protein shake.
This recipe by @journeyofcai was the most straightforward one I found — so I got my proffee feet wet with this one first. I went to Starbucks and ordered exactly what what was shown in the TikTok: three shots of espresso over ice in a venti cup. I wasn't able to find the same cafe latte protein shake that was used in the video, so I instead used a Quest salted caramel one.
I took some of the ice out of the cup to make room for the shake. After mixing the two liquids together, I took a few sips and audibly gasped at how good this combination was. I was expecting it to taste sweeter than it was, but I think the strong espresso cut the sweetness of the protein shake in a good way.
"When using pre-made shakes, the main ingredient I recommend avoiding is added sugar. Added sugar can not only be hidden, but it can also go by a variety of different names on the ingredient label," Galloway told BuzzFeed.
This proffee recipe tasted similar to a fancy caramel drink from Starbucks. The venti was a big size for me to finish by myself, so I drank half and then gave the rest to my mom (who loved it, too, and she's not a big coffee drinker). I made the drink after breakfast and before lunch — and despite not finishing it, I didn't feel hungry in between meals like I normally would. I also felt like a boost of energy from the espresso but not in an overly caffeinated, jittery way.
RECIPE #2: Cold brew + protein shake + flavored syrup + almond milk.
In this TikTok by @_katied_94, she made a s'mores-flavored proffee — but unfortunately, I couldn't find the same s'mores-flavored syrups she used. So I decided to use this recipe as inspiration and make my own concoction. I measured 1.5 ounces of mocha syrup and poured it into a glass over ice. I then added in 8 ounces of cold brew and half of an Alani chocolate-flavored protein shake. I didn't feel the need to add in almond milk since the shake added creaminess already, so I skipped that step.
This recipe I created was definitely not as great as the first one. The chocolate protein shake had a weird aftertaste to it, and to be honest, that's all I tasted in this drink. I did like the addition of the mocha syrup, so if I were to make this chocolate proffee again I would use a bigger cup, put in more mocha syrup, and add more coffee and ice to balance it all out. I didn't drink the entire glass since I wasn't a big fan — hence why I wanted a snack only an hour after sipping on this drink.
RECIPE #3: Coffee + caramel syrup + caramel protein shake.
Although this third recipe by @lifeaftervsg_w_ivonnesv sounded (and looked) delicious, I had already made a caramel flavored proffee the other day — so I decided to modify this one and make a peanut butter version instead. I melted some chocolate peanut butter sauce I had in my pantry and drizzled it around the cup. From there I combined some ice, half a cup of iced coffee, and half of the same Alani chocolate protein shake.
I really liked the addition of the sauce around the inside of the glass because as I drank the proffee, I tasted little hints of peanut butter, and it was delish! I felt like I perfected the coffee-to-chocolate protein shake ratio this time, and overall this recipe was chef's kiss. I'm still not 100% sold on the protein shake, so I think next time I make this recipe, I'll try a chocolate shake by a different brand. I drank this proffee after lunch, and it helped keep me satisfied until my next meal — yet I made the mistake of drinking it late in the day, so I had trouble falling asleep later that night.
RECIPE #4: Protein powder + almond milk + coffee.
The last proffee recipe I tried was using my own protein powder and mixing it with almond milk before pouring it into a glass with ice and coffee. I came across a TikTok by @j9naturally, where she explained why she prefers to make her own protein shake instead of buying some of the bottled ones — which can be filled with less-than-great ingredients. So as instructed in the video, I took a scoop of strawberry-flavored protein powder and mixed it with almond milk in a shaker bottle. From there, I poured it into a glass of ice and coffee. I wanted to add a little extra pizzazz into this one, so I added a few drops of vanilla syrup.
When making a proffee with protein powder, it's also important to find one based on your personal dietary needs. "The best protein source for you will depend on your lifestyle, any dietary intolerances, as well as your individual needs and nutrition, and fitness goals," said Galloway.
Johnson added to this, saying, "For the vast majority of people just looking to get a bit more protein in their diet, a standard whey concentrate powder will suffice."
"The use cases for all of these are very limited unless you have specific dietary requirements or allergies. For example, people who don't tolerate dairy might do well with a clear whey isolate powder, which is a little easier to digest. If you're vegan, a pea protein powder would be a good substitute for whey," he told BuzzFeed.
This proffee tasted just like a strawberry milkshake but obviously not as thick. I didn't taste the coffee in it at all, as the flavors of the vanilla syrup and strawberry protein powder took over, but I really didn't mind it. Since I'm always stocked up with protein powder, I could see myself making this recipe often. I drank the entire glass, and it kept me full for a few hours until lunch — and it was the perfect early afternoon pick-me-up that I needed on a Friday.
After trying these different proffee drinks, it's safe to say that I am definitely a fan of this trend. It was fun to experiment with different flavors and concoct my own versions of recipes I saw on TikTok. There's something to say about this being a quick and easy way to get a little energy boost and protein in.
Also, if you're someone who is not a fan of coffee but you want to jump on the protein shake bandwagon, I asked the experts to share some of their favorite non-coffee recipes.
• Galloway loves to make a peanut butter-banana protein shake: 2 scoops protein powder, 1 medium banana, 1 handful of fresh spinach, 1 tbsp. peanut butter, 1 handful of ice.
• Johnson mixes a scoop of berry-flavored protein powder with a handful of raw oats, some milk, frozen blueberries, strawberries, and half a banana.
• Wong likes to include healthy ingredients like veggies, nuts, seeds, yogurt, and fruits to her protein shake.