Reflex Nutrition Strawberries & Cream 100% Native Whey & Chocolate Peanut Butter 100% Whey

Who knew that there was so many differences in whey protein powder? I realised that there's a million and one different flavours out there, but within that there's also a plethora of types of whey. I'm certainly no expert on the ins and outs of the different proteins, but I know that Reflex is a name I can trust thanks to their precision and expertise - I mean they built their own factory to produce their own powders here in UK and rigorously test every batch, even publishing the results online.

I was very lucky to receive a number of their products to review last year (including their flapjacks, white chocolate & Raspberry R-Bars, protein coffee, diet protein and instant whey). During December I was fortunate to receive another big parcel of goodies from the sports nutrition Kings; including two huge tubs of native whey and 100% whey. 

Strawberries & Cream 100% Native Whey
So what is Native Whey exactly? Reflex say...

"100% Native Whey is a protein shake with a proven 80% protein content, utilising the purest and most natural form of whey protein currently produced.
Reflex Nutrition’s native whey is made from fresh milk, sourced in the EU, from grass-fed cattle. This is the most pure and natural form of whey protein, and it is collected in its native form, created by nature.
Native whey protein contains more branched chain amino acids (BCAAs), up to 16% more L-leucine, more essential amino acids, and nearly 40% more cystine than cheese derived whey.
We’ve gone to great lengths to ensure 100% Native Whey delivers an incredible flavour and mixes easily and instantly. By not using cheese-based whey, our products hit the spot with no strange aftertaste, across a range of flavours."

The smell was really good, reminding me of Strawberry Nesquik -always a good thing! As a shake it mixed easily, and was especially tasty with milk. It's on the sweet side, but that's a bonus for me. Reflex's 100% Native Whey delivers 28g of protein per 35g serving and over 6gs of BCAAs, making it the perfect go-to for post-workout. It even gets the thumbs up from Bert, who now regularly drinks it too -having originally turned his nose up, believing that all whey shakes were grainy and nasty. That's certainly not the case with any of Reflex's powders I've tried.

The only trouble for me, is that it does not take kindly to being heated -which means that proats and variations of beltsander blondies are off the menu (unless you enjoy eating rubber). I have found an alternative to the shakes that does work well though, and I'm slightly addicted to it: protein fluff. If you've never made it, it's the perfect high-volume snack, and a great low calorie, low fat, low sugar and high protein alternative to mousse or ice cream. Simply take:

• 30g Strawberries & Cream 100% Native Whey
• 50ml milk
• 100g frozen fruit (I loved it with frozen raspberries or cherries)
• 10ml Jordans skinny white chocolate syrup.

Pop all the ingredients into a jug/blender and pulse until smooth. Whisk (using an electric mixer on high speed) for 4-5 minutes until fluffy. Like something from Chemistry class at school the mixture grows in size to an unbelievable amount! A great filling and delicious snack.  

9/10

Chocolate Peanut Butter 100% Whey
This whey is available in a wide variety of flavours in both 875g and 2kg tubs, but what is it exactly?

"With 100% Whey Protein, the clue is in the name; it’s a protein shake that delivers 100% of its protein from whey. Only the finest undenatured whey is used, with no added sugars, no amino spiking, and no soy protein, giving you the finest protein to supplement your fitness and sporting efforts.
100% Whey Protein contains over 5g of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) per 24g of protein, which are arguably the most crucial amino acids for athletes. The three BCAAs are balanced at a 2:1:1 ratio of L-Leucine, L-Isoleucine and L-Valine, giving you the perfect equilibrium in every shake. Our whey protein is extracted during the cheese-making process, made with quality fresh milk under EU regulations, from cattle that are free from banned antibiotics and growth hormones."

This didn't smell as great as the fab strawberries and cream Native Whey, but it still smelt rather good with a more potent chocolate flavour. Once again, the whey makes a lovely smooth and sweet shake, which tastes exponentially better when made with milk.

This was another powder that didn't make great proats, as I found that the mixture split slightly, resulting in lumpy porridge -not great. This powder survived being turned into a beltsander brownie though (recipe here) and I found that it tasted best when slightly undercooked (60 seconds instead of the normal 90).

7/10

Both of these Whey Protein Powders are available to buy directly from Reflex's website.

*Once again, a huge thank you to Reflex Nutrition for the samples -and my muscles say thank you too!*