If there’s one thing people love to do on social media, it’s add protein to their favorite foods and drinks.
The latest viral drink on TikTok is “protein Diet Coke” — popularized by creator Rebecca Gordon, whose post about the drink, which she says is trending in Utah, has garnered 2.4 million views in five days. Since then, many other TikTokers around the country have tried it and posted their own versions.
So, what is protein Diet Coke, and does it have the nutritional value the name suggests? As a registered dietitian, I’m breaking down the nutrition of the drink and revealing whether it’s worth trying.
What is protein Diet Coke?
“Protein Diet Coke” combines a ready-to-drink vanilla protein shake and Diet Coke.
Most videos with #proteindietcoke on TikTok seem to use Fairlife Vanilla Core Power, an ultra-filtered, high-protein vanilla milk drink. TikTokers pour the drink into a large Diet Coke, stir and enjoy.
But here’s a secret: This is not a new idea. It’s strikingly similar to an egg cream, a favorite drink among baby boomers. An egg cream is a combination of seltzer, chocolate syrup and milk. It doesn’t use as much milk as protein Diet Coke, and people drink it for enjoyment and not for the protein. It’s also similar to dirty soda, another Utah drink trend that went viral in 2022.
I wasn’t able to find exactly where protein Diet Coke originated, but some of the social media posts also link it to Utah.
Is protein Diet Coke healthy?
Protein Diet Coke contains just two ingredients: Diet Coke and a vanilla protein milk. Let’s break down the nutrition of each.
Diet Coke (or any soda) isn’t known for its healthfulness. Yet, unlike sodas with tons of sugar, Diet Coke is made with aspartame, a non-nutritive sweetener with zero calories.
The safety of aspartame has been in the spotlight for many years, but the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) says it is safe to consume and may help people reduce their added sugar intake. Similarly, the American Cancer Society notes that someone would need to drink more than nine cans of soda a day to reach unsafe levels of aspartame. Yet, diet soda does not add any nutrition to the diet.
The Vanilla Core Power drink is made with low-fat milk, monk fruit juice concentrate, stevia and a few other ingredients. Fairlife’s website says they use ultra-filtering to “concentrate the protein and calcium and filter out most of the sugar” in the milk. As a result, the drink has 26 grams of protein and 50% of your daily calcium without any added sugar.
It’s marketed as a post-workout recovery drink to fight fatigue and dehydration “with high-quality protein and electrolytes.” In general, flavored milk has been shown to do just that, with ample research showing that flavored milk is a helpful post-workout recovery drink.
TODAY.com has reached out to both Coca-Cola and Fairlife for comment on the protein Diet Coke trend, but they did not immediately respond.
Should you try it?
If you like the taste of protein Diet Coke or are curious about it, I don’t see a reason not to try it. But here are some things to consider:
Calories
Protein Diet Coke has considerably more calories than a Diet Coke on its own. In fact, the Fairlife vanilla drink featured in many of the videos has a similar calorie count to a regular Coke.
Nutritional value
The protein Diet Coke has more nutritional value than a Diet Coke on its own or a regular Coke, thanks to its protein and vitamin D content. It also has no added sugar. But you can get these same benefits by drinking the Fairlife drink on its own.
If you like Diet Coke, I also think it’s fine to drink on its own in moderation.
How often to drink it
For people who like protein Diet Coke, I would suggest limiting it to a post-workout recovery drink to help with muscle building, or a snack to keep you full in between meals. Think of it as a protein drink with a splash of sugar-free soda for added flavor. But again, you could just drink the protein milk on its own.