Updated October 2026. If you're looking for protein shakes without artificial sweeteners, the ingredient list matters more than the front of the bottle. Some shakes use artificial sweeteners such as sucralose or acesulfame potassium. Others avoid artificial sweeteners but still use high-intensity sweeteners such as stevia or monk fruit.
This guide explains the difference and compares several popular ready-to-drink protein shakes.
Transparency: this guide is published by GROUNDED. Competitor ingredient information was checked against current brand product pages in October 2026.
What counts as an artificial sweetener?
Common artificial sweeteners used in ready-to-drink protein shakes include sucralose and acesulfame potassium (Ace-K). These are different from stevia and monk fruit, which are high-intensity sweeteners derived from plants.
That distinction matters because “no artificial sweeteners” does not necessarily mean “sweetened only with sugar.” A protein shake can legitimately contain no artificial sweeteners while still using stevia or monk fruit.
Protein shakes without artificial sweeteners: quick comparison
| Product | Protein | Sweetening approach | Artificial sweeteners? | Stevia / monk fruit? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GROUNDED Chocolate Protein Milkshake | 20g | Organic cane sugar | No | No |
| ALOHA Chocolate Sea Salt Protein Drink | 18g | Coconut sugar + monk fruit | No artificial sweetener listed | Monk fruit |
| OWYN Protein Shake | 20g | Cane sugar + monk fruit | No artificial sweetener listed | Monk fruit |
| Orgain 20g Plant-Based Protein Shake | 20g | Stevia | No artificial sweetener listed | Stevia |
| Premier Protein Chocolate | 30g | Sucralose + Ace-K | Yes | No stevia or monk fruit listed |
| Core Power Chocolate 26g | 26g | Monk fruit + stevia + sucralose + Ace-K | Yes | Both |
Formulas can change. Always check the current package if a specific sweetener matters to you.
1. GROUNDED Protein Milkshake
GROUNDED Chocolate Protein Milkshake provides 20g protein in a 16.6 fl oz carton. It is sweetened with organic cane sugar and contains no artificial sweeteners, no stevia and no monk fruit.
It is also formulated without gums. The trade-off is straightforward: because GROUNDED uses regular sugar instead of high-intensity sweeteners, it is not a low-sugar shake. The current Chocolate Protein Milkshake contains 23g total sugar per carton.
If your priority is specifically avoiding sucralose, Ace-K, stevia and monk fruit rather than simply reducing sugar as far as possible, GROUNDED is built around that choice.
2. ALOHA Protein Drinks
ALOHA's current Chocolate Sea Salt Protein Drink provides 18g protein and uses coconut sugar plus monk fruit for sweetness. Its current ingredient list does not list sucralose or acesulfame potassium.
So ALOHA can be relevant if your goal is avoiding artificial sweeteners while still keeping sugar relatively low. However, it does use monk fruit, which matters if your personal preference is to avoid high-intensity sweeteners altogether.
For a direct comparison, see GROUNDED vs ALOHA.
3. OWYN Protein Shakes
OWYN's standard Protein Shakes provide 20g protein. The current Smooth Vanilla product uses organic cane sugar and monk fruit, and does not list sucralose or acesulfame potassium.
That makes OWYN another option for shoppers avoiding artificial sweeteners but comfortable with monk fruit.
See the full GROUNDED vs OWYN comparison.
4. Orgain Plant-Based Protein Shake
Orgain's current 20g Plant-Based Protein Shake uses stevia and lists 0g sugar. Stevia is not an artificial sweetener, so Orgain belongs in a different category from shakes sweetened with sucralose or Ace-K.
It is a strong fit if your priority is very low sugar and you're comfortable with stevia. It is not the right fit if what you actually mean by “no artificial sweeteners” is “no stevia or monk fruit either.”
See GROUNDED vs Orgain.
Popular protein shakes that do use artificial sweeteners
Premier Protein
Premier Protein's current Chocolate Protein Shake lists sucralose and acesulfame potassium in the ingredients. It provides 30g protein with 1g total sugar.
Core Power
Fairlife's current Core Power Chocolate 26g Protein Shake lists acesulfame potassium and sucralose, alongside monk fruit and stevia. It provides 26g protein and 5g total sugar.
These products show the basic trade-off clearly: very low sugar can be achieved in different ways, and some brands use several sweetening systems at once.
How to find a protein shake without artificial sweeteners
Check the ingredient list, not just the sugar number
A low-sugar shake may be sweetened with sucralose, Ace-K, stevia, monk fruit or a combination. The nutrition panel tells you how much sugar is present; the ingredient list tells you how the product is sweetened.
Look for these names if you want to avoid artificial sweeteners
- Sucralose
- Acesulfame potassium / Ace-K
- Aspartame
- Saccharin
If you want to avoid all high-intensity sweeteners, look further
Stevia and monk fruit are not artificial sweeteners, but they are still high-intensity sweeteners. If you don't like their taste or simply prefer a shake sweetened with regular sugar, check for them separately.
What is the best protein shake without artificial sweeteners?
It depends on what you're actually trying to avoid.
- If you only want to avoid artificial sweeteners: products using stevia or monk fruit may still fit your brief.
- If you want very low sugar: stevia- or monk-fruit-sweetened options such as Orgain, OWYN or ALOHA may make more sense.
- If you want no artificial sweeteners, no stevia and no monk fruit: GROUNDED Protein Milkshakes are sweetened with organic cane sugar instead.
The trade-off is that regular sugar adds sugar and calories. There isn't a formulation that simultaneously behaves like sugar, contains no sugar and uses no alternative sweetening system — so the useful question is which trade-off suits you.
FAQ
Does GROUNDED contain sucralose?
No. GROUNDED Protein Milkshakes do not contain sucralose.
Does GROUNDED contain stevia?
No. GROUNDED Protein Milkshakes do not contain stevia.
Does GROUNDED contain monk fruit?
No. GROUNDED Protein Milkshakes do not contain monk fruit.
Is stevia an artificial sweetener?
Stevia is a plant-derived high-intensity sweetener rather than an artificial sweetener. If you want to avoid both artificial sweeteners and stevia, check the ingredient list for each separately.
Is monk fruit an artificial sweetener?
Monk fruit is also a plant-derived high-intensity sweetener rather than an artificial sweetener.
Sources
- GROUNDED Chocolate Protein Milkshake
- ALOHA Chocolate Sea Salt Protein Drink
- OWYN Smooth Vanilla Protein Shake
- Orgain 20g Plant-Based Protein Shake
- Premier Protein Chocolate Protein Shake
- Core Power Chocolate 26g Protein Shake
Related guide
If ingredient simplicity matters to you too, read our 2026 guide to protein shakes without gums.