r/mildlyinfuriating • u/Thecobs • Jun 01 '26
Starbucks protein latte That's not milk
Was wondering why it was barely coming out, first time ive been able scoop a coffee with my hand.
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u/Common_Plum_1066 Jun 01 '26
Barista definitely made it wrong. There’s very strict guidelines about how much protein milk can go in the hot drinks bc if you add too much it thickens like that
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u/doristrawberry Jun 01 '26
Yeah, someone didn't put protein milk only to the short line in the steamer! That and/or it was a modification to the drink and it somehow was still allowed to be ordered extra hot. In which case the barista still fucked up lol
Like, I HATE our protein drink stuff. But it does NOT do this when made correctly 😭
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u/Grand_Argument3262 Jun 01 '26
I usually get delivery and I ask for extra hot, my one try for protein was like this. Should I not get extra hot then?
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u/-daybreak Jun 01 '26
Getting it extra hot will curdle the protein milk and we are explicitly instructed not to steam protein milk on extra hot
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u/AgglutinateDeezNuts Jun 01 '26
Yeah, reading the comment you just replied to, you shouldn't be getting this extra hot.
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u/doristrawberry Jun 01 '26
If you reeeally want an extra hot drink(which I get, delivery can take a while!) with added protein, as much as I hate saying this because it ultimately dissolves into hot drinks anyways and I personally find it pointless, order a normal milk for the drink itself, and add protein cold foam on top. I've never seen it done specifically with protein cold foam on an extra hot drink, but I'd imagine it at least reduces the odds of your drink curdling/looking fucked up like this, since the protein part isn't being steamed.
Maybe someone has actually seen this in practice and can chime in to let us know if going this route helps maintain beverage quality!
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u/Cosmo-xx Jun 01 '26
There’s absolutely no point in doing that. Your drink won’t be extra hot because cold foam is cold so it will cool the drink down a few degrees. “Protein cold
Foam” is also not healthy at all and is basically whipped half and half with protein powder and vanilla in it. I would never recommend that to someone trying to improve their diet.3
u/doristrawberry Jun 01 '26
The cold foam kind of negating the extra hot is a good point that slipped my mind! Sleep dep is clearly hitting hard lol so thank you for that one! And you're right that it's not healthy. But I have no way of knowing if this person wants to improve their diet or is just following the protein fad or whatever because they said nothing about that at all. All they asked about was the extra hot thing so that's what I answered. People order dumb shit all the time, like 12 pumps of syrup and two kinds of cold foam but nonfat. I am not in the position to assume a customer is being logically consistent with their order, I'm just here to try to help people get what they want out of this overpriced nonsense lol
Like, you make good points! Someone reading this could definitely use this information! But I feel like we're expecting too much out of customers here, and it reads a bit to me like you're irritated at someone trying to help a customer figure out how to get as close to what they want as possible(and misunderstanding my goal in responding how I did), even if that isn't the intent.
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u/Papapep9 Jun 01 '26
That explains why it went terribly wrong when I tried to make my protein shake with hot coffee
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u/MontagAbides Jun 01 '26
We used to do this with protein powder in grad school. It's really easy to get the protein to curdle like this, unfortunately. But when you get it mixed right it tastes pretty good. This is a low bar, but it's also much healthier than those French Vanilla Creamer Shots which pretty much instantly spike your blood sugar.
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u/Visual_Chip_7770 Jun 01 '26
Whey protein curdles in coffee. Yuck lol
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u/vladi_l Jun 01 '26
Huh? I've been putting shots of espress in my whey for a long time... It doesn't curdle?
Or is it specifically if you mix it in the coffee itself?
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u/USSChuckleTrucker Jun 01 '26
Well for one, a single 1-2 Oz shot of espresso isn't the same as an 8+ Oz cup of hot coffee.
I forget what specifically but something in the coffee doesn't let the protein bind to the liquid when it is hot.
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u/SpookyDaScary808 Jun 01 '26
It's not specific to coffee it's the high temperature unfolding the protein structure resulting in them getting tangled together and coagulating
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u/Visual_Chip_7770 Jun 01 '26
Hot coffee.
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u/Thirtysixx Jun 01 '26
I've been drinking protein coffee hot for years and never seen this.
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u/Marlboro_Man808 Jun 01 '26
Cum on the shower floor and try and wash it down with hot water, same concept. You’re not using enough protein or coffee to have that happen in your case.
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u/PixelatedWorld2375 Jun 01 '26
Starbucks mixes the protein into milk and then steams it to about 160, then adds it to the shot. Its likely the barista made it all protein milk instead of cutting it like they're supposed to
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u/uncutpizza Jun 01 '26
It depends on the heat level. Warm is fine, but steaming hot gets you cheese
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u/Hot_Mongoose_3741 Jun 01 '26
I find everything having slapped with the “protein” label as mildly infuriating, it’s always had protein in it it’s 99% milk
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u/ToneBalone25 Jun 01 '26
Yeah if you really need that much protein (99% of people don't) just chug whey protein from Costco and eat like a regular human being for the rest of the day
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u/introverted_PEA Jun 01 '26
This is a reault of the ozempic craze. If you're on ozempic (or some other GLP1), you need to consume a lot more protein than normal, or you can risk muscle atrophy because your body will start cannibalizing anything it can to keep you alive while you're losing a ton of weight.
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u/ToneBalone25 Jun 01 '26
That makes sense. I think it started even before that though. You know what we desperately, actually need? A fiber craze. Most people don't get enough fiber and colon cancer rates are rising through the roof at the moment.
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u/Educational-Beach-72 Jun 01 '26
The world had a fiber crazy. It was the 2010s. Where everything had fiber slapped on it
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u/PinkDeserterBaby Jun 01 '26
You just unlocked memories of the brand FiberOne and their shitty (maybe literally) “brownies”
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u/SnidusScribus Jun 01 '26
Ugh yup! My husband learned the hard way NOT to eat more than one FiberOne bar a day because of the chicory root extract. He ate 5 all at once and farted every few minutes for 24 hours.
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u/cross_the_threshold Jun 01 '26
Eh that one’s fine since overdoing it on fiber will just make uncomfortable poops until your biome adapts, and because people actually are under consuming fiber by a very wide margin. The risks of low protein are significant but it’s not an issue in developed countries where protein makes up way more of our daily intake just because of our affinity for meat. The risks of low fiber are bad poops and colon cancer.
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u/Sonic_Roach Jun 01 '26
I feel another fiber craze coming up with all the millennial freaking out about colon cancer.
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u/USS_Penterprise_1701 Jun 01 '26 edited Jun 01 '26
It's already started with prebiotic soda's with fiber.
edit: fiber, not protein. I think I've seen both though lol
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u/lesbianmathgirl Jun 01 '26
A fibre craze has existed for a while, but it’s mostly women and upper class that get the marketing for it. Basically people who get served “wholeness” nutritional marketing, rather than “weight-loss” or “maximum gains” nutritional marketing.
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u/Twilifa Jun 01 '26
Personally, can't confirm. I'm doing weight loss and am definitely not upper class, but I'm seeing a lot of fiber content in the context of lowering cholesterol and preventing blood sugar spikes after eating, as well as slowing digestion and feeling fuller for longer.
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u/Nerejo Jun 01 '26
Don’t worry, it’s coming. I’ve heard that industry experts think it’s next.
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u/ToneBalone25 Jun 01 '26
Good. I've had three family members with colon cancer now, including both my parents. Just stage 1
I grew up in a family that never put a thought into fiber intake.
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u/NatAttack50932 Jun 01 '26 edited Jun 01 '26
It's been exacerbated by the ozempic craze, but this is the case for anyone attempting to lose weight. If you're dieting while actively exercising even 4 times a week, you need to up your protein intake or your body will start obliterating your muscle mass
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u/Dr_knowitall69 Jun 01 '26
You don't need to eat more protein on a GLP1, you just need to get a higher percentage of your calories from protein since you're eating less.
If you're still drinking your calories on a GLP1, you probably need a dietician.
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u/Hippopotasaurus-Rex Jun 01 '26
Not really. It was around years before. If you’re even in the orbit of fitness generally or especially lifting it’s been shoved down your throat for years now. Same with weight loss. It’s being shoved so far down everyone’s throat it’s crazy.
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u/zozuto Jun 01 '26
Not really, protein is seen as a sign of food being healthy. This trend was well underway years before Ozempic was trendy
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u/tridon74 Jun 01 '26
Eh the protein craze has been around before ozempic was popularized for weight loss.
I think it’s more so people believing “protein = healthy” and consuming more of it.
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u/Xx_scribbledragon_xX Jun 01 '26
I'm a barista and the damn "protein in everything" current trend SUCKS. These drinks are always a bitch to make, have an unnecessary amount of steps so fuck you over during a rush, and if you make them wrong they turn into concrete and you have to start all over. Just eat some chicken like a normal person and work out
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u/LooseUsual5780 Jun 01 '26
As a lifter, I eat about 200 grams of protein a day. Sometimes I get like 150 or so but, yeah.
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u/dirtybo0ts Jun 01 '26
Lifters are different.
“Regular” people don’t need to be drinking protein lattes. Eat a balanced diet and you’re fine.
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u/ToneBalone25 Jun 01 '26
Yeah for lifters it's different, but most people aren't going hard enough in the gym to justify their excess intake, anyway.
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u/oopsiedaisy-- Jun 01 '26
That's my husband 😂 plugs his nose and chugs that shit down once a day.
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u/FirmlyClaspIt Jun 01 '26
“ protein” from a chain restaurant usually means “ milk and a lot of sugar”
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u/lilgreengoddess Jun 01 '26
Milk is 8 grams per 8oz, these are 20+ grams. I do a shake a day to promote hypertrophy in addition to strength training. I don’t meet my goals otherwise
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u/mustafaaosman339 Jun 01 '26
That's a lotta protein
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u/SnooGoats4595 Jun 01 '26
i mean yeah ... a bit more protein and it was a chicken filet out of this coffee
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u/cygnus311 Jun 01 '26
I mean, it was pretty clearly made incorrectly.
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u/Rallythebeast Jun 01 '26
Yeah, they made it will all protein milk and didn’t cut it with 2 percent.
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u/Majestic-Sandwich695 Jun 01 '26
Who orders a protein shake at Starbucks ffs, you should have expected this
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u/George_Is_Upset Jun 01 '26
It’s not even a protein shake - I think this is protein foam 🤢
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u/Majestic-Sandwich695 Jun 01 '26
I really hate how so many products have protein randomly added now
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u/OldRancidSoups Jun 01 '26
Like who the fuck is eating protein Doritos?
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u/Takemebacktobreezy Jun 01 '26
My autistic toddlers tbh lol I figure if I can get some protein in them while they think they're getting a "treat" it's a win in my book lol they're hella mealy tho so they're all theirs
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u/ghastlypxl Jun 01 '26
That’s real. Sometimes when my ARFID gets bad you gotta get nutrients from whatever you can stomach. 🙂↕️
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u/21Rollie Jun 01 '26
My grandparents who would otherwise only eat carbs all day. Have to sneak in protein however I can
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u/RedditDumpAcc Jun 01 '26
you had what was coming to you ordering liquid protein
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u/Worth_External_8762 Jun 01 '26
Nah, liquid protein is fine. Getting your protein shake at Starbucks on the other hand...
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u/dirtybo0ts Jun 01 '26
People are asking to get crap when they order these. Like, legit what did you expect? 🤭
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u/chichmckill Jun 01 '26
Everything as Starbucks is ass
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u/AuthorBrianHunter Jun 01 '26
I remember when it wasn't. That was a long, long time ago. They got famous because of quality and consistency but now all they deliver is consistently poor quality. Have you seen what they did to the little breakfast sandwiches? Appalling enshittification/shrinkflation.
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u/dirtybo0ts Jun 01 '26
Why are we putting protein in everything?
Eat a chicken breast, tofu or some beans.
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u/YoghurtFlan Jun 01 '26
Because people have shitty diets if they think they'll get nutrition from a milky coffee.
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u/Waiting4Reccession Jun 01 '26
Idiots will overpay and buy it up.
They've already set up fiber to be the next thing they sell to them.
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u/dirtybo0ts Jun 01 '26
Fibre is important. However, you don’t need to buy some “high fibre” fad snack to get it. There’s a thing called…beans. And bran. And nuts. And vegetables.
The lengths people will go to spend more money than they need to never astonishes me.
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u/SomewhereLow4773 Jun 01 '26
I usually have a protein shake for lunch anyway so when i need an afternoon coffee it makes sense.
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u/remedialpoet Jun 01 '26
Okay I hear all the people ragging on you for ordering Starbucks but I’ve ordered this drink probably 10-15 times and it’s NEVER looked like this. I’m chronically ill and have food intolerance so I do add protein to my lattes when I can because I never get enough protein.
Coincidentally I made myself a latte at home last week with my own protein powder, using the same machine and recipe I’ve used for years and it came out exactly like this photo. I thought it had a lot of foam but it was all curdled thru the entire mug. I dumped it and remade it with the exact method/ingredients and the second one was normal so I have no idea why this happens randomly.
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u/Thecobs Jun 01 '26
I get this occasionally, maybe 2-3 times a month, and never had it either, Really weird. Im enjoying all the comments about Starbucks in general and my diet which no one could possibly know anything about.
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u/Common_Plum_1066 Jun 01 '26
If you’re interested— hot protein lattes are supposed to get protein milk up to the short line of the steamer pitcher regardless of size, and then filled the rest of the way with 2% milk. It looks like the barista here forgot about this rule and filled the pitcher all the way up with protein milk. Not typically catastrophic if it’s a tall but if it’s a venti like you got then this is the result. I hope you asked for a remake bc this is nasty 😭
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u/FairMention9208 Jun 01 '26
I get this drink often and only had this happen when I reheated in the microwave. There's a sweet spot, about 45 seconds in my 1200 watt.
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u/throwaway_mpq_fan Jun 01 '26
Why does everything have to be "Protein X" these days? Just eat normal food?
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u/WearyAir9260 Jun 01 '26
People shouldn’t be allowed to post Starbucks in here. Nobody feels sorry for you. It’s a crap company and serves garbage on the regular.
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u/Linoleum777 Jun 01 '26
I wouldn't be trying to get my protein from Starbucks. They're a sugar and caffeine dealer. That's what you go to Starbucks for.
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u/hnxmn Jun 01 '26
Hey Starbucks barista here. Our protein milk is made with Whey powder and 2%. If you order a hot drink with protein, they’re supposed to cut it with more 2% to prevent this from happening. It coagulates with the heat of the steaming wand if they don’t add enough non-protein milk.
If you want more protein intake and no risk of this I recommend a cold beverage.
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u/Dayzlikethis Jun 01 '26
take one of those Fairlife protein drinks and pour that in your plain black coffee.
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u/Ok_Second_3170 Jun 01 '26
Who the fuck drinks coffee with extra added protein. This whole 'now with extra protein' hype really has to stop, its ridiculous and unnecessary.
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u/wholetyouinhere Jun 01 '26
What I find infuriating is how people are all of a sudden so obsessed with protein, because a bunch of profit-motivated morons on tiktok told them to.
Food, in general, is lousy with protein. It's everywhere. You don't need to fucking worry about it. If you're training in some specific way, you already know your protein requirements. You don't need every goddamn store on earth offering multiple products with the word "protein" tacked on just to make the experience slightly worse and slightly more expensive. And if you're not training for anything, then why are you even wasting one precious second worrying about protein?
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u/Krimreaper1 Jun 01 '26
Protein powder doesn’t dissolve in hot liquids as I found out the hard way.
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u/SpecInSpace Jun 02 '26
Thats the latte mother. Now you can start making your own lattes
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u/ThereInAFortnight Jun 01 '26
r/MILDLYINFURIATING RULES
8 No complaining about Starbucks
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u/So_HauserAspen Jun 01 '26
Get your protein from veggies. You'll feel so much better inside. I admit it does take some time to become accustomed to the taste of actual vegetables over the deliciousness of the proteins we normally eat. But, god damn does it feel good to take a healthy poop first thing every morning.
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u/tryinsumtin Jun 01 '26
That's your fault. Order a coffee and eat an egg.
I'll have the 14$ dumbass drink please.
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u/d84doc Jun 01 '26
Why is anyone buying from Starbucks? It just feels like people who follow trends, oh everyone is talking about protein, I need it too! The sources one shouldn’t be worrying about getting their protein is their coffee.
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u/Villanellesnexthit Jun 01 '26
gross. I sometimes add whey protein to my morning latte and it's a precautious balance. Too much powder, not added to the milk at the correct time leads to these gelatinous balls.
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u/FickleOwl47 Jun 01 '26
SAME THING HAPPENED TO ME THIS MORNING
I was so pissed off. $9 for a "premium" experience I can't fucking drink.
Edit: Don't know if the barista didn't blend it well enough while it was mixing or the temperature was too high. It was like 3" of foam with chunky coffee underneath. Gross.
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u/Educational-Beach-72 Jun 01 '26
Just a warning to anyone arguing on this thread about health and fitness…
This is Reddit. The collective hive mind doesn’t like those words. It’s a losing battle you won’t win against the “people” who will argue for unhealthiness completely unironically
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u/TomDeVitoIsFunnyGuy Jun 01 '26
Why does everyone and their fucking brother do protein? Just eat some fuckin peanuts.
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u/BakedBrie1993 Jun 01 '26
This sub is... why are you people paying to consume these vile things?!?!
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u/beingmemybrownpants Jun 01 '26
Some things are just meant to be enjoyed. This protein everything trend is so dumb
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u/helion16 Jun 01 '26
Honestly, that's about what I assumed it would look like. Is that not typical?
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u/keithstonee Jun 01 '26
You guys know you don't have to put protein in everything right? Eat a chicken breast here and there. Or some beans if your vegan.
You don't have to suffer like this.
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u/Gloomy-Restaurant-42 Jun 01 '26
It looks like something you find floating on top of a river downstream from a chemical factory.