Fairlife Core Power Elite 42g Chocolate: Nutrition & Labelgrade B+ (81/100)
B+ 81 / 100 — Among the highest-protein RTD shakes on the US market — 42g per bottle at the same calorie count as a Snickers bar. Ultra-filtered Fairlife milk base; the protein is real milk protein concentrated 3-4x by filtration. Soft spots: triple-sweetener stack (sucralose + ace-K + stevia + monk fruit) and carrageenan.
🛒 Buy on Amazon →The short answer
Fairlife Core Power Elite 42g Chocolate delivers 42 g of protein for 232 calories in a 14 fl oz (414 ml) bottle (USDA FDC 2668980) — one of the highest single-bottle protein numbers on the ready-to-drink shelf, at the same calorie cost as a candy bar. The protein isn’t whey powder stirred into milk: it’s real milk protein, concentrated 3-4× by ultra-filtration, which is why a single bottle hits 5.5 calories per gram of protein — within a hair of plain chicken breast. It earns a B+ (81/100). Perfect marks on sugar, sodium, and saturated fat; the ceiling is the ingredient list, where a four-sweetener blend and three texturizers do the work that a powder wouldn’t need.
What actually sets it apart
Most RTD shakes get their protein from added whey or milk-protein isolate dumped into a flavored base. Fairlife starts from the other end: it takes its own ultra-filtered Grade A milk and concentrates it. A microporous filter holds back the protein and calcium while water and most of the lactose pass through, so the casein-and-whey fraction native to the milk (roughly 4:1) gets denser instead of getting an isolate poured in. That’s why the calcium number is enormous — 898 mg, about 69% of a day’s worth in one bottle — a fingerprint of concentrated dairy that powder-based shakes can’t fake.
Two things that follow from that, and that shoppers routinely miss:
- The 7 g of sugar is not added sugar. It’s residual lactose that survived filtration; the label confirms 0 g added sugar. All the sweetness on top of that comes from zero-calorie sweeteners, which is how Elite lands a 42 g protein bottle at 232 calories without tasting flat.
- It’s lactose-free despite being pure milk. Filtration removes most of the lactose and an added lactase enzyme finishes the rest, so the intolerant crowd can drink it — but a true milk-protein allergy still rules it out, because this is milk protein turned up to ten.
Why the B+
| Dimension | Grade | Score | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein density | C+ | 65 / 100 | 10 g per 100 ml — only moderate as a concentration, because it’s still mostly water; the 42 g comes from drinking a full 414 ml |
| Ingredient quality | B | 77 / 100 | 15 ingredients, including four sweeteners and three texturizers (carrageenan, cellulose gel, cellulose gum) — all FDA-recognized as safe, but clearly engineered |
| Saturated fat | A+ | 98 / 100 | 2 g — filtration strips most of the milkfat |
| Sodium | A+ | 100 / 100 | 261 mg per bottle — genuinely low for the category |
| Sugar | A+ | 100 / 100 | 7 g, all natural lactose; 0 g added |
| Fiber | F | 33 / 100 | 2 g — trace fiber from the cellulose stabilizers, not a real source |
The score reads honestly. The protein-density “C+” is a quirk of the metric, not a knock on the product — graded per 100 ml, any beverage looks diluted next to a solid, but in absolute terms 42 g per bottle is meal-replacement territory. The fiber “F” is structural; nobody drinks a milk shake for fiber. The one judgment call that actually costs Elite the A range is ingredient quality: four sweeteners plus three texturizers is a long, processed-looking label, and that’s the price of forcing 42 g of milk protein into a stable, palatable 232-calorie liquid.
How it stacks up against other RTD shakes
| Product | Protein / bottle | Calories | Added sugar | Sodium |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Core Power Elite 42g (this) | 42 g (414 ml) | 232 | 0 g | 261 mg |
| Core Power Original Vanilla (340 ml) | 26 g | 170 | 5 g | 230 mg |
| Premier Protein Vanilla (340 ml) | 30 g | 160 | 1 g | 380 mg |
| ON Gold Standard RTD Vanilla (325 ml) | 24 g | 150 | 0 g | 299 mg |
| Quest Vanilla (325 ml) | 30 g | 160 | 1 g | 470 mg |
The read is simple: Elite is the only mainstream shake that puts a true 40+ g dose in one bottle — a full tier above the 24-30 g pack that Premier, Quest, and ON Gold Standard occupy. It pays for that with calories and price (roughly $4-5 a bottle versus $2.50-3.50), so it’s the wrong buy if 30 g already covers your goal. But on the two specs that usually drag shakes down, sugar and sodium, Elite quietly beats the field — its 261 mg of sodium undercuts Premier’s 380 mg and Quest’s 470 mg by a wide margin. The honest competitor isn’t another shake; it’s Fairlife’s own Core Power Original, which gives you 26 g for less money and a cleaner label if you don’t need the extra 16 g.
Who it’s for
The athlete or busy lifter who specifically needs a 40+ g protein dose in 30 seconds and won’t get it from food on a tight schedule. For that job, Elite is close to unbeatable: chicken-breast-grade leanness, real milk protein, a day’s calcium, and lower sodium than its rivals. The shoppers who should pass are anyone satisfied by a 25-30 g bottle (Core Power Original or Premier is cheaper and simpler), and anyone who avoids artificial sweeteners or carrageenan on principle — there’s a lot of formulation here, and that’s exactly the trade-off for hitting 42 g without sugar.
Ingredients
Filtered lowfat Grade A milk, alkalized cocoa, less than 1% natural flavors, lactase enzyme, sea salt, acesulfame potassium, carrageenan, monk fruit juice concentrate, maltodextrin, cellulose gel, cellulose gum, stevia leaf extract, sucralose, vitamin A palmitate, vitamin D3. (Verbatim from the USDA Branded Foods entry, FDC 2668980.)
Where to buy
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Quick Facts
Per serving · 1 bottle (414 ml)
049000553604See how this fits your day — protein calculator · macro calculator
Full nutrition facts
| Nutrient | Per Serving (1 bottle (414 ml)) |
|---|---|
| Calories | 232 |
| Protein | 42g |
| Total Fat | 3.5g |
| Saturated Fat | 2g |
| Trans Fat | 0g |
| Total Carbohydrates | 9g |
| Dietary Fiber | 2g |
| Total Sugars | 7g |
| Added Sugars | 0g |
| Sodium | 261mg |
| Cholesterol | 17mg |
| Calcium | 898mg |
| Iron | 2mg |
| Potassium | 700mg |
Scope: This page applies specifically to Fairlife Core Power Elite 42g Protein Shake (Chocolate) (14 fl oz (414 ml) bottle) · UPC 049000553604. Other sizes, flavors, or formulations may differ.
How this fits each diet
Each score is computed from the same USDA nutrition + ingredient data, against the published rules of each diet. They tell you "does this food fit this diet" — not whether the diet is right for you.
contains animal-derived ingredients
contains no listed meat or fish
no wheat, barley, rye, or malt detected in USDA ingredient list
Frequently Asked Questions
How much protein is in a Fairlife Core Power Elite 42g shake?
42 g per 14 fl oz (414 ml) bottle — about 10 g per 100 ml (USDA FDC 2668980). That works out to 5.5 calories per gram of protein, nearly as lean as plain cooked chicken breast (5.3 cal/g). Among off-the-shelf RTD shakes, almost nothing else clears 40 g in a single bottle.
How is Elite 42g different from regular Core Power 26g?
Same milk base, two tiers. Core Power Original is 26 g protein per 11.5 fl oz at 170 calories — a general-purpose protein milk. Elite is 42 g per 14 fl oz at 232 calories, built for athletes who want a 40+ g dose in one bottle. Elite is roughly 60% more protein for 35% more calories, and it costs more per bottle. If 26 g covers your goal, Original is the cheaper, simpler pick (it's sweetened with cane sugar, not the four-sweetener blend).
Where does 42 g of protein come from in a milk drink?
Ultra-filtration, not added powder. Regular milk is only 3-4% protein by mass. Fairlife pushes the milk through a microfilter that holds back the protein and calcium while letting water and most of the lactose pass through, concentrating Elite to about 10% protein. So the 42 g is real milk protein — casein and whey in roughly a 4:1 ratio — not whey isolate stirred in.
Why are there four sweeteners on the label?
Acesulfame potassium, sucralose, stevia leaf extract, and monk fruit. Each has a slightly different sweetness curve and aftertaste, and blending four in small amounts usually tastes cleaner than a big dose of any one. All four are zero-calorie, so none count as added sugar — the 7 g of sugar on the label is the lactose that survives filtration. The honest downside: four sweeteners in one bottle is a lot, and not everyone's gut is happy with that combination.
Is Core Power Elite lactose-free?
Yes. Filtration strips out most of the lactose, and the added lactase enzyme breaks down whatever remains, so people with lactose intolerance generally handle it fine. It is not milk-allergy safe, though — Elite is concentrated milk protein, so a true dairy-protein allergy rules it out.
How does it compare to Premier Protein, Quest, and ON Gold Standard?
On protein per bottle, Elite wins outright. Premier Protein is 30 g, Quest is 30 g, ON Gold Standard RTD is 24 g — all in the 11-11.5 fl oz range. Elite's 42 g is a full tier above, but it also runs about $4-5 a bottle versus roughly $2.50-3.50 for the others. Where Elite genuinely stands out is sodium: 261 mg, well under Premier's 380 mg and Quest's 470 mg.
Can I use it as a meal replacement?
It works as a light one. 232 calories carries 42 g protein, 9 g carbs, 3.5 g fat, plus about 69% of the Daily Value for calcium (898 mg), 700 mg potassium, and added vitamin D. The gaps: only 2 g fiber, and the carbs are almost all lactose rather than slow-digesting starch — so it won't keep you full as long as a plate of food. Pair it with fruit or oats for a real meal; drink it alone for a fast post-workout hit.
Is the protein 'complete'?
Yes. Milk protein supplies all nine essential amino acids in muscle-friendly proportions, and the casein fraction here is especially high in leucine, the amino acid that flips on muscle protein synthesis. The 'Complete Protein' callout on the bottle is accurate.