Quest Vanilla Protein Shake (11 fl oz): 30g Protein, Labelgrade B+ (80/100)
B+ 80 / 100 — Same 30 g protein / 159 calorie hit as Premier Protein but with a notably shorter ingredient list (10 ingredients vs ~30) and a single sweetener (sucralose only, no acesulfame potassium). The trade-off vs Premier: no comprehensive vitamin-mineral premix and a smaller bottle (11 fl oz vs 11.5 fl oz). If you want one of the engineered high-protein shakes with the cleanest formulation, this is the choice.
🛒 Buy on Amazon →The short answer
Quest Vanilla Protein Shake delivers 30 g of protein in 159 calories per 11 fl oz (325 mL) bottle (USDA FDC 2339950) — a 5.3-calorie-per-gram protein ratio that rivals whey isolate stirred into water. The story here isn’t the macros (every engineered shake hits roughly this), it’s the back of the bottle: just 10 ingredients and one sweetener. Quest lands a Labelgrade B+ (80/100) — the same overall score as Premier Protein, but earned on a cleaner formula rather than a bigger micronutrient list.
Why the B+
| Dimension | Grade | Score | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein density | C | 64 / 100 | 9.2 g per 100 mL — average for a liquid, where water is most of the volume. The 30 g per bottle is the real number; per-mL density is what costs it points |
| Ingredient quality | B- | 72 / 100 | 10 ingredients, single sweetener (sucralose), no acesulfame K and no carrageenan. Engineered, but the shortest list of any major RTD shake — held back only by the two phosphates and gellan gum |
| Sugar load | A+ | 100 / 100 | 1 g total, 0 g added — and that gram is residual lactose, not cane sugar |
| Sodium load | A+ | 100 / 100 | 250 mg per bottle (77 mg per 100 mL) — low, on par with plain milk |
| Saturated fat | A+ | 100 / 100 | 0 g — Quest’s sunflower-oil fat carries no saturated load at all |
| Fiber | F | 30 / 100 | 0 g — structural for a shake built on isolated milk protein, with nothing added to fake it |
The fiber F is unavoidable: this is purified milk protein in water, and Quest doesn’t dose in inulin to inflate the number (Premier does — a token 1 g). The only honest knock is ingredient quality, and even there the B- is the top of the RTD class: the dings are sodium polyphosphate and trisodium phosphate (emulsion stabilizers that keep the protein from separating) plus gellan gum for texture. There’s no second sweetener and no gum-plus-carrageenan stack to apologize for.
The one number that beats Premier: calcium
Both shakes share a spec sheet almost line for line, but calcium is the outlier. Quest carries 852 mg per bottle versus Premier’s 649 mg — and on the Quest label it isn’t added calcium carbonate, it’s intrinsic to the milk protein concentrate. At 65% of the 1,300 mg Daily Value, a single Quest shake covers two-thirds of a day’s calcium as a side effect of how much milk protein it leans on. If you’re using a shake partly to backfill dairy you’re not eating, that gap is the quiet reason to reach for Quest over its twin.
What the 10-ingredient list actually buys you
Quest’s pitch is subtraction, and lined up against Premier the cuts are specific, not cosmetic:
- One sweetener, not two. Sucralose only; Premier pairs sucralose with acesulfame potassium. If you taste (or avoid) ace-K, that’s a real difference.
- No carrageenan. Premier lists it as a thickener; Quest replaces that whole job with gellan gum.
- One protein, not two. Quest is milk protein concentrate; Premier adds calcium caseinate on top.
- No vitamin-mineral premix. This is the genuine trade-off, and it runs against Quest — Premier’s ~20-item blend (E, A, K, D3, B-complex, zinc, selenium, chromium…) is the main reason its list hits ~30. Quest gives you protein, not a multivitamin in a bottle.
So the choice between the two isn’t “good vs bad.” It’s whether you want the leanest-label protein delivery (Quest) or a shake that doubles as a micronutrient top-up (Premier). They cost you the same 159 calories either way.
How it compares
| Product | Protein / bottle | Calories | Sugar | Fiber | Ingredients | Sweetener(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quest Vanilla (this product) | 30 g | 159 | 1 g | 0 g | ~10 | Sucralose |
| Premier Protein Vanilla (11.5 fl oz) | 30 g | 159 | 1 g | 1 g | ~30 | Sucralose + acesulfame K |
Identical where it counts for a protein target, divergent on philosophy. Premier wins on micronutrients and a token gram of fiber; Quest wins on a shorter list, a single sweetener, and noticeably more calcium. Same Labelgrade (80), different reasons for it.
Who it’s for
The shopper who has already decided they want a shelf-stable, artificially-sweetened, 30 g protein drink and wants the least-processed one on that shelf. Quest is that pick: lowest additive count in the RTD aisle, sucralose-only, 0 g saturated fat, 1 g sugar. The two shoppers who should look elsewhere are anyone avoiding sucralose entirely (this is sweetened, full stop) and anyone counting on a shake for daily vitamins — for that, Premier’s premix does more.
Ingredients
Water, milk protein concentrate, and (under 1% each) sunflower oil, natural flavors, sunflower lecithin, salt, sodium polyphosphate, trisodium phosphate, gellan gum, and sucralose. (Verbatim from the USDA Branded Foods entry, FDC 2339950.)
Where to buy
Affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. The Labelgrade score is independent of affiliate relationships. More.
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Quick Facts
Per serving · 1 shake (11 fl oz / 325 mL)
See how this fits your day — protein calculator · macro calculator
Full nutrition facts
| Nutrient | Per Serving (1 shake (11 fl oz / 325 mL)) |
|---|---|
| Calories | 159 |
| Protein | 30g |
| Total Fat | 3g |
| Saturated Fat | 0g |
| Trans Fat | 0g |
| Total Carbohydrates | 3g |
| Dietary Fiber | 0g |
| Total Sugars | 1g |
| Added Sugars | 0g |
| Sodium | 250mg |
| Cholesterol | 20mg |
| Calcium | 852mg |
| Iron | 1.7mg |
| Potassium | 130mg |
Scope: This page applies specifically to Quest Vanilla Protein Shake (11 fl oz (325 mL)) · UPC 888849008117. 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 Quest Vanilla Protein Shake?
30 grams per 11 fl oz (325 mL) bottle (USDA FDC 2339950) — about 9.2 g per 100 mL, and the same per-bottle protein as Premier Protein's 11.5 fl oz shake.
How many calories, and how lean is the protein?
159 calories per bottle — 5.3 calories per gram of protein. With 3 g fat, 3 g total carbs and 0 g saturated fat, almost the entire calorie load is the 30 g of milk protein itself.
What sweetens it, and is there any sugar?
Sucralose, alone. There is 1 g of total sugar (residual lactose from the milk protein) and 0 g added sugar. Notably, Quest skips acesulfame potassium — the second sweetener Premier Protein uses.
How does Quest compare to Premier Protein?
Identical headline macros — 30 g protein, 159 calories, 1 g sugar. The difference is the formula: Quest runs ~10 ingredients to Premier's ~30, uses one sweetener instead of two, and drops carrageenan and the calcium-caseinate second protein. Premier adds back a full vitamin-mineral premix and 1 g of inulin fiber that Quest doesn't carry.
Why is the calcium so high — 852 mg a bottle?
That's 65% of the 1,300 mg Daily Value, and it's mostly intrinsic to the milk protein concentrate rather than added calcium carbonate. It also runs well above Premier Protein's 649 mg per bottle, a side effect of Quest leaning harder on milk protein as the base.
Does it contain dairy, and is it keto-friendly?
Yes to dairy — milk protein concentrate is the protein, so it is not vegan and carries trace lactose (the 1 g of sugar). And yes to keto: 3 g total carbs and 1 g sugar per bottle fit low-carb and ketogenic targets.
Why does it only score a C on protein density if it has 30 g?
Density is scored per 100 mL, and as a liquid Quest lands at 9.2 g/100 mL — average for any drinkable shake. The 30-g-per-bottle figure is the number that matters for hitting a protein target; the C reflects volume, not quality.