Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Food & Drink
  3. Features

Director of Nutrition weighs in on Atkins’ latest protein coffee drinks — what to know

Should you combine protein and caffeine?

By
Atkins Pumpkin Spice Latte
Atkins / Atkins

New protein drinks are always hitting the market — but what if you could combine protein with iced coffee? Turns out you can, with Atkins’s latest protein coffee drinks. Called “Iced Coffee Shakes”, the brand offers protein shakes that are made with real coffee. But should you consume coffee that has added protein to it? Are there benefits to combining your caffeine intake with your protein intake?

To get the scoop, we interview Dr. Jonathan Clinthorne, PhD – Director of Nutrition & Education at Simply Good. Simply Good is the parent brand for Atkins’s low-carb products. Simply Good is focused on empowering and educating its customers on how to eat right and snack smarter by offering low-sugar, health-conscious products that make life easy.

Recommended Videos

Here’s what he had to say when asked to provide more information about Atkins’s new iced protein coffees.

What do people need to know about consuming protein coffee?

Man drinking protein shake
Karolina Grabowska / Pexels

A: There’s a lot of “buzz” and content around using protein shakes as a coffee creamer. While it’s a fun trend, it doesn’t add significant nutritional value to your coffee. That’s why we wanted to take the concept further by creating a range of delicious, caffeinated drinks that truly set you up for success each day. Atkins’ Iced Coffee Protein Shakes offer a convenient way to get that morning or afternoon pick-me-up without the sugar spikes and crashes that often come with sugary drinks. With low net carbs and a low glycemic impact (effects on blood sugar), these protein-iced coffees offer sustained energy without compromising on taste or nutrition.

Atkins’ protein coffee drinks can be enjoyed by anyone looking to consume both coffee and protein at once. While these products are geared toward those on low-sugar, low-carb, and ketogenic diets, Dr.Clinthorne notes that they’re an awesome choice for anyone. With 15 grams of protein per serving, consuming protein coffee drinks makes it easier to consume enough protein per day.

How do protein coffee drinks make it easy to hit daily macros?

A: Research consistently shows that many people struggle to meet their protein needs, especially in the morning. If you don’t start your day with a good, quality source of protein, hitting your macro targets becomes difficult. As awareness grows around the importance of protein, people are learning that it’s not just about hitting the numbers—it’s about distributing your intake throughout the day for optimal muscle synthesis.
With 30% of your daily value of high-quality protein, Atkins shakes make it easy to start your day on the right foot. They also provide fiber, essential vitamins, minerals, and caffeine in one convenient package, making them a healthier alternative to sugary coffee drinks. Of course, there’s also the time-saving component to consuming protein coffee drinks. Killing two birds with one stone means you can spend less time making up your protein drinks and brewing coffee since you’ll have a pre-made drink already on hand.

Should people combine caffeine intake with protein?

>Atkins vanilla latte iced coffee

A: Combining protein with caffeine in a shake gives you a drink that energizes without the crash that often comes from sugar-laden alternatives. Protein, being the most satiating of the macronutrients, helps curb hunger, while caffeine provides that much-needed boost. Plus, caffeine has been shown to enhance exercise performance, and consuming protein before a workout supports muscle building.

For people with busy, active lives, Atkins Iced Coffee Protein Shakes offer the perfect blend of protein, caffeine, and nutrients in a convenient, low-sugar format—making it an ideal pre-workout or mid-day energy boost. Each flavor contains about 75 mg of caffeine, which is about the same as an average cup of brewed coffee. This is just enough caffeine to give you a light boost without too much — which can cause adverse effects. These drinks can be enjoyed in replace of your favorite morning coffee or can even be used before the gym in replace of a pre-workout supplement.

What do you love about the flavor selection? Which is your favorite?

Atkins Pumpkin Spice Latte
A: I truly love the variety of flavors in this lineup. We’ve developed high-protein versions of classic coffeehouse favorites, which are both delicious and satisfying. For tea lovers, the Chai Tea flavor is an excellent option. I love the Pumpkin Spice Protein Latte—it’s a seasonal favorite that sells out quickly every year. It’s a perfect indulgence for the fall season and the fact that our customers keep coming back for it speaks to how much they love it too. Each flavor is offered in four-count packs that contain individual bottles (11 ounces each). Flavors are available for purchase online or in select stores such as Target.

Shop Now

Other flavors of protein coffee

Mocha coffee
Olga Leschenko / Shutterstock

After interviewing Dr.Clinthorne, we explored which other flavors Atkins’ offered in their new iced protein coffee drinks. In addition to the seasonal flavor mentioned, the brand has other favorite coffee flavor options, such as mocha coffee and vanilla. The cafè caramel latte almost seems like an indulgent snack, yet without the sugar.

Emily Caldwell
Emily Caldwell
Contributor
Emily is a Features Writer at The Manual, where she specializes in food, beverage, and travel content. She focuses on weaving…
Topics
The best beers from California you can buy anywhere
California is more than just IPAs
Sierra Nevada

Currently, more than 9,000 breweries of all sizes operate in the US. That’s an awful lot of IPAs, stouts, and lagers to choose from. Some states are more saturated with breweries (per capita) than others. This includes places like Vermont, Colorado, Maine, Oregon, and, of course, California. While I could take a deep dive into all the biggest beer-producing states, today is all about The Golden State.

I have a special affinity for California beer, and it’s because of one style in particular. Sure, you can find a beer style to fit every palate in the state, but in California, the IPA reigns supreme. In fact, if you look at almost any list ranking the best beers in the state, it will be littered with IPA options. While I often imbibe pilsners and other lagers (as well as wheat beers and other lighter beers) in the summer as well as stouts and porters (and other dark beers) in the winter, I always go back to the classic West Coast IPA.

Read more
Blue Bottle just proved California can grow world-class coffee
Blue Bottle Coffee just dropped a super rare California-grown coffee
Blue Bottle Coffee

Coffee has always had its origins story – Ethiopia, Colombia, Panama. But California was never part of that conversation, until now. Coffee leader, Blue Bottle, has just launched the California Frinj San Diego Gesha, a washed Gesha grown in San Diego and Santa Barbara counties in partnership with Frinj Coffee, the pioneering network behind California's emerging coffee movement. Gesha is widely regarded as one of the most prized varietals in specialty coffee, known for its delicate floral complexity and fruit-forward character –  and this one delivers jasmine, peach, and strawberry in a cup.

Up until now, many coffee brands would shy away from growing specialty-grade coffee in California, as it requires years of experimentation and innovation. For the past two decades, Jay Ruskey, founder of Frinj Coffee, has helped pioneer California coffee product through continual experimentation with innovative growing practices, coffee varieties, and post-harvest processing. Now, this exciting new launch finally reflects that work. Cherries from two California farms were processed at Frinj's wet mill in Ventura, using carefully controlled fermentation to result in an exceptionally clean cup of coffee. This new variety showcases the signature floral aromatics and bright fruit character of the Gesha variety.

Read more
Dark rums for whiskey fans
These rums are a great choice for whiskey drinkers
rum bottles

There’s no disputing the appeal of whisk(e)y. Whether it's single malt Scotch whisky, bourbon, rye whiskey, Irish whiskey, or others. There’s something special about this barrel-aged spirit. But it’s not the only aged spirit, and if you’re limiting your sipping to this style, you’re missing out on some other special, flavorful spirit. Especially dark rum.

I’ve spent years imbibing the various forms of whiskey. But every now and then, I branch out and pour myself a glass of dark rum instead. Unsurprisingly, the two spirits have some of the same aromas and flavors. Since both are matured in wood barrels, they impart flavors like caramel, vanilla, dried fruits, and oak (among others). If you don’t already, you should branch out and add dark rum to your aged spirits rotation.

Read more