"A bartender, standing for an eight-hour shift and shaking several hundred cocktails a night, might even be considered an athlete of sorts. Consider the sloshing body of ice and booze that oscillates from side to side in a silver shaker, meeting a hand at one end before the bicep flexes and throws the wrist, the hand, the shaker, the liquid inside."
"More and more, brands are courting health-conscious consumers with protein-enhanced beverages. Every bottle you see at the corner store now reads 8G, 15G, 30G. The trend has muscled into nearly every beverage category. Of course, there have long been ready-to-drink protein shakes and protein-enriched dairy products, but the past year has witnessed protein injected into ever-stranger beverages."
"Now there are coffees like Starbucks' cold-foam-capped protein lattes and matchas or Dunkin's lattes and Protein Refreshers. Beyond Meat, the plant-based food company, has gone liquid with its launch of a protein beverage as well. There are even alcoholic drinks touting protein, like Mate! Vodka Protein Water and the Protochol Swoleberry Spiked Protein seltzer."
Bartenders performing repetitive cocktail-shaking motions experience physical strain similar to athletic activity. Recognizing this demand for recovery and health optimization, beverage brands increasingly incorporate protein into diverse drink categories. What began with traditional protein shakes and dairy products has evolved into protein-infused coffee drinks, matchas, plant-based beverages, and even alcoholic options. Major brands like Starbucks, Dunkin', and Beyond Meat have launched protein-enhanced products, while niche offerings include protein-spiked seltzers and energy drinks. This trend reflects broader consumer interest in convenient, functional beverages that combine enjoyment with nutritional benefits.
#protein-beverages #functional-drinks #health-conscious-consumers #beverage-innovation #nutrition-trends
Read at Slate Magazine
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