3 secrets you should know about

Protein

(that most people don't)

Hey it's Kevin, the founder of Rivo™ Protein Ice Cream.

If you're here I know you're interested in protein. So I want to share with you 3 secrets about protein... and how to easily get more of it into your body every day...

Secret #1

Exercise doesn't work without protein

You probably already know that protein is important. But many people don’t know just HOW important it is…

If you’re exercising at all - whether it’s hitting the gym, going to your local Pilates class or just getting out and walking - but you’re not eating enough protein, you’re capping your progress. Full stop.

Protein is essential for muscle recovery. Without it, your body struggles to repair itself after exercise, leading to slower gains, more soreness, and even muscle loss over time.

Secret #2

It's harder than you think to get enough protein

So how much do you really need? More than you probably think…

Some research suggests 0.7-1 gram of protein per pound of body weight every day for active individuals. At the midpoint (0.85g/lb), that looks like:

120 lbs
~100g protein per day
150 lbs
~120g protein per day
200 lbs
~170g protein per day

That’s 33-56g per meal if you eat 3 times a day.

That’s a lot of protein to stuff down.

This is where protein powder comes in. 

Protein shakes have been a go-to for decades. A simple shake between meals makes hitting your protein target so much easier, without turning every meal into a protein-stuffing challenge.

Sounds great, right?
Well here’s the problem:

Secret #3

The dirty secret about many protein powders

Most protein powders contain ingredients that can cause problems for some people.

Things like artificial sweeteners, gums, etc. I researched the top selling whey protein powders in the US. And guess what? Most of them contain these things.

Here’s a list of what I found:

Sucralose (artificial sweetener)

Disrupts Gut Health → Studies show sucralose can alter gut microbiota, reducing beneficial bacteria and increasing gut inflammation (Suez et al., 2014).

Affects Blood Sugar & Insulin Response → Research suggests artificial sweeteners may promote insulin resistance, making it harder for your body to regulate blood sugar properly. That’s bad news if you care about metabolic health (Rother et al., 2018).

Acesulfame Potassium (also called Ace-K)

Increases Cravings & Appetite -> Some studies suggest artificial sweeteners, including Ace-K, activate reward pathways without providing energy, increasing cravings, overeating and weight gain (Yang, 2010).

Gums & Fillers (used for texture)

Can cause bloating, gas, and digestive distress, especially in people with gut sensitivities (Paudel et al., 2022).

Artificial Ingredients

In our opinion, if it's labeled "artificial flavor" or "artificial sweetener" you may want to avoid it.

Alternative Sweeteners

Alternative natural options like stevia, erythritol, and allulose can cause digestive issues and blood sugar fluctuations in sensitive individuals (Mazi & Stanhope, 2023). Plus some people just don't like the taste.

Personally, we don’t think you need all of the ingredients listed above.

What you really need is a high-quality protein powder made with simple, natural ingredients you actually recognize and trust.

The challenge is — those can be surprisingly hard to find.

When evaluating a protein powder, here are a few things we recommend:

  • Look for short, simple ingredient lists
  • Avoid artificial sweeteners and highly processed additives
  • Choose brands that are transparent about sourcing and testing

And if you come across a protein powder you genuinely trust, we’d love to hear about it—feel free to share it with us using the contact link at the top of this page.

Thanks for reading…

To health & happiness,

Founder, Rivo™ Protein Ice Cream

Scientific References

  1. Suez, J., Korem, T., Zilberman-Schapira, G., Segal, E., & Elinav, E. (2014). Artificial sweeteners induce glucose intolerance by altering the gut microbiota. Nature, 514(7521), 181–186.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25231862/
  2. Rother, K. I., Conway, E. M., Sylvetsky, A. C., & Vos, M. B. (2018). Non-nutritive sweeteners and their implications on the development of metabolic syndrome: A review of the literature. Nutrients, 11(3), 644. https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/11/3/644 
  3. Yang, Q. (2010). Gain weight by “going diet?” Artificial sweeteners and the neurobiology of sugar cravings. Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine, 83(2), 101–108.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20589192/
  4. Paudel, D., Nair, D. V. T., Tian, S., Hao, F., Goand, U. K., Joseph, G., Prodes, E., Chai, Z., Robert, C. E. M., Chassaing, B., Patterson, A. D., & Singh, V. (2022). Guar-gum-induced changes in gut-microbiota metabolic activity and intestinal immune response augment susceptibility to experimental colitis.Current Developments in Nutrition, 6(8), nzac068. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9194036
  5. Mazi, T. A., & Stanhope, K. L. (2023). Erythritol: An in-depth discussion of its potential to be a beneficial dietary component. Nutrients, 15(1), 204.https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9824470/