Is Protein Dirty Soda Good For You? An RD Explains

On TikTok, Utah-based creator Rebecca Gordon fills up a Super Swig (the Utah version of a Big Gulp) with ]Diet Coke at her local gas station. When she gets back to the car, she removes the lid of her cup, and tops off her soda with a generous splash of bottled vanilla protein shake. “Welcome to Utah, where PROTEIN Diet Coke is currently trending,” writes Gordon, who’s known for her “MomTok” content.

Since being posted to TikTok, Gordon’s video has quickly racked up millions of views, inspiring others (including myself) to try out this new take on traditional dirty soda, called protein dirty soda. Plus, we tapped RDs to see what the experts think about the beverage and whether or not protein dirty sodas are actually good for you.

Experts Featured in This Article:

Christine Byrne, MPH, RD, LDN, is an eating disorder dietitian nutritionist based in Raleigh, North Carolina and founder of Ruby Oak Nutrition.

What Is a Protein Dirty Soda?

Popularized largely by Hulu’s reality show “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” the version of dirty soda most people have now become familiar with consists of soda that’s been ‘dirtied up’ by flavored syrups and creamers. Protein dirty soda is a variation of the drink, in which the usual syrup and cream is replaced altogether with a vanilla protein shake. The resulting beverage is said to taste like a “healthy” version of a root beer float or a cream soda, catering to not only Mormons, but also those who like the idea of potentially boosting their protein intake while also indulging in a cold soda.

What Happened When I Tried a Protein Dirty Soda

Much like a regular dirty soda, protein dirty soda can be made with any soft drink. Gordon, for example, tried it with Fanta while others have used Dr. Pepper and root beer. For the protein shake element of a protein dirty soda though, it seems that everyone sticks to a vanilla flavored one. When I tried the trend myself, I decided to use Dr. Pepper so I could compare it to my previous dirty soda experience (sans protein). Honestly, I didn’t notice much of a difference in taste, except the protein one was slightly less sweet and had a more artificial vanilla flavor. The consistency was more milky than rich and creamy — like when the ice melts in an iced coffee. But ultimately if you like dirty sodas, you’d probably like protein dirty sodas about the same.

Is Protein Dirty Soda Good For You?

Protein shakes are specifically made to have more protein than regular drinks, so using one in place of creamer in a dirty soda would of course increase the drink’s protein content. However, beyond the added protein, expert Christine Byrne, MPH, RD, LDN, says that there aren’t any significant nutritional benefits to drinking a protein dirty soda.

“There’s nothing inherently wrong with mixing a protein shake with a diet soda, but there’s no magic benefit either,” she explains to PS. “If the combination of a protein shake and diet soda tastes amazing to you, then you should absolutely try one. You’ll get protein from the shake, and there’s no reason to fear the artificial sweeteners in diet soda unless you’re chugging the stuff nonstop.”

TikTokers tout the drink as an easier way to meet their daily protein needs, but according to Byrne, most of us already get plenty of protein through whole foods alone, like meats, beans, nuts, and seeds. Therefore if you already eat a balanced diet (which Byrne loosely defines as “consuming a variety of nutritious foods in order to meet your nutrition needs), substituting cream for a protein shake in your dirty soda isn’t really necessary unless you genuinely need supplementary protein. If you’re unsure where your protein intake stands, you can always consult with a registered dietitian or healthcare provider to find out, but generally speaking, the people who benefit most from protein supplements like shakes are those with muscle loss, protein deficiency, or athletes who engage in intense physical activity.

So, Should You Drink Protein Dirty Soda?

The good news is, protein dirty sodas aren’t inherently bad for you. If you simply like the taste of a dirty soda spiked with a protein shake, Byrne confirms that they’re safe to drink. However, she did express concern about consuming more than one a day or using them to replace meals and snacks. “If you’re drinking a protein dirty soda instead of eating a meal, you’re probably not eating enough overall. And if you’re consuming several of them every day in place of other snacks, you’re probably missing out on things like fiber, vitamins, and minerals that you would get from other Whole Foods,” she shares. Byrne also points out that just because you add a protein shake, it doesn’t cancel out the soda. In other words, the more protein dirty sodas you drink, sure, you’ll be getting more protein because of the protein shake, but you’ll also be consuming more sugar or artificial sweeteners due to the soda. So while it’s perfectly okay to hop on the protein dirty soda trend, from a nutrition standpoint it’s best to enjoy this drink in moderation.

Kalea Martín is a lifestyle writer and PS contributor who mostly writes about food and cooking, but also covers fitness as a former figure skater and hockey player herself. You can find more of her writing in Tasting Table, Better Homes & Gardens, and Martha Stewart Living.