Applied Nutrition Critical Whey
- Tested for sport
- 72.7g
- Protein / 100g
- 24g
- Per 33g scoop
- £1.12
- Per 25g protein
- £26.95
- 825g pack
Our verdict
Scored on the label and the price, not on how it tastes.
- Very widely stocked in the UK, so it goes on offer often
- Sunflower lecithin rather than soy
- Three flavours carry genuine Informed Sport batch certification
- Pack sizes run from a 132g sachet pack to 2.27kg, so trying it is cheap
- Applied has published no per-100g panel for the current formula, so any per-100g figure, ours included, is derived rather than read off a label
- Protein content varies by flavour by roughly 2.5g per 100g, on the label’s own admission
- Ten of the thirteen flavours are not Informed Sport certified
- Sucralose sweetened, so not a clean-label option
Read the full verdict
Critical Whey is a concentrate-led blend that sits mid-table on protein density and near the bottom on price per gram of protein. The thing worth knowing before you buy is that it was reformulated in September 2025, from 21g of protein in a 30g scoop to 24g in a 33g scoop, and a large number of UK retailer listings still show the old panel. If the listing you are reading says a 30g serving, it is describing the previous product.
Where to buy Applied Nutrition Critical Whey
Ordered by cost per 25g of protein, because pack sizes and protein densities differ enough that a headline price on its own does not tell you which is better value.
| Retailer | Size | Price | Per 25g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon UK | 825g | £26.95 | £1.12 | View deal |
How it scored
How we scoreFour categories, each out of 25, every one taken from the label or the live partner price.
72.7g per 100g
£1.12 per 25g protein
4.8g sugar, 4.9g fat per 100g
confirmed in the certifier database
Nutrition
Taken from the manufacturer’s published label. Source.
Applied publishes 24g of protein in a 33g serving for the current formula but has not published a per-100g panel for it, so 72.7g is that division rather than a label reading. The macro rows other than protein are the closest published figures, from the previous 30g formula. The label itself carries the caveat that values vary by flavour, and a crowd-sourced entry for a chocolate flavour reads 67.6g, about 2.5g lower.
| Nutrient | Per 100g | Per 33g |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 72.7g | 24.0g |
| Energy | 388 kcal | 128 kcal |
| Carbohydrate | 6.1g | 2.0g |
| of which sugars | 4.8g | 1.6g |
| Fat | 4.9g | 1.6g |
| of which saturates | 1.7g | 0.6g |
| Fibre | 8g | 2.6g |
| Salt | 0.3g | 0.1g |
Ingredients and formulation
- 01Whey protein concentrate
- 02Whey protein isolate
- 03Hydrolysed whey protein
- 04Milk protein concentrate
Concentrate is first on the ingredient list, so it makes up most of the blend. Applied does not publish the ratio. The September 2025 reformulation added milk protein concentrate to what had been a whey-only blend.
Sucralose
Sunflower lecithin
132g sachet pack · 450g · 825g · 900g · 2kg · 2.27kg
Thirteen flavours in the UK, dessert-led. Only three carry the Informed Sport certification.
Third-party testing
Certification is per programme and often per flavour or per batch, so a badge on one product does not carry across a brand’s whole range.
Applied states that Chocolate Milkshake, Strawberry Milkshake and Vanilla Ice Cream are certified. The rest of the range is not, so the certification follows the flavour rather than the product.
SourceMade by
Applied Nutrition plc, Knowsley Industrial Park, LiverpoolListed on the London Stock Exchange main market in October 2024 and now a FTSE 250 constituent.
Taste and what buyers report
Quoted and linked, so you can read the full thread.
“It tastes literally like a white bueno and it is not too sweet at all. It is amazing both in oatmeal and in yogurt bowls.”
“It is a bit too sweet in my opinion so I usually add instant coffee powder or raw cocoa powder to cut the sweetness.”
“Can also confirm it is far too sweet. USN or Gold Standard are the two I have found to be best.”
What the maker does not publish
- Applied has published no per-100g nutrition panel for the post-September-2025 formula.
- The full macro breakdown for the 33g serving is unpublished. Only protein and energy are given.
- Sweetness is the most common complaint in buyer reports, though the accounts differ on how much it matters.
Alternatives worth a look
A simpler formula, whey protein isolate and whey protein hydrolysate and whey protein concentrate only.
A simpler formula, whey protein concentrate and milk protein only.
The same job from PER4M Nutrition, at a different price point.
Frequently asked questions
How much protein is in Applied Nutrition Critical Whey?
The current formula provides 24g of protein in a 33g scoop, roughly 72.7g per 100g. Applied changed this in September 2025 from 21g in a 30g scoop, and many UK retailer listings still show the older figure.
Is Applied Nutrition Critical Whey Informed Sport certified?
Three flavours are: Chocolate Milkshake, Strawberry Milkshake and Vanilla Ice Cream. The rest of the range is not, so if batch certification matters to you, the flavour you pick decides it.
Does Critical Whey contain soy?
The ingredient list specifies sunflower lecithin rather than soy lecithin. Check the pack you are buying, because emulsifiers are one of the things brands change between production runs.
Is Critical Whey the same as Critical Mass?
No, and the two get confused constantly. Critical Mass is a high-calorie mass gainer with a large carbohydrate load. Critical Whey is a protein powder. If you have read a complaint about the sugar content, check which product it was actually about.
Answer four questions and we will rank the shortlist for you
The Protein Finder narrows the whole range down to what fits your goal, budget and diet.
Open the Protein FinderLast updated 19 August 2026