{"id":265082,"date":"2026-01-26T18:09:16","date_gmt":"2026-01-26T18:09:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/265082\/"},"modified":"2026-01-26T18:09:16","modified_gmt":"2026-01-26T18:09:16","slug":"us-premium-protein-powder-praised-for-cake-like-taste-allegedly-turns-out-to-be-high-sugar-cake-mix","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/265082\/","title":{"rendered":"US premium protein powder praised for cake-like taste allegedly turns out to be high-sugar cake mix"},"content":{"rendered":"

US protein powder praised for cake-like taste allegedly turns out to be cake batter, sparks health concerns<\/p>\n

An American nutrition company is facing backlash after its highly praised protein powder was allegedly found to be little more than cake batter, a controversy that has reignited warnings about online fitness scams.<\/p>\n

Customers who once raved about the taste of the cake-flavoured mixes<\/a> were left stunned after claims surfaced that the product was not protein powder at all, but a sugar-heavy cake mix that may have caused adverse health effects.<\/p>\n

\"protein<\/p>\n

Source: @markiewmurphy on TikTok<\/p>\n

What was once touted as a \u201ctoo-good-to-be-true\u201d protein supplement has now become a full-blown scandal.<\/p>\n

Holmes Nutrition, a California-based company, came under fire after lab tests allegedly revealed that its products bore little resemblance to what was stated on their nutritional labels.<\/p>\n

Customers even baked the \u2018protein powder\u2019 into cakes<\/p>\n

Holmes Nutrition gained popularity for its flavoured protein powders, which retailed at around S$75 per bag and promised a guilt-free way to indulge in dessert-like treats.<\/p>\n

\"protein<\/p>\n

Source: @madelinee.fitness on TikTok<\/p>\n

According to its packaging, each serving contained 22g of protein and just 4g of carbohydrates.<\/p>\n

For years, fitness enthusiasts and influencers praised not only its macros, but its taste.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s literally the best thing in the entire world. It literally tastes like you\u2019re eating dessert every day<\/a>,\u201d TikToker Madeline Rose said in a February 2023 video.<\/p>\n

She later demonstrated baking the powder into cupcakes, promoting it as a versatile protein supplement.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Source: @madelinee.fitness on TikTok<\/p>\n

Lab tests suggest product was mostly carbohydrates<\/p>\n

The controversy erupted on 3 March 2025, when Reddit user u\/Sufficient_Letter175 shared lab test results for three Holmes Nutrition flavours<\/a> \u2014 chocolate cake, lemon cake, and cinnamon crumb cake \u2014 conducted by Certified Laboratories.<\/p>\n

\"protein<\/p>\n

Source: u\/Sufficient_Letter175 on Reddit<\/p>\n

The findings allegedly showed that each serving contained roughly 21g of carbohydrates and only about 3.4g of protein, a stark contrast to the claims on the label.<\/p>\n

Netizens expressed disbelief in the comments, with one user saying the cake batter and brownie batter flavours had them \u201cin a chokehold\u201d.<\/p>\n

The original poster (OP) said they decided to send the powder for testing because \u201cit tasted way too good to be legit\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cCake batter protein shouldn\u2019t actually taste like cake batter unless it\u2019s hiding something,\u201d they added.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Source: Reddit<\/p>\n

In another reply, the OP alleged that the product was essentially cake mix with a protein powder label, noting that genuine protein powder typically cannot be baked into actual cakes.<\/p>\n

\"protein<\/p>\n

Source: Sufficient_Letter175 on Reddit<\/p>\n

Several users also claimed that diabetic family members experienced negative health effects after consuming the product.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Source: Reddit<\/p>\n

Controversy resurfaces in January 2026 after YouTube coverage<\/p>\n

The issue resurfaced on 31 Dec 2025, when YouTuber Folphin released a video scrutinising Holmes Nutrition\u2019s labelling practices<\/a>.<\/p>\n

She pointed out apparent errors such as \u201cDietaty Fiber\u201d being misspelt on the nutrition label, suggesting the labels may have been self-generated.<\/p>\n

\"protein<\/p>\n

Source: Folphin on YouTube<\/p>\n

She also highlighted that cane sugar appeared in the ingredients list, yet was not declared as added sugar, a potentially serious concern for diabetics.<\/p>\n

The controversy gained wider attention after popular YouTuber penguinz0, who has 17.7 million subscribers, released a summary video on 6 Jan 2026<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The video has since garnered over 3 million views at the time of writing.<\/p>\n

Company claims harassment, pulls products without addressing lab results<\/p>\n

Sometime in March 2025, Holmes Nutrition removed all protein powders from its online store.<\/p>\n

As of January 2026, the products remain unavailable, with no direct acknowledgement of the lab test findings.<\/p>\n

The company cited prolonged manufacturing issues as the reason for the removal. It later claimed to have received \u201cracial hate threats\u201d and has since taken its website offline.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Source: Holmes Nutrition<\/p>\n

While the controversy does not involve Singapore directly, it serves as a reminder for consumers to exercise caution, even when it comes to fitness supplements.<\/p>\n

In the age of influencer marketing and viral recommendations, some products may simply be too good to be true.<\/p>\n

Also read: Woman in M\u2019sia scammed of S$378K by \u2018anti-scam\u2019 firm she hired to recover S$470 lost to scammers<\/a><\/p>\n

Woman in M\u2019sia scammed of S$378K by \u2018anti-scam\u2019 firm she hired to recover S$470 lost to scammers<\/a><\/p>\n

Have news you must share? Get in touch with us via email at\u00a0news@mustsharenews.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Featured image adapted from @madelinee.fitness on TikTok<\/a> and @markiewmurphy on TikTok<\/a>.<\/p>\n