In partnership with MUD|WTR. Editor’s Note: We only select and work with partners that meet our quality standards, so you can rest assured we only endorse products we believe in.
At a Glance:
- MUD\WTR’s Nourish Protein Powder blends 25g of clean protein with adaptogens, mushrooms, and probiotics.
- No artificial sweeteners, oils, or stabilizers — just USDA organic ingredients that actually taste like real cocoa.
- Supports physical recovery and mental clarity — think fewer jitters, more focus.
- A rare protein powder that feels holistic, not hyper-processed.
- Completes the MUD\WTR ritual: fuel for your body, focus for your mind, and balance for your day.
In the world of snacks, beverages and supplements, one truth dominates the market today: Protein is king. Seemingly overnight, protein has become the marquee ingredient in everything from popcorn to oat milk lattes – and that’s not inherently a bad thing. Not only is it the most essential building block for muscle growth and recovery, protein provides a wide array of other benefits besides Big Gainz, helping regulate blood sugar, immune function, bone and heart health.
Yet where most protein products fall short is in the rest of their ingredient list. Often bundled with artificial sweeteners and stabilizers, many whey and plant-based proteins alike can lead to bloating, discomfort and even exposure to heavy metals. As someone who’s become a gym rat since moving to Los Angeles (shocking, I know), I’d tried my hand at protein shakes but eventually sworn them off, unwilling to put up with the synthetic sweetness in order to balance my macros.
Until MUD\WTR showed me a way to have my shake and drink it too. Their Nourish Protein Powder ($51 with subscription) is the first I’ve found that leaves me feeling holistically healthier – by strengthening not just my body, but clearing and sharpening my mind. The inclusion of functional mushrooms like lion’s mane, cordyceps and ashwagandha has brought clarity and calm to all my workouts…and that’s coming from someone who previously spent every HIIT class mentally drafting stressful emails.
MUD\WTR’s latest product truly lives up to its tagline – a “Mind & Body Protein” – and everything from my gut to my nervous system is thankful for it. Not only is Nourish now a staple of my pre- and post-workout rituals, it was also my gateway into the rest of MUD\WTR’s product line. Whether you’ve been a fan from Day One or you’re late to the party like me, MUD\WTR’s latest chapter is one worth experiencing for yourself.
We like
- The blend of functional mushrooms, nootropics and probiotics supports both physical and mental strength
- Subscription plans are easily adjustable
- Taste is delicious, and never overly sweet
We don't like
- The serving size is two scoops, which means product runs out more quickly
We like
We don't like
We like
We don't like
A Little Backstory
As mentioned above, though their protein powder might be new to the market, MUD\WTR has been a staple on the wellness market for years now. When the brand launched in May 2018, they were synonymous with their coffee alternative, the Original Blend ($34 with subscription). That’s because founder Shane Heath, like so many of us, had been put through the wringer by caffeine. As a designer at tech start-ups, he relied on caffeine to get through his increasingly busy days…only to find himself burnt out and anxious in between servings. Coffee’s dirty little secret is that most of its drinkers also feel this way, but view the crashes and the jitters as necessary evils that come as the price of increased focus.
Heath did too, until an art residency in Goa, India opened his horizons. It was there that he fell in love with energizing ingredients such as chai and turmeric, and had the idea of combining them with functional mushrooms like the ones his mother had been growing for decades. The first home-grown, DIY edition of MUD\WTR was born, as Heath shared his new adaptogenic blend with friends and coworkers alike. Their enthusiasm was contagious – it turns out there was quite the market for escaping the hamster wheel of caffeine dependency. Seven years and 130 million servings sold of MUD\WTR later, there still is.
Yet the core mission was never just to replace coffee; it was to help customers chart a path towards better mental well-being. Many of the ingredients in MUD\WTR provide additional benefits like strengthened immunity (shoutout to reishi), mood regulation (cacao), and mental clarity (lion’s mane). So once the Protein Era hit full swing, the brand’s next step was clear. Their holistic approach to supporting long-term health was precisely what was missing from the majority of protein products, whose short-term benefits come with a whole host of downsides. Before long, Nourish was born, and an entirely new audience started paying attention… including yours truly.
The Proof Is in the Powder
Seven years into their journey as a brand, MUD\WTR is still expanding their umbrella – and sent me a packet of the Nourish Chocolate Protein Powder to welcome me into the fold. Chocolate was always my go-to flavor for other brands, which made this the perfect litmus test. Would I taste that cloying artificial, chemical-y sweetness? Would the powder clump no matter what I put my shaker bottle through? I entered the ring as a skeptic, burned too many times before.
Immediately, though, MUD\WTR’s ingredient sourcing shone through. For the first time in my protein-chugging life, I tasted actual cocoa, a deep, rich flavor that anchored each sip. Its earthiness was enhanced by the functional mushrooms, but tempered perfectly by the coconut sugar, landing the drink in that balanced zone between sweet and savory. I was (very pleasantly) surprised by how creamy it tasted, considering MUD\WTR swears off oils and stabilizers like so many other protein powders – along with any other ingredients that aren’t USDA organic. And as someone who often had an upset stomach after other protein shakes, I was thrilled to find that there was a healthy serving of probiotics in the mix as well.
Those were just the first impressions. MUD\WTR is the first to admit that the full benefits of adaptogens and nootropics aren’t apparent overnight. It took about a week and a half to feel my mental gears shift into a calmer, clearer, more grounded state of mind. Over time I transitioned from moment-to-moment reactivity into something that felt like flow state. That feeling wasn’t always invincible, to be clear: I’m still human and this is no silver bullet. But what we put in our bodies has a disproportionate effect on our minds, and Nourish has become a very welcome boon to my headspace. My mirror selfies weren’t looking too shabby either, thanks for the 25 grams of protein.
Back to Basics
Having missed round one of the MUD\WTR movement, I also got a chance to finally sample the OG Cacao mushroom coffee alternative. It felt like a kindred spirit to Nourish, with similarly rich yet subtle flavors, and a caffeine source that was more stable than stratospheric. It became a gentle way to energize every morning, setting the tone for a calm awareness that was previously hard to come by. Nourish’s probiotics were complemented by the Masala Chai’s prebiotic fiber, a match made in heaven for healthy digestion. Perks like the free rechargeable frother and a 45-day trial to the Open Mindfulness app (available with subscriptions to either the protein powders or the coffee alternatives) were just the cherries on top.
What impressed me most, however, was something I’ve rarely seen from other brands: an admission that they don’t have all of the answers. While MUD\WTR provides suggested ratios for making your first mug, they also encourage you to play around and find the balance that works for you. I ended up cutting back on the amount of milk and upping the actual spice mix, but their ethos made this feel like collaboration instead of criticism of the product.
Across both the website and the packaging, MUD\WTR invokes the image of a “lead domino” – the first key action that triggers a chain reaction of positive outcomes. For me that looked like taking time throughout my day to pause and breathe, which never felt possible before while crashing out on too much coffee. While I won’t attribute every healthy decision I make in the future to my MUD\WTR usage, they wouldn’t expect that either. They frame themselves as the beginning of a wellness journey, not a one-stop shop for total zen.
Small Change, Big Impact
MUD\WTR might not make bold, explosive claims, but their quiet paradigm shifts are profound in their own way. First they reinvented how we rise, with their mushroom coffee alternatives, and now their protein powders give us a healthy way to recharge before – and recover after – fitness. As a food and beverage writer, I’ve tried a lot (and I mean a lot) of protein-based products, and can honestly say that Nourish is the first to feel genuinely healthy and not artificially crammed with macros. In an age where we’re asking more than ever of our minds, it’s invaluable to find a protein powder that’s just as effective there as it is for our bodies.
So even if you’ve sworn off the shaker bottle, consider giving MUD\WTR a try. As their packaging reminds us, “You’re only as young as the last time you changed your mind. And if you change your mind, you can change anything.”
