Unboxed: 10 new powdered supplements we tasted so you won’t have toUnboxed: 10 new powdered supplements we tasted so you won’t have to

A tipping point has been hit in the supplements business. According to preliminary estimates from Nutrition Business Journal, 2019 was the year that non-pill formats exceeded 50% of supplement sales.

Think about that for a minute. What started as large plastic tubs full of whey protein for muscle-builders has grown to include Smoothie Nation, adherents of whom put powders in their morning shake or in their to-go water bottles.

It also includes chewables, gummies, shots, single-serve stick-paks, beverages and more—all vying for the allure of the pill-weary.

But let’s talk about powders. These are not just protein powders. We’ve got mushrooms, greens, aloe and more to go with a diversification in the collagen set. We convened a half-dozen staffers, ranging from hot-shot millennial girls to middle-aged office curmudgeons. We put the recommended dose of powder (usually one scoop) into the recommended amount of water (typically 8 ounces), stirred it up and drank it down.

Beware: A herd mentality breeds cynicism. Take the comments with a grain of, erm … stevia? Still, they give a reasonable approximation of the taste profile of these powders.

Gentlemen, start your blenders!