Boost High Protein Chocolate Sensation: 15g Protein per Bottle, Labelgrade B
B 75 / 100 — Mass-market clinical-style nutrition drink. Modest 15g protein per bottle puts this below the 'protein shake' tier (Premier/Quest/ON Gold Standard all hit 24-30g per bottle). 33g of carbs (mostly corn syrup + sugar) is the meaningful caloric load — Boost is positioned for calorie/weight gain or medical use, not workout recovery.
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Boost High Protein Chocolate Sensation delivers 15 g of protein per 8 fl oz (237 ml) bottle at 239 calories (USDA FDC 2468764). It’s the most prominent product in the “clinical-style nutritional drink” category — designed for elderly, post-surgical, and chemo-recovery use cases where calories are wanted (not constrained) and complete-protein + multivitamin support matters. The Labelgrade is B (75 / 100): low saturated fat, no added sugar penalty under the v3 scoring (only because the 15 g total sugars are mostly natural lactose, despite the corn-syrup + cane-sugar ingredient list), but modest protein density and a 45-ingredient panel keep it out of the A-tier. The right product for weight-maintenance or geriatric-nutrition contexts; the wrong product if you wanted a workout-recovery shake (Premier Protein or Fairlife Core Power Elite are far better fits).
Why this Labelgrade
| Dimension | Grade | Score | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein density | C- | 59 / 100 | 6.3 g per 100 ml — modest. The per-bottle total (15 g) is below the “high protein shake” tier (~24-30 g) but legitimately clears the FDA “high in protein” claim threshold |
| Ingredient quality | C | 62 / 100 | 45 ingredients. Corn syrup is the second ingredient by weight, followed by cane sugar — this is the calorie-delivery design. Soy protein isolate, carrageenan, multiple phosphate salts, and a 24-item vitamin/mineral blend round out the panel. Honestly formulated for clinical-nutrition use; not “clean” by sports-nutrition standards |
| Saturated fat load | A+ | 98 / 100 | 1 g per bottle (0.4 g per 100 ml) — very low |
| Sodium load | A+ | 100 / 100 | 199 mg per bottle (~84 mg per 100 ml) — low to moderate. Below Premier/Quest comparable shakes |
| Sugar load | A+ | 100 / 100 | 15 g sugar (12 g added sugar from corn syrup + cane sugar + 3 g lactose). The Labelgrade v3 sugar-load score reflects the per-100 g density which is moderate; for diabetic-friendly diets this is a meaningful sugar load despite the A+ on our scale |
| Fiber | F | 30 / 100 | 0 g — expected for a clinical-style beverage |
| Overall | B | 75 / 100 | A category-appropriate Labelgrade. Boost High Protein isn’t trying to compete with Premier or Quest on protein density — it’s optimized for a different use case (caloric nutrition support). The B grade reflects that it does its actual job well |
How it compares
| Product | Protein per bottle | Calories | Added sugar | Carbs | Use case |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boost High Protein (this product) | 15 g (237 ml) | 239 | 12 g | 33 g | Clinical / caloric support |
| Ensure High Protein (8 fl oz) | ~16 g | ~160 | 5 g | ~16 g | Clinical / general |
| Boost Original (8 fl oz) | ~10 g | ~240 | ~20 g | ~41 g | Clinical / caloric support |
| Premier Protein Vanilla 30g | 30 g (340 ml) | 160 | 1 g | 4 g | Workout / high-protein |
| Quest Vanilla Protein Shake | 30 g (325 ml) | 160 | 1 g | 5 g | Workout / high-protein |
| Fairlife Core Power Elite 42g | 42 g (414 ml) | 232 | 0 g | 9 g | Athlete recovery |
Boost is properly compared against Ensure and other clinical/caloric drinks — not against athlete-targeted shakes. Against Ensure High Protein, Boost has slightly less protein, more calories, and more sugar — useful if calorie maintenance or weight gain is the goal. Against Premier/Quest, Boost is in a different product class entirely.
Whole-food equivalent
One Boost High Protein bottle (15 g protein) ≈ 48 g of cooked chicken breast (about 1.7 oz). The protein math is similar; the calorie math is very different — Boost packs ~75 more calories than the equivalent chicken because of the corn syrup + cane sugar + fat content. That’s the point: it’s designed for people who need calories.
Scope
This page covers Boost High Protein Chocolate Sensation (UPC 041679394878, USDA FDC 2468764) in the standard 8 fl oz / 237 ml bottle. The Boost product family includes:
- Boost Original — lower protein (~10 g), similar calories, more sugar
- Boost High Protein (this product) — 15-20 g protein depending on flavor + label revision
- Boost Glucose Control — designed for diabetes management; lower sugar, similar protein
- Boost Very High Calorie — for severe weight-gain support; 530 cal per bottle
- Boost Plus — between Original and High Protein on protein, between Original and Very High Calorie on calories
Per-bottle macros differ meaningfully across these. Always check the actual bottle.
Note on label revisions: Boost High Protein has been reformulated multiple times. Current retail labels may show 20 g of protein per bottle (up from the 15 g in USDA’s snapshot). The Labelgrade above reflects the USDA data we have; if you see 20 g on a recent bottle, that’s a reformulation we haven’t re-ingested yet.
Ingredients (from the USDA Branded Foods entry)
Water, corn syrup, sugar, milk protein concentrate, vegetable oil (canola, high oleic sunflower, corn), and less than 2% of cocoa processed with alkali, soy protein isolate, calcium caseinate, sodium caseinate, potassium citrate, magnesium chloride, calcium phosphate, salt, cellulose gel and gum, magnesium phosphate, sodium ascorbate, choline bitartrate, DL-alpha tocopheryl acetate, ascorbic acid, carrageenan, stevia leaf extract, potassium chloride, ferric pyrophosphate, natural and artificial flavor, zinc sulfate, niacinamide, calcium pantothenate, manganese sulfate, copper sulfate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, thiamine hydrochloride, beta-carotene, vitamin A palmitate, riboflavin, folic acid, chromium chloride, biotin, potassium iodide, vitamin K1, sodium selenite, sodium molybdate, vitamin D3, vitamin B12.
Where to buy
Affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. The Labelgrade score is independent of affiliate relationships. More.
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Quick Facts
Per serving · 1 bottle (8 fl oz / 237 ml)
041679394878Full nutrition facts
| Nutrient | Per Serving (1 bottle (8 fl oz / 237 ml)) |
|---|---|
| Calories | 239 |
| Protein | 15g |
| Total Fat | 6g |
| Saturated Fat | 1g |
| Trans Fat | 0g |
| Total Carbohydrates | 33g |
| Dietary Fiber | 0g |
| Total Sugars | 15g |
| Added Sugars | 12g |
| Sodium | 199mg |
| Cholesterol | 9mg |
| Calcium | 351mg |
| Iron | 4.5mg |
| Potassium | 450mg |
Scope: This page applies specifically to Boost High Protein Chocolate Sensation Nutritional Drink (8 fl oz (237 ml) bottle) · UPC 041679394878. Other sizes, flavors, or formulations may differ.
How this fits each diet
Each score is computed from the same USDA nutrition + ingredient data, against the published rules of each diet. They tell you "does this food fit this diet" — not whether the diet is right for you.
contains animal-derived ingredients
contains no listed meat or fish
no wheat, barley, rye, or malt detected in USDA ingredient list
Frequently Asked Questions
How much protein is in Boost High Protein Chocolate Sensation?
15 g of protein per 8 fl oz (237 ml) bottle (USDA FDC 2468764) — about 6.3 g per 100 ml. This is the 'High Protein' Boost line; regular Boost has ~10 g per bottle. For a 'protein shake' use case, 15 g is on the low end; Premier Protein and ON Gold Standard deliver 24-30 g per similar bottle at lower or similar calorie counts.
Why does it have corn syrup AND cane sugar?
Boost is positioned as a complete nutritional drink — meaning it's designed to provide calories for people who have trouble eating enough (elderly, post-surgical recovery, illness). The carbohydrate load (33 g per bottle, of which 12 g is added sugar) is intentional. Corn syrup and cane sugar provide quick-digesting energy. For workout-recovery shakes (Premier, Quest, ON), this carb load would be too high; for medical-nutrition or calorie-deficit contexts, it's the point.
Is this a medical food?
No, not formally — Boost is a consumer 'nutritional drink' available without prescription. The product line is widely used in elderly care, chemotherapy recovery, and post-surgical recovery contexts because the calorie + protein + vitamin profile fits patients struggling to eat. The 'Boost Glucose Control' SKU is a related product designed for diabetes management with lower sugars. Boost High Protein (this product) is the general consumer version.
Vs Ensure?
Same category, similar positioning. Ensure High Protein Vanilla: ~16 g protein, 160 cal, 5 g sugar per 8 oz. Boost High Protein Chocolate: 15 g protein, 239 cal, 15 g sugar per 8 oz. Boost is calorically denser (better for weight maintenance/gain) and sweeter. Ensure is leaner. Both deliver similar vitamin/mineral fortification.
Vs Premier Protein or Quest?
Different category. Premier Protein and Quest: 30 g protein, 160 cal, ~1 g sugar per 11.5 fl oz — purpose-built for workout recovery / high-protein meal supplements with artificial sweeteners and minimal carbs. Boost High Protein: 15 g protein, 239 cal, 15 g sugar per 8 oz — purpose-built for calorie + nutrition support with traditional cane sugar + corn syrup as the sweetener. Choose Boost if calories are desirable; choose Premier/Quest if calories are the constraint.
Is the corn syrup a concern?
Corn syrup is treated by the body essentially the same as sugar (it's primarily glucose). The Boost formulation uses corn syrup specifically because it's a fast-digesting carbohydrate (good for caloric uptake in clinical contexts) and stabilizes the texture/shelf-life of the drink. People avoiding corn syrup for personal preference reasons should look at Premier Protein (sucralose-sweetened, no corn syrup) or Core Power (cane sugar only, no corn syrup).
What about the 'Chocolate Sensation' vs 'Rich Chocolate' branding?
Two different Boost product SKUs. 'Chocolate Sensation' is the High Protein flavor variant (this product). 'Rich Chocolate' is sometimes the Original Boost or Boost Glucose Control. The macros differ slightly across the lines. Always check the actual bottle to verify which Boost SKU you have.
Is it 'high in protein' under FDA rules?
Yes — 15 g per serving is 30% of the FDA 50 g Daily Value, above the 20% threshold required for the 'high in protein' claim. The 'High Protein' Boost line earns this label legitimately, though it's at the lower end of products that carry the same claim.
What's the calcium content?
351 mg per bottle — about 27% of the FDA Daily Value (1,300 mg). High by shake standards. Boost adds calcium phosphate and calcium caseinate for fortification, on top of the natural calcium in milk protein concentrate. Good for elderly nutrition support and anyone with low dairy intake.