It seems to be a pretty well-known fact that carbs are helpful post-workout and pre-workout. However, most powders come with artificial sweetners, which are actually more expensive than sugar, and i can't figure out why?

Wild guess: taste.

-R

I don't think taste is the issue. It is just that most people taking post workout proteins want most of the calories in the protein shake to come from protein.

I know if *I* looked at a protein powder I wanted to buy, and it had like 10 or 12 grams of sugar per serving, I wouldn't buy it.

Even though your right, it would make sense :)

Maybe they want people to be able to add whatever they want, or sweeten to flavor. Or, people who are on low carb diets ala atkins who can't have any sugar.

Or a million reasons.

-Allen

You must be looking at meal replacements. You should look instead at just protein powders, like All-The-Whey at the top of the page, or Optimum Nutrition's 100% Whey. Those are just protein powder and relatively no carbs, sugars or artificial sweeteners.

The simplest answer is that it improves taste while preserving versatility. Powders sweetened with artificial sweeteners are essentially pure protein, with minimal (1-3 g) fat and carbs per serving. People can add fat or carbs depending on the situation, for example peanut butter and cottage cheese for a pre-bed P+F meal or dextrose for a quickly-absorbed PWO meal. It gives consumers maximum freedom while minimizing the number of products the company has to make.

Don't know about ON's powder, but I do know that ATW is made with Splenda.

Don't know about ON's powder, but I do know that ATW is made with Splenda.
WOW! Where's the "slaps forehead" smilie. Well, it sure doesn't taste like it has Splenda. For as unsweet as it tastes, they may as well have just left it out. ON's doesn't have it, just checked.

Don't mean to hijack or take it off topic but does anyone know of flavourless protein powders?

Don't mean to hijack or take it off topic but does anyone know of flavourless protein powders?
http://www.allthewhey.com/wpc_unf.html
http://www.allthewhey.com/wpi_unf.html

Don't mean to hijack or take it off topic but does anyone know of flavourless protein powders?

You can get "unflavored" protein powders (All the Whey makes 'em), but, no, you can't get "flavorless" protein powders. Whey is not a flavorless substance, and there really isn't anything you could put in there to get rid of that flavor without adding a flavor of your own.

The simplest answer is that it improves taste while preserving versatility. Powders sweetened with artificial sweeteners are essentially pure protein, with minimal (1-3 g) fat and carbs per serving. People can add fat or carbs depending on the situation, for example peanut butter and cottage cheese for a pre-bed P+F meal or dextrose for a quickly-absorbed PWO meal. It gives consumers maximum freedom while minimizing the number of products the company has to make.

This is what I was trying to say, but you said it much clearer.

This is often the case with me, I obfusicate details while trying to communicate clearly.
-All.n

Thanks PeteBDawg and slush_puppy :tu:

Protein powders come with artificial sweeteners because they need to taste good, but the point of them is to have much more protein than carbs.

I too was frustrated with all the powders coming with artificial sweeteners. I found some Optimum Nutrition powder on bodybuilding.com that has no artifical flavors, colors, or sweeteners and it tastes just the same as all the others (to me at least) so now that is all I buy.