Last month I was invited to a fun Earth Ride, hosted by ProYo and Flywheel Sports to benefit the Charles River Watershed Association. ProYo is a high protein frozen yogurt created by Nathan Carey. He was inspired to make ProYo after a severe weight lifting injury that required months of rehabilitation. During his stay he observed how he and fellow patients were given meals that may have been nutritious and protein-rich, but not very tasty. He worked on creating a high protein food that accommodates several dietary restrictions but is yummy. Health nuts and protein-revering gym goers will appreciate the ProYo flavors while eating a product that has live active cultures, 20 grams protein, and a low glycemic index.

I was eager to taste the product and check out Flywheel, a popular indoor cycling studio. I’m a big spinning fan because it’s a no brainer heart-pumping class. No coordination needed, just the desire and a lot of positive energy!

Flywheel Back Bay

When you check into Flywheel, you receive special shoes that have a metal knob on the soles that hook into specially designed bike pedals. These keep your feet from sliding off the pedals during the intense workout.

The instructor stands center stage in the cycling arena. Lights are shut off and the music is amped. A signboard overhead tracks your RPMs as compared with fellow cyclers. I have to admit that it was really more of an experience than an amazing ride. I’ve taken some pretty thrilling spin classes where the focus is all about the ride. But I felt this class was mostly about the cranked up bass beat, the instructor yelling at us as he danced around on stage, and a dependence on super fast RPM to get our heart rates up.

That said, I was glad to take part as ProYo made a generous donation to the Charles River Watershed Association for every blogger and regular member who took classes that day.

Tasting ProYo and chatting with Nathan about his mission. I was impressed that he was a genuinely nice guy, taking time to share his experience in a non-“salesy” way, and how his team is working very hard to build a brand in an extremely competitive market.

I’m not big on food products with a lot of front-of-the-package advertising, but I really enjoyed the taste of ProYo. It has a smooth, creamy, clean flavor. Not pasty like regular Greek yogurt, not overly sweet like a Dannon, and no weird aftertaste. You can eat the yogurt right out of the 4 oz. tubes, which I swear is just as delicious as ice cream, or blend into a smoothie or smoothie bowl. Each tube has 140 calories, 20 grams protein, 15 grams carbohydrate, 13 grams sugar and 3 grams fiber from added inulin. It has a low glycemic index of 27.

Below is a smoothie blended with vanilla ProYo, 4 oz. almond milk, pineapple and matcha green tea—the perfect AM breakfast drink.

That evening I constructed an amazing dessert bowl with the chocolate ProYo, wheat germ, unsweetened coconut, banana and chocolate chips…drizzled with a little chocolate syrup and melted peanut butter. SO good!!

The only downside is cost. My local Star Market sells a 3-pack for $6.50. Three tubes go fast so the price intimidates me from buying more. Yes the taste is great, and the high protein is convenient for people who need it. But there are so many high protein options available now, even regular Greek yogurt that can be blended into shakes and desserts. I can’t see myself paying over $2 for a 4 oz. tube of high protein frozen yogurt, so I hope the price comes down a little.

However I can see scenarios where this protein treat would be very useful: a picky eater child who is only eating a few different foods, a malnourished patient who can’t stomach solid food or liquid supplements like Ensure, or an elderly person who has a poor appetite from depression or taking multiple medications.

Give ProYo a try as it is a good product made by a company that supports communities and local causes related to the environment, nutrition education, and overall health. You can find it at Star Markets and Shaw’s in the frozen health food aisles.