Plant-Based Protein

Quality 5/5 Taste 4.5/5 How well it blends 4/5 Affordability 3/5 For starters, I decided to write this review because, at the time, there were no other reviews. A little about me: I'm hardly a fitness guru or expert on protein powders. I am, however, a former Marine who enjoys exercising and keeping active, so fitness and protein powders are no stranger to me. Typically, I have always used whey proteins, so many of my comparisons will be to whey. Why did I choose this protein? Well, unless you live under a rock somewhere, then I'm sure you've heard about all the nasty things that are in our food these days. That being said, but not limited to: GMOs, growth hormones, antibiotics, pesticides, and so on. So obviously, because of this, they can be in our supplements too. Recently, I've been personally trying to watch what I put into my body. I've grown tired of most supplements having bad fillers and "mystery ingredients". I wanted something clean, with better transparency on its ingredients and legitimate certifications to prove it. This protein is also very transparent with its amino acid profile; it's not hidden like some brands do. So those are some of the reasons why I decided to give this protein a chance over staying with whey. About the protein, it's somewhat different from others I've used. That being said, it's not very pleasing visually or to smell. It kind of smells like playdough, with a slight hint of vanilla. It appears to look and behave a little different than whey protein. It clumps into tiny balls on top of itself when you shake the container to unsettle it and mix the powder. It doesn't fluff up quite as well as whey powder. The small clumps easily break with the slightest touch though, so don't let that deter you. It also has a slightly different texture than whey. Usually, when whey powder gets on something, you can just wipe or brush it off most of the time. With this plant powder, it leaves behind a fine residue, similar to what talc or cornstarch powder would do. With that said, it's kind of hard to brush off, so you practically need to wash it off or wipe it up with something damp. So be warned, this plant powder is more messy than your average whey powder. You will quickly discover this when you dig for your measuring scoop! As far as mixing and taste go, mixing it seemed no different to me than most whey powders. I used my blender bottle the same as I would with whey powder, and I noticed no notable difference between the two powders. The taste was surprising! Which was a nice surprise considering that the smell wasn't pleasant prior to, but that also got better once it was mixed. I mixed this with almond milk, just as I do with whey powders. And I've got to say, I was definitely impressed with the taste; it's quite delicious, in my opinion. It also seems like a taste that will grow on you, so I'm looking forward to that. The flavor was vanilla, in case you were wondering. Money time! Let's talk about the dollar per grams of protein, which you can easily determine with any protein powder. In this case, one serving is 21g, 15g of that is protein, and there are 38 servings. So we have 15x38, equating to 570 grams of total protein. Now divide that by whatever you paid for the product, and you will have your ratio of grams of protein per dollar. You will likely find a lower number on this product. Because, let's face it, for the amount of protein you get here, this product is more expensive than most whey proteins. I'm not a fan of the price, but sometimes in life, you simply get what you pay for. So you have to ask yourself: Is the extra money worth it for you? For my personal health and peace of mind, the answer is yes. Why did I give this product 5 stars? The quality! It has several certifications to verify how clean it is. That gives me peace of mind and confidence, knowing I can trust the product. Not having to worry if it's potentially harmful through the use of cheap fillers and toxic ingredients. I also feel this protein is among the top of its class compared to other plant-based proteins. This product is about 71% protein, which, compared to most plant-based proteins, is notably higher. Also, surprisingly, the price isn't too bad when you shop it against other plant-based proteins. Use the dollar-per-gram of protein ratio and see for yourself. You also get the added benefit of probiotics, antioxidants, and a solid BCAA profile. So if you're looking for a healthier protein powder supplement, then this may be the one for you! I'm personally making the switch to this plant protein over whey protein. If I notice anything out of the ordinary with this product, good or bad, I will do an update. *A warning: For anyone who is caffeine sensitive and/or simply tries to avoid having it in their diet, the chocolate flavor does, in fact, contain 7 mg of caffeine per serving. *Update 2/2024: Over the years, since initially trying plant-based proteins, I've discovered that my body tends to recover better when I switch between plant and whey proteins. Perhaps it’s just a placebo and/or a way to reduce being burned out from repeatedly consuming the thing. Regardless, I just wanted to confirm that I still use this exact same plant protein and organic grass-fed whey. Typically, I flip-flop between the two options, sometimes for no other reason than grabbing whichever one may be on sale at that time. Obviously, do whatever works best for you. Cheers!

The flavor is rich and not too sweet, and it mixes well with water or almond milk. It’s easy to digest, and I love that it’s organic, vegan, and free of dairy and gluten. Perfect for post-workout recovery since it has a good amount of protein and amino acids. The texture is smooth compared to other plant-based proteins I’ve tried, and it doesn’t leave a chalky aftertaste. I also appreciate that it has probiotics included, which is a nice bonus for digestion. Overall, it’s a high-quality product that I’ll keep buying. Totally worth the price!

I used this protein powder over the course of about 3.5 months. I was doing some health coaching, and many of my breakfasts and snacks called for vanilla protein powder as a key ingredient. Prior to this, I've not been a big fan of protein powders because of chalky taste, sugar content, and a fair amount of weird ingredients with names I can't pronounce. I bought this powder after browsing several kinds here on Amazon. I liked that it had a fairly short ingredient list, and used Stevia as a sweetener. Since I exercise 6 days/week, I got the sport formulation which was supposed to help with recovery after workouts and such. Granted, I think it's hard to claim that any protein powder doesn't taste a bit chalky. This has a slight chalky taste, but is better than many. I had it in smoothies and protein shakes, and often added it to plain greek yogurt. I thought the taste was pretty good. I'm not a fan of just putting protein powder into a glass of milk or water and stirring it. I haven't had luck with the texture being great if I do that. There are clumps of powder all throughout the liquid. However, mixing this powder in the blender with your choice of liquid works great...it combines well and I don't find a pile of powder at the bottom of my glass. Blending this product with a frozen banana made a really tasty shake. I also would sometimes pour the shake over cereal and eat it, which sounds weird, but I liked it. It gives a good punch of protein, and when I eat a shake made with this, and add on cereal or toast, I stay full all morning. It would power me through my morning workouts pretty well. I used up the whole container and will most likely buy it again.

Good protein source. It isn't overly sweet and the vanilla flavor isn't very strong so the pea-ness does come through in the taste, in my opinion. I usually flavour mine with cinnamon or berries. And it's easy to blend. I only drink it once daily, usually in the evening as my last meal with some boiled eggs, so I can't really speak to it's appetite suppression property. Still, this is the best plant based protein powder I've used thus far. Also, no issues for me with bloating

I have been buying this protein product for years. However, due to their recent product reformulation, I likely won't be reordering this and I plan on throwing away the rest of my container once my new protein powder gets here. Originally, this Garden of Life Sport Protein Powder was the holy grail of protein powders for me for these 7 reasons: 1) vegan, 2) full amino acid profile clearly posted, 3/4) good mixability and taste, 5) high quality ingredients, 6) low sodium, and 7) pleasant digestibility. It was a dream product that I was a raving fan of. I even got several of my friends hooked on it. But they reformulated it and now, 4 out of the 7 reasons I mentioned above are no longer true and I will recommend that my friends buy a different product too. Here's the breakdown: 3) Mixability: -The powder is now clumpy and sticks to the sides of my blender more. Even when I mix it with fruit and plant milk, it's clumpy. 4) Taste: -The taste is more chemical and unpleasantly sweet. There's also a lingering after taste that takes a while to go away. 6) Sodium: -They --tripled-- the sodium. Too much sodium is often addictive and rough on the cardiovascular system. I stay active and go for jogs and I can feel the difference on my heart. 7) Digestibility: -I feel sick after eating this protein powder. My GI tract has issues each time I eat this and it impacts my energy. My mood is quite impacted by this as well. I find that regularity is also an issue - which is especially frustrating considering the product champions its BCAA's. I know it might seem silly or vindictive, but this change has drastically impacted my last couple weeks of life. The only thing that has changed in my diet/routine is the reformulation of this product. My body feels cloudier. I feel more anxious. I can't breathe as well on my runs. And my heart feels like it's straining more. In summary, I feel gypped and disrespected as a customer. I feel like this company was solid for years and made an amazing product that made people's lives better. But now, without warning, they reformulated the product into a less healthy and bad-tasting protein powder that will likely negatively impact new customers and they won't know it because they never had this reference point. I have been a loyal customer for years and they lost me due to this decision.

I LOVE this product!! It is a great alternative to whey protein powders. I have been trying to reduce my animal based foods & increasing my plant based foods. This powder really fits the bill. It has made it easy for me to go do to only one or two animal based foods a day. Which I never thought I could do because I was always afraid of not hitting my protein needs. I fear no more!! So here is the scoop on this lovely stuff.... The powder is "stickier" in the container than whey protein powders I have used in the past. I don't personally think that is a bad thing. It has a light vanilla taste & isn't crazy sweet. This is something you will want to be mindful of if you are into super sugary foods. I think it's a perfect balance. It mixes pretty well in liquids. I find I have to add alittle more water or almond milk than I used to with whey powders. If you go over 2 scoops a serving it will be chalky tasting. I had to do that one day due to being too low in protein at the end of my day. I don't advise it. I have also used this to cook with & it is closer to a casein powder than whey in that department because it is a tad thicker. All in all this is a great product! The price point hurts, but I have no problem paying for it when the product is as clean as this one. If you are a clean eater & work out freak like me this is the way to go!

Exceptional ingredients vs any other protein powder I’ve used. Taste is strange at first but really grows on you.

I appreciate the high protein content and overall flavor but I cannot get over the texture. It does not mix very well and is very gritty and chalky. I use a shaker cup with a mixer ball. This may be better for use with blender but thats not realistic for my needs.