Garden of LifeOrganic Vegan Protein Powder with Probiotics, BCAAs, NSF Certified, Gluten Free & Sport, Non GMO, Sport Protein Powder, 19 Servings, ChocolateUSDA Organic

Quality 5/5Taste 4.5/5How well it blends 4/5Affordability 3/5For 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!

I’ve tried many plant-based proteins before, but this one really impressed me. The flavor is smooth and not overly sweet, and it blends perfectly with water or almond milk—no chalky aftertaste at all! I also love that it has clean ingredients with no artificial stuff, and it’s easy on my stomach.I use it after workouts or even as a quick breakfast, and it keeps me full and energized. Highly recommend this protein if you’re looking for a healthy, great-tasting option! Will definitely buy again.

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.

I swear by Garden of life. The organic and all natural ingredients is what I like. You are not putting anything processed or bad for you in your body. I dont mind spending the money because of this. Also, my doctor recommends this product because of the all natural ingredients and the flavor is spot on. Whether you use water or milk(i use almond milk sometimes) the vanilla flavor is so good!

Truly intrigued by reviews mentioning this is good, because this is the most rancid tasting protein powder I've ever had in my life. I've been having a protein drink daily for the last five years and thought I would mix it up with this one. I think my right eye popped out of my socket with my left one squinting as I chose to chug this down. My neck suddenly involuntarily caulked my head to the left and I knew I had made a mistake. This tastes like that drink before a colonoscopy. No one wants that drink. I consumed this 15 minutes ago, brushed my teeth, and the taste won't leave my mouth. The flavor is like gum that's been on the bottom of a railing and you thought you would chew it because you are wild and crazy. Then, you regret it and all of life's choices. Or when you have a cut on your finger and for some reason you lick the wound real quick and you get that weird blood magnesium taste. Imagine 8-12oz of that in your mouth. You just want 30 grams of protein. That's like two yogurts. Consume the two yogurts. There are too many choices for something that should be so easy. This is not the choice.