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Best Garden of Life Protein Powders

Updated December 2021
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Pros
Cons
Best of the Best
Garden of Life Sport Plant-based Protein
Garden of Life
Sport Plant-based Protein
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Muscle Recovery
Bottom Line

Designed for optimal muscle recovery, this plant-based protein powder has several fruit extracts to boost the immune system and provide antioxidants.

Pros

Probiotic powder with 2 billion CFUs per serving. Easily digested. Non-GMO and organic verified. Higher protein-to-carbs ratio than some other powders. Made primarily from pea protein.

Cons

Somewhat chalky taste. Gritty, sandy texture.

Best Bang for the Buck
Garden of Life RAW Organic Meal
Garden of Life
RAW Organic Meal
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Meal Replacement
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With 20 grams of organic protein, this is a filling, healthy meal replacement shake loaded with vitamins and minerals from superfoods.

Pros

Probiotics for optimal gut health. Eases constipation and encourages regularity. 6 grams of fiber for a full feeling. Certified organic. Vegan and non-GMO verified, with no gluten, soy, or dairy.

Cons

Some users dislike the strong taste of the product, and it can tend to separate after sitting.

Garden of Life RAW Protein & Greens
Garden of Life
RAW Protein & Greens
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Grains & Greens
Bottom Line

This chocolate-flavored powder delivers superfood energy from organic grains, seeds, legumes, greens and juices, with 20g protein per serving.

Pros

Probiotic, with 1.5 CFU per serving. Vegan, non-GMO, organic. No gluten, dairy or soy.

Cons

Some people dislike the strong taste and texture this powder gives to smoothies.

Garden of Life Sport Grass-fed Whey Protein (Vanilla)
Garden of Life
Sport Grass-fed Whey Protein (Vanilla)
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Whey Protein
Bottom Line

This grass-fed vanilla whey protein powder has 24 grams of protein per serving, and 2 billion CFU probiotics for optimal gut health.

Pros

Great tasting and quickly dissolving. No GMOs. No gluten, soy, antibiotics, or added sugars, rBST-free.

Cons

Can separate after sitting, which is common for these types of powders. Contains 2 sugar substitutes (Erythritol and Stevia).

Garden of Life Organic Plant Protein (Vanilla)
Garden of Life
Organic Plant Protein (Vanilla)
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Organic Plant Protein
Bottom Line

This smooth, sweet vanilla protein powder offers grain-free plant protein to help repair muscles and balance the gut.

Pros

15 grams of protein per serving. 19 vitamins and minerals. 1 billion CFUs and 12 digestive enzymes. Certified organic and non-GMO.One of the few kosher protein powders. No soy, gluten, or dairy. Very low sugar.

Cons

A little lower in protein than other powders. Sugar substitute (Erythritol) is disliked by some consumers. Some had problems with the package resealing properly.

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BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and all opinions about the products are our own. About BestReviews  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We buy all products with our own funds, and we never accept free products from manufacturers.About BestReviews 
HOW WE TESTED

We recommend these products based on an intensive research process that's designed to cut through the noise and find the top products in this space. Guided by experts, we spend hours looking into the factors that matter, to bring you these selections.

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Buying guide for best garden of life protein powders

Protein powders have surged in popularity because of their ability to help you build muscle, improve athletic performance, and increase feelings of satiety. Today, there are hundreds of different options on the market, but few are as popular as Garden of Life protein powders. The brand, known for its all-natural whole food supplements, has gained a loyal following, particularly among those interested in plant-based protein.

Garden of Life offers several protein powders, and while it’s tempting to think that they’re all more or less the same, this isn’t true. While they can all help you to build muscle and lose weight if used regularly, some are better suited to one task than another.

Here’s a guide to help you determine which Garden of Life protein powder is best suited to your needs.

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Consuming protein close to a workout can help your body to repair damaged muscles more quickly.

Key considerations

When selecting a Garden of Life protein powder, you must consider the protein source, the amount of protein per serving, and your unique goals in taking the protein powder.

Protein source

While whey protein tends to be the most common protein source used in protein powder, Garden of Life favors pea protein instead. It’s easier for the body to digest than many other plant protein sources, and it’s hypoallergenic. Vegans who prefer to avoid animal proteins, as well as those with allergies to milk and eggs, will undoubtedly prefer these Garden of Life protein powders to traditional milk-based whey protein powders.

But if you’re interested in whey protein because of its rapid absorption and proven benefits for muscle growth and fat loss, you’ll be pleased to know that Garden of Life offers whey protein options as well. This is sourced from grass-fed cows, so you don’t need to worry about unwanted antibiotics ending up in your protein powder.

Protein per serving

Garden of Life protein powders contain anywhere from 15 to 30 grams of protein per serving, with most containing about 20 grams per serving. This isn’t enough to give most people their full daily intake of protein. The Institute of Medicine’s Dietary Reference Intakes recommends 0.36 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day. But you must also keep in mind that you will most likely be consuming protein through your diet as well.

A single serving of protein powder per day should be more than enough for those who are just interested in losing weight or helping their bodies get through the occasional workout. But highly active people may have higher protein requirements and may need to consume a little more per day.

Personal goals

Consider what your primary goal is in using the protein powder, and allow this to inform your decision about which Garden of Life product to choose. If you want to build muscle, for example, you may prefer to choose a product with ingredients designed to enhance muscle recovery or performance.

On the other hand, if your main goal is to lose weight, you’ll be better off choosing a protein powder that’s meant to be used as a meal replacement shake. Unlike regular protein powders, these powders often contain a number of vitamins and minerals to help ensure that you’re not depriving yourself of vital nutrients when you substitute a protein shake for a meal.

Ingredients

You may notice some of the following on the ingredients label.

  • Probiotics: Probiotics are healthy bacteria that helps to keep your digestive and immune systems functioning optimally. Some Garden of Life protein powders include a few strains of probiotics. Alternatively, Garden of Life offers several probiotics supplements for those who prefer to take this separately.

  • Enzymes: Enzymes help your body to break down foods and absorb them more effectively. Different types of enzymes work on different types of foods. For example, protease works on proteins and lipase works on fats. Some Garden of Life protein powders include these enzymes to help your body digest the protein powder more easily.

  • Sweeteners and flavoring: Garden of Life only uses natural sweeteners like stevia and sugar alcohols like erythritol. For many, this is preferable to using artificial sweeteners or large quantities of sugar, but some feel that these sweeteners leave an unpleasant aftertaste. If you dislike this, you may be better off going with an unsweetened powder.

  • Proprietary blends: Several Garden of Life protein powders include proprietary blends. You’ll notice these on the ingredient label as long lists of ingredients without a quantity listed next to each individual item. While there’s nothing inherently wrong with these, some question the usefulness of them. It’s possible that, with so many ingredients, they are all present in such small quantities that they cannot offer you many benefits.
     

Texture and flavor

The best protein powders mix smoothly into liquids without clumping or settling at the bottom of the glass. There should be no chalky or gritty texture left behind. Some users have noted that Garden of Life protein powders tend to settle after a little while, so if you don’t plan to drink it quickly, you may need to stir the powder back into the liquid before you drink it again.

The majority of Garden of Life protein powders are available in chocolate and vanilla. Some may have additional flavors or an unflavored option. Flavor is a personal preference, but your decision may be impacted slightly by how you intend to use the powder. For example, you may prefer an unflavored powder if you’re going to be mixing it into food. If you tend to grow tired of a certain flavor after a while, you may wish to purchase multiple flavors so you can alternate between them as you see fit.

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Did you know?
In addition to building muscle, pea protein, found in many Garden of Life protein powders, is an excellent source of iron and can help promote heart health.
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Garden of Life protein powder prices

When comparing the price of Garden of Life protein powders — or any protein powders, for that matter — you should focus more on price per serving than on the overall cost. You can figure this out by dividing the total cost by the number of servings in the container.

Garden of Life protein powders usually range in price from about $0.60 per serving to $1.40 per serving. But a higher price tag doesn’t indicate a superior powder. You’re better off choosing a protein powder based on its ingredients and how well they line up with your goals.

Tips

  • If you don’t like drinking protein powder in water, try mixing it in with food or using it in a smoothie.

  • Meal replacement protein powders are most effective when used once per day every day.

  • If your protein powder comes in a pouch, you may wish to move it to a more secure container that’s less prone to tearing.

  • Protein powders for muscle growth work best when taken within about a half hour to an hour of your workout.

Other products we considered

Those interested in a whey protein powder who don’t mind trading a little protein per serving for a more affordable price should check out the Garden of Life Organic Grass-Fed Whey Protein Powder. It’s very similar to the Sport Whey Protein Powder, but it uses whey concentrate instead of whey isolate. Whey isolate powders are known for being lower in fat and carbohydrates and having higher concentrations of protein. But this whey concentrate powder manages to keep fats and carbs low while still offering an impressive 21 grams of protein per serving.

If cow’s milk proteins don’t agree with your digestive system, try the Garden of Life Goatein Powder. This is a unique protein powder made from goat’s milk protein. It only offers 13 grams of protein per serving, but it’s a nice alternative for those who struggle to digest cow’s milk. There are only five grams of carbohydrates per serving and less than one gram of fat per serving.

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If you want to be sure of what you’re getting, choose a Garden of Life protein powder that has been NSF Certified for purity and potency.

FAQ

Q. Are Garden of Life protein powders organic?

A. Yes, many Garden of Life protein powders are certified organic. You can find this information on the product label.

Q. How do I measure out how much protein powder is in a single serving?

A. The protein powder should include a scoop to help you measure out a single serving.

Q. Which Garden of Life protein powder is best for highly active individuals?

A. The Garden of Life Sport line of protein powders is a good place to begin. You may choose from whey or pea protein powders.

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