Amazon.com: Customer reviews: Garden of Life Vegan Protein Powder - 22g Raw Plant Protein, BCAAs, Probiotics & Digestive Enzymes - Gluten-Free, Non-GMO, Lactose Free

Top positive review

The proof is in the results. How do you feel? I feel great!

Reviewed in the United States on March 21, 2013

After having tremendous problems with immune system issues, particularly in the gut with IBS, I had a doctor that thought I had gluten issues. I was tested for this during upper GI endoscopy and the test showed negative. The only thing I know for certain is that I cannot digest meat very well. I am not a vegan, but my body has moved me more and more in that direction because I cannot digest meat without massive stomach issues and I felt hungry and tired all the time. On the quest for a protein supplement that doesn't come from animals, I discovered this product.

First and foremost, this is not the best tasting thing you ever tried, but the taste will grow on you. Make sure you are mixing it properly and with COLD water. I have theCuisinart CSB-76BC SmartStick 200-Watt Immersion Hand Blender, Brushed Chromeand this is what I use to mix mine. It's so easy! I add about 8 oz water, instead of the recommended 6 oz and this gives me a better blend. By the way, while people are going on and on about how bad this is. It is not that bad. As I said, the taste will grow on you, but if you're not mixing it fully, it can be quite chalky. BTW, I use the chocolate flavor and if you're mixing right, it DOES taste like a chocolate shake. In the beginning, I didn't mix mine well using a standard blender and it tastes bad if you don't get it fully mixed. I switched to the hand blender, which does a marvelous job and so much easier to clean up afterward.

All of that aside, the real question is, does it work? Do you have more protein? Do you feel differently while taking this supplement. The answer to all of those for me is absolutely YES! Not only do I feel more energized (I have two shakes a day now), my IBS is practically a thing of the past. The great thing about this product is that it contains probiotics and these are different than the usual kind you see in pill form. I never noticed any difference with the probiotic pills, but with this, I am more "normal" than I've ever been. Perhaps it's the combination of the raw protein and the probiotics and the amino acids? I have no idea, but it's rare I can say this: It has changed my life!

I have never felt this good in my life, no really, never. I noticed it just after two days of use, so I discontinued using it to see if it was just placebo effect. Within 3 days, all my old gut issues came back, so I went back on this supplement and now I'm never going off. Even my mood is so much better and when people notice and say how happy you seem and what are you doing different - then you know you're onto something. It's amazing how much happier I am when I'm not malnourished and sick to my stomach all the time. I never thought I would feel well enough again to live life fully, but I am now. I have been telling everyone that if people knew how much better this stuff could make them feel, they couldn't keep it on the store shelves. Maybe I was just that bad off, but I can't believe this powder has made all that difference, but it has. Even my seasonal allergies have improved since taking this product. What in the world is in this stuff? I don't know, but I hope they never stop making it. I'm on the subscription plan now. I call this my prescription because it works better than all the stomach pills the doctors had me on and this has given me no side effects.

If you are having digestion issues, please give this a try. You might be as lucky as me and see a huge difference in the way you feel. I feel awful for people that are suffering, like I was. This might do the trick for you, too.

146 people found this helpful

Top critical review

Critical reviews›

Jschock

Worst tasting protein I've ever had

Reviewed in the United States on January 6, 2024

This is--by far--the worst tasting protein powder I've ever tasted.

Very ironic, considering we bought it based on the advertising that claims it, "tastes better than all the other brands."

I mixed it with milk (shaker ball & bottle). Upon first taste, I literally said, "OMG, that milk is spoiled."
Tried milk alone, tasted fine, date on milk was ok.

Hmm.. Ok..
So I then tried it today with water. Still awful. Literally awful.

It's like they replaced 50% of the chocolate taste with "wet sand" flavor, and on top of that, as if I mixed it with water I scooped up from a mud-puddle.
(Flavor is bad, but it is also chalky and sandy in texture)

I'm wondering if I somehow got a manufacturing defect, because it is so opposite of the advertisements.
Unfortunately for this company, I'm not willing to buy another one to find out..

Do not recommend. Awful. Extreme disappointment.

8 people found this helpful

5,131 total ratings, 1,608 with reviews

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From the United States

Mary S.

The proof is in the results. How do you feel? I feel great!

Reviewed in the United States on March 21, 2013

Verified Purchase

After having tremendous problems with immune system issues, particularly in the gut with IBS, I had a doctor that thought I had gluten issues. I was tested for this during upper GI endoscopy and the test showed negative. The only thing I know for certain is that I cannot digest meat very well. I am not a vegan, but my body has moved me more and more in that direction because I cannot digest meat without massive stomach issues and I felt hungry and tired all the time. On the quest for a protein supplement that doesn't come from animals, I discovered this product.

First and foremost, this is not the best tasting thing you ever tried, but the taste will grow on you. Make sure you are mixing it properly and with COLD water. I have the Cuisinart CSB-76BC SmartStick 200-Watt Immersion Hand Blender, Brushed Chrome and this is what I use to mix mine. It's so easy! I add about 8 oz water, instead of the recommended 6 oz and this gives me a better blend. By the way, while people are going on and on about how bad this is. It is not that bad. As I said, the taste will grow on you, but if you're not mixing it fully, it can be quite chalky. BTW, I use the chocolate flavor and if you're mixing right, it DOES taste like a chocolate shake. In the beginning, I didn't mix mine well using a standard blender and it tastes bad if you don't get it fully mixed. I switched to the hand blender, which does a marvelous job and so much easier to clean up afterward.

All of that aside, the real question is, does it work? Do you have more protein? Do you feel differently while taking this supplement. The answer to all of those for me is absolutely YES! Not only do I feel more energized (I have two shakes a day now), my IBS is practically a thing of the past. The great thing about this product is that it contains probiotics and these are different than the usual kind you see in pill form. I never noticed any difference with the probiotic pills, but with this, I am more "normal" than I've ever been. Perhaps it's the combination of the raw protein and the probiotics and the amino acids? I have no idea, but it's rare I can say this: It has changed my life!

I have never felt this good in my life, no really, never. I noticed it just after two days of use, so I discontinued using it to see if it was just placebo effect. Within 3 days, all my old gut issues came back, so I went back on this supplement and now I'm never going off. Even my mood is so much better and when people notice and say how happy you seem and what are you doing different - then you know you're onto something. It's amazing how much happier I am when I'm not malnourished and sick to my stomach all the time. I never thought I would feel well enough again to live life fully, but I am now. I have been telling everyone that if people knew how much better this stuff could make them feel, they couldn't keep it on the store shelves. Maybe I was just that bad off, but I can't believe this powder has made all that difference, but it has. Even my seasonal allergies have improved since taking this product. What in the world is in this stuff? I don't know, but I hope they never stop making it. I'm on the subscription plan now. I call this my prescription because it works better than all the stomach pills the doctors had me on and this has given me no side effects.

If you are having digestion issues, please give this a try. You might be as lucky as me and see a huge difference in the way you feel. I feel awful for people that are suffering, like I was. This might do the trick for you, too.

146 people found this helpful

Helpful

Gyakusetsu

This is helping immensely with my health journey!

Reviewed in the United States on February 26, 2024

Verified Purchase

I'm in my mid-30s and was starting to get bogged down with a bunch of extra weight. I am about 5'11 and was getting up to the 235lb point. Feeling sluggish, tired all the time, eating too much, and just not making healthy choices. On top of that, I work from home and wasn't getting any exercise in, so my body just wasn't doing well. This year I decided to make a change.

I work out pretty much every day now with 30 minutes of decent intensity cardio (heart rate ~155 for at least 20 minutes) and do some weight lifting about 3x a week to target some areas of my body that are weaker. I have also started counting calories and keeping around 1300kCal a day with an intermittent fast to lose some of the extra weight.

This Garden of Life powder is a great meal substitute for my lunches! On the plan, I do not eat a morning breakfast, work out over my lunch break from work, and then have one of these to break my fast as a lunchtime meal replacement. I'll eat a normal high-protein dinner to get to my calorie goal for the day.

I mix this with an unsweetened oat milk for a 120 calorie protein boost after working out. I am not dairy-free or vegan, I just like how oat milk tastes. Adds a nice creaminess to this powder. After blending for at least 30 seconds in a nutribullet, this comes out as a pretty nice shake. Smooth, non-grainy and a decent cocoa flavor. I also appreciate how the plant-based protein really rounds out my diet.

With this plan, I have lost about 35lbs in about 2.5 months. This protein shake helps me feel satiated enough over the day (I am in a deficit, so I do feel hungry and just have to push through it). My body looks better, I have real natural energy, and I am reaching fitness goals I never thought possible. I should be to my goal weight by this summer and I couldn't do it without some modern health supplementation and hard work.

40 people found this helpful

Helpful

L. Ludwig

Whole Protein source at good price

Reviewed in the United States on June 23, 2013

Verified Purchase

I had been taking whey protein powder and my loved brand discontinued making it. So off to Amazon I came to search for a new one. I had purchased a sample of Vega One - All-in-One Nutritional Shake Packet-French Vanilla SeQuel 10 Packet at Whole Foods, while I liked the taste the price per serving was too high for me (at Amazon would come out at almost $3 a scoop). This product was suggested by Amazon so I read the reviews. Took a leap of faith and purchased the container--price per scoop comes out to about $0.90, less if you do the Subscribe and Save.

Now for the product---
Honestly---my first go at it I thought, "NO way in hell am I drinking this." But I finished it and found myself actually somewhat pleased. It is not fair to the product for me to expect it to taste like my old protein powder. As I am trying to get away from whey I really wanted to see other alternatives...many of the vegan powders are very expensive and, if based on one protein source, not a whole protein.

It definitely has an 'earthy' taste which is a bit overwhelming if you are used to whey protein powders. Since the protein here comes from sprouted grains, the taste and texture is definitely different. It has NO sweeteners, which are usually used to mask any 'off' after tastes. If you are used to a sweetened powder I would suggest using some type of sweetener (banana, stevia, honey etc.) I mix mine with a coffee/water mix in a blender bottle. If you have time to use a blender it gives it a much smoother texture. However, seeing that I am always running late this is not usually an option for me. Do not let it sit--not saying you have to chug it, but you don't want it sitting too long as it gets thicker the longer it sits.

I definitely recommend this product at its current price point $25 for 650grams ($0.90 a scoop). I mention this only because I've experienced prices sky rocket in Amazon from one day to the next. I took one star off due to the "gotta get used to it" factor---not something I loved from the start.

**UPDATE**
I have been taking this for couple months now and I slowly started to cut back on the banana, I think eventually I'll be able to cut it out completely. Just a matter of what one if used to and the old protein powder I used to take was a lot sweeter.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Catherine

Great in smoothies, took some getting used to

Reviewed in the United States on December 8, 2023

Verified Purchase

I have been using this protein powder since august and at first I was not a fan, but I am on my third tub now and I love it! I previously used orgain chocolate protein powder and it definitely tastes more like chocolate than this….this flavor took some getting used to. But I think asking for protein powder that is made from peas, quinoa, legumes, etc. to taste EXACTLY like chocolate…is asking a lot. Plus this has the highest amount of protein I could find in an organic plant based protein powder. I mix a scoop and a half with naked peanut butter powder, a banana, and oat milk every morning and sometimes if I need to meet my goal I mix it with frozen cherries and low fat ice cream for an evening treat. Give it a chance!!!

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Brain in a Vat

The Good, The Bad and The Gritty

Reviewed in the United States on July 17, 2015

Verified Purchase

Wow, is this stuff gritty. Real gritty. It's strange, because when it's dry, it feels like cornstarch between your fingers. The taste isn't so bad that I can't get it down. I use only about a half of a cup of water to mix with it. That way, I can gulp it down in a couple of swallows. I'm sure it would be a lot better mixed into milk. Let's be honest. No one buys this type of stuff because they like the taste.

On the positive side, there's lots of fiber. Nothing further needs to be written about that. :) And let's not forget that protein. This stuff switches off hunger like a switch. I woke up starving. One scoop and I felt full, like I ate a big meal, for about half of an hour. After the fullness, I didn't feel any hunger for another two and a half hours. Another scoop at lunch and I was good to go until my grilled chicken salad dinner. Nope, I'm not vegan. I just prefer not to ingest large doses of whey. Whey is known to cause cancer in rats. I'm not a rat (I swear), but why take the chance?

Update (07-30-2015):
Great news. I've ordered the Vanilla and I LOVE it. I mix one scoop into 1/2 cup of fat free organic milk from pasture raised cows (the milk raises the protein to 21g from 17g). This stuff is actually good. I sip it like a fine wine. If you are a vanilla lover like me, try the vanilla before you try the chocolate. I will say that it's just a tiny bit too sweet.

6 people found this helpful

Helpful

Jschock

Worst tasting protein I've ever had

Reviewed in the United States on January 6, 2024

Verified Purchase

8 people found this helpful

Helpful

Aly

Bad flavor

Reviewed in the United States on February 1, 2024

Verified Purchase

Got this because I recently had to cut out dairy. I hated the flavor it tasted awful no matter how I tried it. It was also hard to blend.

Helpful

Laura Gabriel

Tastes great + I lost weight! A handful of fruit blended in for no chalky texture.

Reviewed in the United States on February 1, 2015

Verified Purchase

I purchased both the chocolate and vanilla, and after a little over a week using both products daily, I thought I should share my experience.

First off- it arrived quickly and in perfect condition. Yes, the tubs are half filled, but honestly who cares when the servings match the total servings on the tub (we measured it out to check, and got a little over 28 servings in each container). No one is trying to scam you, I promise.

As for the taste- all protein shakes I've had in the past (there has been a lot) come with a chalky light texture- you have to play around and find what works for you. This is no different BUT it seems to mix smoother into smoothies unlike other protein powders I've tried, and tastes fantastic. This is a huge perk and will probably be the main reason why I will keep buying this product. In fact, if you add more water/almond milk than suggested with frozen fruit or bananas, there isn't any chalky or gritty texture at all! Our favorite combo thus far has been a cup of frozen strawberries, one to two bananas, and 2 cups of water with the chocolate powder serving blended up together. To up the protein on days I feel like we need it, I add a tablespoon of hemp or chia seeds. And on days I feel like spoiling myself, I add a medjool date prior to blending. This makes a great and easy lunch and I find myself looking forward to it.

I should note that I don't like using the product straight as- just the powder with water or almond milk. I've never liked any protein shake like that- it feels like a chore to drink down the texture. But again, mixing with some fruits or veggies covers all sins and provides a fantastic shake.

Health wise- It has only been one week, but what I've noticed thus far is I'm not nearly as hungry throughout the day. The lack of 24/7 snacking has led to 1.4 lb loss (without working out). I have more energy during my usual afternoon slump. Whereas I am looking to drop weight, this product has worked for my husband to gain weight to meet his goals (he has two shakes a day, and ups the protein with hemp seeds). He reports it's a great post workout snack.

We'll continue buying this product- I prefer the chocolate (with added strawberries), but the vanilla is great too. I highly recommend this product.

15 people found this helpful

Helpful

Sandra J.

I just can't get over the flavor!

Reviewed in the United States on November 13, 2023

Verified Purchase

I really wanted to like this product. I've used the plant-based Orgain chocolate protein powder for a long time and I craved my smoothies every day when I woke up. i heard that wasn't the best, so I decided to switch to a more wholesome option. I've stopped putting protein powder in my morning smoothies because I just don't like the taste of this product -- it tastes grassy? i try to cover it up with other flavors too but it still has such a prominent flavor. someone else reviewed that it tastes like a nice chocolate and it is one of their favorite protein powders. i've love the consistency and what's in it, but I just can't get behind the flavor.

Helpful

In Good Company

In Love With This Brand

Reviewed in the United States on December 11, 2023

Verified Purchase

I have been using this protein powder for some time. I love that it does not have any garbage in it and is full of natural pure good foods but in powder for to get the nutrition in easier. This company has always put out great products. Sometimes they are a little pricer than I would like, but it is what it is. This powder tastes delicious, has a nice thickness to it when blended, and goes well in any smooth recipe. It fills me up for a good few hours and helps sustain my blood sugar. It lasts a month, so you are definitely not gonna get longer that 30 servings, unless you cut the serving in half but then you sacrifice the amount of protein intake. I will continue to use this as long as the quality and price point do not change.

32 people found this helpful

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Garden of Life Vegan Protein Powder - 22g Raw Plant Protein, BCAAs, Probiotics & Digestive Enzymes - Gluten-Free, Non-GMO, Lactose Free - 1.5 LB

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