Protein powders have become a staple in the world of sports nutrition, with a plethora of options available to consumers. Garden of Life, a natural supplement company known for its commitment to whole food ingredients, offers a plant-based protein powder called Raw Organic Fit. This review delves into the various aspects of this product, considering its ingredients, nutritional profile, taste, solubility, and overall value.
What is Garden of Life Raw Organic Fit?
Raw Organic Fit is a Certified USDA Organic, Raw, plant-based, vegan, high-protein powder specifically designed for weight loss† and is made with 13 raw sprouted organic ingredients. According to Garden of Life, Raw Organic Fit, their Raw, organic, high-protein powder, is specifically formulated to enhance your diet and exercise program, empowering you to lose weight, build muscle and restore balance.†
The Importance of Raw Ingredients
Garden of Life emphasizes the "raw" aspect of their protein powder, highlighting that heat and processing can denature protein, reducing its availability to your body. Since the very beginning, Garden of Life has chosen the cleanest, purest, whole food organic ingredients for our formulations to ensure that your body is being nourished the way nature intended. This commitment to whole food ingredients means that all products are derived from natural food sources, rather than synthetically made. Literally every member of our Garden of Life family is emotionally and physically committed to Empowering Extraordinary Health®. Doing good makes us feel good. In addition to prioritizing whole foods, Garden of Life has strict guidelines for banned ingredients. They don’t use any artificial preservatives, flavors, colors, or sweeteners. The protein powder specifically is USDA Organic, Informed Choice certified, NSF Certified for Sport, and Non-GMO verified. Not every supplement they make has all these certifications, but the sheer amount does speak to how seriously they take third-party testing.
Nutritional Profile and Ingredients
The Garden of Life protein powder has a lot going for it. It has a fully organic ingredient list and it combines five vegan proteins to provide all the essential amino acids and BCAAs. For a plant-based protein powder, the formulation is stellar. Since most plant-based proteins are not complete proteins, blending proteins like this can help ensure you’re getting all the essential amino acids. Yes, because Garden of Life uses a protein blend, it is a complete protein.
In addition to the main proteins, this powder also has a “recovery blend” that includes superfoods like organic tart cherry and organic turmeric, and 2 billion CFUs of probiotics. This can provide additional health benefits like enhanced muscle recovery, reduced inflammation, and digestive support. It’s sweetened only with organic stevia and doesn’t have any added sugars or unnecessary fillers.
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Taste and Solubility: A Point of Contention
As with any protein powder, we think some people will love it and others won’t. The TL;DR is that Amanda didn’t like this protein powder at all and said that because of the taste and solubility, she could barely get it down. Our tester didn’t love the taste of the Garden of Life protein powder, but it does have a lot going for it.
One tester described the taste as "dirt with a side of leaves," acknowledging that while it is made of plants, there are better-tasting options available. However, Garden of Life takes third-party testing very seriously, so Amanda gave it a 5 out of 5 here.
Price and Value
Garden of Life Plant-Based Protein has a relatively high protein content and a variety of other healthy ingredients, but this comes at a cost; it is more expensive than other vegan protein powders. The protein retails for $60 and there are 19 servings per tub, which comes out to $3.15 per serving.
Usage and Potential Benefits
Typically, we recommend whey protein powder for muscle-building, but this one has a blend of proteins that provide all the essential amino acids and BCAAs. If you want to use a single scoop to stretch out the tub, you could bump up the total grams by making a high-protein shake with this powder as the base and adding additional whole food ingredients like chia seeds, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, and/or peanut butter.
Third-Party Certifications and Quality Assurance
Garden of Life takes third-party testing very seriously. The protein powder specifically is USDA Organic, Informed Choice certified, NSF Certified for Sport, and Non-GMO verified.
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Customer Experience and Return Policy
Garden of Life has a generous return policy, which is part of the reason Amanda gave it a 4 out of 5 for customer experience. If you don’t like the protein powder, you can return it for a full refund within 60 days. Shipping is free for orders over $25 (it’s $4.99 for standard shipping if you spend less than that) and if you order by 3 pm, your order will ship that day. Overall, customers are really happy with the Garden of Life Sports Organic Plant-Based Protein. Reviewers rave about the ingredient quality and the lack of fillers and sugars.
Alternatives to Consider
This organic rice and pea protein powder is a good choice for people who want a clean plant-based protein option with minimal ingredients. Transparent Labs is one of our favorite brands, and the company makes a vegan protein powder that has similar merits: There are no artificial ingredients, it’s gluten-free, and USDA Certified Organic.
Scientific Backing
The article references several scientific studies to support the claims made about the benefits of certain ingredients:
- Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs): A study by Santos CS, Nascimento FEL (2019) discusses the relationship between isolated branched-chain amino acid intake and muscle protein synthesis in humans.
- Tart cherry: A systematic review and meta-analysis by Hill JA, Keane KM, Quinlan R, Howatson G (2021) explores the effects of tart cherry supplementation on recovery from strenuous exercise.
- Curcumin/turmeric: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials by Dehzad MJ, Ghalandari H, Nouri M, Askarpour M (2023) examines the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of curcumin/turmeric supplementation in adults.
- Probiotics: An article by Bodke H, Jogdand S (2022) discusses the role of probiotics in human health.
Potential Concerns
It is important to note the medical disclaimer: This article is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for medical advice. For health advice, contact a licensed healthcare provider.
Conclusion
The Garden of Life Raw Organic Fit protein powder offers a compelling option for individuals seeking a plant-based, organic protein source. It boasts a complete amino acid profile, additional superfood ingredients, and a commitment to quality through third-party certifications. However, the taste and solubility may not appeal to everyone, and the price point is higher than some other vegan protein powders. Ultimately, whether or not this protein powder is right for you will depend on your individual preferences and priorities.
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