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Thanks for checking out my Garden of Life Organic Plant Protein review. My local health food store was selling this product by the packet, so it made it easy to try all five flavors. Come to find it out, it’s a pleasant tasting, nutrient-rich option that caters to specific diets and lifestyles.
This a unique product from Garden of Life as it’s one of the few vegan protein powders that’s paleo and keto-friendly. In other words, it’s grain-free, gluten-free, dairy-free (obviously), and very low in sugar (zero sugar for some flavors).
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Nutrition Review | Flavor Review | Price Review | Bottom Line
USDA Organic and Non-GMO Verified, Garden of Life Organic Plant Protein is a premium product for those with meticulous standards and an appreciation for good taste. But is it worth the price? And does it actually taste good?
In this review of Garden of Life (Grain-Free) Organic Plant Protein, I dive into the nutritional qualities, taste profile, and overall value of the product. And for the paleo CrossFitters looking for a grain-free vegan protein powder, I’ll fill you on whether it’s adequate for athletic recovery. Let’s get into the review.
Nutrition Review: What’s in Garden of Life Grain-Free Protein Powder?
Not only is the protein blend of Garden of Life Organic Plant Protein unique, but it’s also very diverse. The brand’s “Certified Organic Protein Blend” contains organic pea seed, organic flaxseed, organic cranberry seed, organic baobab fruit, organic moringa leaf, organic chia seed, and organic pumpkin seed protein.
While it would be awesome to have hemp seed protein in the mix (for the amino acids,) that could end up compromising the product’s taste. Nonetheless, this is a decent blend that has a respectable amino acid profile. The important thing to mention is that a single serving size (26-gram scoop) is rather small. So you’re only getting 15 grams of protein and a modest amount of amino acids.
Having mentioned that, if you are to double-up on the serving size, you’d get upwards of 30 grams of protein, 3.5 grams of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs).and about 7 grams of essential amino acids (EAAs). In short, that’s fairly average compared to a lot of other best protein powders out there.
A few other things to note about Garden of Life Organic Plant Protein is that it has essential fatty acids (2 grams of fat), probiotics, and enzymes. Most of the flavors are sweetened by organic stevia leaf extract, which can be a deal-breaker for some individuals who would rather have vegan protein powder without stevia. However, of all protein powder brands out there, Garden of Life does the best job at using stevia in a tasteful fashion. And I think they achieved a great balance in this product.
Nutritional Review Rating: 4 out of 5
Flavor Review: Does Garden of Life Organic Plant Protein Taste Good?
To be succinct, most flavors of Garden of Life Organic Plant Protein taste pretty good. The application of stevia is on-point, as the level of sweetness for most flavors is deliciously well-balanced. Without further adieu, below I review each of the five flavors of Garden of Life Organic Plant Protein.
Garden of Life Organic Plant Protein Smooth Vanilla
Garden of Life’s Organic Plant Protein powders are all fairly consistent with respect to sweetness. While all flavors contain stevia (with the exception of Smooth Unflavored,) it’s high-quality stevia that doesn’t linger or overpower the taste.
Smooth Vanilla has a pleasant, nutty vanilla flavor with hints of almond, cashew, and coconut. While it may be a bit sweet for some, it’s a well-rounded vanilla flavor that’s suitable for many different applications. 
Garden of Life Organic Plant Protein Smooth Coffee
Smooth Coffee has a pleasant mocha java flavor that was a bit chocolatey and mildly earthy. However, I found the texture to be slightly chalkier compared to the other options.
While this one is infused with Organic Marley Coffee for a nice caffeine boost, it was my least favorite option compared to others in the review as it found the taste to be a bit weird overall.
Garden of Life Organic Plant Protein Smooth Energy 
For those who want the caffeine without the coffee, Smooth Energy combines Guayaki Yerba Mate with a unique-tasting protein powder blend. And it’s probably one of the most unique and delicious options among organic non-GMO vegan protein powders.
I found Garden of Life Organic Plant Protein Smooth Energy to be perfectly sweet with subtle flavors reminiscent of maple and graham cracker. Although the protein powder looks earthy and potentially chalky, this was one of my favorite options in the Garden of Life Organic Plant Protein family. Mark it #1.
Garden of Life Organic Plant Protein Smooth Unflavored
Smooth Unflavored is in fact very smooth and transparent. There’s no stevia or sugar, so it’s not sweet at all. It blends well with just about anything, including smoothies, oatmeal, and baked goods. So, if you want an unflavored vegan protein powder that doesn’t taste like anything, then this one is for you (as it literally has little to no flavor).
Because there’s not much going on this product, the overall experience (including the texture) can be taste bland. As such, I recommend using Smooth Unflavored in more flavorful applications, like a fruit smoothie.
Garden of Life Organic Plant Protein Smooth Chocolate
The taste of Smooth Chocolate was similar to that of Smooth Coffee with its mocha-esque notes, but this one packed more robust flavors of rich, dark chocolate. It had pleasant earthy undertones and mildly bitter flavors like that of Dutch Cocoa.
I still tasted some slight chalkiness with this one, so it isn’t perfect, but it’s not a loser either. I personally would stick with Smooth Vanilla or Smooth Energy if I was regularly using Garden of Life Organic Plant Protein.
Given that most of the options for Garden of Life Organic Plant Protein tasted pretty good (but not outstanding), my overall flavor review rating is 3 out of 5.
Flavor Review Rating 3 out of 5
Price Review: How Much Does Garden of Life Organic Plant Protein Cost?
As I mentioned above in the introduction, the cost of Garden of Life Organic Plant Protein is high compared to other plant-based protein powders. The most common size is a small 9.4 oz package that contains ten servings. And if you recall from the nutritional review, there are only 15 grams of protein and not a lot of amino acids.
Because the price is always in flux (especially if you buy the product on Amazon), I can’t list a specific price tag. But what I can do is tell you that this product is expensive but of good quality. If you’re an athlete, you’re probably going to want something that has a higher amino acid profile, and at a more affordable price. There are several sport proteins that I personally use regularly, two of which are Garden of Life Organic Sport Protein and Vega Sport Performance Protein.
But if you really like how this product tastes, and the cost is not an issue (even if you plan to use two scoops), Garden of Life Organic Plant Protein is a fine product to use. Still, I have to give it a 4 out of 5 on the price review rating because it’s costly and the serving size is a little weak. But it’s a high-end product nutrition-wise, so if you’re keto and need a plant-based protein powder, this is a good choice.
Price Review Rating: 4 out of 5
Have you had Garden of Life Organic Plant Grain-Free Protein? Let me know what your experience was in the comments below. Also, check out some of the related plant-based protein powders listed below.
Related Vegan Protein Powder Reviews
- Garden of Life Sport Organic Plant-Based Protein Powder Review
- Garden of Life Raw Fit Protein Powder Review
- Sunwarrior Warrior Blend Protein Powder Review
- Vega Clean Protein Powder Review
- What’s the Best Protein Powder?
Garden of Life Grain Free Protein Powder Video Review
About The Author
This review was conducted by Tyler Tafelsky, the lead editor here at VeganProteinPowder.reviews. Tyler is an experienced writer in the health, nutrition, and athletic space, and he offers over a decade of experience blogging on various reputable platforms. Having experimented with a vegan diet over the course of his life, Tyler has tried hundreds of plant-based nutritional products and writes about his favorites here on this blog. Learn more about Tyler by viewing his full author bio or by following him on social media platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, or Instagram. You can also view his personal site TylerTafelsky.com to learn more about what he’s up to.