Garden of Life Protein Powder Review: Sport vs. Raw Organic
Garden of Life Sport vs. Raw Organic Protein: what's in each, what independent testing found, and who each suits.
Garden of Life makes two of the most popular plant protein powders: Sport Organic Plant-Based Protein, built for athletes, and Raw Organic Protein, its everyday sprouted protein. They're quite different, so it's worth knowing which is which before you buy.
Here's what's in each, what independent testing has found, and who each one suits. We make a competing protein, fitppl Optimal Plant Protein, so keep that in mind as you read. Every number below comes from a label or an independent lab, and we've noted where Garden of Life comes out ahead.
The short answer
- Sport has the most protein: 30g per serving, and it's NSF Certified for Sport, which matters for athletes who get drug tested.1
- Raw Organic Protein is the everyday option: 22g of protein and 5g of fiber from pea, sprouted brown rice and a long list of sprouted grains and seeds.2
- Both are USDA Organic and Non-GMO Project Verified, and both are sweetened with stevia. Raw Organic Protein also contains erythritol.123
- Sport had the highest lead of the products we've compared. Consumer Reports found 2.76 mcg per serving, more than half of the USP <2232> daily limit of 5 mcg. Raw Organic Protein wasn't tested.57
Sport vs. Raw Organic Protein
| Per serving | Sport Organic Plant-Based, Vanilla | Raw Organic Protein, Vanilla |
|---|---|---|
| Serving | 2 scoops (about 45g) | 1 scoop (about 33g) |
| Protein | 30g | 22g |
| Calories | 170 | 130 |
| Sugar | Less than 1g | 0g |
| Protein from | Pea, garbanzo bean, navy bean, lentil, cranberry seed | Pea, sprouted brown rice, 12 sprouted grains and seeds, chlorella |
| Extras | Fruit and turmeric "recovery blend," probiotic | Digestive enzymes, probiotic |
| Sweetener | Stevia | Erythritol, stevia |
| Certifications | USDA Organic, Non-GMO, NSF Certified for Sport, NSF gluten-free | USDA Organic, Non-GMO, NSF gluten-free |
| Price per serving | About $2.53 | About $1.78 |
Figures are from Garden of Life's product page and retailer labels, and prices were checked in November 2026.123 Sport's recovery blend includes organic tart cherry, apple, turmeric, goji and blueberry.1 Raw Organic Protein contains sesame.2
What Garden of Life does well
- Certifications. Both products are USDA Organic and Non-GMO Project Verified, and Sport is NSF Certified for Sport, which tests for substances banned in sports.1
- Protein. Sport's 30g per serving is among the highest of the popular plant proteins.
- Value. Raw Organic Protein is about $1.78 a serving, with 5g of fiber.2
- Variety of plant sources. Both use several proteins rather than just one.
The trade-offs
- Long ingredient lists. Sprouted blends, recovery blends, enzymes and probiotics add a lot of ingredients, and the label doesn't list how much of each is in a blend.
- Sweeteners. Both use stevia, and Raw Organic Protein adds erythritol. If you avoid either, see our guides to stevia and erythritol.
- Two scoops for Sport. The 30g serving is two scoops.
- Lead in Sport. See below.
Does Garden of Life protein powder have lead?
In its October 2025 testing of 23 protein powders and shakes, Consumer Reports found plant-based products had the most lead on average.4 To put the numbers in context, we compare them with USP <2232>. USP <2232> is the U.S. Pharmacopeia's standard for heavy metals in dietary supplements. It sets daily limits of 5 mcg of lead, 5 mcg of cadmium, 15 mcg of inorganic arsenic and 15 mcg of mercury. Following it is voluntary, but it's a common benchmark for testing supplements.7 Here's Garden of Life Sport next to our own latest test:
| Per serving | Lead | Cadmium | Arsenic | Mercury | Tested by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garden of Life Sport, Vanilla (45g) | 2.76 mcg | 1.93 mcg | 1.33 mcg | 0.01 mcg | Consumer Reports, 20255 |
| fitppl Optimal Plant Protein, Vanilla (36g) | 1.01 mcg | 3.35 mcg | Not detected | 0.25 mcg | Light Labs, Sept 20266 |
| USP <2232> daily limit | 5 mcg | 5 mcg | 15 mcg | 15 mcg | U.S. Pharmacopeia7 |
Both were under the USP limits. Sport had more lead and arsenic than Optimal in these tests, and Optimal had more cadmium. Consumer Reports didn't test Raw Organic Protein, so we don't have an independent result for it. These results come from different labs, batches and years, and metals vary from batch to batch, so treat them as a snapshot. We publish our full results on the Optimal product page and retest about every six months.
Garden of Life vs. fitppl Optimal
| GoL Sport | GoL Raw Organic | fitppl Optimal | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein | 30g | 22g | 26g |
| Calories | 170 | 130 | 150 |
| Sweetener | Stevia | Erythritol, stevia | Monk fruit |
| Gums | Guar | Guar | None |
| USDA Organic | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| NSF Certified for Sport | Yes | Not listed | No |
| Price per serving | About $2.53 | About $1.78 | About $2.33 |
Nutrition is from each label, and prices are list prices checked in November 2026.236
Who should choose Garden of Life, and who might not
Sport is a good fit if you're an athlete who gets drug tested and needs NSF Certified for Sport, or you want the most protein per serving. Given its lead result, it's worth keeping an eye on how often you use it.
Raw Organic Protein is a good fit if you want an affordable organic protein with fiber and don't mind erythritol, stevia or a long ingredient list.
You might prefer something else if you want a short label with no stevia, erythritol or gums. Optimal has 26g of protein from four organic ingredients, or compare more options in our guide to the best plant-based protein powders.
The bottom line
Garden of Life's two plant proteins are well certified, and Sport carries NSF Certified for Sport. Both rely on stevia, Raw Organic Protein adds erythritol, and both have long ingredient lists. The biggest caution is Sport's lead result in Consumer Reports' testing. Check the label, and ask the brand for recent test results.
Sources 7
Numbers in the article link to these sources.
- Garden of Life. Sport Organic Plant-Based Protein, Vanilla.
- Garden of Life Raw Organic Protein, Vanilla. Product label and price via Vitacost.
- Garden of Life Sport Organic Plant-Based Protein, Vanilla. Product label via Vitacost.
- Consumer Reports. Investigation finds two-thirds of protein powders and shakes tested contained high levels of lead in a single serving. October 2025.
- Consumer Reports. Protein powders and shakes: methodology and test results. October 2025.
- fitppl. Optimal Plant Protein Nutrition Facts and Light Labs heavy metal report (tested September 7, 2026).
- USP General Chapter <2232> Elemental Contaminants in Dietary Supplements: daily limits for lead, cadmium, arsenic and mercury, as summarized by BSCG.
