Garden of Life Organic Plant Protein: Nutrition & Labelgrade B+ (83/100)
B+ 83 / 100 — A clean, USDA-organic multi-seed plant protein: 15g per single-serve packet at 90 cal, zero sugar, no saturated fat, and meaningful fiber. The Labelgrade ceiling is the sodium reading (150mg per 23g packet is high on a per-100g basis) plus the texture-and-taste compromises typical of seed-based vegan powders. Honest read: nutritionally strong, but pea/flax/chia blends are gritty and earthy compared with whey or a smoother pea isolate.
🛒 Buy on Amazon →The short answer
Garden of Life Organic Plant Protein delivers 15 g of protein for 90 calories in a single 0.8 oz (23 g) foil packet (USDA FDC 2339116). That works out to roughly 65 g of protein per 100 g of powder — high density for a plant blend, and enough to peg the protein-density score at the ceiling. It earns a Labelgrade B+ (83/100): protein, sugar, and saturated fat all max out, fiber grades an A, and the only meaningful drags are a sodium reading penalized on a per-100g basis and the texture reality of a multi-seed vegan powder. This is a genuinely clean panel — the catch isn’t the nutrition, it’s the eating experience.
Why the B+
| Dimension | Grade | Score | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein density | A+ | 100 / 100 | ~65 g per 100 g — capped at A+. The headline 15 g comes out of just a 23 g packet |
| Ingredient quality | B- | 72 / 100 | 20-plus line items, all recognizable: organic seeds and legumes, a 13-enzyme blend, two probiotic strains. No artificial sweeteners, soy, or gums — the enzyme/probiotic list is what holds it short of an A |
| Saturated fat | A+ | 100 / 100 | 0 g — expected for a defatted seed-protein blend |
| Sugar | A+ | 100 / 100 | 0 g, with no sweetener of any kind in the formula |
| Sodium | F | 32 / 100 | 150 mg in a 23 g packet reads as ~650 mg per 100 g — high on the concentration basis the formula uses. Per serving it’s only ~7% of the daily limit |
| Fiber | A | 91 / 100 | 2 g per packet from the flax, chia, and pea — genuinely good for a protein scoop, and rare versus whey |
| Overall | B+ | 83 / 100 | One of the cleaner plant-protein panels graded here: organic sourcing, zero sugar, real fiber, all nine essential amino acids — held just short of A-territory by the sodium concentration and the texture-and-cost reality of multi-seed vegan powders |
The two grades worth reading correctly are sodium and ingredients. The sodium F is a units artifact, not a health warning: the formula scores per 100 g, and any 23 g serving size makes a normal 150 mg look concentrated. The B- on ingredients is a length penalty, not a junk penalty — there’s nothing artificial on the line, but stacking a 13-enzyme blend and a two-strain probiotic on top of the seven-source protein blend runs the count past 20, and the rubric reads long lists as less clean.
What the seed blend buys you — and costs you
The thing that actually separates this from a commodity pea powder is the multi-seed base. Pea protein is the workhorse and supplies most of the 15 g, but pea alone is light on methionine; layering in flax, chia, cranberry, and pumpkin seeds plus baobab and moringa is how Garden of Life gets to a “complete,” all-nine-amino-acid claim without soy or rice. Those same seeds are also where the 2 g of fiber comes from — a number most whey and isolate scoops can’t show.
The cost of that whole-food approach is mouthfeel. Flax and chia are gelling seeds: in plain water they read gritty and faintly slimy, and the moringa/baobab notes are earthy. This is the predictable trade — you’re buying minimally processed sourcing, and the texture follows from it. It’s why the realistic instruction is blend, don’t just shake: fruit, nut butter, or milk masks the grit; cold water alone exposes it.
Versus Orgain Organic Plant-Based Protein
The natural shelf rival is Orgain’s organic vegan powder (also in this catalog, FDC 2488913), and the contrast is clean because both are USDA-organic, pea-led, sweetener-light blends — they just resolve the plant-protein trade-offs differently.
| Garden of Life (this product) | Orgain Plant-Based, Vanilla | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein / serving | 15 g (23 g packet) | 20 g (46 g, 2 scoops) |
| Calories | 90 | 150 |
| Fiber | 2 g (A, 91) | 5 g (A+, 100) |
| Sodium dimension | F (32) | C (60) |
| Ingredient quality | B- (72) | B- (72) |
| Overall Labelgrade | B+ (83) | A- (87) |
Two honest takeaways. First, per gram of powder the protein density is nearly identical — Orgain’s bigger per-serving number is mostly a bigger scoop. Second, Orgain edges ahead on the rubric on two fronts: it pulls more fiber (helped by added inulin) and its sodium concentration grades a C rather than an F. Where Garden of Life answers back is formulation philosophy: no gums, no erythritol or stevia, no flavor system — just seeds, enzymes, and probiotics. If you specifically want a sweetener-free, gum-free blend in a single-serve packet, that’s the reason to pick this over the smoother, sweeter, tub-only Orgain.
What this packet is best for
The 23 g foil packet is the tell: this is a travel and gym-bag format, not a tub you scoop at home. The win is a flat, shelf-stable single serving — 15 g of organic plant protein, plus fiber and a probiotic dose, that survives being crushed in a bag and needs only a bottle of water or a blender. The shopper it suits is vegan or soy-free, values organic and minimally processed sourcing over a refined isolate, and is willing to blend rather than chug. The shopper who should skip it wants a smooth chocolate shake in cold water, or the lowest cost per gram — a refined pea isolate or whey wins both of those by a clear margin.
A note on the adjacent lines
Garden of Life runs several look-alike protein lines that are easy to confuse on a shelf, and their macros differ. This page is specifically the Organic Plant Protein multi-seed blend in the 23 g packet (UPC 658010118651) — not the RAW Organic Protein (sprouted grains and legumes), the Sport line (NSF Certified for Sport, higher per-scoop protein), or RAW Organic Fit (a weight-management formula). Confirm the actual packet or tub label before you buy, especially for allergens.
Ingredients
Certified organic plant protein blend [organic pea (seed), organic flax (seed), organic chia (seed), organic cranberry (seed), organic baobab (fruit), organic moringa (leaf), organic pumpkin (seed)], raw enzyme blend [lipase, protease, aspergillopepsin, beta-glucanase, cellulase, bromelain, phytase, lactase, papain, peptidase, pectinase, hemicellulase, xylanase], raw probiotic blend [lactobacillus plantarum, lactobacillus bulgaricus] 1 billion CFU. (Verbatim from the USDA Branded Foods entry, FDC 2339116.)
Where to buy
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Quick Facts
Per serving · 1 packet (23 g)
658010118651Full nutrition facts
| Nutrient | Per Serving (1 packet (23 g)) |
|---|---|
| Calories | 89.9 |
| Protein | 15g |
| Total Fat | 2g |
| Saturated Fat | 0g |
| Trans Fat | 0g |
| Total Carbohydrates | 3g |
| Dietary Fiber | 2g |
| Total Sugars | 0g |
| Sodium | 150mg |
| Calcium | 60mg |
| Iron | 5.4mg |
| Potassium | 60mg |
Scope: This page applies specifically to Garden of Life Organic Plant Protein (0.8 oz (23 g) single packet) · UPC 658010118651. Other sizes, flavors, or formulations may differ.
How this fits each diet
Each score is computed from the same USDA nutrition + ingredient data, against the published rules of each diet. They tell you "does this food fit this diet" — not whether the diet is right for you.
contains no listed animal products
contains no listed meat or fish
no wheat, barley, rye, or malt detected in USDA ingredient list
Frequently Asked Questions
How much protein is in a packet of Garden of Life Organic Plant Protein?
15 g per single 23 g packet (USDA FDC 2339116) — about 65 g per 100 g of powder, which is high density for a plant protein and enough to cap the Labelgrade protein-density score at A+. The packet is one serving you shake into liquid; it is not a ready-to-drink shake.
What is the protein actually made from?
An organic blend led by pea protein, rounded out with flax, chia, cranberry, and pumpkin seeds, plus baobab fruit and moringa leaf. Pea carries most of the 15 g; the seeds fill in the amino acids pea runs short on and contribute the 2 g of fiber. There is no whey, soy, rice, or added sweetener — and note this is the multi-seed blend, not Garden of Life's sprouted-grain RAW line.
What are the enzymes and probiotics doing in here?
Two add-ons sit under the protein blend: a 13-enzyme 'raw' blend (proteases, lipase, cellulase and friends) marketed to aid digestion of the seeds, and 1 billion CFU of two probiotic strains (L. plantarum, L. bulgaricus). They are the Garden of Life house signature, but they are also most of why the ingredient line runs 20-plus items long and grades a B-.
Is it a complete protein?
Garden of Life markets it as complete because the pea-plus-seed blend supplies all nine essential amino acids — pea is naturally low in methionine, and the seeds help cover that gap. It works as an everyday plant protein, but per gram it is not as leucine-dense as whey for triggering muscle-protein synthesis.
Why is the sodium graded an F if it's only 150 mg?
Because Labelgrade scores concentration, not portion size. 150 mg in a 23 g packet is roughly 650 mg per 100 g, which reads as high on a per-100g basis (score 32). In your shaker it's only about 7% of the 2,300 mg daily limit — modest. The F flags the density, not a real sodium problem in one serving.
Does it taste and mix well?
This is the honest weak spot. Multi-seed organic blends are earthier and grittier than whey or a refined pea isolate, and the flax and chia can leave a slightly slimy, chalky texture in plain water. Most people blend it with fruit, nut butter, or milk rather than shaking it with water alone. The nutrition panel is strong; the mouthfeel is the compromise you accept for whole-food-style sourcing.
Is it keto-friendly and 'high in protein' under FDA rules?
Both. With 3 g total carbs, 2 g fiber, 0 g sugar and 2 g fat, net carbs land near 1 g per packet — fine for low-carb and keto. And 15 g is 30% of the FDA 50 g Daily Value, above the 20% threshold required to claim 'high in protein.'