How about trying a plant-based protein supplement with solid dietary fiber and iron levels? Orgain Orgainc Protein Powder gives you these, and then some. It defies the norm for products in this category, as you’ll find out in this review.
Table of Contents
About Orgain Organic Protein Powder
Orgain Organic Protein Powder is the “Organic Vegan Protein Powder That Truly Tastes Great” which acts as “a healthy and delicious energy boost to help you power through a workout or just a busy day,” per the manufacturer’s official website. Formula notes:
- Twenty-one grams of protein per serving. Gives you 42 percent of the daily value for protein.
- Impressive dietary fiber and iron content. Twenty-eight percent and 20 percent of the daily value, respectively.
- Mediocre taste. Many customers cannot get past the re-formulated taste.
Orgain Organic Protein Powder Supplement Facts (Creamy Chocolate Fudge, 920 grams) |
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Serving Size: 2 Scoops (46g) Servings Per Container: About 20 |
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Nutrient | Amount Per Serving | % Daily Value |
Calories | 150 | |
Calories From Fat | 40 | |
Total Fat | 4 g | 6% |
Saturated Fat | <0.5 g | 2% |
Trans Fat | 0 g | |
Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0% |
Sodium | 200 mg | 8% |
Potassium | 160 mg | 5% |
Total Carbohydrate | 15 g | 4% |
Dietary Fiber | 7 g | 28% |
Sugars | 0 g | |
Erythritol | 5 g | |
Protein | 21 g | 42% |
Vitamin A 0% Vitamin C 0% | ||
Calcium 10% Iron 20% | ||
INGREDIENTS: Orgain Organic Protein Blend™ (Organic Pea Protein, Organic Brown Rice Protein, Organic Chia Seed, Organic Hemp Protein), Orgain Organic Creamer Base™ (Organic Acacia Gum, Organic High Oleic Sunflower Oil, Organic Inulin, Organic Rice Dextrins, Organic Rice Bran Extract, Organic Rosemary), Organic Erythritol, Organic Natural Flavors, Organic Alkalized Cocoa, Sea Salt, Natural Flavor, Organic Acacia Gum, Organic Stevia, Organic Guar Gum, Xanthan Gum. | ||
Directions: Mix two scoops (46 g) in 8-10 fluid ounces of water or almond milk and shake in a shaker cup or use blender. |
Organic Vegan Protein Powder That Truly Tastes Great
Protein supplements have become more diverse these days. Whey protein is the king among bodybuilding enthusiasts because of its anabolic properties, fast absorption prowess, and excellent reputation.
In fact, the January 2015 issue of Sports Medicine (via NCBI.NLM.NIH.gov) says, “Protein supplementation may enhance muscle mass and performance when the training stimulus is adequate (e.g., frequency, volume, duration) and dietary intake is consistent with recommendations for physically-active individuals.” With that, whey protein (and protein supplements in general) are a great and convenient way of complementing your training sessions at the gym.
However, whey protein isn’t the be-all and end-all of muscle-building protein supplements. Alternative protein sources such as brown rice protein and pea protein have gained serious traction over the years. The reason: they are great for vegans and vegetarians. They also pack a wallop in terms of health benefits.
The first plant-based protein product which comes to mind is Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Plant, which has an impressive 24 grams of protein per serving. Plus, it has generous servings of iron, vitamin C, and vitamin B12. Customers also love its taste. No wonder this product raises the bar high.
On that note, let’s see if Orgain Organic Protein Powder can dethrone it as the best plant-based protein supplement on the market. The manufacturer’s official website dubs this the “Organic Vegan Protein Powder That Truly Tastes Great.”
“We don’t usually like to brag, but we think Orgain Plant-Based Protein is truly the best protein powder available. Unlike most plant-based protein powders, it isn’t gritty or tasteless. It dissolves easily in your favorite smoothie, almond milk, or even water, and it’s delicious. With 21 grams of organic protein, five grams of fiber, and no added sugar, each serving is a healthy and delicious energy boost to help you power through a workout or just a busy day,” per the same source.
The company makes a good point: there are many plant-based protein supplements which dull your taste buds. They may be healthy, but customers consider chugging them down a tedious chore, to say the least. If Orgain Organic Protein Powder lives up to the hype, vegan and vegetarian bodybuilders will heave a sigh of relief.
Orgain Organic Protein Blend, 21 grams
Orgain Organic Protein Powder has 21 grams of protein per serving. This gives you a solid 42 percent of the daily value for this macronutrient (a minimum daily value of 15 percent is high). That much should help you build muscle mass, shorten exercise recovery time, and fill those nutrition gaps.
Let’s check out how its protein content stacks up against other plant-based protein products:
Orgain Organic Protein Powder | Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Plant | Amazing Grass Protein & Kale | Vega Sport Performance Protein | |
Protein per serving | 21 grams | 24 grams | 20 grams | 30 grams |
Daily value | 42 percent | 48 percent | 40 percent | 56 percent |
It’s clear the runaway winner is Vega Sport Performance Protein, which has an insane 30 grams of protein per serving (equal to 56 percent of the daily value). Despite having nine fewer grams of protein per serving, Orgain Organic Protein should still help you achieve your fitness goals. Twenty-one grams of protein per scoop isn’t bad at all.
The Orgain Organic Protein Blend has four sub-components. The first one is organic pea protein. This component yields roughly just five grams of protein per 100-gram serving. Despite its lackluster protein content, pea protein helps improve muscle thickness, per the January 21, 2015 issue of the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition (via NCBI.NLM.NIH.gov). That’s good news for vegan and vegetarian bodybuilding enthusiasts.
It doesn’t stop there. Pea protein is also a solid source of the alpha amino acid l-arginine, a popular vasodilator and nitric oxide booster. When you supplement with l-arginine, expect improved muscle pumps and nutrient uptake as well as healthier blood pressure levels. You just cannot pass up on these benefits.
The knock against l-arginine is its poor bioavailability. In that regard, l-citrulline (which you can find in pre-workouts such as Controlled Labs White Flash and Bodybuilding.com Signature Citrulline) is the better option.
The next sub-component of the Orgain Organic Protein Blend is organic brown rice protein. People may think brown rice is solely about carbs and whole-grain content, but it’s much more than just those: one scoop can give you as much as 20 grams of protein. So yes, brown rice can help you pack on some serious lean muscle mass.
Brown rice protein also has other great health benefits:
- Helps increase fat loss and satiety
- Regulates immune and nervous system function
- Keeps free radicals and inflammation at bay
- Promotes healthy blood sugar and cholesterol levels
- Ramps up energy levels
- Improves cardiovascular function
If you want a protein source which is a bona fide Jack of all trades, brown rice protein fits the bill perfectly. It’s the perfect muscle builder for health nuts everywhere. We’re stoked it’s in Orgain Organic Protein Powder.
Next up is organic chia seed. Manufacturers derive these from the Salvia hispanica flowering plant of Central America. Chia seeds’ benefits have passed the test of time. Aztec warriors relied on them for increased energy levels thousands of years ago.
Twenty-eight grams of chia seeds give you around four to five grams of protein. While experts concede chia seeds are not beneficial in terms of athletic performance, they do help increase muscle mass and fat loss, ward off free radicals, regulate digestion and blood sugar levels, boost heart health, and strengthen bones.
Perhaps the biggest upside of consuming chia seeds is their heart-health benefits. “Of particular interest by researchers is chia seeds’ high content of linoleic and alpha-linoleic (ALA) fatty acids. Sixty percent of the oil in chia seeds is from these omega-3 fatty acids,” per Harvard University’s School of Public Health’s official website. Omega-3 fatty acids promote improved cardiovascular and neurological function, boost vision, and shore up joint health as well. We’re glad Orgain Organic Protein Powder has organic chia seeds.
The final sub-component of the Orgain Organic Protein Blend is organic hemp protein. This protein source contains two proteins: albumin and edestin. These provide the body with a combination of essential and non-essential amino acids which help increase muscle protein synthesis (MPS) and fat loss, among other things.
Not only that, but hemp protein is a rich source of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids (which hemp protein has in a 3:1 ratio). Long story short, hemp protein boosts your heart, brain, and joint health as much as organic chia seed protein does.
Hemp protein also boasts of an incredible vitamin and mineral arsenal: it has vitamin E, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, calcium, iron, copper, manganese, potassium, and sodium. Among their combined health benefits include increased antioxidant protection, better heart health, increased energy levels, stronger bones, and healthier blood pressure levels. Hemp protein is truly a powerhouse nutrient, to say the least.
If there’s one word which aptly sums up the Orgain Organic Protein Blend, it’s versatile. It’s abundantly clear this protein blend is not just about muscle-building – it gives your body a ton of health benefits. Any time a protein blend goes above and beyond the call of duty, it’s a keeper in our book.
Let’s check out the formula ingredients:
- Calories, 150: A vast majority of protein supplements on the market have around 1oo to 150 calories per serving. Orgain Organic Protein Powder falls within that average.
- Calories from fat, 40: Orgain Organic Protein Powder doesn’t go overboard on the fat content at 40 calories from fats per two-scoop (46 grams) serving.
- Total fat, 4 g: This protein supplement’s fat content is bordering on low at six percent of the daily value (a maximum daily value of five percent is low). Most of this product’s fat content comes from good sources such as the omega-3 fatty acid content of its organic chia seed protein and organic hemp protein components.
- Saturated fat, <0.5 g: The manufacturer keeps Orgain Organic Protein Powder’s saturated fat content in check at a paltry two percent of the daily value, which is good. The American Heart Association encourages the general public to limit its saturated fat intake for better long-term cardiovascular function.
- Trans fat, 0 g: This kind of fat lowers good cholesterol (HDL) and increases bad cholesterol (LDL) levels. This is detrimental to cardiovascular health. We’re glad Orgain Organic Protein Powder has no trans fat content whatsoever.
- Cholesterol, 0 mg: We’re stoked Orgain Organic Protein Powder has zero cholesterol content. It follows in the footsteps of its protein bar counterpart, Orgain Organic Protein Bar. This supplement’s cholesterol content is also a far cry from its sister product’s, Orgain Whey Protein (which has a high 18 percent of the daily value for cholesterol). If you’re monitoring your cholesterol intake, Orgain Organic Protein Powder is a safe bet, for sure.
- Sodium, 200 mg: This controversial mineral helps enhance cognitive function, facilitate glucose absorption, maintain normal heart contraction, regulate kidney function and fluid levels in the body, keep muscle cramps at bay, and replenish depleted post-exercise electrolyte stores. However, the American Heart Association’s official website cautions the general public not to go overboard as excessive salt intake may raise blood pressure levels. Orgain Organic Protein Powder has moderate sodium levels at eight percent of the daily value. If you’re monitoring your sodium intake, go for a protein supplement with a lower sodium level such as NutraBio Muscle Matrix (which has a measly four percent of the daily value for sodium).
- Potassium, 160 mg: Orgain Organic Protein Powder is not a significant source of potassium at just five percent of the daily value.
- Total carbohydrate, 15 g: This product is a low-carb protein supplement at a paltry four percent of the daily value for carbs. This much should complement any low-nutrition and lean-muscle-building plan perfectly.
- Dietary fiber, 7 g: Orgain, Inc’s protein supplements set themselves apart from the rest of the pack with their high dietary fiber content. Orgain Organic Protein Powder is no exception: it has a solid 28 percent of the daily value for dietary fiber. That much should help promote regular bowel movement, keep cholesterol levels in check, and boost cardiovascular function. We said it before, we’ll say it again: it’s unusual to stumble upon a protein supplement which is teeming with dietary fiber. Orgain Organic Protein Powder sets the bar high in this regard.
- Sugars, 0 g: Orgain Organic Protein Powder has no sugar content. Instead, you’ll find organic stevia, a natural sweetener which helps regulate blood pressure and blood sugar levels. If only other bodybuilding supplement manufacturers can follow suit.
- Erythritol, 5 g: This is a natural sugar alcohol with impressive bioavailability properties. It also helps keep free radicals at bay. We say that’s awesome.
- Protein, 21 g: Orgain Organic Protein Powder has 21 grams of protein per two-scoop (46-gram) serving. This gives you 42 percent of the daily value for this macro. Not only will the Orgain Organic Protein Blend help you muscle up and shorten recovery time, but its sub-components (organic pea protein, organic brown rice protein, organic chia seed, and organic hemp protein) should help boost heart health, increase fat loss and energy levels, and ward off free radicals.
- Vitamin A, 0 percent daily value: Orgain Organic Protein Powder has no vitamin A content whatsoever.
- Calcium, 10 percent daily value: Orgain Organic Protein Protein Powder has moderate calcium content at 10 percent of the daily value. This mineral helps strengthen bones, regulate blood pressure levels, and boost heart health.
- Vitamin C, 0 percent daily value: Orgain Organic Protein Powder has no vitamin C content whatsoever.
- Iron, 20 percent daily value: Orgain Organic Protein Powder has high iron content at 20 percent of the daily value. This mineral helps regulate body temperature, form hemoglobin, and enhance cognitive function.
Formula Analysis
Quite Frankly, Orgain Whey Protein was somewhat of a disappointment. Sure, we gave it a decent mark, but its high cholesterol and sodium levels played the spoiler’s role to the hilt. We thought these attributes were unbecoming of Orgain, Inc., which has a reputation for manufacturing top-notch organic supplements.
The good news: Orgain Organic Protein Powder to the rescue. Not only does it have zero cholesterol and lower sodium levels (eight percent of the daily value), but it is clearly the better protein supplement than Orgain Whey Protein from top to bottom.
Is it the best plant-based protein on the market? Not so fast. The likes of Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Plant (which has 24 grams of protein per scoop and 100 percent of the daily value for vitamin C) are better. Nonetheless, Orgain Organic Protein Powder is a top-notch contender in that category. Make no mistake about it.
First off, this supplement’s 21 grams of plant-based protein per two-serving scoop (46 grams) gives you a solid 42 percent of the daily value for protein. It bears repeating: that much should help build serious muscle mass, shorten exercise recovery time, and fill nutrition gaps.
The Orgain Organic Protein Blend harnesses the powers of organic pea protein, organic brown rice protein, organic chia seeds, and organic hemp protein. We’re confident these help you muscle up as well. Better yet, these will help shore up your long-term health. Expect increased antioxidant protection and fat loss, improved cardiovascular function, and better joint health, among other things.
We said it before, we’ll say it again: high-fiber protein supplements are a rarity. More often than not, you’ll find many which have high calcium levels. Orgain Organic Protein Powder defies the norm with its 28 percent of the daily value for dietary fiber. This amount should help promote regular bowel movement, keep cholesterol levels in check, and improve heart health.
As if these weren’t enough, Orgain Organic Protein Powder also has an impressive 20 percent of the daily value for iron. This mineral helps regulate body temperature, enhance cognitive function, and form hemoglobin.
We also love the inclusion of organic stevia and organic erythritol. The former is a natural sweetener which helps regulate blood pressure and blood sugar levels. As for the latter, it’s a natural sugar alcohol which helps ward off free radicals.
Let’s not forget Orgain Organic Protein Powder is also low in saturated fat (two percent of the daily value), carbohydrates (four percent of the daily value), and sugar levels (zero grams per serving). These bode well for your long-term health, for sure.
The manufacturer also scores high marks in terms of transparency: it breaks down all of the ingredient amounts. We also found no dirty ingredients in Orgain Organic Protein Powder. We love it.
On the other hand, customers have given Orgain Organic Protein Powder high marks for quite some time. However, they haven’t been so gung-ho about the new formulation. Many of them can’t get past the chalky taste. So can we – we say it’s average, at best. It’s not the great-tasting organic vegan protein powder the company says it is (if you want better-tasting alternatives, try Cellucor IsoPro or Quest Protein Powder).
Orgain Organic Protein Powder is also slightly expensive at $39.99 for a 920-gram (2.03-lb.) container. We’re not surprised one bit – this product features a plethora of organic ingredients. You pay for quality, and that’s what you’ll get with Orgain Organic Protein Powder.
Nonetheless, Orgain Organic Protein Powder has established itself as a legitimate contender in the plant-based protein supplement category. The supplement facts should serve as hard evidence. If only the taste were a tad bit better, it would soar even higher.
Orgain Organic Protein Powder Benefits
“With 21 grams of organic protein, five grams of fiber, and no added sugar, each serving is a healthy and delicious energy boost to help you power through a workout or just a busy day,” per the manufacturer’s official website.
Who Takes It?
The manufacturer intended Orgain Organic Protein Powder for healthy and active individuals who want to build muscle mass, shorten recovery time, meet their daily protein requirements, fill nutrition gaps, boost long-term health, and achieve their daily fitness goals.
Any Side Effects?
While Orgain Organic Protein Powder has no glaring side effects, please consult your doctor if you feel doubtful about any of its ingredients.
Orgain Organic Protein Powder Review Summary
Pros
- Organic ingredients. Certified organic from top to bottom.
- Twenty-one grams of protein per serving. Gives you a solid 42 percent of the daily value for protein.
- Extra health benefits. The Orgain Organic Protein Blend also helps shore up heart health, ward off free radicals, and increase fat loss.
- Impressive dietary fiber and iron content. Twenty-eight percent and 20 percent of the daily value, respectively.
- Zero cholesterol content. Great for better cardiovascular function.
- Low in trans fats, sugar, and carbs. These bode well for long-term health.
- Excellent transparency. Manufacturer breaks down all of the ingredient amounts.
- Clean ingredients. You won’t find any fillers in this supplement.
- Versatile. Suitable for vegans and vegetarians.
- Flavor options. Comes in Creamy Chocolate Fudge, Sweet Vanilla Bean, Iced Mocha Latte, Peanut Butter, Pumpkin Spice, and Natural Unsweetened versions.
Cons
- Taste. Many customers cannot get past the re-formulated version’s taste.
- Expensive. One 902-gram (2.03-lb.) container costs $39.99.
Pricing & Where to Buy
- 1 462-gram container (10-day supply): $24.99
- 1 6-pack (6 x 462-gram containers): $143.94
- 1 920-gram container (20-day supply): $39.99
- 1 4-pack (4 x 920-gram containers): $149.96
- Available online and in retail
Final Word on Orgain Organic Protein Powder
If you’ve been searching long and hard for an awesome plant-based protein powder, Orgain Organic Protein Powder should meet your expectations. Its solid protein content, high dietary fiber and iron levels, and clean ingredient profile add up to make it one great bargain.
We recommend you buy Orgain Organic Protein Powder. It’ll help you muscle up and shore up your long-term health. If the manufacturer can improve the taste, that would be great.
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